hate crimes Archives - Page 2 of 4

We highlight the Possible Roots of anti-Shia Bigotry in Yorkshire

June 22, 2015
by: tellmama
in: anti-Shia Bradford hate crimes Islamophobia Leeds schools Syria Yorkshire

Yesterday, we were informed of a hate crime that took place against the Hussania Islamic Centre in Bradford. We have informed the police and it should be noted that the police and local councillors, like local Bradford Councillor Mohammed Shabbir, were quick to condemn such bigotry and co-ordinate local action to stand with the beleaguered Shia community.

We also received further information that anti-Shia activity has been taking place in the last year in Bradford and Leeds. For example, a year ago, the following leaflet was distributed in schools and local businesses in West Yorkshire. Some individuals who received the leaflet felt that it demonised Shia Islam and Shia Muslims in local communities.

A source that we have communicated with from the Shia community today stated the following:

“The situation got so bad that Shia students were being bullied in schools. We met with local schools and there was only minor action taken and there was an effort to try and be more viglant against such literature and as time went on, things just quietened down. Now we have an attack on this mosque.”

The contact also stated that about two years ago, anti-Shia texts and Whatsapp messages were being circulated. They read as:

“++KINDLY READ PASS TO ALL YOUR CONTACTS++ as’saalamu’alaikum to all sunni brothers\sisters in Islam please avoid eating at these 2 shia takeaway in Bradford both are owned by shias who are supporters of hezbollah and bashar assad do not give support to those who are killing sunni Muslims in syria.”

We were informed that the message above was circulated with the address details of the Shia owned restaurants and recipients were encouraged to pass on the messages. They were, in effect, suggesting a boycott of Shia owned businesses.

We within TELL MAMA will do whatever we can to highlight, log and ensure that where possible, prosecutions can be brought with the police in relation to such incidents as that which took place against the Hussania mosque. Also, if you receive such material in the future, please do not hesitate to pass it onto us and you can e-mail us on info@tellmamauk.org, Tweet us @tellmamauk or text message us on 0115 707 0007. You can also call us on 0800 456 1226.

What Does TELL MAMA Actually do?

February 26, 2015
by: tellmama
in: 5 Pillarz activities hate crimes MPAC recording anti-Muslim hate TELL MAMA

We thought that we would list what TELL MAMA actually does for the public and to also highlight some of our successes and how our information in TELL MAMA is used. We have highlighted the activities that TELL MAMA has undertaken and we hope you find the information useful.

Statement from TELL MAMA on the Chapel Hill Shooting

February 12, 2015
by: tellmama
in: anti-Muslim hate Chapel Hill Deah Barakat hate crimes Razan Abu Salha statement TELL MAMA Yusor Abu Salha

Regarding the Chapel Hill Shooting in North Carolina, USA

Thursday 12^th February 2015

Faith Matters and the Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) project were shocked to learn of the tragic murders of three Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on February 10. The victims of this senseless attack were reportedly killed by a single gunshot to the head and were named as 23-year-old Deah Shaddy Barakat, his 21-year-old wife Yusor Abu-Salha and her 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha.

46-year-old Craig Steven Hicks is presently in jail without bond on three murder charges but the motive remains unclear at this time. Police have stated that they are investigating reports of “an ongoing neighbour dispute over parking” but “understand the concerns about the possibility that this was hate-motivated”. But the woman’s father, Mohammad Abu-Salha, disagrees and wants it investigated as a hate crime.

“This man had picked on my daughter and her husband a couple of times before, and he talked with them with his gun in his belt,” Mr Abu-Salha told local media.

The suspect’s Facebook page appears to show an enthusiasm for firearms and a deep dislike of all religion, with the majority of posts expressing a vigorous support for atheism. One recent post read “Praying is pointless, useless, narcissistic, arrogant, and lazy; just like the imaginary god you pray to.” In late 2013, Hicks shared a meme that denied Islamophobia and any subsequent racism Muslims may experience.

The murders have caused a huge outpouring of grief from people all around the world and prompted a debate about whether the students had been targeted because of their faith. Members of the public from all faiths and backgrounds have taken to social media to express their shock and anger, not just at the murders themselves but also at the lack of media coverage the case has generated and the lack of emphasis placed on the very real possibility that these murders were motivated by anti-Muslim hate and prejudice.

Faith Matters and the Tell MAMA project are very concerned that the victims of these murders may have been deliberately targeted because of their Muslim faith and appearance. For a number of years we have been highlighting the increasing number of anti-Muslim attacks occurring in the UK, and the spread of hateful material online by right wing extremists which divides and harms communities. In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, negative and biased media coverage of Islam and Muslim communities has continued to grow and this fuels the feelings of fear and anxiety experienced by many British Muslims in the current climate.

