Star comment: A vigil is no vehicle for rent-a-mob
In towns and cities across the country thousands of people took to the street to mourn those killed in the Manchester atrocity in responsible fashion.
Last night in Wolverhampton a dignified vigil was held where people solemnly paid their respects to the victims, while similar events took place elsewhere in the Black Country and Staffordshire.
All of which brings into sharp relief the hurriedly organised ‘vigil’ that took place in Birmingham’s Victoria Square on Tuesday night.
Speakers lined up to berate the British government for – in their twisted logic – provoking the attacker to murder 22 people at a pop concert.
This lends the actions of jihadi Salman Abedi some warped justification, and as a result offers up mitigation for his heinous crime.
To describe this as distasteful would be putting it mildly.
The event also featured banners carrying the slogans ‘refugees welcome’ and ‘Birmingham Against Racism’.
Without being simplistic, what on earth have refugees got to do with the dreadful events of Monday night?
And what have the actions of a British born Mancunian, albeit of Libyan descent, got to do with racism?
This was supposed to be an event where people could mourn the dead and say a prayer for the wounded.
Yet some of the speakers involved appeared more interested in using their time with the microphone to preach to the crowd about ‘Tory cuts’.
This led to heckling from outraged, ordinary citizens, and before long slanging matches developed, with speakers yelling that some of those present did ‘not want to know the truth’.
What respected people such as West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and David Urquhart, the Bishop of Birmingham, must have thought is anybody’s guess.
It is crass and disrespectful for the left-wing rent-a-mob to have hijacked such an event.
There is a time and a place for making political statements. Lord knows, over the last two years people in this country have been given ample opportunity to get out the political soapbox.
Everyone involved in the organisation of this event who allowed it to become a vehicle for leftist political grandstanding should feel ashamed.
hang their heads in shame.
The vigil in Birmingham should have been about showing respect for those who lost their lives in the worst terror attack on British soil for 12 years. Certain people need to understand that if they truly want an inclusive society, they should show some respect.
