Search
SearchToday in Islamophobia: In India, Indian Muslims are reporting job losses and the potential closure of their businesses following the introduction of a controversial policy requiring restaurants to publicly display the names of all employees, meanwhile in the US, President Joe Biden commemorated the one-year anniversary of the stabbing of a Palestinian American mother and son that left the 6-year-old dead saying, “there is no place for hate in America, including hatred of Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims”, and in Australia, a new video out by SBS News highlights the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in urban centers such as Sydney, Melbourne, and others since the events of October 7th, 2023. Our recommended read of the day is by Jillian Kestler-D’Amours for Al Jazeera on how the global Palestinian diaspora, who themselves have faced an intensified amount of hatred and scrutiny since October 7th, has mobilized to push for justice and an end to the violence in the Middle East worldwide. This and more below:
International
'Can't afford to have people silenced during genocide' | Recommended Read
Israa Alsaafin’s grief was piling up. She was already grappling with the loss of her brother, Ahmed, who was killed in an Israeli attack as he fled his home in northern Gaza in October 2023, just days into Israel's war on the Palestinian territory. And she had spent months trying to get her parents and relatives from Gaza to Canada, a process stymied by strict visa requirements. Ultimately, she was forced to spend thousands of dollars just to get them to relative safety in neighbouring Egypt. But then an incident about two months ago brought the fear of anti-Palestinian violence right to her door in Ottawa, the Canadian capital. Alsaafin stepped outside to discover that a sign she had placed on her front lawn, with the phrase “We Stand with Palestine”, had been vandalised with epithets disparaging Palestinian identity. “I was terrified. Just think about it. What if that person passed by and my kids were playing around on the front porch? I had nights with no sleep thinking about this note,” the 36-year-old mother of two told Al Jazeera. As Israel’s war on Gaza grinds on – hitting the one-year mark last week with no end in sight – Palestinians around the world have spent the past 12 months watching a daily stream of death and destruction. And while they are not experiencing the same level of suffering as people in Gaza, members of the diaspora have faced their own challenges over the past year – from online threats and racism, to attempts to silence their efforts to speak out against Israel’s assault. read the complete article
United States
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Takes New Actions to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate
Over the past year, the Biden-Harris Administration has continued to take action to fight hatred and violence against Muslim and Arab communities. Members of these communities, including Palestinian Americans, have been murdered or wounded in hate-fueled attacks; shot and subjected to other assaults as they simply walked down streets; bullied at schools, including by having their religious head coverings ripped off; and denied jobs, harassed, or demoted at work merely because of their faith or ethnicity. President Biden and Vice President Harris are leading efforts to bring about much-needed change and have repeatedly condemned such violence, discrimination, and bias. These efforts are part of a larger Administration initiative to counter hate in all its forms, to keep every community safe, to promote equal justice, and to afford all Americans a fair shot at success. For generations, Muslim and Arab Americans have contributed to the enrichment and prosperity of our nation through their public, military, and community service, in addition to many other invaluable contributions. And like all Americans, they are entitled to the promise and opportunities of our great nation. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is highlighting some actions taken as part of its forthcoming National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Hatred Against Arabs in the United States, including important steps to address daily concerns regarding safety and discrimination, as well as issues related to travel. The Administration will continue to lead a whole-of-government and a whole-of society effort to counter hate. read the complete article
Arab and Muslim leaders risk blowback for endorsing Harris
Last month, Mohammed Hassan, a longtime city councilor in Hamtramck, Michigan, the only Muslim-majority city in the country, got a call from someone with Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign asking him what they needed to do to win back disaffected Michigan Muslims. “I shouted at them. I shouted, really, I said, ‘You guys are not doing anything! You’re doing nothing! You need to do much much more,’” Hassan said. “I made a big noise.” That message, which Hassan was hardly the only one delivering, appears to have finally gotten through to the Harris campaign, which has in the past two weeks dramatically ramped up efforts to win back a group of voters that could be critical in Michigan and other battleground states. But Harris faces ongoing challenges in finding Muslim and Arab community leaders willing to publicly embrace her and risk blowback from their own constituents angered by the continued U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza and Southern Lebanon. Most Muslims have been reliable Democratic voters in recent years. But supporting Harris now can invite bitter and personal reproach from some parts of the community. read the complete article
‘They will vote against Harris’: Arab Americans in Michigan desert Democrats over Gaza
That the Trump campaign would open an office in Hamtramck, a tiny city of around 28,000 people north of downtown Detroit, less than a month before the election, speaks to a particular curiosity of the 2024 presidential race. About 40% of Hamtramck’s residents are of Middle Eastern or north African descent, 60% are believed to be Muslim Americans, and the city has an all-Muslim city council. Last week, as Israel was expanding its war into Lebanon and continuing its daily bombardment of Gaza, scores of locals – many immigrants from Bangladesh, Yemen and other Arab- and Muslim-majority countries – lined Joseph Campau Avenue to attend the official opening of Trump’s office. “Peace in the Middle East will not happen under a Harris administration – she’s too weak,” said Barry Altman, a Republican party candidate who is running for a seat in Michigan’s house of representatives next month, and who was running the new Trump campaign office on a recent afternoon. “Trump is the only hope for peace.” In past elections, Arab Americans were a solidly Democratic voting bloc, especially in the years following 9/11 and given Trump’s overtly anti-Muslim rhetoric. But with Kamala Harris reportedly “underwater” in Michigan – now three points behind Trump among likely voters, having led the former president by five points as recently as last month, according to one recent poll – Muslim and Arab American communities across Michigan could play a major role in the outcome of the presidential election. While Hamtramck may not sway a national election all by itself, it offers a window into how many Muslim and Arab Americans feel about their political leaders, as Israel’s war on Gaza enters a second year and spreads into Lebanon. read the complete article
