The Archbishop of Canterbury has strongly criticized anti-immigration rioters, accusing them of “defiling” the Union flag.
The Most Reverend Justin Welby’s comments came in response to violent protests across Britain, where demonstrators were seen waving Union Flags.
Major cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, and Hull, have experienced riots, resulting in hundreds of arrests. Protesters have been setting fire to hotels housing refugees and clashing violently with the police.
Addressing the nation, the Archbishop expressed his dismay at the behavior of the rioters. “This is not British, it is not English. They defile the flag they wrap themselves in,” he stated firmly.
He further criticized the rioters, saying, “Violence and swearing in the face of police from two feet is never going to convince anyone.”
Welby also condemned the “appalling manipulation” of people on social media, highlighting the irony in the rioters’ claim of defending Christian values.
“They talk about defending this country’s Christian values. When Jesus was asked what you should do in life to have a good life he said ‘Love God, love your neighbor, and love your enemy.’”
Most Reverend Justin Welby
The Archbishop emphasized that while living in deprived areas does not excuse violence, there is a need for fairer wealth distribution in the UK.
“Social deprivation does not in any way justify this violence. But we need to relook at how the benefits of our economy are shared right across everyone in need. Everyone needs to gain from being British – one of the seven richest countries on Earth.”
Most Reverend Justin Welby
Although he stressed that marginalization does not justify violence, he acknowledged the challenges faced by those in historically high-unemployment areas.
“I am not saying being marginalized – which a lot of people are in historic areas of high unemployment – justifies violence: quite the reverse.” – Most Reverend Justin Welby
The Archbishop also spoke about the grief experienced by the parents of three young girls killed in Southport, an incident that triggered the riots.
Recalling the death of his own daughter Johanna in a car accident when she was just seven months old, Welby shared, “It is the most overwhelming, dominating thing that could happen to you. The whole world changes. The last thing you want is for this to be instrumentalized by people far away choosing to turn this into a cause of criminality and rioting.”
Hatred, Violence, and Vandalism Stain Conscience
Joining forces with Muslim and Jewish leaders, Archbishop Welby denounced the violent protests and praised those who volunteered to repair the damage caused by the disorder.
In a letter to The Times, they collectively condemned the “hatred, violence and vandalism” seen during the riots, describing it as a “stain on our national moral conscience.”
“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. 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.”
Excerpt of the letter
Signatories of the letter include Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Most Rev Justin Welby, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Qari Asim, who chairs the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, and Dr Sayed Razawi, director-general of the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society.
Such a united front is particularly significant given the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza.
The violence erupted across the UK following the tragic killing of three young girls in Southport last week. Social media posts falsely claimed that the suspect in the Southport stabbing attack was a Muslim immigrant, fueling the unrest.
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