From BMAO:
"Silence in the face of violence is not neutrality.
It is complicity.
What happened in Golders Green and the horrific act in Walsall are not isolated incidents.
They are the consequences of hatred left unchallenged.
When Jewish people are targeted, it must be condemned.
When Muslims are targeted, it must be condemned.
When women are subjected to violence and terror, it must be condemned.
No hierarchy. No hesitation. No selective outrage.
We have issued an official statement below."
The British Muslim Association of Optometrists (BMAO) unequivocally condemns the recent act of terrorism in Golders Green, as well as the abhorrent rape of a Sikh woman in Walsall. These acts represent the very worst of hatred and violence. The targeting of Jewish individuals in Golders Green is an act of terror that has no place in our society. The brutal assault in Walsall, in which a woman was raped by a man who made derogatory anti-Muslim remarks and wrongly assumed her faith, is both a horrific act of sexual violence and an act of terror against a woman, reflecting hatred directed towards Muslims.
We express our full solidarity with the victims, their families, and the communities affected. We stand with the Jewish community following the attack in Golders Green, and with the Sikh community, the Muslim community, and all women impacted by such violence.
As healthcare professionals serving diverse communities across the United Kingdom, we are committed to the principles of dignity, compassion and respect. These crimes stand in direct opposition to those values.
There can be no justification for terrorism, sexual violence, or hate-driven abuse. Such acts must be condemned clearly and consistently, whether in the United Kingdom or anywhere in the world.
We stand for the protection of life, the safety of all communities, and the rejection of hatred in all its forms. British Muslim Association of Optometrists (BMAO)
Why This Matters for Independent Practice
Independent optometrists serve every community. Urban practices in particular operate at the intersection of Britain's extraordinary cultural diversity — and when hatred targets any community, it touches patients who sit in your consulting chair every single day.
The BMAO's statement is a reminder that professional associations in optics are not simply technical bodies. They are part of the social fabric of healthcare in this country. Independent practice owners who serve diverse local populations know this instinctively. Your practice is often a trusted, neutral space for people who belong to communities under pressure — and that carries a quiet but real responsibility.
Standing for dignity and safety is not a political act. It is a professional one.
The full BMAO statement is available at bmao.org.uk.
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