The UK summer 2024 riots, triggered by the Stockport stabbings, saw a surge in targeted violence and inflammatory rhetoric against Muslim and ethnic minority communities. This talk critically examines these events' socio-political and criminological dimensions, exploring the factors that fuelled the backlash, including the role of media, political discourse, and historical prejudices. It assesses the aftermath, considering legal, policy and societal responses, and reflects on the broader global context of rising extremism and reactionary violence. Finally, this discussion offers pathways toward fostering resilience, inclusion, and collective action to challenge bias, prejudice and discrimination, ensuring such unrest does not become a recurring pattern in an increasingly polarised world. 

Dr Mikahil Azad is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Worcester, leading several undergraduate and postgraduate modules. His primary research area is Islamophobia and understanding the experiences of British Muslim communities using a multi-disciplinary approach. His other research interests include honour-based abuse, structural inequalities and experiences in higher education. Mikahil's doctoral thesis centred on understanding mosque safety which involved applying ethnographic methodologies. Outside of the classroom, he works closely with the community, stakeholders, and wider academic spaces informing them of prominent criminological issues and recommending strategies/safeguards.