East London News A Force for the community…
EAST LONDONERS have been condemning the terrorist who massacred Muslims in New Zealand and expressing their condolences to the relatives and friends of the dead and to the injured.
Local Muslims, and non-Muslims, gathered at Friday prayers in the East London Mosque in Whitechapel (above) to hold a vigil of solidarity with those affected by the massacre, which had occurred in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s southern island, earlier that day.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan was warmly praised by supporters and sceptics alike for his well chosen words. Brenton Tarrant, who is alleged to have planned and carried out the attack on two mosques, called on fellow nationalists to kill Khan – but the London Mayor said that London stood in solidarity with his victims in Christchurch. As news of the terrorist attack came in, Khan tweeted a warning about where Islamophobia can lead if it remains unchallenged: “When the flames of hatred are fanned, when people are demonised because of their faith, when we play on people’s fears rather than addressing them, the consequences are deadly, as we have seen so sadly today.”
Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green & Bow, issued a statement referring to the “horrific terror attack”. She attended the East London Mosque vigil to show her “support and solidarity” and called on the community to stand together and fight “all forms of extremism and terrorism”. She criticised those parts of the media who had broadcast distressing images from the scene and welcomed the Metropolitan Police’s announcement that they would be increasing the number of patrols around mosques, to reassure the community.
Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP for Poplar & Limehouse, marked the event by re-tweeting tweets from Sadiq Khan and John Biggs.
John Biggs, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, tweeted “Shocked and saddened to hear about this appalling act of terrorism. My deepest sympathies to those who have lost friends and family, and to the people of New Zealand.” Some Tower Hamlets residents commented that they were pleased to see him refer to the massacre as an “appalling act of terrorism”.
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