Like the rest of the world, the Lewisham Islamic Centre and the Muslim community are shocked to have seen the filmed cold-blooded and public killing of yet another unarmed black man, George Floyd by racist policeman, Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our thoughts and condolences are with Mr Floyd’s family and loved ones.
Barely has the world come to terms with the 2016 horrific and merciless shooting and death of Philando Castile in front of his partner and 4 year old daughter again by the Minnesota police, than more wilful and insouciant slaying of African Americans continues at the hands of American law enforcement.
In 1962, a similar killing took place of a black man by the police in New York. In response, Malcolm X (may Allah have mercy on him) made an impassioned speech addressing police brutality:
“The police… they put their club upside your head and turn around and accuse you of attacking them… What kind of democracy is that? What kind of justice is that? What kind of social or political system is it… this is American democracy and those of you who are familiar with it know that in America, democracy is hypocrisy”.
58 years later and what a sad indictment of the American system it is that nothing has changed, despite African Americans gracing the highest offices in the land. Racists endure, exploiting a corrupted system to indulge their evil ideology with impunity. After all, the BlackLivesMatter movement started during the tenures of a black president, black attorney general and a black head of homeland security.
Racism is satanic – the first ever racist was the Devil himself – Iblees – who refused God’s command to bow to Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) because he considered himself to be superior – he had a supremacist complex.
We condemn all supremacists and oppressors wherever they may be. We stand united with the weak and downtrodden. However, we call on the agents provocateurs and anarchists hijacking a heinous and unjustified act to cease all unlawful action immediately which risks alienating decent and sympathetic Americans, gives justification to racist supremacists and their sympathisers, and aims to detract from the noble pursuits of equality, justice and accountability demanded by African Americans.
We pray for a world imbued with the light of true justice, God willing.