'I did not want to leave the house today' - What it's like to wear hijab in the streets of Manchester this week

Muslim women in Manchester say they are having to be ‘extra vigilant’ following the recent events in the country. The UK was a scene of chaos this weekend following a spate of protests that soon devolved into riots.

On Saturday, a demonstration organised under the banner of 'Enough is Enough' in the Manchester city centre became violent as attendees clashed with counter-protesters and police. Fights broke out, a supermarket had to be closed and public transport was brought to a standstill.

On Sunday, a similar protest was held in Bolton and that was met with 300 counter protestors which sparked chanting between the two opposing clans. Missiles were thrown at police and there were several scuffles.

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Worse violence has broken out in other parts of England and Northern Ireland. In Rotherham, South Yorkshire, a Holiday Inn housing asylum seekers was stormed and set alight by what Prime Minister Kier Starmer later described as 'far right thugs'.

The rhetoric of the protests has heavily targeted immigrants, asylum seekers and Muslim communities. Many videos have been shared on social media showing the unrest with scenes like one in Hull which showed an Asian man being pulled out of his car by a racist mob.

For many, an anti-Islamic, racist rhetoric has been pushed to the forefront of the protests which were initially sparked by the horrific deaths of three young girls in Southport.

The MEN spoke to several Muslim women who revealed what life has been like for them amidst the chaos where they can be seen as one of the most vulnerable.

A secondary school teacher from Longsight, Jamila