EDITOR'S NOTE: The Free Press will provide live coverage of Saturday's protests at our Facebook page, facebook.com/lfpress

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An anti-hate rally in London Saturday will begin with instructions on how to avoid violent confrontations with a competing anti-Islam rally, organizers say.

But a researcher in extremism has a warning about the violence that’s been erupting in competing rallies.

That violence comes from a deeper source than competing views; it comes from the desire by hate groups to finally seize their moment in the sun, said Amarnath Amarasingam, a senior research fellow at George Washington University’s program on extremism.

“They don’t want to be moved back into obscurity and subculture status. They see this as an opportunity, and perhaps a fleeting opportunity, to gain mainstream presence . . . and the counter-protests stand in their way,” he said.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend a counter-protest, starting at 10:30 a.m. outside city hall, in response to a rally planned for noon in the same location by anti-Islam group, Pegida Canada.

The early start to the anti-hate rally will help organizers guide participants in how to maintain their cool and de-escalate confrontations, Wendy Goldsmith of People for Peace said Thursday.

“The last thing the public wants to see is two people swearing at each other,” she said. “We know we’re not going to change their minds. It is our wish to present our point of view. . . . We want our movement to be non-violent.”

Pegida Canada (Patriots of Canada against the Islamization of the West) organizers have also said they’re opposed to violence.

But tensions at recent, competing rallies have intensified since the death of an anti-hate protester at a unite-the-right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Aug. 12.

London police say they’ll have a strong presence at the competing rallies to keep the peace.

A multi-faith group in London weighed in Thursday, condemning the anti-Islam rally and calling for prayer and peace.

“As faith leaders in this community, we are deeply horrified and saddened that a gathering of white supremacists is being planned,” said a statement from the Centre for Jewish-Catholic-Muslim Learning at King’s University College.

Pegida Canada and other groups surfacing recently insist they’re not white supremacists.

Identifying and describing all the different groups coming to the fore can be tricky, Amarasingam said.

What’s happening now is the convergence of many single-issue groups, such as far-right, pro-West, anti-immigration, anti-refugees or white supremacy, into one movement — anti-Islam, Amarasingam said.

Attacks by ISIS, the refugee crisis and the election of Donald Trump have provided these groups momentum, he said.

“There is a difference in tone. They all agree on the common threat,” Amarasingam said.

rrichmond@postmedia.com

twitter.com/RandyRatLFPress

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Saturday’s rallies

10:30 a.m.- 2 p.m.: Anti-hate rally, organized by several groups

Noon to 2 p.m.: Anti “Islamization” of Canada rally, organized by Pegida of Canada

Both rallies outside London city hall