Briefing: What are the pink protests? Women at anti-migrant protests

Georgie Laming, Director of Campaigns at HOPE not hate said:

“There are many valid concerns about women’s safety in local communities, particularly following recent sexual assault allegations against people seeking asylum in Epping, Manchester, and Nuneaton. 

“Whilst there is genuine local and peaceful protest around violence against women, it is clear that once again, the far-right are attempting to co-opt this issue for their wider anti-migrant agenda. 

“To stop this there has to be legitimate engagement with communities about the safety of women and girls, and proper legal response to the current cases involving people seeking asylum who are accused of sexual assault that prioritises justice for all victims.” 

Women at anti-migrant protests

Across several of the ongoing anti-migrant protests that have taken place in the UK this summer, women have been dressing in pink to highlight the perceived danger to women and girls posed by people seeking asylum. 

Many of them have understandable and valid concerns about women’s safety in local communities, particularly following recent sexual assault allegations against  people seeking asylum in Epping, Manchester, and Nuneaton. 

However, we also know that the exploitation and co-option of violence against women and girls is a common far-right tactic to incite hatred towards migrant and racialised communities. 

What are the Pink Protests?

These “pink protests” tend to be a fraction within wider anti-migrant protests instead of organising on their own. Pink protests have so far appeared in Aldershot, Altrincham, Epping, and Canary Wharf, with the first one having taken place at the Britannia Hotel on the 3 August. 

The next protest is planned today 13 August 2025 at 6pm at the Potters Hotel in Aldershot, Hampshire. The protest has been organised by Rushmoor People First, a group with connections to known far right actors including current and former members of UKIP, Turning Point UK, EDL, National Front and the nazi Patriotic Alternative. RPF are also organising another protest on 17 August at the Brook Hotel, Norwich.

The exploitation of gender based violence narratives is a common thread among the far right. Racism, xenophobia, and anti-migrant sentiments are encouraged by tapping into authentic concerns about the safety of young women. This was visible recently following violence towards migrant communities in Ballymena after a local girl was sexually assaulted, as well as violence in Epping at the beginning of this summer’s string of protests. 

Often, these are not genuine attempts to engage with issues surrounding sexual violence, but a vehicle through which far-right actors can make themselves seem more community focused. Revealingly, recent statistics show that two in five of those arrested in last summer’s riots had previously been reported for domestic abuse.

Co-opting cases of sexual violence to justify pre-existing hatred towards racialised and migrant communities is a common far-right tactic. There have been many cases where the ethnicity of alleged perpetrators – sometimes the result of mis-and disinformation about their identity – has led to the targeting and demonising of entire communities as an inherent threat to the safety of women and girls. 

Far-right actors such as Stephen Lennon AKA Tommy Robinson, the fascist Homeland Party, and UKIP leader Nick Tenconi position themselves and their racist rhetoric as the ‘solution’ to these localised concerns about sexual violence. In reality, the majority of far-right actors exhibit heavy levels of misogyny themselves. 

Genuine Local Concern

The women involved in the pink protests are not necessarily far right, and the majority have not been observed to attend any previous far-right events. Simply dismissing all participants as far right is unhelpful and can even have a radicalising effect , pushing people towards groups that validate their concerns.

To stop this there has to be legitimate engagement with them about the safety of women and girls, and proper legal response to the current cases involving people seeking asylum who are accused of sexual assault that prioritises justice for all victims. 

Notes to editors:

• Please note this is a background briefing and should not be directly quoted from. We’re happy to answer further questions. 
• Spokespeople from HOPE not hate are available on request.