Hopefully many of you will have already seen Humanists UK’s statement about the recent outbreak of far-right violence targeting minority communities in the UK. Here’s the link https://humanists.uk/2024/08/05/humanists-uk-condemns-far-right-violence/
We completely endorse this statement, but wanted to add a few words of our own.
We’re sure you were as shocked as we were to see what happened in Plymouth on Monday. We seem to be in the middle of an unprecedented campaign targeting minority groups, one that is aimed at stirring up hatred and bigotry, and spreading fear amongst those who the far right see as less than British – people with a minority ethnic background, especially those who are fleeing horrific conditions in their home countries, or who have come here to support our economy and public services.
It would be nice to think this is all an aberration, that this is not who we really are. But sadly it seems to be the result of a long campaign of fear mongering and hatred, driven by public figures and elements of the media who see spreading division as to their advantage. Unfortunately, a minority of people are seduced by this toxic narrative.
We fear we may be faced with a hard fight to preserve the tolerance and respect that everyone in this country deserves, and that are basic humanist values. It can be difficult as an individual to know what one can do in the face of such upheaval. However we would urge you to take whatever action you can, however small, to make all feel welcome in Plymouth and in the UK as a whole. Even a tiny gesture helps. If opportunities occur to support the diverse communities that make up our city, we’ll be sure to pass them on.
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