Lee Rigby's mother: Stop using my son to promote hate during Black Lives Matter protests
The mother of murdered fusilier Lee Rigby has called for people to stop using her son’s memory to promote “messages of hate” against the Black Lives Matter movement.
Private Lee Rigby, of the Royal Fusiliers, was murdered in May 2013 at the age of 25 in Woolwich, south London, by two Islamic extremists, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who are both serving life sentences.
Over the past few days, social media posts have used Private Rigby’s image and referred to his death in posts opposing the Black Lives Matter protests, which are taking place following the death of George Floyd in the US.
Floyd died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes in Minneapolis on 25 May, sparking protests throughout the US and, more recently, the UK.
Private Rigby’s mother, Lyn, has spoken out, asking people not to use her son’s image in a “divisive way” and “fuel arguments against the Black Lives Matter protest”.
A post on the official Lee Rigby Foundation Facebook page reads: “As a foundation and a family, we are aware of a number of posts using images of Lee and his murder in a divisive way to fuel arguments against the Black Lives Matter protests.
"Lee proudly served his country to protect the rights and freedoms of all members of this great melting pot of a nation.
“Seeing his image used to cause hate of any kind especially for those exercising their freedoms in protest against this issue hurts.
“We find these posts extremely heartbreaking and distressing, and in complete opposition to what Lee stood for."
“We ask you all to please stop using his image and memory in such posts as he was a lover of all humanity.
“Every race, gender, creed, sexuality and colour. So seeing such use of his name harms not only his family but his legacy and memory.”
The statement added: “Our thoughts and support goes out to George Floyd’s friends and family at this tragic time.”
