Corbyn offers support
stand up to racism
praised the police for their support, as well as local constituency MP and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a long-time supporter of the mosque.
On 20 November, Corbyn visited and spoke to mosque-goers prior to Friday prayers.
“Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism has no part in modern in Britain, no part in our society,” he said. “There is to be no attacks on anyone for their faith, their belief, or their religion. Instead we have to reach out that hand of support and friendship.”
“I will continue speaking out to respect the Muslim community, respect for the faith of Islam, understanding what Islam brings to the world. A message of peace, of charity, of justice and hope – that’s the message I’ll continue to convey.”
Corbyn, who has been the constituency MP for Islington North since 1983, said the area’s diversity – 70 languages are spoken locally – is an “an example to the rest of the world that you can live together”.
The Labour leader has phoned to offer his support since Friday’s attack, Kozbar said, but no one from Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative government has been in touch, or ever even visited the mosque.
“The government is not engaging properly within the Muslim community,” Kozbar said. “We have tried many times to engage with the government but nothing.
"We need to work together. We hope that the government will think again [about visiting] after what has happened.”