All forms of hate crime are unacceptable and it is important to remember that acts of violence are not confined to one particular religion, race or ethnic group. Faith Matters and the Tell MAMA project would like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public to report any anti-Muslim hate incidents that you witness or are the victim of:

If you are the victim of threats or violence because you are Muslim, call the police (dial 999, or 101 for non-emergencies). You can also report directly to Tell MAMA.
If you are the victim of online anti-Muslim hate, report it to the relevant organisation (e.g. Twitter, Facebook). You can also report directly to Tell MAMA.
If your child is suffering anti-Muslim bullying or harassment at school, share your concerns with the school staff. You can also report directly to Tell MAMA.
Ensure that any place of worship you attend has an emergency plan that can be implemented should you or others feel in danger.

Complete the online form at http://tellmamauk.org/submit-a-report/
Phone Tell MAMA on 0800 456 1226
Text Tell MAMA on 01157 070 007
Email Tell MAMA at info@tellmamauk.org
Tweet Tell MAMA @tellmamauk
Message Tell MAMA on Facebook at TellMamaUK

51 Anti-Muslim Incidents in France, mapped by TELL MAMA

January 17, 2015
by: tellmama
in: anti-Arab anti-Muslim attacks Charlie Hebdo France hate crimes Islamophobia map of incidents

For those who believe that there are no repercussions for Muslim communities after national events like the murder of Lee Rigby are or after Charlie Hebo, here is the updated map of anti-Muslim incidents in France. The following 51 incidents also have associated notes attached to them and include personal incidents, anti-Muslim incidents against mosques and firearms offences targeting people of Arab or Muslim appearance.

If you choose to use this map, please do reference TELL MAMA where appropriate.

Map of Anti-Muslim Incidents in France after the Charlie Hebdo Massacre

January 12, 2015
by: tellmama
in: anti-Muslim Charlie Hebdo France hate crimes hate incidents Islamophobia Muslims

These are anti-Muslim incidents that have taken place in France, up to and including till Friday the 9th of January. We will be updating this map of anti-Muslim attacks in France as the situation unfolds, after the massacre of Charlie Hebdo satirists.

If you have information on further anti-Muslim incidents in France, please do not hesitate to contact us on info@tellmamauk.org.

Waltham Forest Social Media Messages – Latest Update by Police

December 12, 2014
by: tellmama
in: hate crimes Muslim women Stella Creasy Waltham Forest Walthamstow MP

This is the Waltham Forest Police press release which was circulated on the recent racist attacks that took place in the Borough. They outline the 2 incidents that took place some 5 days apart and the facts also warrant a reflection by those who circulated social media texts suggesting that mobs of individuals from a particular nationality were intent on attacking Muslim women.

We also want to thank Stella Creasy MP for her work in contacting the police and in trying to ensure that women were not unduly scared by the social media messages which were circulating.

We hope that the perpetrators are caught and that the victims of these hate crimes receive the justice that is needed. They deserve our support and the best way to handle such issues is to let the police bring the perpetrators to justice rather than the community ‘patrols’ type remedy which was being circulated by social media yesterday evening. Such ‘patrol’s’ would simply ratchet up community tensions.

We wish the victims a speedy recovery and that justice in these cases is done.

Police in Waltham Forest are investigating two racially aggravated incidents in the proximaty of Boundary Road, E17. Both incidents took place 5 days apart and are not related. Incidents of this nature are taken with the utmost seriousness. On-going work is taking place to dispel a large number of false rumours currently circulating on social media regarding these events.

Police will continue to work with partners, faith groups and senior stakeholders in order to provide reassurance to residents within the Boundary Road area. There will continue to be a policing presence in Boundary road over the next few days and engagement by the local neighbourhood team.

Hate crimes surge in London ‘fuelled in part by Israel’s invasion of Gaza’

December 2, 2014
by: Tellmama
in: antisemitism Evening Standard Gaza hate crimes on-line hate

Hate crime in London surged in the last year driven in part by international events such as Syria and the conflict between Israel and Gaza.

A new report shows that overall the number of hate crimes in the capital rose by more than 20 per cent in the last 12 months to October.

There were significant increases in attacks motivated by racism, religion and homophobia, according to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.

Police believe the rise is due mainly to more people being willing to come forward to report incidents rather than a genuine increase in crime.

However, a surge in faith related offences – up by 23 per cent to a total of 1,048 offences – was driven in part by the impact of national and international events, the study says.

