Anti-Muslim hate has increased since 7-10

The British press, particularly the tabloids, really promote casual Islamophobia which in turn has made it more acceptable for regular people to do the same. Case in point some of the responses on this thread. This recent interview with the former political editor of the Sun Trevor Kavanagh is just an example. This man was in charge of political commentary in one of the most widely read British newspapers (if you can count a tabloid as ‘news’). In this interview they are discussing Labour’s decision to drop Azhar Ali from the by-election for his inappropriate statements about Israel. Kavanagh then says:

“By the very definition of Islam, by the very definition of being a Muslim voter, you’re going to be anti-Jewish.”

From my perspective, the issue wasn’t so much that he said this (he’s a known Islamophobe who previously wrote a column asking how Britain should “handle the Muslim problem” - language which prompted several complaints including by the Board of Deputies of British Jews), it was the fact what he said was completely unchecked and unchallenged by the two other interviewers. It did not even cross their minds to question the validity or appropriateness of this statement. That’s the saddest thing, sweeping and offensive generalizations/ assumptions about the Muslim community as a whole are completely acceptable these days.

https://www.mediaite.com/uk/backlash-after-ex-sun-editor-tells-talktv-that-by-definition-being-muslim-means-being-anti-jewish/amp/

100%

@PeasfullPerson that's one of my big issues with Ed Husain. It's hard to support someone as a self-proclaimed standard-bearer for liberal Muslims when he was supportive of a widely criticised initiative that disproportionately targets Muslims, and to my knowledge hasn't actually made any public retraction of that support.

I’ve seen so many similar incidents to this reported, particularly in the US. People who are demonstrably Muslim (mostly hijabi women) protesting for a ceasefire getting abused and harassed. These people actually getting abused in a place of worship which should be a safe space.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3sbLHCNsT/?igsh=aHpraWsyNHhvbDg3

Thanks for this thread @EasterIssland much needed. Disappointing but not surprising to see the almost immediate minimization, casual Islamophobia and racism that it has prompted.

I would like to see more statements from MPs that encourage tolerance and respectful behaviour.

I would like to see them (on the whole) publicly comment on the racist and hateful discourse coming from members of the Israeli government. I imagine that if these comments were being made about our ‘friends’ by a different country they wouldn’t be so quiet.

I will amend my comment to make it specific to them not saying anything about this. There has been more criticism of the Israeli approach recently and I recognise that.

Edit - it seems I can only edit my last post, which is this one!

Also, on the point of MP's being worried about being victims of terrorist attacks. Terrorists come in many forms, as well they should know.

The UK government are not supporting ‘without criticism’. They have acknowledged the right of Israel to defend its citizens against terrorist attacks, as is right, they haven’t at any point said that such defence can be done with impunity.

The marches have been well supported by police, in the last couple of days ‘from the river to the sea’ was emblazoned on Big Ben. Let’s not pretend the government have used this conflict as an opportunity to encourage and endorse racist sentiments against Muslims, falsehoods like that just further muddy the water and makes any meaningful debate much more difficult.

Not all MP’s agree on how this conflict should be handled, it’s a very divisive issue. There are also concerns regarding threats against parliamentary members which seems to be impacting parliamentary processes and leading to more conflict within parliament itself.

The stats are interesting to analyse.

The main charity tracking antisemitism Community Security Trust (CST) records reports of anti-Jewish hate incidents 4,103 in 2023 with 31% of these (approx 1300) online. Two-thirds of incidents happened on or after the Hamas attacks (2700)
-Figures from CST

2,010 cases of anti Muslim hate incidents have been recorded post October 7th 2023, 901 occurred offline with 1,109 online cases. Before October 7th there were 310 online, 290 online in 2023 (so 600 anti Muslim hate incidents) 2,610 overall.
-Figures from TellMama

October 7th has had a major increase of recorded hate incidents for both Jewish and Muslim people - 2,700 (CST) and 2,010 (TellMama) and the fast rising method as a vehicle for delivering a hate incidents has been online for both.

There's no need to minimise either.

I read the article you shared, thank you for sharing that.

I am having trouble concentrating on what he is saying though, because I so strongly disagree with this.

“Here in the UK, we have 20,000 Muslims being monitored. Twenty, ten, five years ago that wasn’t the case.” Several years ago, Husain advocated on behalf of the government’s Prevent programme, and declared that spying on British Muslims, whether they were suspected of committing crimes or not, was morally right as “the alternative [would be] to let the buggers do what they wish, until they appear on the violence radar, which is too late”.

Slightly off topic, but if we are to continue in line with this then I would like to advocate for every single male who has ever been suspected of violence to also be monitored. This group is far more dangerous.

Although as the majority of victims are women, and the majority of people in power are men, I won’t hold my breath.

If people choose to focus on only the issues on their own door step then that is their choice, although it’s not my preference. And as we live in such a globally connected world, I don’t think we can assume that we are insulated from events that happen elsewhere.

