Our Response to the Far-Right Race Riots

The riots in England and Northern Ireland following the tragic deaths of three children in Southport last week are extremely distressing.  Violence, racism, and Islamophobia are never the answer. The Association’s thoughts are with everyone who has been affected.

For too long, some individuals with significant influence in UK politics and media have both advanced and enabled the normalisation of Islamophobia and racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Minoritised communities are judged by these people to be responsible for many of the economic, social, and political issues our country faces.

We need our leaders to be robust in challenging these beliefs and dealing with the actions of those who resort to racism, violence and Islamophobia as they seek to blame minoritised communities.

The events witnessed over the past week have no place in a society that wishes to consider itself civilised.