We were made aware of the Islamophobic statements of Mr John Moss, the councillor of Larkswood ward. We find his comments highly disrespectful, uninformed and unbecoming for a person in office. This is especially hurtful for us and the members of our congregation who are the residents of Larkswood ward.
We stand against Islamophobia and any form of hate which divides our community. This form of attack and belief against religion and Islam, in particular, is not conducive to community cohesion and puts our women, children and the elderly at further risk.
We welcome that some action was taken but Islamophobia is a serious issue and calls for more than a token sanction. Rather we call for a full review of Islamophobia within the party and to root out such form of prejudice in a meaningful way. We ask that the council, the local conservative party in particular and Mr Moss specifically to denounce Islamophobia publicly and make a firm commitment to tackling it.
Chingford Islamic Society