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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In Europe, during a recent interview, Marion Lalisse said EU institutions must agree on a definition of Islamophobia and set clear goals if they are to tackle surging anti-Muslim violence, meanwhile in the United Kingdom, the government has denied the allegation that they’ve cut funding from the recording and reporting group Tell Mama, saying that there is £1 million of funding available for the organization “once they sign the Government’s grant funding agreement”, and in the U.S., Columbia University has taken action against students who participated in a pro-Palestinian protest last spring with punishment ranging from “multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocation and expulsions”. Our recommended read of the day is by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, commemorating the International Day to Combat Islamophobia with a petition for world leaders to reflect on the staggering rise of anti-Muslim bigotry, racial profiling, and the increased adoption of policies that violate human rights across the globe. This and more below:
International
Message for the International Day to Combat Islamophobia | Recommended Read
As Muslims around the world come together to mark the holy month of Ramadan, many do so in fear – fear of discrimination, exclusion, and even violence. We are witnessing a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry: From racial profiling and discriminatory policies that violate human rights and dignity, to outright violence against individuals and places of worship. This is part of a wider scourge of intolerance, extremist ideologies, and attacks against religious groups and vulnerable populations. When one group is attacked, the rights and freedoms of all are at risk. As a global community, we must reject and eradicate bigotry. Governments must foster social cohesion and protect religious freedom. Online platforms must curb hate speech and harassment. And we must all speak out against bigotry, xenophobia, and discrimination. On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, let us work together to uphold equality, human rights and dignity, and build inclusive societies where everyone, regardless of their faith, can live in peace and harmony. read the complete article
European leaders are failing Muslims, EU Islamophobia chief tells Hyphen
European leaders lack the political will to stem rising anti-Muslim hate, the EU’s senior civil servant responsible for combating Islamophobia has warned. In an exclusive interview with Hyphen, Marion Lalisse said EU institutions must agree on a definition of Islamophobia and set clear goals if they are to tackle surging anti-Muslim violence, with nearly one in two European Muslims reporting discrimination in their daily lives. “What I want is a recognition of the specific nature of anti-Muslim hatred and of its intersectionality, how it affects women, its normalisation. It’s important to name anti-Muslim hatred,” she said, adding that the lack of a clear definition is an ongoing failure on the part of the European Commission (EC), the executive branch of the EU. “There have been many attempts to reach a consensus around terminology and to agree on a definition of the phenomenon. These attempts have so far failed.” Since her appointment, she has held several awareness-raising events, provided training for European officials to improve their understanding of anti-Muslim racism and advocated for their support in the fight against it. It’s a job she describes as “draining”. “[My role involves] holding member states accountable, so it’s not always a friendly relationship,” she said. “Where I have difficulties with some is in explaining to them the under-reporting, the trust issue, the structural nature of racism. There is a different level of understanding of racism and discrimination sometimes. It’s all a question of political will.” read the complete article
National Rally Leader Heads to Israel, a First for French Far-Right Party
Jordan Bardella, the young president of France’s far-right National Rally, plans to visit Israel this month in a powerful symbol of his party’s shift from the home of French antisemitism to a vociferous friend of the Jews. “Antisemitism is a poison,” Mr. Bardella told Le Journal du Dimanche, a Sunday newspaper, announcing that he plans to attend a Jerusalem conference on that subject in late March and visit areas of Israel attacked by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. “Our engagement in this combat is absolute.” No leader of the far-right party, including its perennial presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, has previously made an official visit to Israel. But the party’s stand against what it calls “Islamist ideology,” has led it to a sweeping embrace of Israel and the country’s fight against Hamas and Hezbollah. At the same time, the National Rally’s vehement anti-immigrant ideology, aimed particularly at Muslims, has earned it the support of some French Jews. read the complete article
United Kingdom
My Hijab, My Choice
In this film based completely on their own testimonies, five British Muslim women share their experiences in frank and often emotional, intimate interviews. They challenge Western perceptions of the hijab as a symbol of female oppression and describe it as a powerful expression of commitment to their faith, which defines them as strong, independent women. The women describe the struggle they say they face for dignity and respect in British society where they’re often insulted, attacked and discriminated against, particularly in the jobs market. This film is an exploration of why many Muslim women choose to wear the hijab and also a snapshot of British attitudes to Islam and discrimination in the UK today. read the complete article
Government denies cutting funding for monitoring of anti-Muslim hate
The Government has denied cutting funding for the recording and reporting of anti-Muslim hate. Reports emerged last week that ministers had cut all funding for Tell Mama, a non-governmental organisation that monitors anti-Muslim hate incidents, and provides support for victims, and that the group is now facing closure. However, faith minister Lord Khan of Burnley told Parliament that there is £1 million of funding available for Tell Mama once they sign the Government’s grant funding agreement. While Tell Mama has not yet signed on the dotted line, Lord Khan said that he is “confident” that the situation will be resolved after a meeting with the organisation and its legal representative on Wednesday. Going forward, there will be an open bidding process for the provision of these services. read the complete article
