Community Space Loss Linked to Rise in Far-Right Violence, Report Reveals

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has published a report indicating that the shutdown of community spaces has created conditions conducive to violence, especially in the wake of the far-right riots that occurred last year. The paper emphasizes that as youth clubs, leisure centers, and local pubs disappear, communities are increasingly isolated, leading individuals to spend more time online and gravitate toward far-right ideologies.

The report discusses a troubling trend characterized by “abandonment and gentrification,” which has resulted in the diminishing of spaces integral to community interaction, exemplified by the closure of Southport Pier in 2022. It cites data showing that in the UK, around 50 pubs close permanently each month, and approximately 600 youth clubs shut down from 2012 to 2016, with a significant loss of community centers in London in recent years.

Dr. Sacha Hilhorst, the author of the report, describes the violence in Southport, triggered by a tragic attack at a dance class, as a "wake-up call." Hilhorst warns that the absence of communal gathering spaces fosters a climate where misinformation and hatred thrive, highlighting the urgent need for revitalizing local infrastructure as a means to prevent division and counter the rise of the far right.

The report argues that communities yearn for places to connect and organize, suggesting that a "21st-century welfare fund" funded by higher taxes on large online retailers could help restore necessary resources. It criticizes the lack of investment in local amenities and highlights the disconnect between the community's needs and governmental attention.

Furthermore, the report outlines a connection between the recent violence and the loss of physical gathering spots, emphasizing the radicalization that can occur in digital spaces that replace them. It points out that while communities are eager for action, the insufficient availability of resources and gathering places deepens isolation, sometimes leading to a retreat into extreme nationalist ideologies. The government has yet to respond regarding the findings of this report.