UK student union comes out in support of Muslims amid far-right violence

National Union of Students (NUS) UK has strongly condemned the recent surge in xenophobic, racist, and anti-Muslim violence in the country amid far-right protests that have been fueled by misinformation on social media.

The recent attacks against ethnic minorities are isolated incidents but are manifestations of a dangerous and growing narrative, the union said in a statement on Tuesday.

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

By consistently blaming immigration for various societal issues such as long 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, it says.

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

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

Spreading lies

NUS, a confederation of student unions, one of the largest in the country, has asked its members to give more space to marginalised students to raise their voices.

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.

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.