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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the United Kingdom, the red and white St George’s Cross and the Union Jack flags have begun proliferating streets and neighborhoods across England in recent weeks in what supporters say is a “campaign to show national pride”, but others fear is part of growing anti-immigration sentiment, elsewhere in the country, police forces are being encouraged to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects when they are charged in high-profile and sensitive cases, with experts warning such could put British Muslims at risk, and in Canada, a newly released report on secularism in Quebec includes 50 recommendations such as extending the province’s religious symbols ban, subsidizing daycares, and requiring that people uncover their faces when receiving public services. Our recommended read of the day is by Sunniya Ahmad Pirzada for TRT World on how a chilling plot to livestream the massacre of worshippers at a UK mosque—hatched by a teen influenced by far-right extremist Anders Breivik—is barely covered by mainstream media, reflecting a “deep structural bias” in British mass media. This and more below:
United Kingdom
UK Muslims targeted in plot that barely made headlines | Recommended Read
Earlier this year, in the small Scottish town of Greenock, a 17-year-old boy, drawn to Hitler’s ideology, plotted to burn down the Inverclyde Muslim Centre, lock worshippers inside, and livestream the massacre. Influenced by far-right extremist Anders Breivik and indoctrinated on TikTok from the age of 13, he infiltrated the mosque by pretending to convert to Islam. When arrested, he was found with gas canisters, an air pistol, and fire-starting tools. He had even drafted a manifesto. The story is chilling, yet what is equally shocking is how little coverage it received in the UK’s mainstream media. Sky News reported on it, including testimony from mosque leaders, but most other major outlets offered no substantive reporting. A plot to massacre Muslims in their house of worship did not register as a national story. Now imagine if the perpetrator had been Muslim, and the intended victims were worshippers at a church or synagogue. The headlines would have screamed terrorism. Politicians would have been quick to make statements about extremism. The disparity in coverage may be perceived as an oversight, but it reflects deeper structural biases. This selective reporting reinforces the idea that Muslims can only ever be threats, not targets, hence implying that their lives and safety carry less weight. It also emboldens extremists when they see a society unwilling to take Islamophobia seriously. read the complete article
What you need to know about plans to disclose suspects’ ethnicity and nationality
Police forces are being encouraged to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects when they are charged in high-profile and sensitive cases. Experts warn that the move could put Muslims at risk while deepening mistrust between communities and the police. The guidance was introduced earlier this month by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing, and has been presented as a step towards greater transparency. It comes just over a year after far-right riots broke out across the country, triggered by false online claims that the killer of three girls in Southport was a recently arrived Muslim immigrant. The family of one of the girls killed in the attack has already criticised the new guidance, saying ethnicity is “completely irrelevant”. But the NPCC and the College of Policing claim it will counter misinformation and disinformation, and build confidence in policing. Shabna Begum, chief executive at the Runnymede Trust — a race equality thinktank — warned that the guidance risked reinforcing the idea that certain groups were inherently criminal, fuelling suspicion. “Disclosing ethnicity or immigration status is always going to create a sense that this information is somehow significant,” she said. read the complete article
From Southport to Epping, social media's failure to act is fuelling racist violence
The Southport stabbings last summer were devastating. Three young girls were killed and eight others seriously injured. But while some were united in their grief, within hours, false rumours about the identity of the attacker began circulating online triggering a targeted campaign against Muslims, migrants and asylum seekers. The horrific actions of a lone individual sparked a wave of racist violence across the UK. A hotel housing asylum seekers torched, racist road checkpoints – the Southport riots exposed racist sentiment in Britain at its worst. And a year later, in Epping, we see the same alarming pattern; protests erupting into violence, again stoked by disinformation online. In this instance stemming from false allegations that police were involved with arranging and organising counter-protests by Stand up to Racism. But racist attacks didn’t begin with Southport, nor will they end with Epping. As the police prepare for the possibility of more disorder, new Demos research shines a light on the role of social media and online harm in stoking racial unrest, inciting violence and threatening public safety. And with clear failings in the social media platforms so many of us rely on for news and opinion, it is time we expected more of the social media giants who so powerfully shape public debate. read the complete article
England flags spark concern amid anti-immigration protests
The red and white St George's Cross and the Union Jack flags have proliferated along streets across England in recent weeks in what supporters say is a campaign to show national pride, but others fear is part of growing anti-immigration sentiment. The flags have emerged during a politically charged summer in Britain that has been dominated by the subject of migration, with the YouGov monthly sentiment tracker showing that since the end of June immigration has overtaken the economy as voters' biggest concern. The appearance of flags has coincided with a wave of protests in recent weeks outside hotels sheltering asylum seekers. Fuelled by social media, the movement appears to have originated with the Birmingham-based Weoley Warriors, with several groups now encouraging the display of more flags. In the 1970s, the Union flag was adopted as a symbol by the far-right National Front party, which openly promoted white supremacist views, while the Cross of St George, the patron saint of England, likewise was brandished by English soccer hooligans and extreme right-wing groups. As a result, while some regard displaying the flag as showing patriotism, others, including those from migrant communities or ethnically diverse backgrounds, are concerned they are being targeted. read the complete article
Canada
Montreal groups call to meet city over DEI policy, rise in hate crimes and extremism
Five organizations serving racialized communities in Montreal are calling to meet with the city’s new anti-racism commissioner — Maty Diop — following prior concerns over the city’s new diversity, equity, and inclusion policy. They had been asking the city to declare hate crimes and extremism a public security priority, and on Monday the city council voted to include these concepts. “The City of Montreal accepted the request made by community groups to clarify the use of the term racism and the various forms of racism that persist among staff and citizens,” said the city in a statement. “The EDI Policy was amended at City Council this week to include anti-Semitism and Islamophobia as forms of racism and discrimination. “City services include issues of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia when working to raise awareness or combat hate crimes, as shown in the latest 2023-2025 commitment report. City services include anti-Black racism and anti-Asian racism in their work, as shown by the awareness-raising actions presented in the latest 2023-2025 commitment report.” Now the groups are focusing on getting a seat at the table. read the complete article
Muslim leaders say Quebec report on secularism is discriminatory
An independent committee's 50 recommendations to Quebec, including extending the province's religious symbols ban to subsidized daycares and requiring people to uncover their faces when receiving public services, are drawing criticism from some community leaders. "We really have to ask some serious questions about the legitimacy of this report," said Stephen Brown, president of the National Council of Canadian Muslims. He said the nearly 300-page report released on Tuesday offering recommendations to strengthen secularism in Quebec is not suggesting that the government "proceed in the spectrum of neutrality." "Neutrality is the absence of an opinion. In this case, what we're really looking at is recommendations for the government to take away the rights of religious people and to impose uniformity on them," he said. The committee is co-chaired by lawyers Guillaume Rousseau and Christiane Pelchat. They have each defended Quebec's secularism law, Bill 21, in court while representing groups who promote secularism in Quebec. read the complete article