Search
SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the UK, Reform MP Lee Anderson claimed there is “no such thing as Islamophobia” and that it is a “made-up word”, meanwhile in the U.S., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being slammed for a recently spotted Arabic tattoo, which critics argue is Islamophobic, and in Australia, the Opposition leader has confirmed a Coalition government won’t review the position of antisemitism envoy, despite saying the Islamophobia envoy role would be scrutinized. Our recommended read of the day is by Nabiya Khan for Middle East Eye on how despite Ramadan being a time of peace for Muslims around the world, in Modi’s India, most Muslims live in a constant state of fear and despair. This and more below:
India
For Muslims in India, Ramadan is a time of fear | Recommended Read
Ramadan is meant to be a time of peace for Muslims around the world. But in India, the “world’s largest democracy”, it comes with a different reality. The call to prayer is heard alongside the outcries of mobs, and the sounds of bulldozers and funeral processions. Somewhere, another Muslim is being arrested, beaten or killed. A mosque’s gate is being rammed. A home is being bulldozed. Somewhere, another news report will emerge of Muslims being forced to chant Hindu nationalist slogans, or of a politician with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) making derogatory remarks against followers of Islam, or of an iftar gathering being attacked. Our existence is treated as a crime. You do not have to search for proof or spend hours scrolling on your phone. The examples find you quickly: an Instagram reel, a viral clip, a headline that barely trends, a provocation disguised as political speech. There was a time when these incidents were shocking - when they would spark outrage, debates, or at least some level of reaction from the state and civil society. Now, they barely register. The violence is so routine, so expected, that it has become background noise; a fact of life. It comes with a clear warning: stay quiet, stay invisible, or be punished.This year, Ramadan collided with the Hindu festival of Holi. And in multiple cities, Hindu nationalist groups used Holi processions as an excuse to harass Muslims. We’ve seen this pattern before: what starts as a “celebration” quickly turns into coordinated mob violence. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Reform MP Lee Anderson claims there is ‘no such thing as Islamophobia’
Reform MP Lee Anderson claimed there is “no such thing as Islamophobia” and that it is a “made-up word”. Mr Anderson made his comments during a speech at a Reform rally in Birmingham on Friday evening (28 March), at the launch of the party’s local election campaign. Prior to the event, the party claimed it would be “the biggest ever launch rally in modern British political history”, with 10,000 tickets said to have been sold. Mr Anderson told the rally that deputy prime minister Angela Rayner “keeps banging on about Islamophobia”. He went on: “There’s no such thing as Islamophobia, it’s a made-up word.” read the complete article
British Hindu extremists are forming alliances with far-right groups over their 'common hatred' of Muslims - sparking fears religious brawls could break out again
British Hindu extremists are forming alliances with Far-Right groups over their 'common hatred' of Muslims, says a police intelligence report seen by the Mail on Sunday. The study also claims that the extremists, who are aligned with India's hardline prime minister Narendra Modi, are feared to be interfering in British elections by telling Hindus which parties to vote for and which to avoid. The secret report, compiled by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), says Hindu extremism - which is known as Hindutva - may worsen community relationships between Hindus and other faith groups like Muslims and Sikhs. The study, written by the National Community Tension Team, comes two months after the Home Office completed its so-called 'rapid sprint' on extremism in Britain. That sprint review mentioned Hindutva as an 'extremism of concern', playing a role in the violent unrest that took place in Leicester in the summer of 2022. It was the first time Hindutva was mentioned as a concern in a Government report. It said: 'Hindutva is a political movement distinct from Hinduism which advocates for the hegemony of Indian Hindus and the establishment of a monolithic Hindu rastra or state in India. 'Tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities in the UK are still evident and the events in Leicester show how disinformation can play a role in offline action.' The NPCC report said that Far-Right activist, Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has already met with some Hindu groups to 'promote anti-Muslim campaigns', adding 'his presence appeared to be welcomed by the Indian media and a minority of British Hindus.' read the complete article
Anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism prevalent at Save the Children UK, says report
Anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism are prevalent at Save the Children UK (SCUK), according to independent reviews of the charity’s working culture. SCUK had enabled anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism to persist, a report published this week by consultancy Global HPO says, with some staff afraid of participating in certain events and of speaking out. The report found that there was a persistence of anti-Muslim and antisemitic slurs at SCUK, which had caused staff to leave the charity. As part of two reviews conducted for the report, staff also voiced concerns that there was a lack of leadership in handling these matters. read the complete article
United States
Pete Hegseth slammed over Arabic tattoo: ‘Clear symbol of Islamophobia’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being slammed for a recently spotted Arabic tattoo on his right bicep, which critics argue is Islamophobic. Observers noticed the tattoo when Hegseth worked out alongside service members at a military base in Hawaii this week. The design features the Arabic word kafir, a religious term for a non-believer or someone “who knowingly conceals or denies fundamental, divine truths,” according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which previously advocated against Hegseth’s nomination. The advocacy group argued that the tattoo, located next to Hegseth’s tattoo of “Deus Vult,” a slogan once used by Christian crusaders and now sometimes associated with white supremacist groups, “is a sign of both anti-Muslim hostility and personal insecurity.” “Leadership demands respect for all, not divisive gestures,” the group’s national executive director, Nihad Awad, wrote on X. “Mocking beliefs, especially as a public figure, is not strength—it's immaturity. We deserve better.” read the complete article
Here Are The Students Trump Wants to Deport Over Their Speech
