FAITH leaders across the UK have united in fierce condemnation of the violent disorder, rioting, and racist incidents that erupted in multiple cities over the weekend, and have called for unity and calm.
The Government called an emergency Cobra meeting on Monday in response to the violent protests that broke out in London, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Rotherham, Nottingham, Belfast, and elsewhere after the murder of three girls at a children’s dance party in Southport last week (News, 2 August).
A 17-year-old man, who is being remanded in youth custody, has been charged with three counts of murder, ten of attempted murder, and one count of possessing a bladed article. He appeared at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Thursday, where he was named as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, after the judge lifted reporting restrictions. A plea and trial preparation hearing has been set for Friday 25 October at Liverpool Crown Court.
Several hundred protesters rallied in towns and cities in the UK over the weekend, and into this week. Mosques, and hotels in which refugees and asylum-seekers are being temporarily housed, were among the buildings targeted.
Police forces reported that hundreds of arrests had been made, including for and in connection with serious violent disorder and racially aggravated assault, after police cars were set alight, and debris, including glass bottles, were launched. Dozens of police officers have been injured in the violence.
The protests, which by Wednesday had spread to other cities including Plymouth, Weymouth, and Birmingham, have been triggered by far-right groups, who have targeted immigrants, and spread false rumours online that Rudakubana was an asylum-seeker. Merseyside Police confirmed last week that he had been born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims warned on Friday: “People who maliciously spread misinformation want to cause division and hatred in our communities, and it’s completely unacceptable. I would continue to ask people to be mindful of the damage that such actions can cause and to always question the source of information when viewing anything on social media.”
A statement was issued on Sunday by faith leaders in Merseyside, led by the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd John Perumbalath. “Too many people have sought to use the tragedy to create division and hate.
“Division can destroy the very relationships and environment that we depend upon every day of our lives and there is no place for hate in our communities. It can — and has — left communities in fear and has put people in danger. At this difficult time, let us remember that there is far more that unites than divides us.”
Volunteers in the cities have been helping to clean up the mess, and were praised in the faith-leaders’ statement: “The people of all faiths and none who came out to sweep the streets, to rebuild walls, and have so generously donated money in memory of those three girls: that is the spirit that will help us through this incredibly challenging time.”
The statement, co-signed by Roman Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu community leaders, continued: “While the events of this week may continue to shake our belief in humanity, it remains intact. We need to remain calm and peaceful at this time and as faith leaders, we are united in our desire for peace and justice.”
These themes were common to reactions from church leaders this week.
Responding to the Liverpool statement on X, the Archbishop of Canterbury said: “I also want to thank churches and other faith groups around the country who are doing such vital work to care for their communities and bring people together. As Christians we remember Christ’s command to love our neighbour — that is especially vital at this time and across the Church of England we will keep doing that.”
Speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme on Tuesday, Archbishop Welby said that this “caring for neighbour” was not being reported enough. “What is not being reported is the extraordinary cohesion and caring for neighbour that is going on all round the country in the wake of these riots. . . We are seeing the Church, the churches, the faiths, and people of no faith, turning out, cleaning up the streets, supporting people. . . It is incredible what people are doing.”
Being marginalised, and living in areas of deprivation and high unemployment “does not in any way justify this violence”, he said. “Quite the reverse. But it does justify peaceful protest and that will make people listen.”
He continued: “What is happening here is manipulation. We know that. By people on social media, people abroad, and that needs to be strongly resisted.”
The Archbishop of York posted on X on Monday morning: “Deeply troubled and saddened by the continued senseless violence plaguing our streets, particularly across the north of England. This action has no place in our society. Grateful for all those seeking peace in these communities, including our police forces for their dedication.”
On Thought for the Day on Radio 4 on Monday, the Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker, was frank about his “disgust” at the violent protests, which, he suggested, were based on a skewed understanding of what it means to belong.
“A common factor appears to be the claim that the Britain they now live in does not accord them the opportunities, status, and prosperity to which they feel entitled,” he said. “One person put it to me succinctly a few years ago, after I spoke out against far-right marchers in my time as Bishop of Dudley. ‘This place used to belong to people like me. They respected men like my grandfather; now it’s been taken over by someone else.’ The recurring chant of this week’s protesters — ‘Whose streets? Our streets’ — echoes that sentiment.”
He went on to speak about inclusion in a religious faith, and how Jesus formed a community of believers across the Roman Empire. “People from all walks of life felt they belonged together as brothers and sisters,” he said. “What’s more, they learned to express that belonging through acts of charity and generosity, both within and beyond the church family. I see the same when I observe Manchester’s other religious communities, and I celebrate it.”