Muslim woman sues Knox County Sheriff’s Office over forced hijab removal
A peaceful protest for justice has spiraled into a deeply personal battle over religious freedom for Layla Soliz, a Muslim woman now at the center of a federal lawsuit accusing the Knox County Sheriff’s Office of violating her civil rights during her arrest at a pro-Palestinian protest in Knoxville. What began as a stand for justice on the University of Tennessee’s campus has evolved into a legal fight against what she describes as a blatant violation of her faith and fundamental rights. Soliz was forced to remove her hijab for a booking photo after being arrested for criminal trespassing, along with 10 others, at a pro-Palestinian demonstration on the University of Tennessee campus on May 15. Soliz’s booking photo, taken without her hijab, was published online despite deputies promising it would remain private. read the complete article
Biden marks one year anniversary of fatal 'heinous attack' on Palestinian American boy, mother
US President Joe Biden commemorated the one year anniversary of what he called a "heinous" fatal assault on a Palestinian American mother and son that left the 6-year-old dead. Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden "continue to think" about Wadea Al-Fayoume, 6, and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, saying they are "grateful for Hanan’s recovery and her powerful voice for peace." He further hailed Wadea as "a bright and cheerful American Muslim boy of Palestinian descent." "We know the hole in their heart that remains without their beloved son. Days like this are hard because it brings it all back. We keep them in our hearts," the president, who lost his son to brain cancer in 2015, said in a statement. "On this day, let us all take steps that honor Wadee’s memory and reaffirm together that there is no place for hate in America, including hatred of Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims. We can all reject hatred and expose misinformation and disinformation that is cynically aimed at turning us against one another," he added. read the complete article
Australia
Concerns about Antisemitism and Islamophobia related to conflict in the Middle East continue
Reported incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise in Australia, with community groups saying they have been increasing significantly since October 7 last year. Local businesses, and an MP's office vandalised, along with a white supremacy rally, among some of the recent instances. read the complete article
Community leaders condemn a rise in hateful behaviour
Reported incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise, with community groups saying they've seen more instances since the October 7 Hamas attack. Local businesses and an MP's office vandalised, along with a white supremacy rally, are among some of the recent events. read the complete article
India
Job losses mount for Muslims in India after controversial name display rules
Muslims in India are reporting job losses and the potential closure of their businesses following the introduction of a controversial policy requiring restaurants to publicly display the names of all employees. The Guardian reported that this mandate was first implemented in Uttar Pradesh by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a prominent figure within the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Recently, the opposition Congress party in Himachal Pradesh announced it would adopt similar regulations. Both state governments claim the policy aims to enhance compliance with health and safety standards, as well as vending regulations. However, critics, including local activists, argue that these measures disproportionately target Muslim workers and establishments. read the complete article
The Ten Stages of Genocide in India - Part Two
In part two of The Ten Stages of Genocide in India Series we will be analyzing how Symbolization, the second stage of Genocide, is occurring against the Muslim population in the country. We conclude part two of the series by outlining actionable recommendations to address this early warning sign of genocide. Symbolization occurs when symbols are applied to classified groups to distinguish them from the dominant or genocidal group. While many groups can be identified by their signs of faith such as a Star of David or by the cultural dress group members choose to wear, when signs or symbols are forced upon members of specific groups, symbolization can signal a potential genocide. Such signs or symbols are deliberately applied to differentiate targeted groups from the general populace. Symbolization in India is most visible in political rhetoric and political cartoons. In political speeches and art, allusions to “Islamic attire” are used when describing the threats that India faces. After the outbreak of the Coronavirus in March 2020, “Corona Jihad” became a common phrase used to accuse the Muslim community of carrying out a ‘holy war’ (Jihad) against India by spreading Covid-19 in the country. In the backdrop of this , The Hindu, a widely circulated English daily newspaper in India, published a political cartoon that showed Coronavirus dressed in a Pathani suit, traditional attire worn by Muslims, pointing a gun at the world. The cartoon implied that the spread of COVID in India was caused by Muslims. This is an example of how symbols are used to promote categorization of Muslims as a threatening group. As more Muslim homes have been demolished, the bulldozer has transcended its physical purpose. It is now used by the BJP as a symbol for response to the Muslim threat. The symbol of the bulldozer has now traveled to the diaspora. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Why Yvette Cooper’s Claim That Middle East Conflict is Behind UK Hate Crime Spike ‘Completely Misses the Point – The Problem Runs Far Deeper’
The numbers don’t lie. According to the latest Home Office data, nearly 40% of religiously motivated hate crimes in the UK target Muslims. This staggering statistic should shock us all, yet it often doesn’t. Islamophobia has become so normalised that many barely bat an eye when attacks on the Muslim community make headlines or when media commentators and politicians make Islamophobic remarks. A report by the University of Birmingham titled ‘The Dinner Table Prejudice: Islamophobia in Contemporary Britain‘ highlights this alarming trend, revealing that Muslims are the second most disliked group in the UK, with 25.9% of the population expressing negative sentiments towards them (Gypsy and Irish Travellers were least liked at 44.6%). It’s time we confront the reality that Islamophobia has not just passed the dinner table test, as noted by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, but is rampant in the structures of our society. read the complete article