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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the United States, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has pledged to make the fight against Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism a priority when he takes office next week, meanwhile in the United Kingdom, a new survey reveals that almost half of Muslim women (45 per cent) feel unsafe on public transport, compared to just 8 percent of women nationally, and in Australia, a Muslim organization has record recorded an almost 200 per cent increase in reported anti-Muslim hate incidents since December 14. Our recommended read of the day is by James Renton for Al Jazeera, who argues that the proposed official definition of anti-Muslim hostility that does not address Islamophobia in the United Kingdom is dangerously inadequate. This and more below:
United Kingdom
Why is it that the UK government can’t define Islamophobia? | Recommended Read
In February, the United Kingdom government appointed a working group to provide a definition of “anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia”, which should have completed its work by the end of August. In the summer, Conservative MP Nick Timothy and a phalanx of like-minded groups waged a campaign against any such definition, which they argued would stymie free speech for those who wish to criticise Islam. Since then, the government has been cowed into silence and delay. Last week, the BBC published a report suggesting that the definition will not use the word Islamophobia at all, opting instead for “anti-Muslim hostility”. This is a mistake; hatred of Islam lies at the very heart of racism towards Muslims. And while the British state fails to even name Islamophobia, Muslims face an unprecedented level of danger. The unwillingness of the British government to name and confront Islamophobia is a scandal, one that is barely noticed by mainstream media. Imagine, for a moment, that the government specified that a definition of anti-Semitism should allow people to insult Judaism. Even a cursory historical understanding of anti-Semitism clearly shows that hostility to Jews and Judaism have been inseparable across millennia: From the medieval Blood Libel, which accused Jews of killing Christian children for ritual purposes, to today’s “replacement theory” that Jews are orchestrating the corruption of the so-called “white race”. Similarly, Western persecution of Muslims has been intrinsically connected with, and driven by, opposition to Islam, from medieval times until the present. Whether during the Reformation of the 16th century in Europe or the colonialisation of North Africa and Asia in the 19th century, Western thinkers and political leaders commonly saw Islam as an inherently imperialist and violent religion, dedicated to world domination, either through holy war or conspiratorial methods. read the complete article
‘I’m Muslim and wore a face veil for the first time. Then a man tried to hit me on the Tube’
Fatima Mahmoud* decided to wear a niqab, a face veil, for the first time this summer while getting on the Tube in London. A man on the platform at Whitechapel station stared and shook his head, before shouting and pretending to punch the air at her.The man mimicked the niqab by putting his fingers over his eyes like goggles. Her friend took a picture of him, which led to the man running up to them and attempting to hit them, while witnesses confronted him. Despite being a British-born and raised Muslim, the 23-year-old told The Independent: “I don’t feel safe at all here in the UK. I drive as much as I can and try to be wary of my surroundings. Public transport scares me now, especially because this incident happened in the afternoon. It wasn’t dark outside. “I was scared to wear the niqab again until I rebuilt my confidence. I constantly look over my shoulder in case someone punches me from behind.” Her story comes at a time when almost half of Muslim women (45 per cent) feel unsafe on public transport, compared to just 8 per cent of women nationally, according to a new report by Muslim Census. read the complete article
The Ascent of Far-Right Christianity in Digital Age Britain
In the days after the fatal stabbings of three young girls at a dance class in Southport, England, on July 29, 2024, thousands of protestors stormed the streets and attacked mosques and police officers in the surrounding area. Sparked by false claims online about the race and citizenship of the perpetrator, the protests had quickly pivoted from a mournful crowd to one violently lionized by misinformation. By the end of the week, the UK was engulfed by riots—replete with far-right flags and hateful chants. This example is just one of many in the last five years that have seen protestors hoist St. George’s flag, spew racist rhetoric outside of mosques, and share inflammatory posts on social media about Britain’s supposed fall from Christian glory. A new troubling narrative has taken root in Britain’s far-right—one rooted in centuries of Christian influence on social norms, language, and politics. However, this revival has not stemmed from the pulpit, but rather digital sermons preaching the moral superiority of Christian life and the dangers of cultural decline. Underlying these antagonistic accounts of a supposed “cultural decline” are familiar themes broadcast through right-wing channels of online discussion forums and media pages. These stories harp on topics ranging from the breakdown of the nuclear family to the dilution of Christian faith in society, creating an echo chamber of incensed, outdated opinions. A key method of dissemination is via influencers such as Tommy Robinson, an anti-Islam campaigner with a history of criminal convictions. Wildly popular with young men, his niche is rhetorically framing policies like immigration and vaccinations as existential threats to “traditional morals.” In tandem with the far-right’s “traditional” opinions is their aggressive stance on immigration. A post-Brexit shift towards non-EU sourced migration poses a perceived threat to the status quo, framing Christian identity as a third rail being infringed upon by otherized immigrants. These conspiracies would not be as prevalent in ultra-right circles if not for the globalizing nature of social media. Telegram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn are mobilizing tools in the spread of frequently misinformed and manipulated stories, working to amplify fear and anger. In particular, X has become a hotspot for anti-immigration sentiment since Elon Musk acquired it. read the complete article
