On a London sports field, Maya Hassan watches proudly as about 30 women – almost all Muslims and members of ethnic minorities – take part in a self-defence course that she organised in response to a wave of riots that have seen violent, racist attacks on Muslims and ethnic minorities.

The 28-year-old martial arts expert said she wanted to help women of colour learn to cope with abuse and build connections and trust after more than a week of riots against mosques, asylum seeker shelters and police.

“It gives you a little more confidence,” she said. “You know what to look for, how to be socially aware, how to spot things and how to get out of a really bad situation.”

Muslim communities and ethnic minorities have expressed their dismay at the unrest, which was sparked by false reports online that the suspected killer who killed three young girls in a knife attack in Southport, northwest England, was a Muslim migrant.

Martial arts instructor Stewart McGill said he had seen more women attending his classes since the unrest began. He taught them how to defend themselves with kicks and improvised weapons such as belts.

One participant, 24-year-old Elza Annan, said she felt more confident.

“I obviously don’t want to have to use these techniques, but they are useful and beneficial … especially in light of recent incidents where far-right racists have taken to the streets and targeted people of color,” she said.

Islamophobia is increasing

The riots were mainly directed against migrants, Muslims and Asians. They spread fear among ethnic minorities and highlighted the United Kingdom’s integration record.

Tell MAMA UK, a group that monitors anti-Islam incidents, said hatred against Muslims had been increasing in Britain for some time, particularly since October 7 last year, the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Since the unrest began, the organisation has received over 500 calls and online reports of anti-Islamic behaviour across the UK.

Sunder Katwala, director of the migration and identity think tank British Future, said at its best Britain was a “confident multi-ethnic democracy”.

However, he said successive governments had lacked a strategy to integrate the different communities.

Although the new arrivals from Ukraine and Hong Kong received government support, this did not apply to all of them.

The asylum system is under particular pressure, with a huge backlog of applications and some Britons worried about pressures on housing, healthcare and education services.

“Asylum means a visible loss of control and that can lead to fear,” says Katwala.

The unrest has largely stopped since thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets to protect potential targets such as immigration advice centres, mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers.

Hassan, who wears a headscarf and is Swiss with Somali roots, moved to Britain in 2008, partly because she felt that ethnic minorities there were more open than in many other parts of Europe. She is considering organising more courses.

A similar event was planned in Manchester, northern England, and the campaign group Three Hijabis held a major online conference call with Muslim women this week to discuss the psychological impact of Islamophobic violence.

Shaista Aziz, the group’s leader, said some women fear the violence could lead to confrontations or attacks, prompting many to stay close to home.

“Today I advised a sister I love very much to consider removing her hijab for her safety as she travels through the Northeast…” she said during the riots on X.

“Across the country, British Muslims are having the same conversations.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has ordered additional protection measures for the Muslim community, described the rioters as “far-right thugs”. Nearly 800 people were arrested, some of them given summary trials and jailed.

The protests against racism are expected to continue.

For 23-year-old Maki Omori, who identifies as nonbinary, Saturday’s class would help her prepare for counter-protests.

“I found it really intimidating to think about how I would defend myself,” Omori said. “I want to make sure I’m ready if something happens.”