That our government continues to support without criticism the Israeli government who openly stereotype and demonise an entire population doesn’t help. As calling the marches ‘hate marches’ didn’t help either. I would like to see our MPs behave like better role models and encourage tolerance instead of division.

I am certainly not directly blaming MPs for the rise in racist behaviour, but I don’t think they are doing a good job at demonstrating and encouraging positive values.

Muslims and in particular Muslim women, remain under-represented at senior levels in most fields, as do many ethnic, faith and cultural minorities.

what are the stats on this? I know Muslims make up about 6.5% of the population but I don’t know what percentage of senior roles are held by Muslims.

Shots of the original post

@Dulra the thread is actually about an increase in hate towards Muslims since the attacks on 7/10 this is what I engaged in. If you read what I wrote you'll see I was pulling the thread back to this.

Also this is a discussion, other views are allowed.

Interesting how the thread has very quickly become "why might people not like Muslims" rather than "it's a bad thing that innocent people are attacked verbally and physically and discriminated against because of their faith".

Not sure why you're posting here to tell us your priorities are different? This thread is about the conflict in the middle east if that's not important to you and your priorities are on other issues which you're right there are many, why aren't you contributing to threads that better align with your priorities? There are many different departments within governments thankfully they are able to deal with more than one issue at a time.

I live near Rochdale/ Oldham/ Bury I know very few people who are non Muslims that aren't racist behind closed doors. Why that is could be many things including poverty, poor education, views passed down from families/ socially...

Those areas have high Muslim populations. I know there’s a lot of poverty, poor education and views passed down from families. In one of those places my 80 something Great Aunt who has mobility issues and was desperate to sit down was physically blocked from sitting down on a half empty bench by a Muslim man there with his family (who were using the other 1.5 benches.) He told her she couldn’t sit there. Her home help has been called a white whore while walking through the town centre and followed/sexually harassed by Muslim men in their late teens/early 20s. It’s a town I went to school in and 30 years ago my Muslim friend was called a whore by her neighbours if she didn’t cover her hair as she walked home. Ignorance and the passing down of family attitudes have a lot to answer for.

This is a really important book

@Scirocco I do care though, it's just that my priorities are different to yours. There are other horrific things happening in the wider world and in people's own worlds/lives that do matter to them more than those which you prioritise (Israel/ Palestine). For these reasons and wider political ones is why my view is that I'd rather our government concentrate on the things that matter to me. This is a separate issue to the thread which is why islamophobia has increased. Unless you view me disagreeing with you as Islamophobic which I get the impression you wouldn't.

@Baileyscream then you are of course, like everyone else, entitled to choose to care or not.

I'm going to continue to care long after they finish pulling the bodies of my dead friends out from under rubble.

I'm glad that other people care about terrorism, potential human rights abuses and war crimes, and trying to find peaceful solutions to international crises.

But for many people it doesn't matter personally, they don't have a connection to the area. The war there is just another war or conflict on the news. Why should this one be different? Especially when we have so many other issues to think about eg cost of living.

As a country we cannot get involved in every conflict or war and we don't. If we did get involved in this conflict directly the best interests of the country may not align with what you personally feel. There are also many people in the country who wouldn't and don't support it. Standing for what is right is subjective.

I agree there is much hate and prejudice in this country and it's getting worse and that isnt just for Muslims or Jews it's for many people with differences or are part of a minority. What the answer is to calming tensions in the UK is, is too big of a question for me but I don't believe that the UK actively supporting Palestine any more than it is will help.

For many people in the UK, it is a conflict that matters to us personally.

Many people in the UK, and many people on these boards, have friends, colleagues and family in Gaza and in Israel. We didn't stop caring about them just because they're further away from us.

Some people on this site actually live in the area.

The UK claims a role as an international leader. It therefore shouldn't turn a blind eye to attacks on other countries, and should try to take an active role in searching for peaceful solutions. (Instead, we just seem to send nore weapons because that's where the money is...)

Have you ever read or heard of "First they came for..."? It shows the importance of standing for what's right even when it doesn't seem to directly impact on you personally.

I would also add that, while Gaza and Israel are quite far away, the hate I and others like me experience on a regular basis isn't happening there. It's happening here. In work, in the street, in the park. It's shown on our nationally broadcast TV channels. It's on our local FB groups. It's on the parenting websites we use.

Hate and prejudice happening here in this country should be everybody's fight. And that should include fighting against all forms of hate and prejudice.

Even if this were relevant, this thread is about anti muslim attacks that are happening to Muslims in this country

So unfortunately regardless of whether you want to care about a war thousands of miles away, Muslims and Jews in this country are not given the privilege of that choice by some

And a girl aided by a Canadian spy. Great Safeguarding there, just who are the groomers here?.

Just like MI6 and the CIA trained and armed the mujahideen in Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets as it was in the West's interests.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Cyclone

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/aug/31/shamima-begum-smuggled-into-syria-for-islamic-state-by-canadian-spy