On 29th July 2024, news broke of a horrific attack at a children’s dance workshop in Southport. Axel Rudakubana has since pleaded guilty to the murder of three young girls and the attempted murder of ten others.

While many responded with grief and solidarity, others used the tragedy to ignite the largest outbreak of far-right rioting in post-war Britain — nine days of violence driven by hate, disinformation, and deep-rooted division.

One year on, the physical unrest has passed, but the underlying issues remain. Here we explore what happened, the extremist ideology that fuelled it, the state’s response, and the lessons we must learn. It also highlights how communities came together in the face of hate, and how our Hold On To Hope campaign helped to build resilience, connection and unity in its wake.