Lee Rigby’s widow calls on politicians to cease fuelling anti-Muslim hate

The spouse of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has referred to as on politicians to cease stoking anti-Muslim tensions.

Rebecca Rigby is one among greater than 50 victims of Islamist-inspired terror assaults who’ve signed a joint letter calling for an finish to hatred in direction of Muslims. They warned it’s the “height of irresponsibility” for some politicians to equate “being Muslim with being an extremist”.

“The single most important thing we can do is to isolate the extremists and the terrorists from the vast majority of British Muslims who deplore such violence,” the letter provides. Signatories embody survivors and family members of these killed in assaults within the UK and world wide.

It comes as Communities Secretary Michael Gove is about to provide a brand new official definition of extremism inside days. Mr Gove instructed the Sunday Telegraph pro-Palestinian marchers ought to query whether or not extremist teams are behind a number of the protests, and that the brand new definition will assist protesters resolve whether or not to attend occasions.

“Some of the events that have been organised, have been organised by extremist organisations,” he stated. “That doesn’t mean that people who have gone on them are extremist, quite the opposite. But it means that you can begin to question: do you really want to be lending credence to this organisation?”

The letter – signed by 58 survivors – says they’re “only too aware” of the specter of “Islamist extremism”, however added that it’s incorrect to conflate extremists with the overwhelming majority of British Muslims. “This is not only wrong in itself, it makes the job of the Islamist extremists easier and plays into the hands of terrorists… We also know where anti-Muslim hate can lead.

“While Islamist-inspired extremism is our nation’s most urgent terror risk, it’s not our just one – and responding to it by feeding far-right extremism, dividing our communities and exaggerating the chance will feed a cycle of extremism that can put extra individuals in danger. It is the peak of irresponsibility.”

Lee Rigby was killed by two extremists outside the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south-east London, in May 2013. Other signatories include Magen Inon, whose parents were killed in Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 7 last year. Justine Merton-Scott, a survivor of the attack on the Bataclan theatre in Paris in November 2015, and Michelle Hussain, a survivor of the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017 also signed.

MP Lee Anderson last month was stripped of the Tory whip after he suggested London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by “Islamists”. The party initially defended his remarks, but took action following a backlash.