The chairman of the mosque that was attacked in Southport has said “hate will never prevail” as police across the country are bracing for more protests following the stabbings in the town.
Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious leaders gathered outside the mosque on Friday afternoon in a call for communities to reject hatred and stand together.
The knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Monday which left three girls dead sparked violent disorder in some cities and towns in England.
Thousands of people turned out to pay their respects to the victims at a vigil in Southport on Tuesday evening, but violence later erupted outside a mosque in the town with 53 police officers and three police dogs injured.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a new “national” response to the disorder linking police forces across the country.
The PA news agency found evidence of at least 15 protests advertised online, some calling for participants to take England flags, and a number containing phrases such as “enough is enough”, “save our kids” or “stop the boats”.
The chairman of the mosque that was attacked in Southport on Tuesday said he feels like “the luckiest man in the whole country” after seeing the support of the local community.
Speaking outside the mosque on Friday evening, Ibrahim Hussein said: “On Tuesday night I thought I was the unluckiest man in the whole of the country.
“On Friday evening, I feel the luckiest man in the whole of the country.
“Look at all of these beautiful people. Look at all these faces, and different faiths. We have people here from the church and from the synagogue.”
He said he was “old friends” with some of the other faith leaders.
“But it is not about Southport Mosque, it is not about our suffering,” Mr Hussein said.
“We should have been focused all along about these poor people who have suffered in the most horrific way.
“And we should have been standing here giving them as much support as we can. We should have been standing here, praying for them, supporting them, focusing on them.
“Instead these people try to destroy what is so beautiful about our community.”
Mr Hussein also said “hate will never prevail”.
He said: “This beautiful community came together. And before we came to clean here, they were here six o’clock in the morning, cleaning and sweeping and asking what can they do in order to help. So we thank them very much.
“And the last word is to say they will never win. Hate will never prevail. Always love will prevail in the end.”
Before Mr Hussein spoke, Qari Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, read a joint statement outside the mosque standing alongside Pete Spiers, Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton and chair of the Sefton Faith Forum, and Rabbi Robyn Ashworth Steen, co-chair of the Assembly of Reform Rabbis and Cantors in the UK.
He said the British Muslim community was “anxious” because of the planned protests this weekend before he started the statement.
The joint statement from the religious leaders said Islamophobia “must not be allowed to fester in our society”.
“There are some who have chosen to use what should be a moment of collective grief to sow the seeds of division, spread Islamophobia and attack the mosque here in Southport,” Mr Asim said, reading the joint statement.
“People from all of our faiths live as minority communities in different places across the world and understand what it is like to be persecuted.
“And in times like this, we must all stand together and not let division destroy community cohesion in our cities and towns.
“We stand here today, united in our grief and resolute in our condemnation of those opportunists who have shamelessly attempted to undermine and divide our communities.
“We believe that the community here in Southport, and the country as a whole, must now come together to challenge hatred based on people’s identities. In particular, the rising levels of Islamophobia must not be allowed to fester in our society.”
The joint statement added that they are “united to defeat all forms of hatred and extremism in our country”.
Mr Asim said: “We have seen the power of ordinary people of all faiths and beliefs coming together here in Southport, joining efforts to clean up the streets and repair the damage caused to the mosque here, which was so heartening to see and this is what makes our country so special.
“This is what characterises Britain, where diversity is celebrated and nourished. This is what makes us proud to stand here representing our different faiths, but united in humanity.
“We are united for humanity, and we stand up for one another, that we can extend a hand of friendship, even in the darkest of times, that we can build community instead of breaking it.
| This video features footage of the violent disorder on Tuesday evening in Southport, which our officers faced and was witnessed by many members of the public |
Tragic events should unite us, not divide us.
Following the violent disorder, we have made seven arrests and further… pic.twitter.com/3C9tJWzpFK— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) August 2, 2024
“As communities, we have a lot more in common than that which divides us and this symbolic show of diversity in backgrounds, in faiths, in gender, in our thoughts, shows that we are united to defeat all forms of hatred and extremism in our country. Thank you.”
The Metropolitan Police said the force has “sufficient resources” in place to deal with protests in central London this weekend but officers have not been informed of a demonstration in response to the Southport stabbings.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is planning a march from Park Lane to Whitehall on Saturday while a counter-protest, which must remain static, is also expected.
But there has been no notice of a protest of the kind that took place on Wednesday, which saw more than 100 people arrested when violence broke out and police were pelted with beer bottles and cans.
It is understood that an extra 70 prosecutors will be on standby this weekend to charge people who set out to cause violent disorder.
Meanwhile, the UK prime minister returned to Southport on Friday, visiting the town for the second time this week after Monday’s knife attack.
Sir Keir announced further support for Southport, including mental health support for those affected by the attack and a programme of events to help build community cohesion.
The 17-year-old charged with the murders of three girls in Southport appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, and was named as Axel Rudakubana, from Banks in Lancashire.
He is charged with the murders of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
Rudakubana is also charged with the attempted murders of yoga class instructor Leanne Lucas, businessman John Hayes and eight children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and with possession of a kitchen knife with a curved blade.
He was remanded to youth detention accommodation and will next appear in court in October.
