Councillors praise community response to appalling events of August 2nd and 3rd

At an extraordinary meeting of the council tonight (Wednesday 14 August) Deputy Leader Councillor Kelly Chequer tabled a motion deploring the 'completely unacceptable acts of crime and disorder' emphasising that they were not at all representative of the city.

Seconded by Council Leader, Councillor Michael Mordey, the motion also praised the overwhelming community response as one 'very much representative of Sunderland - with people eager to help others and repair the damage'.

Condemning the events of 2 and 3 August, Council Leader, Cllr Michael Mordey said: "These were not patriots, or people who love their country and their city, but misinformed, misguided cowards who one by one, as diligent police investigations continue, are being met with the full force of the law." 

Paying tribute to all those involved in the response, he said: "To our residents, communities and businesses large and small - including the council's Environmental Services team who worked through the night on the Friday to clean up the city and the very dedicated Sunderland BID team - you have done the city proud and shown the world just what the real warm, welcoming, resilient and vibrant Sunderland is all about."

He also had special praise for the police, adding: "Thank you seems inadequate in conveying to Northumbria Police how forever grateful we are for what they did on the evening of 2nd August and what they continue to do."

Reaching out to residents and communities targeted and most affected, Cllr Mordey said: "I am sorry this has happened, and you've been made to feel afraid to go about your daily lives by this mindless minority. It's an outrage and we will not tolerate it in our city.  I am extremely grateful for your willingness to work with the council and partners on a renewed cohesion strategy and on making diversity and inclusion a fundamental pillar of our society."

He said the council was continuing to hold discussions with Government ministers and advisors on the support needed to continue making Sunderland a 'fantastic, diverse city to live, work, learn and play in and somewhere that all residents and communities are proud to belong to.'

He added: "By working together, we will be stronger, better and more cohesive, building a bright future with plentiful opportunities and enjoying life in the real and wonderful Sunderland."

Introducing the motion, Cllr Kelly Chequer, who is also Cabinet Member for Health Wellbeing and Safer Communities, said: "I think we are all agreed that these scenes are not at all representative of Sunderland. The vast majority of residents are very proud of our city and are deeply shocked at what has happened. 

"We've seen from the resident clean-ups, the prayer walk, messages of support, and dozens of other community spirited actions how people from all walks of life and faiths continue to show how we have a warm and welcoming city.

"We are united with community and faith leaders, along with all our partners across the city, the North East Mayor and Northumbria police and crime commissioner, in our message that Sunderland is a city that stands together and that hate, crime and violence have no place here.

"The criminal violence and unrest that we witnessed the weekend before last, is more than outweighed by good work and community spirit, and that's going to continue.  

"And the mindless minority who committed the appalling acts of crime and disorder will not stop us working together for the city and ensuring that we come back from the events better, stronger and closer together."

Councillor Lindsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport & Net Zero Portfolio, told the meeting how council teams worked through the night to clean up the city centre following the protest. 

Praising all involved, she said: "It is no exaggeration to say that after the shocking events of Friday evening, by breakfast time on Saturday morning, the city centre was pristine.  Our wonderful residents, business-owners and a lot of elected members in this chamber joined the effort from the early hours and helped get things restored in no time at all.

"Once again, Sunderland proved that no matter what is landed on our city, we always pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down, and get on with it.  And we're all the stronger and more united for it. Thanks to the hard work of our staff, our wonderful city remains open to offer a warm, Sunderland welcome to everyone."

Councillor Kevin Johnston, Cabinet Member for Housing Regeneration and Business said following the protest, the council was continuing to work closely with Sunderland BID to reassure city centre businesses, understand their concerns and the impacts of the violence on them, and offer them support.

He also emphasised that Sunderland city centre was 'very much open for, and ready to do business as a vibrant, modern, exciting and welcoming place where businesses want to locate and invest'.

Unanimously backing the motion, councillors agreed to: 

• Reflect on and learn from the response to the events of the weekend along with our partners.
• Build our relationships and collaborative working with the city's Interfaith Forum, along with city, regional and national partners including the Government, to deliver an impactful cohesion strategy.
• Continue to understand and respond to the impacts on all of our communities in Sunderland, providing whatever support we can to ensure the city comes back stronger from these events, and is quickly restored to the welcoming, diverse and vibrant place we all know it to be.
• Request that the Leader, Deputy Leader and Chief Executive continue their dialogue with Central Government in relation to requests for increased funding to enable to council to put in place initiatives that promote community cohesion and resilience across our city, including grants for local organisations that work on integration, anti-extremism, and community-building projects such as anti-extremism training for young people, aiming to educate and inform them about the dangers of extremism and hate, and to foster a culture of understanding and unity across all communities.
• Continue to provide proactive support, advice and guidance to people whose property was attacked in the disorder; and request financial support from the Government for those businesses affected.
• Improve information on the true meaning of what being a City of Sanctuary means, to help promote social cohesion and a better understanding of the term among city residents.
• Write to the Home Office urging them to appoint an independent government advisor on Islamophobia as soon as possible.