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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the UK, British Transport Police are investigating an alleged hate crime that occurred on a train from Liverpool to Warrington where several men were seen accosting a young PhD student with anti-Muslim remarks, meanwhile in the US, a Midwest branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has reported a 196% increase in hate crimes targeting Muslims and Palestinians in the city of Chicago since last October, a finding which is raising safety concerns for city residents, and a gathering of over 500 fascists and racist turned out earlier this month at in Glasgow Scotland following Tommy Robinson’s anti-immigration riots in London with counterprotesters outnumbering them by an average of 10-1. Our recommended read of the day is by Hannan Hussain for TRT World on how despite an upcoming state terrorism trial brought against the French far-right group Action des Forces Operationnelles (AFO), the French government has been all but silent on addressing the growing threat of Islamophobia in the country. This and more below:
France
France faces rising anti-Muslim violence. A terrorism trial won't fix it | Recommended read
More than a dozen people associated with the French far-right group Action des Forces Operationnelles (AFO) will soon appear in a terrorism trial for commiting suspected acts of anti-Muslim violence, including a conspiracy to kill 200 Muslim preachers. The proceedings, which have been ordered but not scheduled, will focus on attacks planned between 2017 and 2018, and come as the country witnesses a dramatic rise in anti-Muslim violence since Israel's Gaza onslaught began in October 2023. But despite being a small step in the right direction, the long overdue trial struggles to strike at the heart of a much larger problem: state tolerance for rising anti-Muslim violence in France. The country's treatment of anti-Muslim groups and the way it approaches Muslim rights and liberties are like night and day. The AFO trial simply brings those double standards out into the open, and exposes the government’s role in contributing to anti-Muslim violence over the past several months. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Man on train tells Muslim woman he might 'kill her' on way home
A Muslim woman who was racially abused by a man on a train and told she might be killed "while you're walking home" has said the experience left her feeling "really uncomfortable and intimidated". Lila Tamea, 27, was on a train home to Warrington from Liverpool when the incident happened. British Transport Police is investigating it as a hate crime and has launched an appeal for information. Tamea told Yahoo News UK a group of four men began talking to her on the train. They initially seemed friendly until she told them she was studying for a PhD and researching racism in education, which appeared to prompt a series of racist remarks. "That's when one of the guys 'eye-rolled' and they began making a series of comments, including "kill all Muslims," she said. read the complete article
Sunak and Braverman wrong to lambast Met over Palestine demos, report says
The former prime minister Rishi Sunak and his home secretary Suella Braverman have been criticised in an official report for wrongly lambasting the Metropolitan police’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests. The report from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services gives police a largely clean bill of health about its impartiality. The official policing inspectorate said the attacks from senior politicians risked damaging public views about police impartiality, and thus trust in law enforcement. The report was ordered by Braverman when home secretary, at a time when the Conservative government was accusing police of being biased against the right and too soft on those supporting leftwing causes. read the complete article
Heckler disrupts anti-Muslim hate crime discussion in House of Lords
A heckler disrupted an anti-Muslim hate crime discussion in the House of Lords on Monday, 9 September. The interruption came as independent crossbencher Lord Singh of Wimbledon called on the government to be “even-handed” in meeting the needs of all religions and none. "There are no comparative statistics to show that Muslims suffer more from irrational prejudice than say any member of the Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist faiths," he said. A man dressed in a suit sitting in a side gallery stood up and repeatedly shouted “Tell that to Rotherham", an apparent reference to a high-profile grooming gang scandal, before walking out. It is understood the heckler was escorted off the parliamentary estate. read the complete article
United States
Noguchi Museum Terminates Three Workers for Wearing Keffiyehs
The Noguchi Museum in New York City has terminated three gallery attendants who said they would not comply with a controversial new rule banning staff from wearing the Palestinian headscarves known as keffiyehs. A fourth worker, the director of Visitor Services, was also terminated during the fallout of the policy announcement. On Sunday, September 8, at least 60 people including former workers and supporters protested outside the Queens institution and handed out flyers to inform visitors of the ban, which has been billed by museum leadership as a dress code update prohibiting “political dress” that could make visitors feel “unsafe” or “uncomfortable.” More than 50 staff members — two-thirds of the workforce — signed an internal petition calling for the policy’s reversal when it was first communicated in late August. read the complete article
Hate crimes against Muslims, Palestinians surge in Chicago, says US Muslim group
A growing number of hate crimes targeting Muslims and Palestinians in the US city of Chicago is raising concerns, according to an official at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Maggie Slavin, operations manager at the CAIR branch in the Midwestern US city, told Anadolu that there has been a 196% increase in hate crimes against Muslims and Palestinians in the city since last October, when Israel’s ongoing offensive against the Gaza Strip began. Slavin said the incidents are occurring in workplaces, schools, and public spaces, with individuals facing consequences for expressing solidarity with Gaza and Palestine. She highlighted that the Muslim American community is facing tight censorship. In workplaces, people are punished for expressing support for Gaza, and on campuses, students face administrative sanctions for advocating Palestinian rights, she added. read the complete article
Scotland
Fascists outnumbered in Glasgow
Following last month’s rioting, the far right belatedly mobilised in Scotland. At most, 500 fascists and racists turned out on Glasgow’s George Square on 7 September for a demonstration that was called six weeks ago, following Tommy Robinson’s large mobilisation in London and on the brink of the riots. Publicity was retweeted by Robinson himself, suggesting a level of organisation and coordination between far-right groups across the border. Their gathering was predominantly aged over forty (men and women) and appeared to have a lower-middle-class composition, with a conspicuous presence of ‘football thugs’. Scottish flags, as well as Union Jacks and St George’s were flying; there were English people in the crowd and among the speakers. By contrast, the counterdemonstration outnumbered them by up to 10-1. The main protest, called by Stand Up to Racism and backed by a variety of trade unions and campaigns, drew thousands from across Scotland and, combined with the pro-Palestine mobilisation, nearly filled George Square. read the complete article
India
In India’s heartland, this is how Hindu far-right is bulldozing Muslims
Up until a few months back, 17-year-old Zeenat Qureshi was like any of the tens of millions of girls her age in India. She was poor and had to help her mother in their brick home in a village in Madya Pradesh and tend to the cattle. But she had a family, her things, and friends. Zeenat died on August 9. She died of pneumonia, a doctor told her family. She got sick after getting drenched in the rain. It wasn’t like she wanted to get wet. She didn’t have any choice but to brave the downpour. Zeenat was among dozens of people living in the open in Bhainswahi village. All of them are Muslims, and the authorities bulldozed their homes. Her father attended the funeral in handcuffs with policemen by his side. This is a story of how India’s government built homes for the poorest segment of society and then bulldozed them based on religion. And it all started with the rumour of an injured cow. read the complete article