A multi-faith vigil was today held outside a church where a minibus was smashed up and daubed with graffiti.
The words 'All Lives Matter' were sprayed across the vehicle owned by the United Church of God Assemblies, which has been based in Longsight for over 50 years, and it had its tyres slashed and windows smashed on Wednesday
Manchester City Council's neighbourhoods chief Coun Rabnawaz Akbar said those responsible were "racist vandals" and described the incident outside the church, whose congregation he said are "predominantly black", as a "deliberate attack to spread hate and divide communities."
Police have confirmed they are treating it as a racially aggravated offence.
Today locals and anti-racism campaigners joined members of the church's congregation and faith leaders at a special event outside the church on Rushford Street as they sent the message that 'racists won't win.'
It was organised by community arts teacher Emma Martin, 47, who works with pupils at the neighbouring Stanley Grove Primary School along with Stand Up to Racism Manchester.
Emma told the Manchester Evening News : "It was about turning what was a real negative into a positive.
"We saw this as an attack on what is an important part of our community.
"The church are great with us, they often let us us their grounds for events and things like that. So seeing the bus being towed away this week was really upsetting and we wanted to do something to stand together and support them.
"By coming together as a diverse community and celebrating we're making sure people don't feel confident doing things like this again and showing that racism won't be tolerated here. We won't let them in."
Around 150 people attended the socially distanced event in the church grounds where there was music and arts in what was described as a celebration of the area's diverse community.
Local children wrote messages of support to be tied onto the railings outside the building.
It was hosted by member of the church and former Stanley Grove pupil, 15 year-old Tamera Tau.
There were speeches from the church's pastor Denise Smith, inter-fath minister and peace ambassador Reverend Rev Fujo Malaika, Rabbi Warren Elf, Ameen Hadi, Chair of the North West Unison Black Members group, local MP Afzal Khan and Coun Rabnawaz Akbar amongst others.
Coun Akbar said: "It is an outrage that a black church minibus was vandalised with racist slogans.
"‘All Lives Matter’ is a racist slogan as it is denying the disproportionate impact of racism on our society.
“Like many people in Longsight, where I have lived for nearly 30 years, I am appalled that in a week when the George Floyd mural was damaged in the city centre, racist vandals have targeted a vehicle belonging to a church with a predominantly black congregation.
"This was a deliberate attack to spread hate and divide communities but we will not allow them to succeed."
The church said in a statement: "Recent events across the world have shone a light onto the relationships between the police and the diverse ethnic communities they serve.
"Here in Longsight, Manchester the United Church of God Assemblies, Manchester has been here for over 50 years, working in partnership with Stanley Grove Primary School, support and serves its community with various initiatives, from supporting local family hostels with food/toy hampers, to holding family fun-day/activity events.
"Our church is a multi-racial church which welcomes everyone regardless of their race, and provides a place of prayer and worship, where one can connect with their faith in God.
"Despite recent incidents, where a church members’ vehicle left on the church grounds was vandalised and paint sprayed with graffiti.
"We remain committed to the highest standards of equality and inclusion and invite all to come join us at our various worship sessions as we continue to serve and work within our diverse community."
Police are still investigating the incident which was reported at around 6pm on Wednesday but is believed to have occurred in the early hours of the same day.
Chief Inspector Denise Pye said afterwards said: “Due to the nature of the words written on the bus, this is being treated as a racially aggravated offence.
“We’d encourage anyone with any information to get in touch with police immediately.”
It follows racist graffiti being daubed on the George Floyd mural in Manchester city centre on Tuesday night, July 21.
Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call police on 101 or Crimsetoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