The Trump administration continues to amp up their targeted attacks on international student visa-holders as part of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s “Catch and Revoke” program targeting pro-Palestine activists. Several foreign students have been arrested and detained, pulled off the sidewalk by plainclothes agents, and driven away in unmarked vehicles, while others are hiding as their court cases play out. In addition to Trump’s executive order to “combat antisemitism,” the education department has sent letters to 60 universities about their concerns of “anti-Jewish racism.” The administration is also proposing having immigrants applying for green cards or citizenship disclose their social media handles. “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: Come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Trump said in a statement after taking office in January. “I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.” Civil rights groups have adamantly protested the Trump administration’s efforts to deport student activists, saying the efforts are unconstitutional and a grave infringement on free speech. Jewish Voices for Peace has been actively protesting the multiple detainments, and nearly hundred people were arrested at a Trump Tower protest in New York on March 13. read the complete article
Australia
Ramadan brings together Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and more to break the fast
An unusual congregation gathered in a mosque in Logan, south of Brisbane, on Sunday, March 23. More than 400 strong, the group wasn't there for traditional Islamic worship. They hailed from many different faiths — among them Jews, Buddhists, Christians and Hindus — and they had come to the Baitul-Masroor Mosque to partake in iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan. The annual interfaith event was hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Queensland, which represents a minority sect of Islam. For the local Muslim community, it was an opportunity to share their experiences of connectedness and reflection during the ninth and most holy month of the Islamic calendar. The speakers and guests espoused the values of compassion and mercy, which are particularly pertinent during Ramadan, in "an incredibly respectful and meaningful dialogue", he says. read the complete article
Islamophobia envoy should be reviewed but antisemitism envoy's job safe, Dutton says
The Opposition leader has confirmed a Coalition government won't review the position of antisemitism envoy, despite saying the Islamophobia envoy role would be scrutinised. Earlier today, Peter Dutton said a Coalition government would look at how effective the Islamophobia envoy role had been, stopping short of committing to retaining the position if elected. "In terms of the envoy, if it is making a difference, if it is helping, then happy to continue it," Dutton told SBS World News chief political correspondent Anna Henderson. A spokesperson for the Opposition leader has since confirmed to SBS News that the antisemitism envoy role would not be reviewed and would be continued by a Dutton government if elected. read the complete article
International
Racism in Israeli football did not kick off with Gaza genocide. It has always been in its initial formation
Anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia are a normalised part of Israeli football though over the last 16 months of the genocide in Gaza, it has only grown worse and spread to Western capitals, most recently Amsterdam. Racism in Israeli football, however, is nothing new. "Let the IDF win and f**k the Arabs. Why is school out [in Gaza]? There are no children left there,” goes a popular chant from one of Israel’s biggest football clubs, Maccabi Tel Aviv FC. Violent songs such as the above gained international attention in November, following clashes in Amsterdam between locals and Maccabi FC away fans, who were in the city for a UEFA Europa League match against Ajax. Casually exporting their bigoted antics from Israel to the Dutch capital, much as they have to other cities across Europe over the years, Maccabi’s fans were seen tearing down Palestinian flags hung from peoples’ homes the day before the match. That same afternoon, they toured central Amsterdam yelling racist and violent chants, such as "F**k Arabs…Death to Arabs", and "we will win, let the IDF win" – while several taxi drivers of Moroccan and Arab descent were harassed, threatened and beaten. Outraged, groups of Dutch locals attacked Maccabi’s fans the following day, leading to scenes that were abruptly called “antisemitic pogroms” by the Israeli government and Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema. As the facts of Maccabi’s aforementioned racist provocations became clear, Helsema soon retracted and apologised for her sweeping characterisation. read the complete article
Israel, European far-right politicians begin antisemitism meet in Jerusalem
Israel on Thursday kicked off a conference on fighting anti-Semitism, with the attendance of politicians from Europe's far right driving division within the international Jewish community. Among those invited to the symposium are a member of Hungary's Fidesz party and France's National Rally (RN), whose cofounder was known for his anti-Semitic comments. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar addressed the conference, decrying what he claimed was a "new anti-Semitism" stoked by "a disturbing alliance between the radical progressives on the far-left and Islamist fundamentalism". Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is later due to speak, as well as the current RN president Jordan Bardella, capping an unprecedented trip to Israel by a leader of his party. Analysts say the invitation of parties that have themselves been accused of anti-Semitism demonstrates the willingness of Israel's right to cultivate new relationships with unlikely supporters, amid pressure from traditional allies over the Gaza war. Israeli media reported on guests who cancelled their appearances in protest of the far-right politicians' presence, including Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt and the French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy. Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and the UK government's independent adviser on anti-Semitism, John Mann, have also withdrawn. read the complete article
Canada
More support for plan to combat Islamophobia to get Muslim votes
An imam and Muslim community leader in London, Ont., is adding his voice to the growing concern for a plan to deal with Islamophobia in the federal election campaign. In an interview with OMNI news, Sheikh Abd Alfatah Twakkal stressed the attention politicians need to give to Muslims’ safety and well-being. Over 100 Muslim organizations have signed a joint statement on the federal election to “vote with a conscience grounded in justice, human dignity, and a commitment to the betterment of society for all”. Twakkal explains that the joint statement has three key points: standing for justice and human rights, rejecting complicity in oppression, and addressing local issues that affect all Canadians. “Mosques should not allow politicians and parties to visit and speak to community members unless they agree to those three key points which stress the safety and well-being of Muslims,” he said. read the complete article