Tower Hamlets Labour condemns the rioting that has taken place across the UK over the last few days.
These are not protests or legitimate concerns. This must be called out for what it is – violent racism.
Across the UK we have seen pogroms taking place in communities with people, businesses and institutions targeted because of who they are, who they serve and what they represent.
Already our residents have told us that they are afraid to walk the streets in their city. This is unacceptable.
We welcome the strong statement form the Prime Minister (Sir Keir Starmer MP) and the news from the Home Secretary (Yvette Cooper MP) that mosques and schools will receive £29.4 million in emergency funding for security and will also receive extra support from the metropolitan police.
Racism, Islamophobia and Antisemitism has risen sharply over the last few years and are encouraged by charlatans who exploit the communities they claim to speak for.
Fascism can’t be pandered to – it must be challenged. We have stood against it before in Tower Hamlets and we will again.
We encourage anyone who has been a victim of, or witnesses a hate crime to use the channels below to report it:
- Call 999 in an emergency – when the offender is still in the area, someone has been injured or there is a risk to life
- Report it online to the local police
- Call 101 to make a non-emergency report to the police
- To report anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111