‘Extremely heartbreaking’: Family of Lee Rigby demand image not used to fuel anti-Black Lives Matter debate

‘Seeing his image used to cause hate of any kind, especially for those exercising their freedoms in protest against this issue, hurts’

Rigby was murdered at the age of 25 in Woolwich, London, in 2013 by two Islamic extremists. (Family Handout/PA)

The mother of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has demanded people stop using her son’s image to fuel arguments against the Black Lives Matter protests.

Private Rigby, of the Royal Fusiliers, was just 25 when he was murdered outside his barracks in Woolwich, London, by two Islamic extremists seven years ago.

In a post on the Lee Rigby Foundation Facebook page, Lyn Rigby said her family were “hurt” by the way the father-of-one’s image and details of his murder were being used “in a divisive way”.

She added: “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.”

Extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are both serving life sentences for the murder of Rigby on 22 May 2013.

Over the past few days, some social media posts from people opposed to the Black Lives Matter protests have compared his death and the reaction to it with that of George Floyd in the US.

Ms Rigby wrote: “We ask you all to please stop using his image and memory in such posts as he was a lover of all of 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.”

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.

Ms Rigby added: “Our thoughts and support goes out to George Floyd’s friends and family at this tragic time.”

Additional reporting by PA