The Turbulent rhetoric faced by Ethnic Minorities across Europe

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When the topic of immigration is mentioned here in the United Kingdom, I always throw a controversial and uncomfortable diamond spanner in the conversation that can rarely be broken. The simple truth, the most influential man of all time who shapes the lives of billions of individuals everyday was in fact also a refugee and dealt with the very same struggles in an attempt to seek reconciliation, peace and acceptance in a land of unfamiliarity and hostility, we all know him as Jesus.

To put my thoughts on this subject into perspective, I do not follow or practice religion or share the teachings of any religious beliefs, but even I know that what we are seeing from protests in the UK in 2025 is far from biblical.

I know this because I was born and grew up in this country, our historical religious principles and values are indoctrinated in everyday life, a sort of life guide from a very early age. Like in many countries, religion is embedded into the education system and is part of our upbringing whether we want to identify as religious or not, because the core model of society is a reflection of the principles we are expected to follow in our social design as decent respectful citizens.

Do those people who oppose Asylum Seekers and Refugees also forget the very foundations of the religious values their countries are built on?

Ironically then, we move forward to 2026 and I’m starting to think how those fundamental life guides are being replaced and rewritten to a point where it is every man for himself.

The English cross is one of the most recognisable flags in the world and symbolic in Christianity itself. The English flag is now also widely synonyms with far right and nationalist groups which are increasingly visible in large numbers across England.

Every flag worldwide is a symbol of national pride, however contextualised can be used as a weapon for power, Intimidation and provocation. How can you remind a person they are not part of society? Well, by marginalising people for simply not identifying with the one thing they can never be which is a native, this is cruel, demeaning and an act of psychological and racial abuse.

The United Kingdom is a multi ethnic society and one of the largest International markets in the world, and society as a whole functions as a result of International trade and cooperation, this is what attracts people to the United Kingdom. Naturally, people who work in multinational countries need a place to live, not just asylum seekers. Now with this in mind the UK also presents itself to the rest of the world as a world leader of Law and Rights whilst being a safe multi national society open for international business, hospitality and culture. Tell me why you would not consider the UK as a viable Asylum route if you are fall under the following — fleeing a war torn country, abject poverty, Human rights atrocities, or simply want a better life for yourself in a fair society where you are not judged by your skin colour/religion/sexual orientation/political beliefs etc…until now that is.

Not only are far right protests a clear provocation towards asylum seekers, they are an indication of hostility, intolerance and closeted skepticism towards anyone living in the United kingdom of International origin. The most identifiable features are visual or vocal, notably skin colour or accent. The far right are very rarely self disciplined enough to stop and consider the implications of judging someone at face value.

The current far right movements across Europe undermine hundreds of years of progress, reverting back to a time of imperialist conquest based on divide and conquer and intimidation when the flag was a power symbol.

I cannot imagine how it would feel to leave your home country under horrifying circumstances to find nobody is willing to help or accept you despite being at your personal lowest of low, extremely vulnerable and at risk of death. The barriers which prevent asylum seekers from access to safe entry into neighbouring countries are the exact reason why smuggling routes exist, except the once known safe zone countries are now no longer guaranteed safety either from the threat of nationalism. Do people expect displaced individuals to just wonder aimlessly until they are out of sight and mind whilst we just pretend they never legally existed?

The reality of it is that Asylum Seekers have been sold a false promise, during an act of desperation where the willing participants to help are the ones which inexplicably also see opportunity to exploit and profit from the desperate and vulnerable. Sadly, people smugglers fill a void in the transit of movement of displaced persons because not enough is being done to find a viable legal alternative route to guarantee safety for individuals seeking asylum and protection. Europe doesn’t want to admit it, but legal routes from a European perspective is just another means to attract more asylum seekers, and nobody wants to be the bearer of responsibility for any influx of immigration, despite being a unilateral block which supposedly exists to help each other. The prevention of legal safe routes means they are also failing to counteract the trafficking problem. The creation of new legal pathways would devalue smuggling networks.

There is always a bigger agenda in the background, but the spread of misinformation is highly influential on everyday lives, and people eventually forget to think for themselves and turn to collective prejudice. But then we live in a time where people are more interested in looking at themselves in the mirror or a selfie rather than noticing other people.

I question where my own identity lies, I am born in the United Kingdom with Black British Nationality but I no longer feel welcome or wanted in my own country because from the outside my appearance is a problem.

Have you walked down your own street where you live and pay taxes and worked hard your whole life only for people to spit and stare towards you as if you do not belong there? Have you been treated like a different person compared to your colleagues/classmates and been snubbed chances to progress in life? Have you been searched by the police for no reason or placed under high suspicion whenever you enter a premises. This is the experience ethnic minorities share regardless of birthplace across the European continent.

Is this is the society people desperately want?

The UK is struggling, just like many countries, but why always blame the people at the bottom, the collective poor are not living any better than anyone else.

What can improve the situation?

People need to Remember that, we are all Human, and nobody is above anyone regardless of their circumstances, if we can’t help each other at our worst times then society fails.