Al-Azhar denounced in a statement on Wednesday the British far-right's acts of violence against Muslims which targeted mosques following the spread of false information on social media claiming that the "Southport" crime's perpetrator was a Muslim immigrant.

Al-Azhar highlighted the necessity of firmly confronting this campaign that aims to fuel hatred towards Muslims and spread fear among a large segment of UK citizens.

Moreover, it stressed the need to protect Muslims from the attacks of this dangerous trend that seeks to create chaos and to enforce the law without discrimination.

The institution also expressed its appreciation for the British government's stance and the statements of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper that reassured Muslims and committed to their protection and enhancing the security of mosques, rejecting all forms of hatred and racism practised by the far-right against them.

The statement said Al-Azhar also commended their commitment to imposing severe penalties on all those involved in these chaotic actions.

 Furthermore, Al-Azhar thanked the British police for their decisive actions in countering this systematic campaign against Muslims.

Some UK cities and towns have been wracked by violence for the past week, as angry mobs egged on by a clash between far-right extremists and the police and counterdemonstrators. This happened after the spread of false information claiming that the suspect in a stabbing rampage that killed three young girls in the seaside community of Southport was an immigrant Muslim.

Rioters spouting anti-immigrant slogans have attacked mosques and hotels housing asylum-seekers, with reports of violent counterattacks in some communities.

PM Starmer held a second consecutive meeting of the government’s COBRA emergency response committee on Tuesday to coordinate the response to this crisis, which he has described as a “far-right thuggery.”

The police have already arrested more than 400 persons around the country, and the government has pledged to prosecute and jail those responsible for the disorder.