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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the United States, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday condemned New York City radio host Sid Rosenberg’s reference to Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a “Radical Islam cockroach”, while US military commanders have been invoking extremist Christian rhetoric about biblical “end times” to justify involvement in the Iran war to troops according to complaints shared with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), and lastly in the UK, a temporary stoppage in a Premiere league game between Manchester City and Leeds United was booed by fans leading Leeds representatives to send a message encouraging “togetherness”. Our recommended read of the day is by Marium Ali for Al Jazeera on how since 9/11, the US has engaged in three full-scale wars, bombing at least 10 countries under four presidents. This and more below:
International
How many countries has the US bombed since 2001, and how much has it cost? | Recommended Read
Despite promising to end United States involvement in costly and destructive foreign wars, President Donald Trump, together with Israel, has launched a massive military assault on Iran, targeting its leadership and nuclear and missile infrastructure. Much like his predecessors, Trump has relied on military force to pursue US strategic interests, continuing a pattern that has defined US foreign policy for more than two decades. Since the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the US capital, the US has engaged in three full-scale wars and bombed at least 10 countries in operations ranging from drone strikes to invasions, often multiple times within a single year. read the complete article
Trump suggests UK's Starmer pandering to Muslim voters over Iran reluctance
US President Donald Trump has condemned British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not backing the US-Israeli attack on Iran, suggesting he "could be" pandering to British Muslim voters. Trump told The Sun newspaper that Britain is "not such a recognisable country" anymore and said the UK should "stop people from coming in from foreign lands who hate you". Asked if Starmer is "pandering" to Muslim voters, the president said "it could be" the case. Starmer announced on Sunday night that the US would be allowed to use British bases for the purpose of targeting Iranian missile sites - after having refused to be involved in the US-Israeli strikes when they started on Saturday morning. A YouGov poll on Monday showed the British public opposes US military action against Iran by 49 percent to 28 percent. Fifty percent of the public also oppose the government allowing the US to use British airbases, with only 30 percent supporting the move. read the complete article
United States
Austin Shooting Puts Islam at Center of Tuesday’s Primaries in Texas
For months, Texas Republicans have warned about the dangers of “radical Islam.” After a deadly shooting at an Austin bar this weekend, the issue is now at the center of the political debate just a day ahead of the state’s primary election. Some Republicans are now citing the attack to call for major changes to the country’s immigration system, with some demanding a ban on Muslim immigrants. “Muslim immigrant violence — naturalized or not — is preventable,” Representative Chip Roy, who is running for Texas attorney general, posted on X. “Until Democrats (& Republicans) find the courage to say no to the mass migration of Islamists, our country will be plagued with more tragedies.” Texas Republicans have been increasing scrutiny of the Muslim community for months, and conservative groups have warned of what they call secret “Islamist actors” who want to influence all aspects of American life. After an attack in New Orleans by a Houston man on New Year’s Day 2025, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas directed resources to “combat radical jihadist terrorism.” Since then, the state has investigated schools for partnering with Muslim groups and filed lawsuits against a Muslim-led real estate development. Candidates in this year’s crowded Republican primary have used the issue to differentiate themselves from their opponents, with some pledging to stop what they called the “Islamification of Texas.” read the complete article
Christians unite to confront Muslim bias in the church
“I think Islamophobia is a big part of all of our misadventures in the colonialist and imperialist wars that we start in the Middle East,” said the Rev. Michael Woolf, Lake Street Church senior pastor who co-hosted a talk on Tuesday about how Christians should combat Islamophobia. About 30 people came to a day-long talk at the church just two days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Catholics and members of the United Church of Christ attended the event. Many were from Evanston. “Churches are teaching a lot of horrific things about Muslims,” said Woolf. “And the more Christian leaders we reach, the more we’ll be able to actually make headway. The Rev. Anna Piela, who co-wrote [with Woolf] the recently released book Confronting Islamophobia in the Church, said the United States has a “sense of superiority” over Islamic countries. “We think we can tell Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan that we know how they should govern themselves and how they should live. We think this is unconscionable.” read the complete article
Schumer condemns NYC radio host's reference to Mamdani as 'Radical Islam cockroach'