‘We do this together, or not at all’: the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK turns 20
For two decades, the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK has produced leading research on Muslim life across the country. It was founded in 2005 by Professor Sophie Gilliat-Ray, then a research fellow at Cardiff University whose pursuit of religious studies had been driven by an interest in the growing presence of Muslims in Britain. By that time, she’d become convinced of a pressing need for rigorous research about their lives. “One of the things that was very clear to me is that there were lots of academic institutions in Britain doing excellent work for classical Islamic studies, but there didn’t seem to be a space for the study of Muslims,” says Gilliat-Ray. “Religious identity was becoming increasingly important, particularly for second and third-generation Muslims. I wanted to create a space where we could explore that.” The centre was the first of its kind. There were approximately 1.5 million Muslims in England and Wales when it was launched, a figure that has since risen to about 2.8 million. In a 2005 interview with the BBC, Gilliat-Ray noted that Cardiff was an ideal location, as the city is home to one of the UK’s oldest Muslim communities, believed to have been established after Yemenis settled there in the 19th century. The team has since gone on to produce pioneering studies on many aspects of these communities, receiving more than £8 million of investment from research councils and philanthropists over the two decades. read the complete article
Australia
Muslim community members sleep in mosques as Islamophobic threats rise after Bondi mass shooting
Mosques and Muslim groups across Australia have reported a significant increase in Islamophobic incidents since the Bondi terrorist attack. Muslim groups have begun taking precautionary and security measures, with community members sleeping in mosques. Community representatives say an education program, similar to the recently announced Antisemitism Education Taskforce, is needed to tackle Islamophobia. read the complete article
‘It’s hateful racism’: Islamophobia spikes since Bondi attack
Ten mosques and Islamic centres from across the country have reported harassment, vandalism, break-ins or threats of harm, amid warnings of a surge in Islamophobia since the Bondi terror attack. NSW Police are investigating at least one such incident, a break-in at a mosque in Edmondson Park in Sydney’s south-west, while Islamophobia reporting services have been inundated by Muslims facing verbal and physical harassment. The spike comes after the shooting attack in Bondi in which two gunmen targeted a Jewish event and killed 15 people. The Muslim community is feeling a backlash because the Bondi attackers, who allegedly had with them two handmade Islamic State flags, have been linked to extremists and radical preachers. Premier Chris Minns condemned the rise in Islamophobia, calling it horrifying. He said racial vilification laws applied to everyone and that “police will throw the book at any examples of Islamophobia in our community”. Minns said it was disgusting to see members of the Muslim community facing apparent backlash for the Bondi attack. read the complete article
NSW Premier Chris Minns slams rising Islamophobia post-Bondi massacre
Rising instances of Islamophobia in the wake of the Bondi massacre, including abusive threats to visibly Muslim women, have been condemned by NSW Premier Chris Minns. Amid the rise in racial hatred, including the targeting of mosques and visibly Muslim women in the wake of the terror attack, Australian Muslims are now fearful of “Christchurch-style” attacks on their community, ANIC warned on Monday. The religious organisation recorded an almost 200 per cent increase in reported anti-Muslim hate incidents since December 14, it said in a statement. It identified vandalism of Islamic institutions, verbal harassment, physical intimidation, and online hate as among the distressing acts reported since the Bondi massacre. “Muslim communities are facing an alarming surge in hate-driven incidents, including hateful graffiti at the Islamic College of Melbourne, dismembered pigs thrown onto graves at a Muslim cemetery in Narellan, NSW, and visibly Muslim women being spat at, abused and threatened in Perth, WA,” the organisation said. “Nine mosques and Islamic centres have now reported vandalism or serious security incidents requiring police involvement, forcing places of worship, schools and community spaces to operate under fear and heightened vigilance. “It is unacceptable that worshippers continue to carry ongoing fears of a Christchurch-style attack amid rising Islamophobia, hate speech and explicit threats of violence.” ANIC’s support line has also received “distressing calls” from victims, parents and employers of Muslim staff. “Callers have reported escalating abuse, threatening online commentary, increased fear for personal safety and growing anxiety that conditions will worsen in the coming days and weeks,” it said. read the complete article
United States
‘Hate Letter’ Sent To NJ Chocolate Shop, Advocates Say
