The tragic deaths of three girls in Southport saw a community come together in grief. Our love, thoughts and prayers are with their families.
In the past week, racist extremists whose sole aim is to create fear, division and chaos, have rioted across the country.
More innocent people have been brutally attacked, places of worship have been threatened, and hotels housing asylum seekers targeted. Libraries, community hubs and organisations that are the very fabric of our civic life have been affected. And people who contribute so much to our society have been made to feel they don’t belong.
Make no mistake, these are not protests or free speech. They are acts of violence perpetrated by thugs in an attempt to fan the flames of racial hate and islamophobia.
This is a distressing time for us all – both as individuals and as committed workers and volunteers in a sector that is focused on building community cohesion and belonging. And this is an especially difficult time for our colleagues and friends from the global majority who have been made to feel unsafe in their own communities.
We stand in solidarity with them and offer our continued hand of friendship. Our country owes a huge debt of gratitude to people who have chosen to live in the UK, both recently and past generations.
Amongst the violence we have seen the very best of our society too. People from all backgrounds and walks of life volunteering their time and coming together to help one another. From helping clean up to providing comfort or handing out refreshments. This is the true expression of our country’s values.
Many charities will be affected, and some will be afraid of being targeted. If you feel threatened please seek advice from the police or your local authority, who will be working as part of the Local Resilience Forum.
As civil society, we will continue demonstrating unwavering commitment to those who are marginalised. By leading with empathy and compassion, we will unite against ignorance, malevolence and hate.
And in the following weeks and months we must continue to work towards a more tolerant and anti-racist society – learning from the many charities who are working tirelessly in this space.
