‘It offers legitimacy to something that every one of us should reject’
IRISH and UK Muslim leaders expressed shock at the decision by US President Donald Trump to retweet controversial material from a British far-right figure.
Mr Trump shared videos tweeted by the deputy leader of fascist Britain First group which purported to show Muslims committing crimes against others in society.
The president retweeted three posts by Jayda Fransen (31), who is currently on bail in London in respect of four charges of causing religiously aggravated harassment.
Ms Fransen has appeared before Canterbury Crown Court in connection with the distribution of leaflets and the posting of online videos.
She will also appear in court in Northern Ireland in December charged with using threatening and abusive language in connection with a speech she made at an antiterrorism demonstration in Belfast on August 6.
The posts singled out by Mr Trump included unverified videos titled ‘Muslim Destroys a Statue of Virgin Mary!’ and ‘Muslim migrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches!’
Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council (Impic) chairman Shaykh Dr Muhammad Umar al-Qadri said he found the decision to retweet such material to be “absolutely and truly shocking”.
“These videos have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Muslims,” he said. “But yet here we have President Trump effectively legitimising what he likes to reject himself as fake news. This is fake news and he is basically supporting it.
“It is very disappointing that a person in such a position of influence as President Trump would do something like this instead of working to promote understanding, respect and harmony in society.
“I absolutely condemn his decision to retweet this material because, ultimately, it offers legitimacy to something that every one of us should reject and condemn.”
Dr al-Qadri said his fear was such actions would ultimately embolden those who want to promote only bigotry and hatred in society.
“It is quite shocking – I wholeheartedly endorse the condemnation of this by groups such as the UK Muslim Council,” he said.
Dr al-Qadri said he had devoted his life to promoting cultural understanding and to defeating fundamentalism.
The UK Muslim Council expressed its shock at the social media postings by the US leader which provoked a storm of outrage across the US.
“This is the clearest endorsement yet from the US president of the far-right and their vile anti-Muslim propaganda,” a spokesman said.
“We cannot give such bigotry a free pass.”
The council said it wanted British political leaders to confirm their opposition to and rejection of such material.