Following yesterday’s horrific terror attack on Muslims outside of Finsbury Park Mosque, London — in which one person was killed and 10 others injured by a man driving a van plowing into them — hundreds of Londoners came together in an amazing display of solidarity with the victims and the Muslim community just hours after the attack.
A vigil for the victims was organised and hundreds of people from all different backgrounds attended. The vigil stands as a testament to the strength and solidarity of not just London — but all the people of our country — who understand that terrorism always seeks to divide us and that one of the best ways to combat this is to rise above what the terrorists want and unite as human beings.
Heart-warming scenes captured outside of the Finsbury Park Mosque last night as hundreds gathered.
https://twitter.com/BevanJa/status/876914172595904512
Locals handed out roses outside of the Mosque.
https://twitter.com/katsladden/status/876902665464287233
Community coming together at the vigil outside Finsbury Park mosque #WeStandTogether pic.twitter.com/84XKypEGAs
— Oliver Jeffcott (@OliverJeffcott) June 19, 2017
Both London and Manchester have been through some of the worst terror attacks of recent times – the Grenfell Tower fire (for which a strongly attended demonstration was held in Parliament Square yesterday) adding to the ever growing list of horrors that our country is being put through.
Yet, for all the suffering, all the trauma, all of the turbulence, all of the (correct) anger at the failings, and wilful neglect of the political elites — it is the people who really run this country: “ordinary” members of the public who unite, help each other, and organise to rebuild their communities.
The Finsbury Park vigil followed a visit to the area by the person who still calls themselves our “Prime Minister” Theresa May. As per her usual routine, she met with a select few community leaders, whilst barricading herself away from the people of the community who were kept outside of the meeting.
This photo shows just how stage managed the PM’s visit was (nothing new about that then). Note the members of the public who are clinging to the outside of the window as May poses for her photo op. Also, note the security guard next to the door.
As May left the reality of her visit confronted her. Crowds booed her as she quickly fled the scene.
Jeremy Corbyn — who represents the constituency in which Finsbury Park is located — also visited the scene. Tellingly, (as usual) and in complete contrast to May (as usual), he spent time talking to the members of the community who welcomed his visit — he gave a speech from inside the Finsbury Mosque.
May’s speech yesterday about the Finsbury terror attack followed her usual pattern of talking about not letting the terrorists divide us. Given the fact that she is the woman responsible for the divisive and nasty ‘go home’ vans that targeted immigrants as if they are villains and criminals, and the fact she relies on the vile right-wing Islamophobic press — who endlessly promoted her during and before the GE — simultaneously painting all Muslims as if they Jihadists — as well as plethora of other nasty and divisive policies and campaigns she and other Tory scum are responsible for, her words are hollow, hypocritical and empty.
However, the people who united at the vigil in Finsbury yesterday, and the many other vigils for the recent horrific events, these people — us — we are the ones who really are overcoming the division inflicted on us from above by the Tory elites.
Our reaction bears out the hollow words of May — the difference is we mean it. And it is by using our strength, humanity, and compassion that we will truly overcome the divisive, destructive nature of Tory rule and terrorism.
