Anti-Muslim conspiracies permeated across social media following a fire at a historic Leicester church, which the fire service ruled was accidental.
Tell MAMA received reports concerning various far-right content pushing anti-Muslim narratives, including an extremist who called for the burning of a local mosque in response. Another post of great concern also suggested setting fire to mosques in response.
X removed the content after we flagged it, which was written in response to another account holder listing the address of a Leicester mosque amidst a flurry of conspiracies falsely blaming Muslims for the fire. The police were made aware of its content.
Tell MAMA flagged these posts with the police.
Racist, anti-Sikh hatred appeared on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) about the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Kulwinder Singh Johal, pushing disinformation that he had not made a statement about the fire, or, in some cases, used Islamophobic language.
In fact, Lord Mayor Johal posted a heartfelt statement on Facebook on 29 July. He wrote, “I am heartbroken to see the devastating fire at St Andrew’s Church on Jarrom Street. This tragedy feels deeply personal to me, as I lived on Jarrom Street as a young kid and know firsthand just how special this tight-knit community truly is,” before adding, “Seeing such a historic, cherished landmark engulfed in flames is profoundly painful for all of us who hold this area dear to our hearts.” He closed his statement with a message of support and solidarity: “We will get through this heartbreak together, and we will support the St Andrew’s family every single step of the way.”
Some of the most animated accounts pushing these falsehoods and anti-Muslim or anti-Sikh narratives appeared outside of the UK, including in Europe or the United States. Some UK-based far-right extremists or agitators who had since left the country had also done the same.
Other far-right content sought to push racialised conspiracies about demographics and of so-called Muslim “invasions” or how Leicester is “overrun” with Muslims had populated some of their online rhetoric.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed on 29 July that the “most probable cause of the incident is accidental” in response to potential misinformation and speculation about the cause of the fire on social media.
St Andrew’s parish priest, the Rev’d Canon Dr Johannes Arens, said they “take comfort from the confirmation that the most probable cause is accidental,” as the church posted a donation link to help with the cost of restoration and recovery work.
Locals also praised the bravery of firefighters in rescuing a coffin from the blaze.
The church was able to resume its services after the horrendous fire. The Reverend Richard Trethewey, Archdeacon of Leicester, said the church was “hoping things can find new life after this terrible event” and spoke of how much the wider community’s offers of support helped.