Search
SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the United Kingdom, Muslim leaders have condemned Nigel Farage’s call to ban public prayer by Muslims as bigoted and warned of a “growing tide of hate”, meanwhile Israeli authorities barred Palestinians from accessing Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City for Eid al-Fitr Prayer, a first since Israel seized East Jerusalem in 1967, and lastly in France, Muslim mayoral candidates in the country are facing a spate of anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry. Our recommended read of the day is by The New York Times‘s Editorial Board, who write on the Trump Administration’s track record of stoking fear and hostility towards Muslims while hypocritically stressing the importance of preserving religious freedom. This and more below:
United States
Trump’s Hypocrisy on Religious Freedom | Recommended Read
Mr. Trump and his Republican Party appear uninterested in protecting the religious rights of Muslims. Instead, they are often hostile to Islam. Their words are odious. As a presidential candidate, Mr. Trump called for a “Muslim ban” on entry to the United States, and a version of it remains in effect. “I think Islam hates us,” he has said. Several other Republican politicians have made similar statements in recent months. “Islam is not a religion. It’s a cult,” Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama posted on social media. Representative Brandon Gill of Texas wrote, “Islam is incompatible with our culture and our governing system.” Representative Randy Fine of Florida called for “radical deportations of all mainstream Muslim legal and illegal immigrants and citizenship revocations wherever possible.” Representative Andy Ogles of Tennessee — who has said that Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York should be expelled from the country — this month wrote that “Muslims don’t belong in American society.” Mr. Trump has also made a habit of targeting Muslim communities and politicians for harsh criticism. He does not typically mention their religion when doing so, but the pattern is undeniable. Of the Somali diaspora in the United States, the president said: “They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country.” He referred to them as “low-I.Q. people.” He described Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a Somali American, as “garbage” and said the United States should stop “taking in garbage.” He has directed similar ire at Afghan refugees, and his administration has smeared pro-Palestinian activists as terrorists. Recent events in Minnesota show how the scapegoating of a minority group can mushroom into broader violence. The Trump administration chose the state for an immigration crackdown last year, citing a government fraud scandal centered in the large Somali community there. The president unfairly maligned the full community for the scandal. The resulting crackdown led to the brutalization of many residents, both Muslim and not, immigrant and citizen, and to the killing of two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The millions of Americans who practice Islam are just as American as anyone else. They pay taxes, own businesses and serve in the armed forces. Many have been here for generations. Others upended their lives to move here, in some cases because of this country’s constitutional protection of religious freedom. The surge of anti-Muslim hate has caused many of them to feel threatened in their own country. Some feel anxious about entering a mosque or wearing obvious signs of their faith. read the complete article
Anti-Muslim Comments by G.O.P. Congressman Reflect a Rising Trend
When Representative Andy Ogles, Republican of Tennessee, wrote on social media earlier this month that “Muslims don’t belong in American society” and that “pluralism is a lie,” Democrats denounced his comments. Speaker Mike Johnson and his fellow Republican leaders said nothing. That was just weeks after Representative Randy Fine, Republican of Florida, said that “if they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” Democrats called for him to resign. Top Republicans refused to criticize him. Their silence may have been driven in part by the fact that these days, there is nothing particularly unusual about Islamophobic statements from the ranks of the G.O.P. The recent wave of anti-Muslim language from elected Republicans in Washington reflects a nationwide shift that took hold last year and has been steadily growing, with no pushback from President Trump, who campaigned on banning Muslims from the United States, or from party leaders. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Nigel Farage condemned over call to ban public prayer for Muslims in the UK
Muslim leaders have condemned Nigel Farage’s call to ban public prayer by Muslims in the UK as bigoted and warned of a “growing tide of hate” after the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, questioned whether the events fitted “within the norms of British culture”. Farage was speaking at the launch of Reform UK’s manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish parliament elections when he made the remarks. He described as “a wake up call and a warning to everybody” an event in Trafalgar Square earlier this week where hundreds of Muslims and people of other faiths prayed together, before the celebration of Eid. He said the event, organised by the Ramadan Tent Project and attended by Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, was “an open, deliberate, wilful attempt, not at the private observance of a different religion, but the attempt to overtake, intimidate and dominate our way of life”. The event has happened in the historic square in central London five times before without incident or previous controversy. The former first minister and SNP MSP Humza Yousaf said: “Nigel Farage seems to have no issues with Christian prayer, Hannukah, Vaisakhi or Diwali all being celebrated in Trafalgar Square. He only has a problem with Muslims praying. There is a word for that, bigotry.” read the complete article
Conservatives' Badenoch fails to issue Eid message to British Muslims
The UK's Conservative Party on Friday faced further questions and criticism about its attitude towards British Muslims after its leader, Kemi Badenoch, failed to issue a public message marking Eid al-Fitr. Political parties and their leaders typically use the occasion to engage with Muslim constituents and to acknowledge their contributions to society. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the leaders of most other parties, including the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, all issued Eid messages through social media channels. But by late Friday afternoon, Badenoch, the leader of the opposition, had not posted anything related to Eid on either her X or Facebook pages. Badenoch has previously marked other religious festivals, including the Jewish festival of Hanukkah and the Hindu festival of Diwali. According to an analysis of her social media accounts, she appears to have last posted an Eid message in 2022, when she served as faith minister. read the complete article
The Trafalgar Square iftar was proof that diversity works. Why are so many saying the opposite?
