To think these riots are about anti-muslim feeling more than immigration....

[SaltAndVinegar2]

...and to wonder what the rioters actually think the solution is?

I mean there are plenty of Christian immigrants and no-one is attacking churches. Inner city churches are often mostly made up of ethnic minority and immigrant people

Just watched Ed Balls interview with Zarah Sultana.
ZS: "it's important to call out these riots for being islamophobic because mosques and muslims are being targetted"
EB: "do you agree we need to control immigration"
followed by constant interruption and not allowing her to actually say anything. He came across terribly. There have been 8000 complaints about this interview!

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/ed-balls-gmb-zarah-sultana-riots-b2591311.html

These rioters want to get rid of muslims whether British or immigrant - that is the unpalatable truth. It's not about immigrants in general at all, and only partly about the ones in the hotels. It's scarily reminiscent of what I've read about the early days of the 1930s in germany before Hitler came to power.

@Buddysbunda

Is Huw Edward's a practicing Christian?

What? The Home Secretary isn't excusing anything. We've just got too used to the minimisation of racism and islamophobia from the previous government

Careful, there's one poster who will call this whataboutery and it shouldn't be allowed on a thread about Islamophobia! #ironyalert

On a thread about Islamophobia, bringing up anti-semimitism is whataboutery and divisive. I see what those posters are doing

There are posters bringing up Gaza & antisemitism was mentioned in response about religious persecution.

My post was in response to someone saying they'd only heard of Islamic attacks. Not a comparison.

Huw Edwards has also made an appearance 😆

I feel many people are ignorant of Islam as a religion. They don't seem to know the difference between being a Muslim and being an Islamist; between a religious practice and a cultural one.
I think education is the key here. I taught RE for near 20 years. I like to think I know a thing or two about the main religions. They have more in commun than people think.
I also believe racism stems from fear of anyone different. The fear of others.
Again education is key here.

Yes, already happened.

Why would people feeling very strongly about the murder of three beautiful little girls feel in response they should attack a mosque? What does a mosque have to do with their murder?
Can you not see how offensive your post is aswell as ignorant

and more often than not it seems to be non Jewish/non Muslim people who drive the division.

100% this.

Comments implying that 9/11 provides a reasonable context to be wary of Muslims

No one has said that though. Do you think terror attacks have zero relevance when discussing Islamophobia?

Rioters were screaming "f* Allah", Tommy Robinson saying Islam is a mental health issue, Nigel Farage saying Muslims do not share British value.

Etc.

It's a pattern I see a lot in online discourse, that people like to imply that if one thinks Islamophobia is unacceptable one is ignoring antisemitism and is a hypocrite. Or worse, as shown by some of the replies I've had.

I think its at best tone deaf to repeatedly bring up Hamas and antisemitism on a thread about Islamophobia, and at worst bad faith stirring. But I have no desire to fight about it so I'll not say any more.

@CassieMaddox cool

The attack was in response to the murders wasn't? Both are wrong but everyone is outraged about the attack on the mosque and Islamaphobia. Where is the outrage about three children being stabbed and the questions around how this keeps happening? This is the real rot in society - people banging on about people's feeling being hurt whilst ignoring the shocking levels of knife crime in certain areas.

I don't think its so much the fear of others as the fear of imposition. For women and girls in particular (for whom equality rights have been hard fought).

People are absolutely entitled to their own beliefs - whether they be borne of religion, culture (which is often underpinned by religion) or anything else - so long as they aren't attempting to impose those beliefs on others.

I think you're entirely correct about education, but education involves being able to ask questions and express concerns without judgement. And I think a lot of people are afraid to ask questions/express concern; we haven't got that balance right yet.

When I meant concrete, I meant examples of discrimination and ill treatment. Is saying "f*k Allah" nor a legitimate rejection of the Islamic religion? I think it's legitimate to dislike any religion. I personally think, f*k all religion given the amount of grief it brings on a global basis.

First you said you had not seen any examples of Islamophobia. When I pointed out that the mosque had been attacked as one example, you said:

Well I am sure the home secretary would excuse it on the basis that people were feeling very strongly about three children being stabbed to death.

it is an absurd thing to say. You are indirectly justifying the attack on the mosque even though the murder had nothing to do with Muslims at all. It's a pretty horrible thing to say.

Now you have been called out on it, suddenly it's wrong to attack a mosque but we shouldn't focus on that and instead focus on why the girls were murdered.

Ofcourse precedence is and should be given to those little angels who lost their lives In such a horrific manner, but your posts display a huge amount of ignorance and minimisation of the issue that is actually being discussed on this thread.

I am minimising the issue because I believe it is hugely exaggerated whilst far more serious issues are completely ignored by the government and the loony left.

As posted above, there have also been attacks on churches and synagogues. Would you say they amount to a phobia against Christianity and anti-semitism?

In feminist circles where we constantly talk about male violence and the patriarchal systems that excuse it.

Feminists get ignored as the preference is to pretend its "other men" and somehow predictable on that basis

Ofcourse I would. And synagogues have been attacked and that is anti-semitism!
What would you call it??

Well they're attacking mosques aren't they? In Manchester, a man attempted to attack a visibly Muslim couple with a chainsaw. Lots of hijab wearing women making statements about what they've encountered over the past week on social media.

There's a difference between disliking a religion and actively going out of your way to be openly offensive. How would an ordinary Muslim be feeling hearing thugs screaming profanities at their God? That goes beyond "disliking a religion."

That's terrible. Were they seriously injured? They must have been if he had a chainsaw. I didn't realise there had been deaths. The riots in London have been in very small number and little damage done. The counter protestors have far outnumbered the rioters who seem to be dealt with pretty firmly by the police. Or am I missing something? I do hope the police continue with this zero tolerance approach, especially in areas where knife crime is rampant.

No contact with the hedge trimmer and the man was arrested.