Denial of Islamophobia is harming Muslim doctors in the NHS
Muslim healthcare professionals feel frustrated by the constant denial of Islamophobia they experience in the NHS and wider society. This is a form of testimonial injustice, defined as an “unfair deficit of credibility from a hearer owing to prejudice on the hearer’s part.”3 This is adding to the well documented minority tax4 that affects minority groups who face the double burden of first experiencing prejudice and then having to take action to confront it. Muslim healthcare professionals, among other groups, have been dealing with the trauma of losing friends, colleagues, and family in the conflict in the middle east and censorship and exclusion for speaking out.5 In the midst of all of this, the race riots in the UK in the summer of 2024 amplified tensions.6 In a flurry of virtue signalling, leaders and institutions in the NHS denounced racism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration hatred.7 On both occasions, the elephant in the room was Islamophobia. The violence in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis on a shocking scale. It has also increased polarisation, division, and intolerance within the medical profession. Since 2023, the number of complaints referred to the General Medical Council relating to antisemitism and Islamophobia has increased.8 I take issue with the constant denial of Islamophobia operating on an institutional level in the NHS, as evidenced by the silence of most of our senior leadership. Muslim healthcare professionals feel “silenced and alone” when speaking about the war in Gaza, reporting self-censorship and a culture of “selective activism and support” that excludes them.5 When there are public calls to burn mosques10 and Muslim cemeteries are desecrated,11 the target of hatred is clear and this needs to be named and denounced by NHS leaders. read the complete article
United States
Trump administration silent on Muslim students’ civil rights
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has taken sudden and unprecedented actions in the past month highlighting its desire to protect Jewish students from discrimination. At the same time, no such imperative has been evident in investigations into or statements on Islamophobia on school or campus grounds. The same civil rights law that protects Jewish students from antisemitism — Title VI of the Civil Rights Act — also protects Muslim students from Islamophobia. Under the Biden administration, and especially in light of the Israel-Hamas war protests after Oct. 7, 2023, the Education Department repeatedly expressed to schools that they must protect Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian and Israeli students equally. “Jewish students, Israeli students, Muslim students, Arab students, Palestinian students, and all other students who reside within our school communities have the right to learn in our nation’s schools free from discrimination,” Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights for the Education Department under the Biden administration, warned in a Dear Colleague letter in November 2023. The Biden administration issued the letter amid what it called an “alarming rise” in both antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents at schools. Conversely, the Trump Education Department has made at least five announcements related to ending antisemitism in schools — none of which also expressed protections for students of Muslim, Arab or Palestinian backgrounds. read the complete article
US transfers immigrants out of Guantanamo Bay to Louisiana as court weighs legality
U.S. authorities have removed immigrants from detention facilities at the Guantanamo Bay naval base as a federal court in Washington weighs a challenge by civil rights advocates to holding immigrants at the offshore military station. A spokesperson for the U.S. Southern Command on Thursday said that no “illegal aliens” are being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba after 40 immigrants were flown off the base on Tuesday to Louisiana. Officials declined to specify why the immigrants were transferred to the U.S. or to share their names and nationalities. Additionally, two U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity, to provide additional details on the movement, that while the 40 immigrants have been removed, it doesn’t mean that the facility won’t be used in the future — it’s just not decided yet. Future “high-threat” detainees may be sent there, the officials said. read the complete article
Columbia disciplines pro-Palestinian students who occupied building
Columbia University has taken action against students who participated in a pro-Palestinian protest last spring and took over a campus building. The school suspended and expelled some students who participated in occupying Hamilton Hall in a move that escalated last year's campus protests. The Trump administration has pulled $400m (£310m) of federal funding from Columbia University, saying it failed to fight antisemitism on campus. The university's actions also follow the arrest of Columbia campus activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was detained by federal immigration authorities on Saturday. The university's Judicial Board (UJB) issued sanctions to students that ranged from "multi-year suspensions, temporary degree revocation and expulsions", the school said in a statement on Thursday. A campus-wide email sent indicated the university issued these sanctions against dozens of students, the BBC's US news partner CBS reported. read the complete article
Deporting Mahmoud Khalil from US would fuel wider expulsion campaign against Arabs, Muslims: Attorney
Deporting green-card holder Mahmoud Khalil from the US would fuel widespread persecution and targeting of Arabs and Muslims who “dare to criticize” Israel, a civil rights attorney told Arab News. David Chami represented 22 of 27 students who were expelled from Arizona State University after being accused of trespassing and damage to property. But he said neither his 22 clients nor Columbia University student Khalil committed any serious offense that would justify any form of punishment. “Without a doubt, what ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the government are doing violates the Constitution and the fundamental laws of this country,” Chami added. Khalil’s case “could open the door to thousands of expulsions if they want to continue targeting and harassing students. read the complete article