Instances of anti-Muslim hate have more than doubled in United Kingdom in a decade, according to Tell Mama, a monitoring group which said it has produced one of the most detailed studies of such attacks in the UK.
“We have produced one of the most detailed studies in the UK with actual case numbers and classifications of anti-Muslim hate cases covering a decade from 2012-2022. This is a decade worth of data from assisting, supporting and ensuring that British Muslims get access to justice. We hope that this data inspires others to focus on this area of work and to bring to the awareness of many, that anti-Muslim hate needs to be peacefully challenged, monitored and countered wherever it manifests itself,” said Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE.
The report said verified cases of anti-Muslim hate had increased annually from 584 in 2012 to 1,212 cases in 2021.
Since 2012, Tell Mama said it has helped and supported more than 16,000 cases of reported anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry, with over 20,000 people making reports.
“Far right agitation, anti-Muslim attacks globally, political discourse, the Brexit referendum result, the activities of Islamic state and terrorism and extremism, the grooming scandals and targeted anti-Muslim campaigns have all led to spike points in anti-Muslim hate,” it said.
It further noted: “The highest frequency of street-based cases reported to Tell MAMA took place in 2016, 2017 and 2019 with the Brexit referendum result and a range of terrorist attacks buffeting the United Kingdom and its population and the Christchurch terrorist attacks in New Zealand. Added to this, agitation from foreign state actors, (such as Russian based social media accounts), sought to stir up divisions in social cohesion in the country.”
Covid-19 led to the highest online recorded cases of anti-Muslim hate reported into Tell MAMA. There was a significant over-representation of neighbour disputes during the Covid lockdowns that led to anti-Muslim hate between parties.
The report added: “Specific anti-Muslim campaigns in 2018 culminated in the ‘Punish a Muslim’ campaign that raised alarm in parts of British Muslim communities. This campaign demonstrated that anti-Muslim hate campaigns were becoming more fragmented and involving lone actorsrather than organised groups or smaller networks of individuals. It was therefore moving from the domain of far-right extremist groups into the hands of dedicated and committed singular anti-Muslim activists.”
It went on to say: “Specific anti-Muslim campaigns in 2018 culminated in the ‘Punish a Muslim’ campaign that raised alarm in parts of British Muslim communities. This campaign demonstrated that anti-Muslim hate campaigns were becoming more fragmented and involving lone actorsrather than organised groups or smaller networks of individuals. It was therefore moving from the domain of far-right extremist groups into the hands of dedicated and committed singular anti-Muslim activists.”
