Mob violence outside Southport mosque after vigil for children killed in stabbing attack
A police van was set on fire last night outside Southport mosque, in a violent disturbance following the vigil for children killed in a stabbing attack in the town. Three girls died, and nine other children, together with their teacher, were critically injured. Soon after a sombre vigil ended, a mob pelted a nearby mosque with bricks and bottle. This attack was spurred by false reports on social media that wrongly named the attacker as a Muslim. But the 17-year-old arrested has not been named. Police say he was born in the UK to a family from Rwanda, a majority Christian country, who lived in Cardiff before moving to Southport 11 years ago. Merseyside police say the mob was believed to include supporters of the far right English Defence League. Many were wearing masks, shouting “We want our country back”. When riot police arrived to quell the disturbance, the mob turned on them, hurling missiles including wheelie bins. The Liverpool regional mosque network issued a statement saying it was shocked and horrified by the violence. It said the stabbing attack was not related to the Muslim community and society must unite against acts of violence and hatred.
Vigil for the three girls as Southport pledges to stand together
Earlier, thousands of mourners gathered in a vigil for the three girls who were fatally stabbed on Monday. Flowers were laid outside The Atkinson arts centre and the crowd stood in silent tribute to Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9. They were among 11 children stabbed during the “ferocious” attack at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop. Leading the vigil, the Rev Martin Abrams, chaplain of Southport hospital, said: “[For Southport] to be known around the globe for a defining incident has shaken us all to the core. Taylor Swift, who herself has commented on events and her bracelets of friendship which people are encouraged to make and swap and share, reminds us we should never feel alone. Clearly the crowds tonight show we want to stand together.”
French police investigate antisemitic insults against Olympics tableau performer
French prosecutors are ordering police to investigate complaints from a LGBTQI+ activist who performed centre stage during a tableau in the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony — which was condemned by conservative critics, including Donald Trump, as an offensive parody of the Last Supper. Barbara Butch, who is Jewish, wore a silver crown and gown, a role widely interpreted as depicting Jesus. She says she had been “threatened with death, torture and rape”, and has also been the target of “antisemitic, homophobic, sexist and body-shaming insults”. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that a police unit that specialises in fighting hate crimes would investigate “discriminatory messages based on religion or sexual orientation”. Art historians have said the tableau was, in fact, inspired by a 17th-century Dutch painting of the Greek Olympian gods. AP report here
Today, Wednesday 31 July at 1200, we are running a briefing on the Olympics and religion, discussing the Last Supper blasphemy row, spiritual advice to athletes and experience of French Muslim sportswomen. Details from [email protected]
Trump: ‘Democrats are after the Catholics’ and ‘Kamala doesn’t like Jews’
Donald Trump has claimed Democrats are “after the Catholics almost as much as they’re after me”. He suggested that Catholics would face severe restrictions on their civil and religious liberties if Kamala Harris were confirmed the Democrat nominee and won the presidential elections in November. “As everyone here understands, the radical left ideology Kamala supports is really militantly hostile toward Americans of faith,” he told a rally in Florida. Yesterday, he said in a radio interview that Harris, who has a Jewish husband, did not like Jewish people. “Number one, she doesn’t like Israel. Number two, she doesn’t like Jewish people,” he claimed.
70% rise in attacks against Muslims and Palestinians in US
Discrimination and attacks against Muslims and Palestinians rose by about 70 per cent in the United States in the first half of this year, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said yesterday. Human rights advocates have reported a global rise in Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian bias since the Israel-Gaza war that has killed tens of thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis. Antisemitism has also risen. Reuters report here
Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary sentenced to life in jail
Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary, who co-founded the terrorist organisation al-Muhajiroun in 1996, has been jailed for life. Choudary, 57, of Ilford, was accused of running the banned group since its leader, Omar Bakri Muhammad, was jailed in 2014. Mr Justice Wall, sitting at Woolwich Crown Court, told Choudary he would serve a minimum of 28 years and it was likely he would spend the rest of his life in prison. The prosecution followed a lengthy investigation by police in the UK, the US and Canada into Choudary’s attempts to recruit young followers. After the sentencing, Rebecca Weiner, deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department’s counter-terrorism bureau, called Choudary “a shamelessly prolific radicaliser”. Times report here
‘No Protestants’ bar owner must pay £6,500 for insult
A Belfast bar owner who told a customer “We don’t serve Protestants” has apologised and paid the man £6,500. John Bittles, of Bittles Bar in the city centre told him: “No seat, no drink, new rules in the bar. I look after my locals.” The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland said the man had been made to feel very uncomfortable by the comments and the reaction in the bar. He reported the incident to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which recorded it as a hate crime. BBC report here
Welby criticises Israel’s continuing detention of young Christian
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has spoken out at the continued imprisonment of a young Palestinian Christian woman in Israel. He wrote on Twitter/X: “I lament yesterday’s decision by an Israeli military court to renew Layan Nasir’s administrative detention for a further four months.” He condemned the “egregious state of affairs” and called on the Israeli government to release her. Nasir, 23, has been detained without charge since 6 April on classified evidence that leaves her facing unknown allegations with no way to disapprove them, the Independent Catholic News agency reports
