The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with the British Muslim community after an imam’s (Islamic religious leader) house was firebombed in Bolton.
CAIR also condemned racist riots in Northern Ireland.
CCTV video has been released showing a masked man carrying out a suspected firebomb attack on the home of the imam and his family in Bolton. Police confirmed an investigation is underway, and no arrests have been made.
SEE: CCTV captures firebomb attack on imam’s family home in England
Over the past two days, racist riots have broken out in Northern Ireland. Police deployed water cannons and plastic bullets to tackle rioters last night.
SEE: UK minister says violence in Northern Ireland is racist thuggery
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“We stand in solidarity with the imam and his family in Bolton and the Muslim community across the UK. We condemn the wave of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant violence across Europe and urge all leaders to do the same. The anti-Muslim and xenophobic rhetoric rampant in European societies leads to the kind of violence we are witnessing.”
CAIR noted that mayor of Paris’ largest suburb today expressed outrage after a banner appeared on its cathedral calling for mass deportations.
SEE: French mayor slams ‘hatred’ after racist banner on cathedral
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com