Photo: @Islam21c
Over fifty British Muslim organizations staged simultaneous demonstrations in London and Manchester on Saturday, November 13th. The global #Stand4Uyghurs protests voiced support for the Uyghurs’ struggle for freedom and against the Uyghur genocide.
The protesters chanted: “Stop, stop genocide! China, China, you can’t hide!”. Others shouted: “We are standing here for Uyghurs! We want China to close the concentration camps, open up the mosques and give the Uyghur Muslims, Kazak Muslims, and other persecuted minorities the basic freedoms to practice Islam!”
Another protester said: ‘We are here to demand justice for the Uyghur people because they do not have a voice. China has silenced their voices. Why have we allowed this to happen? The last time something like this happened, we said: Never again.”
Photo: @MABOnline1
Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) said on Twitter: Today, and every day, we stand in solidarity with our Uyghur brothers & sisters demanding an end to China’s genocidal campaign. The Muslim participants called Azzan and recited Salat (Namaz) in front of the Chinese Embassy. The Embassy had removed the Chinese flag before the demonstration. Some Embassy officials appeared to be watching through the closed curtains.
Photo: @Afzal4Gorton
Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester Gorton and a Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, said: This afternoon, I have joined protestors at the Chinese consulate in Rusholme. Manchester stands in solidarity with Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.
China has been rebuked globally for the crackdown on Uyghurs by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities, and sending Uyghurs for forcible re-education or indoctrination.
In April 2021, the United Kingdom declared China’s treatment of Uyghurs a genocide.
These protests were by far the largest gatherings held in Great Britain to support Uyghurs. The coming together of these diverse British organizations serves as an example of how the Muslim nations would also do well by choosing ethics over the lucrative business with China.