Dr Walker continued: “That’s why expressions of belonging grounded in the rejection of others are an anathema to the very core of my faith. It’s why banners and shouts that demand a return to a lost white, male hegemony — not least ones that clothe themselves in Christian symbols — disgust me.
“There can be no moral equivalence between racism and anti-racism, between inclusivity and bigotry, between hatred and love. The Britain we need to build must be one where all are accepted, where everyone can find space to grow and flourish; a Britain that respects diverse constituents and cultures, and everything from how communities dress to their right to build distinctive places of worship.”
In Bristol, about 100 far-right protesters gathered near Castle Park on Saturday, where they were met by about 400 counter-protesters chanting anti-fascist slogans. Photographs emerged of counter-protesters linking arms to prevent the protesters from storming the Mercury Hotel, which houses asylum-seekers. Multiple arrests were made after clashes with police.
The Assistant Curate at St Mary Redcliffe, in Bristol, the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, said on Sunday: “As a community, we are horrified at the scenes we saw last night at Redcliffe Hill, our community, where the protests took place.”
The church, she said, was “proud of the work we have done over the past few months with the hotel, reaching out to asylum-seekers and refugees. These are our neighbours, and we stand alongside them now in light of last night’s protests as much as we did before. I am pleased to say that everyone in the hotel was physically safe, although acknowledging the psychological trauma that may have been experienced.”
THE Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper — who has condemned the protests as “disgraceful thuggery” — announced on Sunday a “rapid response process” which would offer mosques additional security personnel through the existing Protective Security for Mosques scheme.
She said: “As a nation we will not tolerate criminal behaviour, dangerous extremism, and racist attacks that go against everything our country stands for.”
Also on Sunday, the Prime Minister, who met local leaders in Southport late last week, condemned the “far-right thuggery” and pledged to do “whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice”.
The director of the Jesuit Refugee Service UK, Sarah Teather, has urged the Government to take concrete action, but also said that “every one of us has a responsibility to challenge the disinformation and racist, divisive rhetoric fuelling this hostility. . .
“People of colour, members of the Muslim community, and people seeking sanctuary have been deliberately targeted. Many of the refugees we serve and others in our communities are living with deep fear and insecurity following these attacks. . . Too often, people fleeing danger and searching for a chance to rebuild their lives here have been dehumanised by politicians and others in a position of influence.
“But scenes of people coming together in the hours following rioting, to care for those affected and repair the physical damage, show the kind of society that we can and truly want to be.”
The Council of Christians and Jews posted on X on Tuesday evening: “In light of the horrific anti-Muslim hatred across the UK, people of all faiths and beliefs need to keep our communities connected, not divided. Please reach out to Muslim friends and neighbours, and if you witness anti-Muslim hate, please report it to the Police.”
A large, peaceful anti-racism protest gathered in Cardiff on Saturday in expectation of a planned far-right protest on Saturday, which did not, in the end, materialise.
Canon Sarah Jones, who is Priest-in-Charge of St John The Baptist, Cardiff, told the people gathered: “However angry we might get — and there is a lot to be angry about — peace and love will, ultimately, win this fight. . . What will diffuse this is smartness, care and love, rather than going head-to-head with aggression and burning the whole place down.”
The Bishops of the Church in Wales issued a joint statement on Monday calling for calm. “It is of no possible help to the victims or their families that their agonising loss is being used to spark violence, intimidation, and division. Out of respect for those who have lost their loved ones, and out of respect for the values by which we live as a society, we call for calm, for tolerance, and for understanding.
“We have all seen the dreadful results of violence towards the most vulnerable, and we pray that, as we seek to come to terms with these shocking events, reason and respect will prevail, and that no one else will be put in danger or in fear.”
In Belfast, fireworks were thrown amid tense exchanges between an anti-Islamic group and an anti-racism rally.
The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Revd George Davison, and the Bishop of Down & Dromore, the Rt Revd David McClay, issued a joint statement on Monday.
“Words and actions that lead to violence on our streets, the damage of property, and putting the safety of people at risk cannot be condoned but must be condemned by all of us. . .
“Jesus Christ taught that our neighbour is the person whom we meet, whatever their background, race or belief. It is imperative on the Church then, in every local context, to find ways to welcome the stranger . . . for all of us to work together, pursuing acts of welcome and kindness which are always stronger and more powerful than anything that flows from fear and prejudice.”
Five other children and two adults were injured in the knife attack. The adults — since confirmed to be Leanne Lucas, the class yoga teacher, and John Hayes, a local businessman who was stabbed in the leg — remain in hospital. The injured children are in a stable condition, the Alder Hey Hospital reported. Two children have been released from their care.