Statement from the Leader of the Council

The Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Kam Rai, has shared a statement following the events of 7 August, thanking Police for their efforts preventing unrest in North East London, and continued work to keep Redbridge safe: 

Last night communities across the country stood together against the far-right, sending a clear message that racism, hatred and anti-migrant sentiment are not welcome.

I was especially heartened to see crowds of peaceful counter-protesters in neighbouring Walthamstow.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Metropolitan Police, whose diligence in gathering information on potential planned disruption and swift response helped to dissuade would-be rioters from darkening our doorstep in North-East London.

The Police have continued to work closely with Redbridge Council throughout the recent unrest, sharing information and conducting additional patrols to keep our borough safe and they have our gratitude.

In Redbridge we benefit from having close and supportive communities, we look out for our neighbours and stay true to our values. Recent events have shaken us and caused concern, especially among targeted groups including our Muslim neighbours and local mosques.

However, we have stood firm against the racist ideology which sought to frighten and control us and instead our places of worship have remained open, serving our communities as always. I want to thank all our places of worship, especially our local mosques who have shown powerful leadership throughout this difficult time and provided support for their congregations and the wider community.

We will continue to closely monitor ongoing events and work with the Police to keep our borough safe. To date we have had no credible threats within our borough, and I want to reassure all our communities, regardless of faith or race, that they are safe and welcome in Redbridge. 

In Redbridge we will always stand firm against all forms of hatred.

Cllr Kam Rai

Leader of Redbridge Council