UK student union stands in solidarity with migrant, Muslim communities against racist violence

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The National Union of Students (NUS) on Tuesday strongly condemned the recent surge in xenophobic, racist, and Islamophobic violence in UK, expressing unwavering solidarity with the affected migrant and Muslim communities.

In a statement, the union highlighted the distressing nature of the recent attacks, describing them not as isolated incidents but as manifestations of a dangerous and growing narrative.

This narrative, it argued, has normalized racist and anti-migrant sentiments across the UK.

By consistently blaming immigration for various societal issues such as NHS (National Health Service) waiting lists, job losses, and the cost of living crisis, this rhetoric has seeped into the educational sector, contributing to the vilification of international and refugee students.

"The UK must be a sanctuary where migrants can live safely, free from fear, and thrive through their hard work and contributions to society," the statement read.

In these challenging times, the NUS calls on student leaders and allies to remain vigilant.

The union urged students’ unions to play a central role in elevating the voices of marginalized students and organizing for systemic change.

The union encourages everyone to reach out to their friends and colleagues from Muslim backgrounds and to actively challenge and condemn all forms of racism and Islamophobia, according to the statement.

A storm of anti-Muslim disinformation on social media has fueled Islamophobic and far-right violence in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing attack in the northern English seaside town of Southport on July 29.

False reports spread by extremist far-right social media accounts claimed the suspect was a Muslim and a migrant, which were echoed in the mob's Islamophobic vitriolic chants.

Police have so far said the suspect is a 17-year-old man who was born in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, and lived in a village near Southport.