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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the US, leading American Muslim scholar Imam Omar Suleiman has publicly warned that the American Muslim community should brace for further challenges in the second term of President Donald Trump, elsewhere, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, former Fox News anchor Pete Hegseth, continues to be dogged by allegations about his past, potentially making his confirmation less likely, and in the UK, three young Muslim girls at the centre of a racial bullying row have been told by their north Belfast school it is “not safe” for them to return to class after as an assault case targeting the students is currently under investigation. Our recommended read of the day is by Geeta Pandey for BBC on a new legal case brought against AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair by Indian police in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for “endangering sovereignty” for his work in calling out hate crimes in the country. This and more below:
India
Top Indian fact-checker in court for post calling out hate speech | Recommended Read
More than two years after the Supreme Court granted bail and ordered “immediate release” of Mohammed Zubair from prison, the leading Indian fact-checker and journalist is once again back in court. On Tuesday, the Allahabad high court briefly heard his petition in a fresh case as police in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh seek his arrest, accusing him of “endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India”. The charge is non-bailable and a conviction could mean a minimum of seven years in jail and fine or even life imprisonment. Zubair, who’s a co-founder of the fact-checking website called AltNews, denies all the accusations against him. “I feel I’m being targeted because of the work I do,” he told the BBC. Just 20 minutes into Tuesday's hearing, the judges recused themselves from hearing the case - now the case will have to be taken up by another court in the coming days. Described by some as “a thorn in the side for the government because he's single-handedly taking on hate crimes", Zubair is wanted in connection with a post he put out on X spotlighting hate speech by a controversial Hindu priest. Shared on 3 October, the post included a video that showed Yati Narsinghanand delivering comments against Prophet Muhammad that many Muslims found hurtful. read the complete article
United States
‘Progressive except for Palestine’: how a tech charity imploded over a statement on Gaza
Miliaku Nwabueze, a senior program manager at Code for Science & Society, had been concerned for some time about the role of technology in state violence. Then, on 7 October of last year, Hamas entered Israel, killing and kidnapping about 1,400 people. Less than a week later, as Israel ordered 1.1 million Palestinians out of northern Gaza in the onset of its deadly retaliation, Nwabueze decided to write a message to her colleagues on the US-based non-profit organization’s Slack channel. “Hey y’all … I have been watching multiple genocides around the world,” she began, naming Palestine as well as Sudan, the Congo and Artsakh. “All of these have heavy linkages to the tech industry.” The 30-year-old went on to assert that CS&S – whose stated mission is to “advance the power of data to improve the social and economic lives of all people” – should say, at the minimum, “we support demands for a ceasefire” in Gaza. “Can this be a topic of discussion at our next All-Hands meeting?” she asked. Six members of the organization’s core staff of 12 agreed, using the “100 [percent]” emoji. Nwabueze did not anticipate that her one-paragraph Slack message would set in motion a series of escalating events that would tear the organization apart, with nearly all core staff members resigning and two being fired – including, in September of this year, Nwabueze herself. The central issue: the organization’s board and executive director opposed a statement that staff wrote about Israel’s continuing assault on Gaza and tech’s role there and elsewhere, citing concerns such as “fiduciary responsibility”. The events propelled by the statement mirror others happening across US society since October of last year, in areas such as academia, media and big tech, where criticism of Israel from the rank-and-file comes under fire from leadership. read the complete article
US Muslims must prepare for new Trump term: Imam Omar Suleiman
Leading U.S. Muslim scholar and activist, Imam Omar Suleiman has warned that the American Muslim community must brace for further challenges in the second term of President Donald Trump. Speaking to Daily Sabah on Nov. 30, Suleiman expressed his concerns over what he described as "draconian laws" that could stifle Muslim activism in the U.S., especially on the Palestinian issue, further alienating Muslims from the political process. Suleiman’s comments come amid an ongoing genocide in Gaza which he argued has exposed the deep-rooted issues of Israeli occupation and apartheid in the region. Suleiman criticized Trump’s incoming Cabinet for being the most pro-Israel in U.S. history, predicting that the Muslim community would face significant hurdles under the former president’s leadership in the second term. "Donald Trump has already assembled the most rabidly pro-Israel Cabinet that we’ve ever seen," Suleiman said. "I have no hope in Donald Trump – he’s simply a new opponent to resist in the empire that is staunchly dedicated to Israel as its colonial outpost." He also warned that U.S. Muslims may face even stricter laws aimed at limiting their ability to organize around key issues, particularly Palestinian rights. Under Trump, Suleiman suggested that the community could see heightened restrictions on political activism, especially regarding the fight for Palestinian self-determination. read the complete article
