2 Aug 2024

The East London Mosque shares in the nation’s pain and sorrow over the tragic killing of three girls in Southport following a knife attack earlier this week. Our prayers and thoughts are with their families and all those affected by this unspeakable crime.

We also share in the nation’s shock and dismay over the attack on a mosque when families were mourning their loved ones. It is disheartening to witness the pain, grief, and suffering of the victims and their families being exploited by sections of society to incite hate and violence towards Muslims.

The surge in Islamophobia and the rampant spread of fake news, which ignited violent unrest and left over 50 police officers injured, is deeply alarming. It starkly illustrates how baseless claims about the Muslim community and migrants have dangerously radicalised sections of our society.

The violence we are witnessing on our streets is, in part, a result of a political and media culture that has normalised Islamophobia. The demonisation and vilification of Muslims must be addressed swiftly to put a check on the ascendency of the far right.

Despite our deep concerns, we have been heartened to see the best of the British spirit in action. The community in Southport coming together to help their Muslim neighbours repair the damage to their mosque is a testament to the true values of solidarity and mutual respect that define our society.

In light of this week’s events, mosques across the country will be compelled to increase their security measures. Consequently, we renew our call for the Government to take decisive action against the rise of Islamophobia and to provide greater support to mosques across the UK, ensuring the safety of their congregations and the security of houses of worship.

We are encouraged by the new Government’s determination to root out illegal and dangerous behaviour from those who seek to infiltrate, harm, and exploit established local communities’ issues and grief for their own selfish racist reasons.

We ask the Government to adopt the definition of Islamophobia as originally proposed by the APPG on British Muslims.

We also call for concerted efforts to combat the spread of fake news and its radicalising influence on sections of our society. It is imperative that we work together to foster an environment of understanding and peace, rather than one of fear and division.