Police in Liverpool were clearly preparing for trouble – with the two sides of protesters and counter-protesters kept well apart by lines of officers carrying riot helmets.
For the most part though, things remained peaceful, apart from plenty of shouting exchanged between the sides.
On the anti-migrant side, we met plenty of women who said they are the new face of these protests – mothers and grandmothers concerned about the safety of their children.
One woman said it was “ridiculous” to label her far right, although as we were talking shouts of “Hey Tommy Tommy” went up from the crowd around us, an apparent reference to the far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Some of the women came dressed in pink, wore Union Jack hair bands, or T-shirts with slogans pointing out they don’t look like far-right supporters.
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Although many were happy to talk to us, at one point we were pushed back from their side by men shouting at us, angry at traditional media being anywhere near the demonstration.
Walking across to the other side, people played drums, held signs welcoming refugees and occasionally yelled at the anti-migrant protesters, sometimes calling them “Nazis”.
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They told me the other side had been fuelled by misinformation, and that this hotel was being used to house legitimate, documented refugees who were welcome to seek help in their city.
One man told me “people are turning up to kick people out of the housing they have been provided – this is not Liverpool”.
Elsewhere, hundreds of protesters marched through in Nuneaton after two men, reported to be asylum seekers from Afghanistan, were charged over the rape of a 12-year-old girl.
That crowd significantly outnumbered counter-protesters outside Nuneaton’s Town Hall on Saturday afternoon.
Video footage showed some minor scuffles broke out as police kept order.
Other protests took place in Bristol, Bournemouth and Birmingham.
Police have expressed concern at the demands on their resources from the protests.
Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said the scale of the events – combined with those over Gaza – would “put pressure” on his force.
DAC Adelekan said before the protests began: “This is going to be a particularly busy few days in London with many simultaneous protests and events that will require a significant policing presence.”