Trump’s defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth faces ‘critical day’ as president-elect mulls other options: Live
Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, former Fox News weekend anchor Pete Hegseth, continues to be dogged by allegations about his past, potentially making his confirmation less likely and splitting right-wing media on his prospects as his candidacy faces an “absolutely critical day” on Wednesday. Hegseth is due to take questions from the House Republican Study Committee today as well as appearing on Fox for an interview. Hegseth’s mother Penelope is also due to appear on the channel, having previously criticized her son’s behavior towards women in a letter, as the Trump transition team reportedly considers alternatives to lead the Pentagon, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. read the complete article
5 Things You Need to Know About Pete Hegseth, Trump's Islamophobic Pick for Defense Secretary
Pete Hegseth – Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense – carries an ever-increasing stack of allegations of sexual misconduct, troubling bias, and other poor behavior. Things were blown even more open this weekend when the New Yorker’s Jane Mayer reported on a slew of additional accusations against the Fox host, including overseeing and contributing to a workplace environment rife with sexual harassment while serving as president of Concerned Veterans for America (CVA). His lawyer called the allegations “outlandish.” The complaints against Hegseth during this time didn’t stop there. “Kill All Muslims! Kill All Muslims!” he chanted on a “drunken” night during an official CVA visit to Ohio, per Mayer. As more comes out on Hegseth, I scoured four of his books. What I found was truly shocking. His own words — thought up, written, and edited — offer a window into the worldview of a person who is a few cowardly senator votes away from leading the most powerful military on Earth. read the complete article
United Kingdom
School tells Muslim girls it’s ‘not safe’ for them
Three young Muslim girls at the centre of a racial bullying row have been told by their north Belfast school it is “not safe” for them to return. The children, aged under 16, have not been back to the Belfast Model School for Girls since an alleged assault there in November. A statement from the board of governors of the school said "the safety and wellbeing of all our students remains our highest priority". Complaints were made concerning the girls to police, who are now investigating the incident as a hate crime. A friend of the girls’ parents said the situation had been “switched” to make them look like “bad people”. They told BBC News NI that one of the girls had been defending herself when the alleged assault occurred. They said the incident had resulted in false claims online that have left the children “traumatised” and too scared to leave the house. Two of the young girls were briefly suspended, while the third remained off amid safety concerns. read the complete article
Ireland
Fighting racism with education: UL research project launches tools to combat anti-Muslim hatred
A University of Limerick research project is using innovative educational training to support the fight against anti-Muslim hatred in Ireland. The Sustainable Alliances Against Anti-Muslim Hatred (SALAAM) project – led by Dr James Carr, Associate Professor in Sociology at UL – aims to combat anti-Muslim hatred through the development and dissemination of tools such as anti-racism training and a support directory, in conjunction with local authorities. Funded by the European Commission, SALAAM has been developed in partnership with civil society organisations Doras, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and the Irish Network Against Racism. Underpinned by the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan (2020-2025), along with other key legislative and policy developments, SALAAM aims to complement the work of other EU-based civil society actors, working with local authorities and communities in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. Among the resources developed in close collaboration between the SALAAM project team, their partners, and the participating local authorities is a Directory of National and Local Anti-Racism Support Services. Although the directory can be used by anyone affected, it was primarily developed to support local authority staff who require further information or referral supports for individuals or communities experiencing racism. read the complete article