We are deeply concerned by the recent incident at Manchester Central Mosque in which a man entered the place of worship during Taraweeh prayers carrying offensive weapons, including an axe, hammer and knife
Thankfullv, due to the swift and courageous actions of mosque volunteers and worshippers, no one was physically harmed and the suspect was detained by the Police.
Places of worship should be safe spaces for reflection peace and community - especially during religious observances such as Ramadan. Any act that brings fear. intimidation or violence into those spaces is unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned
This alarming incident comes against a backdrop of rising Islamophobic hate crimes and hostility experienced by Muslim communities across the UK Such incidents do not happen in a vacuum and are even more worrying in light of the extreme narratives that have become part of mainstream discourse over recent times, aimed at fuelling division or scapegoatinc minority communities.
SRtRC reaffirm our commitment to building a society free from hatred and preiudice, and encourage people across the UK to unite and make a stand at the Together against the Far Right demonstration on Saturday 28th March.
We stand in solidaritv with Muslim communities and all those who fear for their safetv because of their faith, ethnicity or identity
Together, we must continue to challenge Islamophobia racism and intolerance in all its forms.
#SRtRC statement on the recent incident at Manchester Central Mosque. Sending our solidarity to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Manchester❤️
#Manchester #Islamophobia