Statement on events in Leicester and good relations

A statement by the Co-Chairs and Moderators of the Faith Communities Forum of the Inter Faith Network for the UK

We note with concern the disturbances in Leicester this weekend. Police have been responding to incidents and faith leaders, the Leicester Council of Faiths, the local authority and others have been working alongside them to tackle tensions, address misunderstandings and misinformation, and to restore and strengthen the good relations for which the City is more widely known. 

Nationality has been a focus of some of the disturbances, as it was of disturbances earlier this month after an India Pakistan cricket match.  However, media coverage reflects the fact that there are dimensions of the present and prior disturbances and tensions in Leicester which are - or have become - linked by some to Hindu and Muslim communities and that there are related concerns about safety on the streets of individuals of those faiths and of their places of worship. Although the situation primarily affects Leicester, there has been some evidence, for example in the pattern of arrests, of participation of individuals from other areas and concern about potentially wider impacts. 

We affirm the vital efforts of all those working in Leicester and in other areas of the UK to tackle tensions where these arise, and to develop greater understanding and stronger inter faith and inter community relations and we call for the necessary resources to be made available to support this work.    

A statement by the Co-Chairs and Moderators of the Faith Communities Forum
of the Inter Faith Network for the UK

18 September 2022

Notes

1. Press queries to the Inter Faith Network: email ifnet@interfaith.org.uk
2. 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.
3. Member bodies of the Inter Faith Network include: national faith community representative bodies; national, regional and local inter faith bodies; and academic institutions and educational bodies concerned with inter faith issues. http://www.interfaith.org.uk/members
4. 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.
5. 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
6. The current Co-Chairs of the IFN Board are the Revd Canon Hilary Barber and Mr Narendra Waghela.
7. The current Moderators of the IFN Faith Communities Forum are: Co-Moderators: The Revd Canon Hilary Barber (Christian); and Malcolm Deboo (Zoroastrian); and Vice-Moderators: Minister David Bruton (Spiritualist); Mr Mohinder Singh Chana (Sikh); Mr Hassan Joudi (Muslim); Mr Neil Pitchford (Pagan); Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala (Buddhist); Mr Vinay Shah (Jain); Mrs Vinaya Sharma (Hindu); and Rabbi Mordechai Wollenberg (Jewish).