By Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The imam of Southport Mosque was given a warm welcome at Southport Synagogue as he praised the local community for its support and said “love will always prevail”.
Ibrahim Hussein was among people who had to barricade themselves inside Southport Mosque, on Sussex Road, as it was attacked by rioters just 24 hours after a horror attack at the Hart Space in which three young girls were killed with several girls and adults badly injured in a knife attack.
The morning after the riot, scores of Southport people arrived at the scene of the riot to repair damage caused to the Mosque, as well as repairing people’s homes and businesses and clearing away bricks which had been thrown at police officers, leaving over 50 of them in hospital.
Mr Hussein said: “We will always be together; we will not be divided; and hatred will never take place in our society.”
He was among Muslim, Jewish and Christian faith leaders, local politicians, community leaders and members of the public today who took part in a Walk Of Unity from Southport Mosque on Sussex Road to Southport Synagogue on Arnside Road.
It was a chance for people to come together, build friendships, and show that Southport stands united in kindness.
They then gathered inside the Synagogue as they heard speeches from faith leaders and enjoyed lunch.
The event was a show of solidarity one month on from the start of violent disorder which saw Muslim communities, local residents and others targeted by rioters.
The event follows the commemoration last week of the one-month anniversary of the tragic killings of three children in Southport: Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
Ibrahim Hussein, the Imam at Southport Mosque said: “It is very important at this time and in this town to come together and show solidarity and show that we are united and show that whatever they do, they are not going to divide us.
“We are here because of the good invitation that we should walk from the Mosque to the Synagogue.
“That shows us one thing – that between the Mosque and the Synagogue is only 10 minutes’ walk!
“At least we are so close in proximity and also close in our faith. What you believe and what we believe is one and the same thing.
Muslim, Jewish and Christian faith leaders, local politicians, community leaders and members of the public today who took part in a Walk Of Unity from Southport Mosque on Sussex Road to Southport Synagogue on Arnside Road. Mayor of Sefton Cllr June Burns (second left) with Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside Mark Blundell (third left). Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
“One thing that is beautiful is that we are all one and the same. Even the words, even the days, and the night,l in the greetings, everything, almost exactly the same.
“Because of that we are not divided in any way shape or form.
“Maybe everybody is so enclosed in his community, maybe all of us here are busy in day-to-day life, but we have to remember that by coming together we will put a stop to this prejudice that is taking place in the world outside when they try so hard to divide us.
“They try so hard to say ‘we are different from them’ and ‘we will attack them’ so they take us one by one.
“But the thing is, immigrants contribute a lot to this country.
“Because of this we say ‘you are not going to divide us’. Because of this we say ‘you are not going to separate us’. ‘You are not going to implant hatred in this community’.
“This community, by what we saw in the morning after the riot, was absolutely amazing.
“People were here before we came in. People were cleaning and tidying up and they were offering their help and offering their support before we had even got to the Mosque.
Senior police, fire and council figures visited Southport to applaud clean up efforts following the riot on Tuesday
“People were there all day and they changed things in one day that we were never able to change in a few months.
“In other words, the wall that was knocked down by the hooligans, it was rebuilt that afternoon.
“And if I had to get a builder to do that, I would have to wait months and months!
“So the community showed the good side of coming together. The community was absolutely marvellous.
“So we thank the community, we thank the faith leaders all around us who showed beautiful words and beautiful support.
“We came together and walked together and went to the place where the horrible murders took place.
“We also have to remember that in the end that they – these families – are in our mind.
“These families are in our prayers. These families are what matters.
“I have said it before many times and I will say it again. This is only a building, and if you destroy it we can rebuild it.
“But these lives that have been wasted can never come back.
Muslim, Jewish and Christian faith leaders, local politicians, community leaders and members of the public today who took part in a Walk Of Unity from Southport Mosque on Sussex Road to Southport Synagogue on Arnside Road. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
“So we feel for the families. In Islam in particular, family is everything to us.
“We hope that the message went loud and clear to all these people outside that it doesn’t matter what you do, we will always be here; we will always be together; we will not be divided; and hatred will never take place in our society.
“Love will always prevail and love will always take over.
“Also I have to remember and thank His Majesty King Charles for coming and visiting us last week.
“That shows we are always together and we will never be divided.”
Following initial violent disorder in Southport – fuelled by misinformation over the killings – the local community in Southport mobilised to clear up and repair a mosque which was attacked by rioters.
A multi-faith event later in the week saw faith leaders across different backgrounds deliver a joint statement of solidarity outside the mosque, as well as visiting the scene of the killings.
The event today served as a reminder that amid tragedy, the community in Southport is committed to creating a lasting legacy of connection across divides.
Organisers hope that the gathering inspires communities across the country to come together once again as the country continues to rebuild community connection following the riots.
The event was backed by Strengthening Faith Institutions, Together, The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Faiths Forum for London and the Ostro Fayre Share Foundation.
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