Businesses 'scared' by protest that forced them to shut up shop

The convenience stores, cafés, pubs and beauty salons of County Road in north Liverpool are normally busy on a Saturday morning.

But with a "mass deportation" march and counter-protest arranged via social media for 13 June, business owners decided to sacrifice some of their prime trading hours to avoid falling victim to any potential repeat of the widespread violence that erupted in August 2024.

Anyone walking down the busy thoroughfare that morning would have been greeted by an almost unbroken row of metal shutters instead of shopfronts and wooden hoardings.

Niya Konakchieva, owner of the Garden Café on County Road, said as a local business owner and someone of an immigrant background the build-up to the march had been "mentally so stressful".

Explaining her decision to close on the busiest day of the week, she said: "We were all too scared for the staff, for the customers and for the property as well, because if they smash our windows or put us on fire everyone's at risk.

"We might have not been able to reopen after if there was too much damage and we're just aware all the customers shouldn't be in the area because it's too dangerous."

She said the decision to close on a Saturday had "made a big difference" financially.

In the end, the march attracted about 200 people and passed without significant disorder - although eight arrests were made for crimes including assaulting a police officer, public order offences and possession of cannabis.

Protesters could be heard chanting "send them back" and other chants demanding deportations.

The fear of protests in the neighbourhood stems from the aftermath of the Southport stabbing attack on 29 July 2024.

The murder of three girls in a children's dance class sparked mass unrest which spread from Southport to other parts of Merseyside and then nationwide.

A few days later, County Road saw shops looted while a mosque opposite The Garden Café was targeted and Spellow Library was set on fire.

Konakchieva, who emigrated from Bulgaria about 20 years ago, said the days after the riot in August 2024 were "really traumatic".

"We were too scared to open the next day," she said.

"And then every other person comes in and says 'oh there's riots again' so we had to close about 10 times in the middle of the day."

Konakchieva said she felt she "could be attacked" for being foreign, despite her legal status.

"No-one's going to come and ask you 'do you pay taxes, how long you've been here, what's your beliefs about the UK?'," she said.

"They'll just see a foreign person and attack, so it was really scary.

"Last time was traumatising enough; we didn't go out from the house because I have little kids as well, they're born here, but we didn't go out for about a month to parks or just in the area after the riots because we were just too scared people were going to attack us for being foreign."

Another business owner, Ozy Kahraman of Mike's Kitchen Café, also said fears of a repeat of 2024 played into his decision to close again.

"Two years ago on this road it was horrible," he explained.

"We were working, they set fire to the bin next door, set fires at the library. We were just a bit scared about it.

"If someone smashes my door, it costs me too much."

Kahraman said he felt the organisers of Saturday's march choosing County Road was another blow after the downturn in business since Everton FC's men's first team moved to their new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock.

"Every two weeks there was a match and it was good for us but they have moved, so closing was too much for us," he said.

"Everyone is shut, everyone is affected. Because most of the busiest days are weekends, you know?"

Kahraman, who moved to the UK from Turkey, said: "I think it's not fair, you know. I've been in this country like 25 years.

"Before, I was in London, but I'm doing here business nearly 14 years.

"I've never seen something like a racist thing because we're doing, you know, the cafe things and serving people and I'm paying everything, my VAT."

Gary Hartles, who runs a watch and shoe repair shop, was away on Saturday but also questioned why protesters returned to an area so impacted by riots only two years ago.

"I'm very surprised they picked County Road because they burnt the library down," he said.

"Why would you burn the library down? Why would you do that? Why would you loot shops if you're just protesting?"

Hartles said the failure of successive governments to follow through with promises to stop illegal immigration may be fuelling protests like Saturday's.

"If they didn't want people coming into the country, illegally, they should have done something years ago, years and years ago," he said.

"We wouldn't have this problem."

Ahead of the march Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson condemned the decision to hold it in County Road.

"Many local people have been in touch with me to say they do not want this march to take place," he said.

"It is a painful reminder of one of the darkest moments in that area's history."

Robinson said he "shared their view" but a decision to ban a march could only be taken by the Home Office.

The Home Office pointed to guidance which suggests protest marches can only be banned to prevent serious public disorder - but did not answer questions about the specific case.

After the march, Supt Phil Mullally, of Merseyside Police, said the attack on a police officer was "absolutely despicable".

"Over the coming weeks we will continue to proactively put a number of measures in place, to patrol the area of County Road and provide reassurance to local businesses and residents."

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