A North Jersey restaurant received an anti-Muslim hate letter in the mail recently, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). The Chocolate House, a Muslim-owned sweet treat shop, has nine locations across New Jersey. Its flagship location is in Paterson, a city with a prominent Muslim community; however, it was The Chocolate House’s Totowa location that received the hate mail, officials say. The letter criticized the establishment’s use of Halal products, using profanity while saying that all Muslims are “liars and hypocrites.” “We really need our officials to come forth and condemn this, whether it’s issuing a statement, whether it’s posting a video on social media, whether it’s going to the mosque and speaking to the community,” said CAIR Communications Manager Aya Elamroussi. “Because right now, the hate against Muslims has been normalized for too long.” read the complete article
NYC mayor-elect Mamdani vows to fight Islamophobia and racism against Palestinians
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has pledged to make the fight against Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism a priority when he takes office next week. Mamdani, who will make history as the city’s first-ever Muslim mayor, issued the statement following a targeted harassment campaign against Mustapha Kharbouch, a Palestinian student at Brown University. The incoming mayor revealed on social media that Kharbouch was subjected to doxxing and death threats after conspiracy theorists falsely linked him to a deadly shooting. The targeting was triggered by a circulated photo of Kharbouch wearing a keffiyeh. "As Mayor… I will make it my job to cherish, protect, and celebrate all New Yorkers and combat Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism at every corner," Mamdani said on Tuesday. read the complete article
Texas, Florida lead GOP battle against Muslim advocacy groups
Republicans in Texas and Florida are leading efforts to target Muslim advocacy organizations in what civil rights advocates say is a coordinated effort to present Islam as a “national security threat.” According to advocates, these politicians — including state and federal lawmakers as well as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) — have sought to restrict funding to Muslim organizations, particularly in the wake of the Israel-Gaza conflict, by tying them to terrorist groups. Legal efforts have also sought to designate one of these organizations — the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the self-described largest Muslim advocacy group in the U.S. — as a foreign terrorist organization. “The way that we see this is as a coordinated, multipronged attack on Muslims in the United States through legal, executive and legislative measures aimed at silencing dissent, aimed at weakening and putting on the defensive Muslim-led organizations,” said Tuqa Nusairat, executive director of the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding. read the complete article
India
From the Shadows to Power: How the Hindu Right Reshaped India
In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most important speech of the year, his annual Independence Day address in August, he used the stage to honor the group that changed his life and is remaking India. That it was Mr. Modi’s most forceful and public nod in his 11 years in office to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh — the far-right Hindu nationalist group known as the R.S.S., which had molded his personal and professional life since he was a young boy — was a reflection of what a king-making power the group has become as it celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. The R.S.S. originated as a shadowy cabal for the revival of Hindu pride after a long history of Muslim invasions and colonial rule in India, its early leaders openly drawing inspiration from the nationalist formula of Fascist parties in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. It has survived repeated bans, including being accused in the assassination of Gandhi, to grow into the largest right-wing juggernaut in the world. More than a decade of Mr. Modi, one of their most ambitious and capable recruits, at the helm of national power has brought the organization the kind of success and acceptability that many of its leaders say they never dared imagine. While there have at times been tensions with the strongman premier, the R.S.S. is closing in on its dream to rebuild India’s secular republic as a muscular, Hindu-first nation. read the complete article
International
Why has Trump ordered strikes in Nigeria and what has it got to do with the persecution of Christians?
Parts of the US right have for years been amplifying claims that Christians are facing persecution in Nigeria. In September, the Republican senator Ted Cruz pushed for sanctions against Nigerian officials who “facilitate violence against Christians and other religious minorities, including by Islamist terrorist groups”. Claims that Christians face religious persecution overseas have become a major motivating force for Trump’s base – and the US president counts evangelical Christians as among his most enthusiastic supporters. Earlier this year he appeared to act on some of these concerns by designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” under the US International Religious Freedom Act, which followed weeks of lobbying by American lawmakers and conservative Christian groups. Soon after, he ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in the country. At the time, the president said he might go in “guns-a-blazing” if the Nigerian government continued to “allow the killing of Christians”. In the past, Nigeria’s government has responded to Trump’s criticisms by saying that people of many faiths, not just Christians, suffer at the hands of extremists groups who operate throughout the country. Nigeria is officially secular but is divided almost evenly between Muslims (53%) and Christians (45%), with the remaining population practising African traditional religions. Violence against Christians has drawn significant international attention and is often framed as religious persecution, but most analysts argue the situation is more complex and attacks can have varying motivations. read the complete article