Over recent days we’ve seen attacks across many parts of the UK on people in our communities - in particular those of Muslim faith and those seeking asylum who are marginalised, but also violence directed at a range of people from communities who experience racial inequalities. We have also seen responding emergency services put at significant risk with the police in the front line.
GMCVO has team members drawn from a wide range of communities and works closely with a diverse range of partner organisations – we are all affected by these events and we share their concerns.
We stand in solidarity with those affected and will work with them to use our voice and influence to challenge discrimination.
There will be time to look at the underlying causes of what has occurred, the misinformation, the clear racism on display and the anger in many communities. This anger has been fuelled by agitators but is amplified by the material conditions many people live in. We need to recognise the role of social media and whether it is still right for key institutions to engage with platforms unable to address basic issues of trust and safety.
We will continue to play our part in making Greater Manchester more inclusive and help to reduce the underlying inequalities - but today, first and foremost, we need those who have been targeted with violence to know that they have our support.
