'There is no place for racism, Islamophobia or any other kind of discrimination' in Oxfordshire, council leaders have said.

The deputy leader and chairman of Cherwell District Council have issued a statement following days of unrest in towns and cities and a weekend of far-right violence up and down the country.

Councillor Lesley McLean, deputy leader, said: “The horrific and upsetting violence we have seen flaring up in parts of the UK is a deliberate attempt to divide our communities, and I take this opportunity to praise the admirable response from public services and residents across our country in restoring order and cleaning up public spaces.

Lesley McLean said Cherwell was 'inclusive and accepting' (Image: Cherwell District Council)

"This is indeed a true reflection of the UK and what it means to love your country.

READ MORE: More protests planned in Oxford this week

“It is a privilege to serve an inclusive and accepting community like Cherwell where we value the contributions that people of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences make to our towns and villages.

“We are determined that no-one living in our area should experience discrimination based on their country of origin, religion or ethnic background and I want to reassure our residents that we will not let the unacceptable acts of mindless violence seen elsewhere dissuade us from our commitment to serving and supporting them.”

A unity rally was held at Carfax Tower in Oxford on Monday evening organised by Oxford Stand Up To Racism amid anti-migrant demonstrations across the country.

Hundreds of left-wing protesters gathered on Cornmarket Street holding banners reading “Refugees welcome here” and “Oppose Tommy Robinson”.

Dr Chukwudi Okeke praised the 'diverse and welcoming district'  (Image: Cherwell District Council)

Another event is due to be held on Wednesday in the city.

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Dr Chukwudi Okeke, chairman of the district council, said: “I want to send my sincerest sympathies to the communities across the UK who have been affected by the cynical violence and appalling discrimination that we have witnessed in the past days.

“No-one deserves to feel intimidated because of where they are from, their faith, or the colour of their skin and I know the people of north Oxfordshire join me in rejecting any attempts to exploit the Southport atrocities to sow division in our communities.

“There is no place for racism, Islamophobia or any other kind of discrimination in Cherwell.

"I am proud to be resident of such a diverse and welcoming district and am comforted to know that our police and community safety colleagues have the resources they need to reassure our residents and keep them safe.”​​

A statement from Asylum Welcome has warned about a far-right protest outside the building on Wednesday night. 

It states: "All at Asylum Welcome are horrified by the terrible events of last week and the weekend. We extend our unwavering solidarity to refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, Muslims and communities of colour during this difficult time.

"As some of you might know, we have received news of a specific far-right threat to protest outside our building on Wednesday night.

"We are in touch with the police and are taking precautions. While there may be some disruption this week, we will continue to run services from our office and in the community as far as we safely can.

"Asylum Welcome encourages people to stay safe and to report any far-right activity to the authorities.

"To be clear, we are not involved in or encouraging any counter-protest around our office on Wednesday, as we do not want people to put themselves at risk to defend empty buildings. We are grateful for and moved by your expressions of solidarity, and we will continue our work, while taking precautions to protect our clients, volunteers and staff."