As with all British politics, any major events or shocking tragedies reflect poorly on those in government. Outside of the grieving and the pain caused to local communities and families, these events have a direct effect on politics. For example after the 7th July terrorist attack in London, Tony Blair was forced to introduce the 2006 Terrorism act. As a leader of a country you are held responsible for tragedy. However, what happens when a tragic event, is used to promote and evidence a political belief or manipulated against a political rival?
Murders, violent attacks and hatred is a daily occurence not just in the UK but around the world. It has become engrained and defined a feature of human nature. However certain incidents stand out. For the Far-Right, any violent attack from a person of colour, an immigrant or someone who is different from themselves, becomes an oppurtunity to utilise.
That is not to say that these crimes are not horrific, nor is it to deny that action should be taken against violence on our streets. However the problem is criminals commiting crimes, not their race, ethnicity or religious choices. There is a very clear distinction between the two. Which Far-Right indviduals tend to blur.
For example with the recent murder of university student Henry Nowak. An awful and preventable tragedy. Yet the riots that emerged were against Starmer, the Labour government, policing and immigration. That is not a memorial. It is the manipulation of someone’s death to be used as a political tool for violence. Those rioters, some of who included neo-nazis and white nationalists, caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to Southampton, their own city. That is the issue.
Equally the other day, a man in Belfast was brutally attacked by a sudanese man. However the fact that he is sudanese is virtually irrelevant to the case. He was a criminal commiting a crime. What followed was violent attacks on family homes, and innocent people. How can we as a country condone attacks on families as defending rights and standing up for justice?
It becomes apparent that certain groups and indviduals, prey upon the pain and grief of these tragedies. Manipulating it as evidence of uncontrolled immigration or poor political choices. The colour of someones skin cannot and should not be used as an indicator for a whole group.
The catalyst of these responses comes in the form of its leaders. Both Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson have both directly and indirectly called for protests and anger in response to events such as these. Anger in a place full of pain does no good deed. If anything it increases the volatility of the situation and makes immigrants and POCs targets for hate crimes.
In these times of sorrow and mourning, after violent and cruel attacks, weaponising the victims and the perpertrators as examples of political failings and cultural change, is extremely harmful. Not only to the families of those who have lost loved ones, but the innocent people who make our country a better place to live in. They should not be used to promote ones political views on immigration. Criminality is individual not a representation of a whole group of people.
Common Sense Journalism 
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