The protests at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester were one of a number organised via channels on X, a social-media site, and WhatsApp and Telegram, two messaging apps. Perhaps because it took place in the morning, the Manchester demonstration was relatively calm. The 150 or so anti-immigration demonstrators who had come to “stand up for their country” were outnumbered by approximately 350 counter- protesters. Although the two hurled abuse at one another and occasionally tried to break through the lines of police officers separating them, there was little violence.