Stand Up To Racism, Sheffield City Center

On 10 August 2024, Sheffield’s city centre became the site of a powerful act of resistance. Organised by Stand Up to Racism, the gathering was part of a national day of protest in response to planned anti-immigration rallies and far-right mobilisation across the UK. In Sheffield, over 800 people assembled — the largest turnout in Yorkshire — to take a visible stand against racism, xenophobia, and hate. These photographs capture the strength and unity of the anti-racist crowd: banners held high, chants echoing through the streets, and a shared determination to reclaim public space for inclusion and justice. While the focus was firmly on peaceful protest and solidarity, a small number of far-right individuals appeared at the edges of the event. Some displayed provocative body language and voiced racist sentiments. A few were physically confronted — moments that appear in the photographs as reminders of the tension that can arise when public space becomes contested ground. This work documents not only the spirit of those who came together to challenge hate, but also the fragile boundaries between protest, provocation, and confrontation. It serves as a visual record of a city choosing to stand together — and the social dynamics that make that choice necessary.