A teenage girl attending a community march in the United Kingdom said she joined the protest to “protect the kids” and make the streets safer, adding that she fears for her safety amid changing demographics.
"I’m here to protect the kids and how I have the streets safer for when I have kids,” she said in an interview at the event. “Because I’m scared. Because I’m scared anything’s going to happen to me. Because being a white girl is really scary at this time.”
The girl said she has faced anger from classmates for attending demonstrations focused on public safety and social order. “Loads of people call me racist for going to these, but I just want to be able to feel safe in my own community,” she said. “And I just want to be able to walk the streets like my dad and my mum used to without a worry.”
She said the criticism has intensified at school. “People are calling me racist at school for going to the marches and they’re calling me far right,” she continued. “But the thing is I’m not far right. I respect everyone’s cultures, their religion, where they come from and their background. I just want to be able to feel safe.”
Her remarks come amid major demographic shifts across the United Kingdom. According to the United Nations’ latest World Population Prospects report, the UK is projected to experience the largest population growth among major European nations by 2100. The UN estimates that the population will rise by 6.8 percent—from 69.6 million today to 74.3 million—driven largely by sustained immigration.
Net migration into the UK is expected to remain above 100,000 per year through 2099. Without immigration, the report says, the population would fall below 50 million—levels last seen in the 1950s.
"I’m here to protect the kids and how I have the streets safer for when I have kids,” she said in an interview at the event. “Because I’m scared. Because I’m scared anything’s going to happen to me. Because being a white girl is really scary at this time.”
The girl said she has faced anger from classmates for attending demonstrations focused on public safety and social order. “Loads of people call me racist for going to these, but I just want to be able to feel safe in my own community,” she said. “And I just want to be able to walk the streets like my dad and my mum used to without a worry.”
She said the criticism has intensified at school. “People are calling me racist at school for going to the marches and they’re calling me far right,” she continued. “But the thing is I’m not far right. I respect everyone’s cultures, their religion, where they come from and their background. I just want to be able to feel safe.”
Her remarks come amid major demographic shifts across the United Kingdom. According to the United Nations’ latest World Population Prospects report, the UK is projected to experience the largest population growth among major European nations by 2100. The UN estimates that the population will rise by 6.8 percent—from 69.6 million today to 74.3 million—driven largely by sustained immigration.
Net migration into the UK is expected to remain above 100,000 per year through 2099. Without immigration, the report says, the population would fall below 50 million—levels last seen in the 1950s.
