We are one household: Religious leaders attraction for calm amid violence in UK’s Leicester
Hindu and Muslim group leaders in UK’s Leicester have appealed for calm and referred to as for an instantaneous finish to the weeks of violence and tensions which erupted after a cricket match between India and Pakistan performed in Dubai on August 28. We are one household, they stated, including that each faiths can have “honest and uncomfortable” conversations to deal with all points.
Joint assertion on Hindu, Muslim tensions in Leicester: (20/9/22)
“We are from One family,
We fought the racists together,
We built it up together.
The recent violence is not who we are as a city.” pic.twitter.com/V5tJxSfK4W
— Media Cultured CIC (@MediaCulturedUK) September 20, 2022
“We, the family of Leicester, stand in front of you not only as Hindus and Muslims but as brothers and sisters,” they stated in an announcement.
Earlier, the Indian High Commission in London had strongly protested towards the violence and condemned the vandalising of a Hindu temple within the metropolis. In an announcement, the Commission sought speedy motion towards these concerned in these assaults.
READ | Hindu temple focused in UK’s Leicester, India seeks motion
The robust response got here after a Hindu temple was vandalised and a saffron flag exterior it was pulled down by unidentified individuals in East Leicester. A video of the incident confirmed a person, clothed in black, atop a constructing, knocking down a saffron flag whereas onlookers cheered him on. The temple was focused within the presence of the UK Police.
Responding to the assaults, the non secular leaders stated in a joint assertion, “Our two faiths have lived harmoniously in this city for over half a century. We arrived in the city together, we faced the same challenges together, we fought the racists together and collectively made this city a beacon of diversity. We are heartbroken to see the eruption of tensions, violence, physical attacks and unwarranted damage to properties.”
“We are a strong family. We will work together to resolve all the issues. Leicester has no place for foreign extremist ideology that causes division,” they additional stated.
“We ask all to respect the sanctity of religious places, both mosques and mandirs alike – whether provocation by loud music, flag bearing, derogatory chants or physical attacks against the fabric of worship. This is not acceptable nor upheld by our faith,” the group leaders added.
As many as 47 individuals have up to now been arrested for involvement within the violence, in accordance with the Leicestershire Police.
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