What began as a heartwarming evening of community cohesion for Muslims and non-Muslims to come together, an annual event by the Ramadan Tent project, which aims to bridge the gaps between communities and invite all to learn more about Islam and Muslims, has been co-opted by people on X. The simple act of Muslims (gasp!) taking their shoes off (outrage!) and peacefully praying in congregation (shocking!), for no more than 10 minutes (summon the police!), was enough to infuriate the shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy. Timothy posted on X: “Mass ritual prayer in public places is an act of domination[…]I’m not suggesting everybody at Trafalgar Square last night is an Islamist. But the domination of public places is straight from the Islamist playbook.” An act of domination, you say? Tell this to the Greater London Authority, which organises similar public events for Easter, Diwali, Vaisakhi and Chanukah. An attack like this on any other religious group would rightly be deemed anti-semitic, racist or otherwise intolerant. It’s pure hypocrisy at its finest, and from a politician, it’s shameful. read the complete article
‘It makes me feel more British’: Muslims say religious diversity in the UK part of identity
“The British identity is such a strong thing that it’s not fragile enough that you see a glimpse of diversity that you’ll wither away and shatter,” said Ahmad, a legal intern and member of the mosque’s press team. “At least my British identity is that strong that if I see other communities practising their faith publicly and peacefully, if anything it makes me feel more British.” Politicians, legal experts and community leaders have increasingly warned of a shift of the Overton window – the range of ideas deemed acceptable in the mainstream population – concerning political discourse around identity, race and religion. While the Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, said Timothy was “defending British values”, Keir Starmer claimed the party “has a problem with Muslims”. The prime minister’s offensive on Wednesday was welcomed by members of the Muslim community who fear they have been singled out for political leverage they say is capable of translating into real world harm. read the complete article
There’s nothing sinister about Muslim prayers in Trafalgar Square. As a bishop, I reject the right’s attacks on worship
When you think about the unedifying political furore about the open iftar held in Trafalgar Square, try to bear in mind that every year on Remembrance Day – a stone’s throw from Trafalgar Square – the bishop of London leads a public Christian act of lamentation in the open air. Over years of attending and conducting such services – and others like it such as those held in memory of Queen Elizabeth II – I have never heard a complaint from those of other faiths that such services represented a “domination of the public sphere” or that such services in our civic spaces were “an expression of power and intimidation”. Rather, these complaints have come from Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, in response to the open iftar held in Trafalgar Square. His argument has since been adopted by Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, who have both sought to suggest that public iftars are an affront to the Christian values of our country. Timothy’s suggestion that the public iftar event was part of an “Islamist playbook” seeking to replace Christianity is sufficiently irrational in its fear and scaremongering to make it definitive as an Islamophobic slur masquerading as public policy concern. But Islamophobia is not a Christian value or Christian virtue. read the complete article
Nick Timothy shows how UK Tory party has become a cesspit of hatred
Timothy, who has ignited the latest culture war to engulf British politics, has a record of stirring up hatred and division against Muslims. Earlier this week, Timothy went on the attack yet again by sharing a video on social media of London Mayor Sadiq Khan praying in Trafalgar Square, along with hundreds of other Muslims, as they participated in a public iftar event marking the holy Islamic month of Ramadan. Starmer noted that he had never seen the Tories “call out anything other than the Muslim events”. He concluded: “The Tory party has got a problem with Muslims.” It is impossible to disagree. The Conservative Party, as I have demonstrated in a series of articles for Middle East Eye, has become a cesspit of Islamophobic and racist bigotry. This is a phenomenon that should terrify ordinary British Muslims. It is also a very recent phenomenon. Two decades ago, anyone who expressed views as bigoted as Timothy’s would have been quickly disowned by any Tory leader. read the complete article
Why does Muslim prayer make some politicians uneasy?
