In a week of far right-led riots and disorder in England and Northern Ireland after the killing of three young girls in Southport, many people were left fearful. But even amid threats to safety and anxiety about what might follow, there have been remarkable acts of solidarity and uplifting moments. From the collective cleanup after the Southport riot to an ice-cream seller handing out free cones to police officers, here are some of the acts of kindness big and small that revealed some of the best of Britain. The imam who hugged would-be rioters When Adam Kelwick, an imam at the oldest mosque in Liverpool, was alerted to a planned protest by the far right, he knew he had to act. Agitators, provoked by misinformation about the identity of the suspect in the Southport stabbings, were planning to target mosques across the country, and Kelwick’s Abdullah Quilliam mosque was on the target list. Anti-racism activists organised a counter-protest to defend the mosque. But Kelwick had a slightly different plan. Armed with about 200 burgers, chips and cold drinks, he made his way to the gates of the mosque in the hope of engaging with those from the far right. He told the Guardian he wanted to “open hearts and minds”. “We continued smiling and we continued giving off the positive energy and then eventually some of them started to take the food and then we started talking,” he said. Kelwick managed to speak to rightwing activists who shared their stories and concerns. They later hugged and exchanged numbers. Kelwick said he later took one inside the mosque to discuss his faith, which ended up being a “really beautiful interaction”. The cafe owner uplifted by his community Mohammed Idris likens his Belfast cafe, Bash, to a “baby”. “This is something you build from scratch … It’s part of me,” he said. But in the aftermath of far-right unrest in Belfast on Saturday, during which his cafe was attacked, Idris was left questioning whether he had a future in the city. The 47- year-old said he believed he was targeted due to his faith and background. “I know how difficult it is to rebuild a business, I thought I was alone,” he said. In an effort to rebuild the cafe, a fundraiser was set up by loyal customers to help with the repairs. The crowdfunder, which has since raised more than £26,000, and the outpouring of support has convinced Idris to remain in Belfast and reopen his beloved business. “I am impressed by the support, the kindness, the generosity of the good people who are the majority here,” he said. “The WhatsApp messages I received from everywhere, not just locally in Belfast … People are encouraging me.” The young volunteers who cleaned desecrated graves On Monday, a video of desecrated gravestones in a Muslim area of a cemetery in Burnley quickly went viral, and many of those commenting on it condemned the “horrific vandalism”. The town’s council leader suggested that the attack was “intended to provoke racial tensions”. As police launched a hate crime investigation, a group of young volunteers gathered to clean the gravestones, with the help of drinks provided by a member of staff from a local nursery. The council leader, Afrasiab Anwar, said: “Not only did people come to help clean up, but the day after the incident, so many people of different faiths came to pray and lay flowers. “I saw one lady lay a single flower on each grave. Obviously for those whose family members are buried in the cemetery it was an extremely upsetting incident, but the community response has helped enormously.” The Rev Alex Frost, who released a video condemning the attacks and expressed solidarity with Muslim communities, said: “Burnley is a fantastic place with a high level of community cohesion and we won’t let a small minority of people destroy that. We all have a responsibility to stand up and speak out and be a voice for good.” The ice-cream seller who handed out free cones to police Police officers have come under sustained attack from rioters this week, and scores have been injured after bricks and petrol bombs were thrown at them. In response, a British-Muslim ice-cream seller, known as Mr Tee King of Desserts, posted a TikTok video showing him offering officers in Sunderland free ice-cream. “We just thought we’d show them a little bit of love,” Mr Tee, whose real name is Imran Ashiq, told Reuters. The video amassed nearly 3m views. One person commented: “That’s what you call serving Britain.” Nans fighting the far right – and human shields protecting asylum centres As police warned of credible threats of more than 100 rallies on Wednesday, thousands of counter-protesters gathered to make a stand against fascism, racism and hate. Many created human shields outside potential targets such as asylum seeker centres and migration lawyers’ firms. One of the anti-racist activists who captured the imagination was Pat, 71, who arrived to protect a mosque in Liverpool on Friday. Holding a “Nans against Nazis” sign, she said it was important to show they were not afraid. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Pat said: “I’m here to support the mosque if the fascists turn up. We need to show we oppose racist fascism wherever it is. We’ve got a good record of opposing them in this city.”