Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, faith leaders denounce violent UK riots: 'Love your enemy'
The senior bishop of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and other key religious figures have denounced a series of violent protests in the United Kingdom reportedly triggered by the highly publicized murders of three girls late last month.
Bebe King, 6; Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, were stabbed to death on July 29 while at a dance class in Southport. Five other children and two adults were wounded.
The crime sparked violent protests across the U.K. because the accused killer, teenager Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, was falsely reported as being a Muslim asylum seeker. Almost 600 people were arrested across the country, and over 150 have reportedly been charged since July 30. Some are accused of targeting community facilities like mosques and immigration centers.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Welby signed on to a joint statement sent to The Times this week denouncing the violence and commending those repairing the damage. Other signatories include Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, Chief Imam and Director General of Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society Sayed Razawi, and Imam Qari Asim, chairman of Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board.
"Over the last few days we have watched in horror as a small minority has brought hatred, violence and vandalism to towns and cities across the country," read the statement, in part.
"We have seen anti-Muslim hatred and the targeting of mosques; asylum seekers and refugees attacked; violence directed towards the police and private property, all of which are a stain on our national moral conscience."
The religious leaders contend that British citizens have "a right to be respected and a responsibility to respect others, so that together we can build a cohesive and harmonious society for all."
"As faith leaders, we salute the many people who have stepped forward to repair damage and restore their neighbourhoods," the statement concludes. "We pledge to work with government and all sections of society towards a constructive and compassionate dialogue on immigration and social cohesion."
In a radio interview, Welby said he believes the riots were based on "manipulation" caused "by people on social media, people abroad" and that it must "be strongly resisted."
"There is a use of people in this way which is the most ridiculous, appalling, and immoral thing. … [the rioters] talk about defending this country's Christian values," he added.
"Jesus said: 'Love God, love your neighbor, love your enemy.' And when he was asked who your neighbor is, the example he gave was someone who had been an historic enemy of the Jews."
Elon Musk, billionaire businessman and owner of the social media platform X, asserts that the protests suggest the U.K. is on the brink of "civil war," blaming the "effects of mass migration and open borders" on the situation.
A spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government denounced Musk's remarks, saying that there was "no justification for comments like that" and blaming the issue on "organized illegal thuggery."
"We're talking about a minority of thugs that do not speak for Britain, and in response to it we've seen some of the best of our communities coming out to clean up the mess and disruption," continued the spokesperson in comments shared with the media Monday.
"You can tell from that the prime minister doesn't share those sentiments."
According to the National Police Chiefs' Council, thousands of officers are engaged in a national mobilization campaign to protect communities, while detectives and prosecutors are working to build cases against rioters and those "spreading online hate." About 6,000 public orders officers will be on duty in the coming days.
While 150 have been charged, prosecutors say hundreds more suspects have been identified.
The sentencing for some of the accused was broadcast on Friday, including the 20-month sentence handed to 28-year-old Jordan Parlour. He is accused of encouraging people to attack a hotel housing asylum seekers by posting on Facebook, "Every man and their dog should be smashing f— out Britannia Hotel."
