Britain First took to the streets of Birmingham on Saturday, June 20, 2026, with chants of "send them back" and "deport the f****** lot," as reported by my colleague Harry Leach, who attended the rally that drew dozens of Britain First supporters and counter-protesters to the city centre.
Personal Reaction to the Rally
Harry relayed his unease following the march, while I shared live updates to social media from home, feeling sick to my stomach at some of the comments he heard. I knew anti-immigrant sentiment and racism had been festering, but hearing it spoken by people who look like me but with a different skin tone or birthplace reframed the picture in a way I struggle to describe.
Speaker's Message and Its Impact
A speaker at the Britain First rally was heard telling the crowd about sending "foreigners and their offspring back." This line spread dread in the pit of my stomach. My father, an immigrant from Lahore, Pakistan, came to England at age five. He was brought up here, faced a generation of Enoch Powell supporters, learned English while attending a local school, and helped his parents build a successful business from age six.
My father attended university, earned a PhD, worked for the Ministry of Defence, and served in universities, contributing to Britain despite adversity due to his skin colour or name. He had a family, including me—his half-English, half-Pakistani daughter—and contributed to the economy. He faced racists throughout his youth, and history is repeating itself to the point where he recently suggested finding a property abroad in case racism worsens.
Challenging the Rhetoric
If I am the "offspring" referred to at the Britain First march, I say try and "send me back"—you'll only get as far as Stourbridge. I was educated here, secured a degree from a top British university, gained top marks in my post-graduate journalism course, and got my first job as a reporter at age 21 when youth unemployment was at an all-time low.
I don't need to tell anyone these things, but if you want to "send us back," at least know where you're attempting to send us—because we are here, we are proud, and we make up Britain in a beautiful way. Being a first-generation British-Pakistani means I am just like you, and you are just like me. Beneath the skin tone, hair colour, eye colour, facial features, or voice, we are the same flesh and bones, whether you like it or not.