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday condemned a New York City radio host’s reference to Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a “Radical Islam cockroach.” Sid Rosenberg, a host of 77 WABC, asked President Donald Trump in a social media post earlier in the day to “put this little antisemite in his place!” “Calling @NYCMayor a ‘Radical Islam cockroach’ is dangerous and dehumanizing,” Schumer wrote on X. Rosenberg also called Mamdani a “Jihadist America hating mayor” who has “spit” in Trump’s face. “His over the top criticism of the Maduro capture. ICE, Bibi and now this great operation in Iran is too much for most of us,” Rosenberg said. “Bottom line is he’s an America hating, Jew hating, Radical Islam cockroach running our once beautiful city.” read the complete article
Buena Park pastor removed as police chaplain over anti-Muslim social media posts
Don Harbert, a Christian pastor from the Way Fellowship, is no longer a senior chaplain for the Buena Park Police Department after reposting and liking anti-Muslim content online. Harbert, who served as police chaplain for the past 27 years, met with Buena Park City Manager Aaron France and Interim Police Chief Bradley Geyer on Jan. 28 to discuss the future of his volunteer position. “I just repost to start a dialogue because I have friends on the far left and friends on the far right,” Harbert told TimesOC. “I was told it was hate speech.” Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut, who submitted a Jan. 26 complaint about the posts, described in a statement Harbert’s social media activities as showing “a pattern of hostile and inaccurate statements about members of the Muslim community.” read the complete article
Trump Has Made the US War Machine a Spectacle – and It’s Spectacularly Unpopular
President Donald Trump’s unprovoked assault on Iran is the latest phase of a rampage in which the administration is making war and militarism central features of life in the United States. While the Pentagon’s violence has been unavoidable for many people around the world, it has largely been hidden from the view of most of the U.S. population. Not anymore. The U.S. and Israel opened this war by launching attacks across Iran on the morning of February 28. As of March 3, at least 787 Iranians have been killed, including well over 100 people — mostly girls — at a school in Minab. Iran is now following through on the retaliation that it promised, and has launched missiles toward at least seven countries. At least six U.S. troops have been killed, and with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to continue bombing, the war is escalating and expanding. While brazen, aggressive U.S. military action in the 21st century did not begin with Donald Trump — the current president is simply bringing the unvarnished reality of U.S. militarism into the spotlight. By doing so, he has exposed the deeply unpopular and undemocratic nature of U.S. foreign policy. In this moment, antiwar organizers must seize upon this new awareness and outrage to build movements against escalating U.S. militarism. read the complete article
US troops were told war on Iran was ‘all part of God’s divine plan’, watchdog alleges
US military commanders have been invoking extremist Christian rhetoric about biblical “end times” to justify involvement in the Iran war to troops, according to complaints made to a watchdog group. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) says it has received more than 200 complaints from service members across all branches of the armed forces, including the marines, air force and space force. One complainant, identified as a noncommissioned officer (NCO) in a unit that could be deployed “at any moment to join” operations against Iran, told MRFF in a complaint viewed by the Guardian that their commander had “urged us to tell our troops that this was ‘all part of God’s divine plan’ and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ”. “He said that ‘President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth’”, the NCO added. The NCO’s complaint was filed on behalf of 15 troops, including 11 Christians, one Muslim person and one Jewish person. The complaint was first shared by MRFF with Jonathan Larsen, an independent journalist. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Social media blamed as councillors and families face torrents of abuse, intimidation and threats
Councillors from across the political spectrum have spoken out against the rising tide of harassment and abuse they face. Speaking at a meeting of full council on Thursday 26, members opened up about their families being targeted, racism and Islamophobia, and public threats of being shot. read the complete article
Muslim Leeds fans ‘hurt’ by Ramadan booing: ‘Understand the word United’
A Leeds United group representing Muslim fans has urged other supporters to respect the word “united” in the club name after players observing Ramadan were booed while breaking the fast. The temporary stoppage of Saturday’s Premier League match against Manchester City occurred in the 13th minute and had been clearly advertised to fans at Elland Road in advance, despite which boos could clearly be heard during the break. Speaking on behalf of the Deshi Whites group, which he founded, Leeds fan Humayun Islam said he did not blame Leeds United itself, but feels the vocal few who booed during the game should be reminded of the togetherness the whole fanbase has experienced since the club’s return to the Premier League this season. read the complete article
Canada
Q&A with Canada’s former special representative on combating Islamophobia
For the past three years, Amira Elghawaby served as Canada’s special representative on combating Islamophobia. The role was created to provide a champion, advisor and expert to the government of Canada. It was discontinued Feb. 4, along with that of a special envoy on combatting anti-semitism, in favour of a new federal advisory council on rights, equality and inclusion. Ms. Elghawaby spoke with University Affairs about the experiences of Muslim students on Canadian university campuses and the role of university administrations in religious accommodations. read the complete article