Pope Leo Urges World Leaders to Treat Migrants Humanely After Britain Violence, UN Rights Chief Says

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was shocked by the recent wave of violence that erupted in various parts of Britain, and he said various actors exploited the attacks to promote rhetoric that incites division against certain communities on the basis of race and ethnicity.

“UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed on Thursday his shock at the recent wave of violence that erupted in various parts of Britain, while the Vatican urged world leaders to treat migrants fleeing poverty and war with greater humanity”

Al-Jazeera Net

Türk added in his statement: "Taking others as scapegoats and dehumanizing them is completely unacceptable."

Al-Jazeera Net

The Vatican, through Pope Leo, urged world leaders to treat migrants fleeing poverty and war with greater humanity during his visit to Spain’s Canary Islands, where he warned that history will judge those who allow suffering and counting the dead.

At the Arguineguín port on Gran Canaria, Pope Leo said: "human dignity has no nationality, and does not lose its worth when crossing any border between states," and he urged the world not to become accustomed to witnessing people’s suffering.

The Al Jazeera Net account tied Türk’s remarks to violence that erupted on Tuesday in Northern Ireland, where rioters for two consecutive nights targeted ethnic minorities and foreign residents by burning homes and vehicles in response to a knife attack in which a Sudanese man was accused of attempting to kill.

It also pointed to body-worn camera footage of an attack that occurred in December last year in the English city of Southampton, and it said the Belfast attack raised immediate questions about the suspect's migrant status.

Devdiscourse

Gavin Robinson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, urged authorities to curb "uncontrolled migration," while Ryan Henderson, assistant chief constable of Northern Ireland, said the attack provoked "waves of shock across the community, causing real concern."

The same report said earlier in June British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned violent protests linked to the case of an 18-year-old who was handcuffed while dying after his killer falsely claimed he was subjected to a racist attack, calling it "unforgivable" to exploit the case to inflame tensions.

Separately from the violence coverage, Devdiscourse said British Defence Minister John Healey resigned on Thursday, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to allocate necessary military resources amid heightened threats.

“✕ Home News Analysis Agro-Forestry Art & Culture Technology Economy & Business Education Energy & Extractives Politics Law & Governance Health Science & Environment Social & Gender Sports Transport Urban Development WASH Research LogIn/SignUp Close the sidebar Defence Funding Dispute Intensifies UK Government Crisis British Defence Minister John Healey resigns, accusing Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to allocate necessary military resources amidst heightened threats”

Devdiscourse

Devdiscourse said the resignation escalated pressure on Starmer and noted prolonged disputes between Britain's defence and finance ministries delaying the Defence Investment Plan's release, with Starmer promising a plan release ahead of an imminent NATO summit.

In the same Al Jazeera Net report, Pope Leo’s Canary Islands visit was framed alongside Britain’s migration tightening, as it said Britain and the rest of the European Union and the administration of President Donald Trump continue policies to tighten migration and freedom of movement worldwide.

Al Jazeera Net also said Pope Leo urged "legal and safe pathways" for migration and international cooperation to combat human trafficking and provide funding to rescue migrants facing danger at sea, while it cited official data that the Canary Islands received a record 46,843 irregular migrants in 2024.