A recent surge in anti-Muslim attacks across the UK has led human rights groups, politicians, and Muslim organisations to warn that Islamophobic violence is becoming more common and needs an urgent national response.
Over the past month alone, incidents ranging from firebomb attacks on mosques and homes to racist assaults and vandalism have been reported across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Among the most high-profile incidents was the series of attacks in Edinburgh on 19 June, in which five men were injured in what police and political leaders said appeared to have been motivated by anti-Muslim hatred.
Amnesty International warned that the situation has reached “emergency levels.”
It said the Edinburgh attack is part of a much wider pattern of escalating racist and Islamophobic violence that needs “an urgent response” from the government and law enforcement.
“Muslim communities across the UK are living in fear,” said Ilyas Nagdee, Amnesty UK’s Racial Justice Director. “When homes and mosques are firebombed and communities are left feeling terrified, we have reached a point of genuine emergency.”
Amnesty has called on the government to publish a comprehensive strategy to tackle anti-Muslim hatred, improve hate crime investigations and take stronger action against far-right networks inciting violence online and offline.
MCB documents 18 anti-Muslim incidents in June alone
The Muslim Council of Britain has also raised concerns about what it describes as a sustained escalation in anti-Muslim hostility.
In a briefing sent to MPs at the end of June, it documented 18 incidents during the month alone, including alleged racist graffiti on mosques, arson attacks, assaults on worshippers, attacks on imams’ homes and threats against Muslim families. According to the briefing, more than 40% of the listed incidents involved alleged arson or firebomb attacks.
The organisation argued that many of the incidents received limited national media attention and called on ministers to introduce a clear action plan, appoint the promised Special Representative on Anti-Muslim Hostility and reform the Protective Security for Mosques scheme.
“For the past few months and years, anti-Muslim sentiment in the UK has been skyrocketing and manifesting itself in increasing pre-meditated violence targeting ordinary British Muslims going about their daily lives, from “Remigration or Die” graffiti on mosque walls, to Imam’s homes being firebombed, to worshippers being stabbed after leaving evening prayers and more,” the briefing for MPs read.
It comes as peers in the House of Lords have asked the government to do more to tackle anti-Muslim hatred.
Speaking in the House of Lords, Baroness Gohir asked ministers what assessment had been made of the factors contributing to the attacks in Edinburgh and what steps were being taken to prevent “the normalisation of anti-Muslim hatred, violence and discrimination.”
Baroness Warsi meanwhile pointed to the many investigative and academic reports on “foreign funders and wealthy domestic individuals who fund and support a network of groups, individuals, think tanks and media outlets to instigate and spread anti-Muslim tropes, racism and division.”
“What are the Government’s plans to tackle this in light of their announced aim to reduce malign funding and foreign influence in our politics and public life?,” she said.