When prominent figures imply that Muslim worship in public spaces is somehow at odds with national values, they send a damaging signal: that British Muslims are less entitled to visible participation in public life. Such claims, often presented as matters of public concern, echo a familiar pattern of suspicion directed at Muslims in recent years. The support for these divisive sentiments from Kemi Badenoch, alongside toxic rhetoric from Nigel Farage suggesting restrictions on all mass public prayer, marks a troubling moment. It raises serious questions about whether fundamental freedoms of religion, expression and assembly are being unevenly applied. With millions of Britons celebrating Eid al-Fitr this weekend, the absence of inclusive messages from parts of the Conservative leadership has not gone unnoticed. When such national moments of solidarity and opportunity to acknowledge our rich diversity are missed, it reinforces a perception that the Muslim community’s belonging remains conditional. read the complete article
Reform stands by candidate who called for deportation of British Muslims and endorsed Tommy Robinson
Reform UK’s Scottish leader has stood by his Holyrood candidates after controversial social media posts emerged. Posts from Senga Beresford, Reform’s candidate for Galloway and West Dumfries, called for the deportation of British Muslims and endorsed far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Linda Holt, the candidate for Fife North East, described former first minister Humza Yousaf as a “grandstanding Islamist moron” and said he was “not British”. During an appearance on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, Malcolm Offord said everyone had made “intemperate” remarks and suggested people should “take less offence”. Discussing Ms Holt’s comments, he said: “80 per cent of our candidates are not politicians. That means they’re not scripted, they’re real people with real opinions.” read the complete article
Heartbreak as Stockport mosque broken into AGAIN hours after Eid celebrations
Jubilation turned to heartbreak in a matter of hours as a Stockport mosque was ransacked. Muslims across Greater Manchester celebrated Eid al-Fitr, following the month of Ramadan, on Friday (March 20). But as members of one mosque returned for early morning prayers today (Saturday), their spirits were dampened. Elaf Masjid, in Cheadle Heath, was broken into overnight - with the suspect causing damage believed to be worth more than £30,000. It's the latest incident to hit the mosque, which has already been targeted by vandals and burglars multiple times in the 12 months since it opened. The latest culprit was captured approaching the mosque on CCTV - but then the footage ends, as the offender damaged the system and tripped the power circuit. Members of the mosque say it has been targeted five times since it opened last year, leaving many members of the community feeling 'vulnerable and anxious'. read the complete article
France
‘Dirty Arab’: As the French elect their mayors, Muslim candidates face unrestrained hatred
Toufik Khiar has lost count of the number of times he has gone to the police station in recent days to report the defacement and removal of his campaign posters for France’s municipal elections, where he came fourth in the first round on Sunday. The 43-year-old former economics and management professor decided to run for mayor of Kremlin-Bicetre, a town on the southeastern outskirts of Paris, under the Green Party banner. He had been an opposition city councillor there since 2020. For him, there is no doubt that those who perpetrated these acts of vandalism are far-right supporters "upset to see a person of colour participating in elections", he told Middle East Eye after filing a complaint last week. It was at the end of February that Khiar suffered the first wave of racist attacks. A friend sent him a photo of one of his posters defaced with hateful graffiti that left no room for ambiguity: "Dirty Arab. Go back home." Stunned, the former elected official of Algerian origin initially thought it was a joke, before realising the truth. He is shocked and angry. “For months, some people have been spreading insinuations: allusions, conflation, accusations of bad faith. They sow doubt, point fingers, let suspicion linger. And then one day, posters are tagged,” Khiar said, adding that he had been called “Mr Kebab” by an elected official from the municipal majority in 2023. In Rehon, a small town in Meurthe-et-Moselle, in eastern France, Aurore Katramiz, a candidate in the municipal elections on the incumbent mayor’s independent list, was also given a “go back home” warning. Not because of her skin colour or her name, but because of her Islamic headscarf. read the complete article
International
Palestinian worshippers forced to pray in street as Israel bars Eid access to Al-Aqsa
Israeli authorities have barred Palestinian worshippers from accessing Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City for Eid al-Fitr prayers for the first time since 1967. On Friday morning, Israeli police barricaded the complex’s gates, barring worshippers from gathering near the site and forcing them to pray outside the Old City. In an unprecedented move since Israel seized East Jerusalem in 1967, the Israeli authorities have effectively sealed off the complex to Muslim worshippers throughout Ramadan, using security concerns amid the war on Iran as a pretext. The holy month is often the main time of the year when Israel allows limited numbers of Palestinians to access Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam. But this year, thousands of worshippers were forced to pray where they could outside the Old City’s gates. read the complete article