Our reporters Will Russell and Jimmy Tse spoke to leading members of the campaign groups ACT Sheffield and Stand Up to Racism ahead of their counter protest against UKIP’s anti-immigration rally in Sheffield today.

Dr Abdul Sharif, Chief Executive at ACT Sheffield (Aspiring Communities Together), was a key player when it came to organising the counter protest against UKIP’s far right rally. Speaking passionately about his charity’s cause, he said: “I’m active on the side for justice, racial harmony, and for the vulnerable.”

“I came here because I feel Sheffield is a very diverse city. 27% of our population here in Sheffield is people of colour, and I think we’ve got to say to the racists- there’s no room for you here to come and cause division, and spoil the community harmony that we have in this city.”

When asked specifically about immigration, Dr Sharif added: “I think the problem is not refugees. The problem is, where’s the money that we have in this country? economically, we know that 43 families own 70% of the wealth in this country.

“If we concentrate that money properly instead of saving it in high interest bank accounts and save havens outside the country, I think we could do extremely well, and there’d be enough money for everybody.”

Tim Jones, a businessman from Sheffield who helps with the charity Mumsunited, added: “I’ve been an activist since my late teens and early 20s.

“We provide food donated by a well known supermarket. We we have breakfast project twice a week and host community meals. We offer free clothing to refugees, asylum seekers, and the general homeless population.”

360Wire will be providing live updates throughout the protests, so stay tuned for more across the day.