Sheffield Green Party councillors condemn the far right Islamophobic and xenophobic violence in South Yorkshire and across the country over the weekend. Green Councillors have extended their solidarity to people seeking safety and all our affected communities.
We also wish to express our gratitude to the officers of South Yorkshire Police and other forces who put themselves in harm’s way to prevent what could have been a far greater tragedy in Rotherham. We wish a full and speedy recovery to all the officers who sustained injuries during the attack on the hotel.
There now needs to be a full investigation into how what can only be described as a lynch mob was able to gain entry to the hotel and attempt to set it on fire, despite SYP having at least 2 days’ notice of the far right’s predictable and preventable attack. The police must do everything they can to ensure this does not happen again.
We also call on the government to end the hostile environment for people seeking safety in the UK and end the practice of housing vulnerable people in unsuitable accommodation such as remote hotels, barges or former prisons. People who are fleeing war and persecution must be provided with safety and dignity.
The government must also act against the billionaire owners of social media, who allow hate and disinformation to spread on their platforms, impoverish and divide our communities, while they themselves avoid tax.
If anyone has any information regarding the violence over the weekend please contact the police on 101, quoting incident number 239 of 4 August 2024. If a crime is in progress or a life is at risk, always dial 999.
You can also report information to SYP, including CCTV, dashcam and doorbell footage, via the Major Incident Public Portal: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/14SY24C05-PO1.
If you wish to submit information anonymously, please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on the freephone number 0800 555 111.
