Archbishop of Canterbury condemns far-right riots as 'un-Christian'
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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby describes the violent unrest fueled by far-right groups as “racist” and aimed at Muslims, refugees, and asylum seekers, condemning the attacks as deeply harmful and unjust.
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Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in Westminster Abbey, London, November 11, 2018. (AP)
In an op-ed for the Guardian, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has condemned far-right groups as “unchristian” and denounced their appropriation of Christian symbols as an “outrage.”
Welby criticized the ongoing violent unrest, which he described as “racist” and targeting Muslims, refugees, and asylum seekers.
The unrest followed misinformation after a mass stabbing of children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last month. The violence, which included assaults on mosques, police officers, and a hotel housing asylum seekers, was incited by far-right activists who falsely blamed the attack on a Muslim immigrant.
Widespread racist and Islamophobic riots are continuing to spread across the UK, with attacks on mosques, communities of color and places where people seeking asylum live.
— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) August 7, 2024
These attacks have been fueled by years of anti-Muslim and anti-migrant rhetoric. pic.twitter.com/RPvzB2dFTs
The Archbishop of Canterbury condemned the riots as being driven by falsehoods and fueled by deliberate misinformation spread online by malicious actors. He highlighted that this disinformation thrived on a backdrop of years of inflammatory rhetoric from certain media and politicians.
Welby also slammed the far-right rioters' use of Christian imagery.
“The Christian iconography that has been exploited by the far right is an offence to our faith, and all that Jesus was and is,” he said.
“Let me say clearly now to Christians that they should not be associated with any far-right group – because those groups are unchristian. Let me say clearly now to other faiths, especially Muslims, that we denounce people misusing such imagery as fundamentally anti-Christian,” he wrote.
Welby praises community efforts to counter far-right violence
The Archbishop of Canterbury commended community leaders who have worked to ease tensions, such as an Imam in Liverpool who provided food to a group of far-right rioters and engaged in dialogue with them, and a team of bricklayers in Southport who helped repair a vandalized mosque.
“We must develop and cherish these examples of civic virtue that have been counter-messages to those of the mob,” Welby said.
A moment from this evening's demonstration outside Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Mosque in Liverpool, when an Imam crossed the road, spoke to protesters who had been shouting angrily at the mosque through the evening, and ended up sharing a hug with one. pic.twitter.com/DCuHcSILZs
— Joel Goodman (@pixel8foto) August 3, 2024
He stated that achieving reconciliation would involve “investigating the deep-seated causes of division and confronting uncomfortable truths,” and stressed, “Those communities left behind in our country’s race to growth reflect the rich and precious diversity that is our nation today."
“It will involve serious conversations about what it means to live together well, knowing we share lots in common: streets, schools, universities, workplaces, media, as well as our fundamental humanity. Embracing the opportunities and challenges offered by living in such a diverse country is a task for all of us, and it is clear from the last few weeks that that work is long overdue,” the Archbishop of Canterbury concluded.
Read next: Rioters 'will pay the price' amid anti-Muslim protests: UK government
