By Hannah Ellison
(Reuters) – A British Muslim social media star who travels around the country in his ice cream van has thanked police officers trying to control racist and anti-immigration riots by handing out free cones.
Mr Tee, King of Desserts, posted a TikTok video taken in the English city of Sunderland that amassed over 2.6 million views, in which he offered a police van full of officers ice creams, with the theme tune to 1980s hit TV show ‘The A-Team’ blaring.
“We just thought we’d show them a little bit of love,” Mr Tee, whose real name is Ashiq, told Reuters.
The two-minute clip – in which one policeman asked for a special birthday ice cream for a colleague – struck a chord with the British public, the vast majority of whom think the riots are unjustified, according to a recent YouGov poll.
“This is brill – remember under the uniforms there is a dad, husband, uncle brother, human,” said commenter sayithowitis1970.
Riots have erupted at anti-immigration protests in towns and cities across Britain in the last week, with attacks by far-right groups on hotels housing asylum seekers and on mosques.
Mr Tee said most of the praise for his video came from non-Muslims who value their community.
“It’s just a very small minority that are unfortunately (not) feeling in this way,” Mr Tee said.
Based in the northern Welsh town of Wrexham, Mr Tee said he would take a week off to let the tensions around the country die down.
“Some people are scared to leave the house, ladies especially, they don’t want to be seen walking about with their hijabs,” he said.
But Mr Tee pointed to the reaction to his video as a reason for hope.
“It just showed the genuine true colours of Great Britain and the people that live here, and obviously the welcoming side of the people here.”
(Writing by Andy Bruce; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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