Safety, Civility and Respect: A statement
A Statement by the Co-Chairs and Faith Communities Forum Moderators of the Inter Faith Network for the UK
The Inter Faith Network for the UK is currently on a path to closure for reasons explained in a statement of 8 February and confirmed in a statement on 22 February.
Notwithstanding that, we have a duty, while IFN remains operational, to voice our serious concern about the current situation where Jews and Muslims in the UK are continuing to experience high levels of antisemitic and Islamophobic hate incidents and others are also at risk through mistaken identity. There is an accompanying sense of vulnerability on the part of members of those communities: worry for the safety of families and concern for places of worship and other faith-based premises.
The recent reports from the Community Security Trust and Tell MAMA make plain the shocking extent of the situation. We urge the reporting of incidents to the Police or through relevant third party organisations such as the Community Security Trust (antisemitic incidents); Tell MAMA (anti-Muslim hate incidents); the Hindu Forum of Britain hate crime reporting programme and Sikh Guard.
We also call on all to stand in solidarity against hatred and to reach out to support those affected. In the words of IFN’s guidance document, Looking after one another: The safety and security of our faith communities, “An attack on one is an attack on all”.
There is also continuing impact on relationships between people of different faiths in the UK of events in other parts of the world.
The situation is made yet worse by polarised and poisonous exchanges, fanned by social media posts and some sections of the print and broadcast media. Also by the dangerous discourse on the part of some within the UK’s political parties as well as by those seeking to prevent them playing their democratically elected role. We note the statement made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this weekend about the dangers of polarisation and hatred in politics and hope that this will lead to positive steps being taken.
As IFN’s Board said in a statement of 20 October, “It is also vital that we stand together and respond in solidarity where people would seek to divide through inflammatory rhetoric or intimidation. Views on situations and actions in the UK and internationally may differ (indeed may differ profoundly, with people deeply affected by events); what cannot and must not waiver is our commitment as people of different faiths in the UK to maintaining a safe environment for our lives together and to sustaining and continuing to develop relationships of trust and respect.”
We express our strong support for all working in local communities and at national level to de-escalate negative discourse, to tackle hate, to maintain relationships at this challenging time, and to take steps to ensure the safety and well being of those who are currently experiencing a threat to their wellbeing and safety.
A Statement by the Co-Chairs and Faith Communities Forum Moderators of the Inter Faith Network for the UK
26 February 2024
Notes
- Media queries to the Inter Faith Network: email ifnet@interfaith.org.uk.
- This statement can be found at http://interfaith.org.uk/resources/statements-and-messages and a copy of IFN’s statement making policy at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/uploads/Policy_on_making_of_statements.pdf.
- On 15 February CST published the Antisemitic Incidents Report 2023, which shows that last year CST recorded 4,103 anti-Jewish hate incidents across the UK, by far the largest-ever total recorded in this country. https://cst.org.uk/news/blog/2024/02/15/antisemitic-incidents-report-2023
- On 21 February, Tell Mama published a statement which opened with the information that it had "recorded over 2,000 anti-Muslim cases in the four months that followed Hamas’s deadly terror attacks on October 7.... the largest recorded number of cases in four months, since Tell MAMA was founded in 2011.” https://tellmamauk.org/greatest-rise-in-reported-anti-muslim-hate-cases-to-tell-mama-since-oct-7th/
- Looking After One Another, the Safety and Security of Our Faith Communities contains guidance on responding to hate crime and other attacks on an inter faith basis. This resource was published by the Inter Faith Network for the UK in partnership with the then Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Home Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs’ Council in 2017 and updated in 2023 – https://www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/looking-after-one-another-the-safety-and-security-of-our-faith-communities-2023.
- Report hate crimes and incidents online through True Vision or via 3rd parties eg those listed below; at a police station; or by ringing the police on 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency).
https://gov.uk/report-hate-crime
https://www.scotland.police.uk/contact-us/report-hate-crime-and-third-party-reporting/
https://reporthate.victimsupport.org.uk/hate-crime/
https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/advice-and-information/hate-crime
True Vision: https://www.report-it.org.uk/
Crimestoppers https://crimestoppers-uk.org/
Community Security Trust: https://cst.org.uk/report-incident
Sikh Guard: https://sikhguard.org/
Tell Mama: https://tellmamauk.org/
The Hindu Forum of Britain hate crime reporting programme: https://www.hfb.org.uk/contact-us/
Stop Hate UK: https://www.stophateuk.org/ - The National Counter Terrorism Security Office provides resources to assist places of worship on security: https://www.protectuk.police.uk/
- The Inter Faith Network for the UK www.interfaith.org.uk was founded in 1987 to advance public knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings, traditions and practices of the different faith communities in Britain and to promote good relations between people of different faiths in this country. It works with its member bodies and others to carry out these aims. Statements relating to its planned closure can be seen at https://www.interfaith.org.uk/news/inter-faith-network-for-the-uk-imminent-closure and https://www.interfaith.org.uk/news/news-release-inter-faith-network-for-the-uk-board-announces-closure-of-charity-due-to-withdrawal-of-government-funding.
- IFN links in membership: national faith community representative bodies; national, regional and local inter faith bodies; and academic institutions and educational bodies concerned with inter faith issues. www.interfaith.org.uk/members
- IFN member National Faith Community Representative Bodies meet together as the Faith Communities Forum of IFN. https://www.interfaith.org.uk/about/faith-communities-forum
