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Weekly Blog - 17 August 2024 - UK Riots

How should Christians, governments and citizens respond to recent far-right riots in the UK?

 

Looking back at the recent UK riots

The horrific far-right rioting seen in towns and cities across the UK in the first couple of weeks of August now seems to have come to an end.  More than 350 people have been charged with violent disorder following the riots in Manchester, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Plymouth, Rotherham, Belfast and other places.  Mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers were targeted, cars set alight and police officers injured.  The violence was sparked following false rumours online that the man who murdered three school girls and injured eight others in a tragic and senseless knife attack on 29 July was a Muslim asylum seeker.  Now seems a good time to pause, pray, reflect and see what lessons can be learnt to ensure such terrible rioting and violence never happens again.

 

Enforcing the law and preserving the peace on the streets

To start with, we should be absolutely clear, these were not peaceful protests, but violence, riots, looting and intimidation of the worst kind.  Arise supports the freedom to have legitimate political debates and protest on different issues, indeed that is a big part of our work in supporting peaceful Reform Movements campaigning for democracy and human rights around the world.  But such protests must always be peaceful and not threaten any individual.  The riots recently witnessed in the UK were not in any way peaceful or legitimate, and it is good that those involved in them are being fully prosecuted.  The Bible is very clear that national authorities should preserve peace, uphold the law and administer justice.  In one early example, Moses reminds the Israelites that under God’s authority he “took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you – as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials.  And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly’” (Deut 1: 15 – 16).  A major report from Arise, the Arise Manifesto, explores the role of national authorities in administering justice in further detail (Arise Manifesto, pg 79 – 85).

All people from all backgrounds should be safe, and should feel safe, in all nations.  Most of those left feeling worried and unsafe in the UK following the recent violence are British citizens who have lived in the UK all their lives as full and equal members of society, as have their families for generations before them.  Some have arrived more recently or are currently waiting for migration and asylum cases to be processed.  Whatever the case, once again the Bible is incredibly clear that God loves all people equally and all are of equal worth from all backgrounds.  As Paul says “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3: 28).  These riots are horrific and shameful in the worst possible way, and the nation must again do all it can to ensure all people from all backgrounds are safe, and feel safe, free, honoured and respected.  

 

Preventing misinformation and incitement to violence online

It is good that the law is also being fully applied to those who spread misinformation and incitement on line to whip up the violence.  The freedom to promote ideas and criticise, debate and challenge others is essential.  This is a fundamental principle of human rights which are themselves deeply rooted in Christian values (Arise Manifesto, pg 84).  However, there are limits to that right of free speech.  Threats of violence, incitement to violence, lies and slander are completely unacceptable, are already illegal and should be prosecuted, whether they take place in traditional media or in online social media or any other forum.  Again, the Bible tells us, “Do not go about spreading slander among your people” (Lev 19: 16) and that we should “Have nothing to do with a false charge” (Ex 23: 7).  More recently, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the first of two major international UN instruments which operationalise the crucial Universal Declaration of Human Rights) captures this balance well when it states that whilst it is essential that freedom of speech is retained, this freedom “carries with it special duties and responsibilities” including “respect of the rights or reputations of others”, and “incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law”.[1]  Free speech for all to engage in discussion and debate (even of views that some might find offensive) is OK and must be protected, but threats of violence, lies and slander are not OK, and should be prosecuted (Arise Manifesto, pg 105 – 106). 

Recent blogs from Arise on standing for the truth and against lies and misinformation, and balancing free speech against protection from slander and incitement to violence in media freedom unpack this in more detail.  Other relevant recent blogs explore further how to disagree peacefully with love in the culture wars, a Christian and compassionate approach to the sensitive issues around asylum and migration, and how to stand united in opposing all political violence.

 

Summary

In summary then, it is right that the brutal and senseless rioting we saw in the UK in recent weeks is completely condemned.  It is right that those responsible are prosecuted, both those taking part, and those stirring up misinformation and incitement online.  What is said online matters.  It is not just harmless.  It can have real world impacts.  A much more proactive line should be taken by governments and social media companies to prosecute illegitimate and already illegal slander and incitement to violence, to prevent further such violent incidents.  This can be done at the same time as preserving and protecting legitimate, sensitive, respectful and peaceful free speech and discussion, and different viewpoints on all kinds of subjects, even on sensitive issues like asylum and migration.  Governments everywhere, churches, Christians, and all of us in society should continue to send a very strong message that nobody from any background should feel threatened, intimidated or unsafe on the streets of the UK or in any other country.

 

Find out more

Find out more in the Arise Manifesto, Arise’s big picture, researched, Biblical, holistic and practical vision for a better world. 

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[1] International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, UN, (1966), Article 19, www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/ccpr.pdf

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