The horrific murders of young girls in Southport have moved the entire nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.
As if the people of Southport have not suffered enough, we witness shocking scenes of far-right rioters running amok outside a mosque in Southport, hurling stones, shouting Islamophobic abuse, and setting fire to police vans. This began with a false rumour on the internet, stoked by misinformation from a Russian news site, which wrongfully associated the crime with Muslims.
Southport’s tragedy was shamelessly exploited to spark outrage, with Islamophobia fuelling the fire and leading to tonight’s violence.
These actions echo the far-right’s growing intimidatory presence, exemplified last weekend on the streets of London with Tommy Robinson supporters openly spewing invective against Muslim communities. They are aided and abetted by sections of our increasingly right-wing media, whose agenda has always been to scapegoat Muslims for society’s ills.
MCB Secretary-General Zara Mohammed said: “At a time of great tragedy, loss, and mourning, we must stand firm against the cynical forces of hatred and division. This does not represent our diverse Britain and the people of Southport.
The Government must address the increasing rise of violent far-right extremism targeting Muslim communities. More must be done to tackle Islamophobia and offer reassurance at this time.
We commend the authorities for their swift action, and our prayers are with the mosque, the families of the victims of yesterday’s attack, and the local community.”
ENDS