A record number of faith hate offences was recorded in July this year, 95 per cent of which were anti-Semitic incidents following Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

The report also highlights the spike in anti-Muslim incidents following the murder of soldier Lee Rigby last year.

The new figures show a worrying increase in violent hate crime offences up 21 per cent to a total of 11,400 crimes in the last 12 months.

Homophobic crime is also rising, with a monthly increase of 21.5 per cent since March 2014 – to an average of 100 cases a month.

In June there was a record 175 cases of homophobic crime reported to the Met, though community groups believe this is due to more people coming forward.

Transgender hate crime has grown by 86.2 per cent – from 58 to 108 cases – and there are increases in disability hate crime, up 12.5 per cent, and racist and religious crime, up by nearly 20 per cent.

Click here for more details: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/hate-crimes-surge-in-london-fuelled-in-part-by-israels-invasion-of-gaza-9897266.html

Anti-Muslim hate crimes, 2012-2014 in London: An Analysis of the Situation

November 11, 2014
by: Tellmama
in: anti-Muslim Gaza hate crime hate crimes ISIS Islamophobia Lee Rigby London media Met Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police Service

On 1 October 2014, the BBC reported that anti-Muslim hate crime had increased 65% in London. This number is based on crime statistics over the last two financial years from the Metropolitan Police. The massive increase mostly accounts for the huge spike of anti-Muslim crimes following the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich during the summer of 2013.

We decided to investigate this further and judge whether the proliferation of anti-Muslim attacks in the summer of 2013 was a temporary spike. To do this, we submitted a Freedom of Information Request to the Metropolitan Police requesting a detailed breakdown of every anti-Muslim hate crime from April 2012 to August 2014 by borough (which is available as a PDF and an Excel spreadsheet). Looking at the data, we find an even more disturbing story, illustrated in the infographic below.

Before the Woolwich incident, from April 2012 to April 2013, there was an average of 28 anti-Muslim hate crimes per month. In April 2013, there were 22 anti-Muslim hate crimes in London, but in May (when Lee Rigby is murdered) that number soars to 109 crimes. As the infographic shows, this spike lasts until about July 2013. By August, it appears that anti-Muslim hate crime is back to a normal level.

However, if we measure anti-Muslim hate crimes from August 2013 to September 2014 the average number of hate crimes sits at 45 per month, a 60% rise compared to the average prior to the Woolwich incident, suggesting a long-term increase in the average level of anti-Muslim hate crimes in London.

By early 2014 Muslims are back on the front page, with the ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal in Birmingham framed as a ‘jihadist plot’ to take over schools. In the summer and early autumn, the Gaza-Israel conflict and ISIS are in the news, correlating with an increase in anti-Muslim attacks. In fact, some anecdotal evidence from Tell MAMA’s verbal abuse cases suggests that perceptions about ISIS motivate anti-Muslim hate nationally and in London. Coverage of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, twisted by the far-right into a ‘Muslim’ issue, further contributes to anti-Muslim discourse in late 2014.

The data from the Metropolitan Police shows that the spike in anti-Muslim attacks in the summer of 2013 led to a sustained increase in the base level of crimes into 2014. If we look at the last two years, we find that between October 2013 and September 2014, there is a 6.5% increase in the total number of anti-Muslim hate crimes over the previous year (October 2012 – September 2013). It is clear that anti-Muslim hate did not simply taper off and fall back to a low level after 2014. Instead, it got worse in 2014.

Infographic Showing the Peaks and Troughs on Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes

November 10, 2014
by: tellmama
in: anti-Muslim events hate crimes infographic international Islamophobia national

We look at the correlation between international and national incidents and spikes in anti-Muslim hate reporting that take place. The infographic entitled news events and anti-Muslim hate crimes in London documents the peaks and troughs around anti-Muslim hate that take place.

Facebook and Twitter Have to Take Responsibility and Pay For Impacts of Their Platforms

November 4, 2014
by: tellmama
in: DCLG Facebook hate crimes Home Office on-line reporting social media Twitter

We have heard it many times from social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter. “Record and report in material that breaks our terms and conditions,” they have said, as though our role is solely based on reporting in hate promoted through their platforms.

You see, here lies the problem. Over 80% of the resources of TELL MAMA goes on reporting in social media hate given the level of anti-Muslim bigotry on-line. The two main platforms through which anti-Muslim hatred are promoted are Facebook and Twitter, yet, none of these social media giants, (with all of their associated profits), take financial responsibility with regard to supporting organisations who are at the front-line of tackling hate.

With 80% of our resources depleted in terms of human resource, financial and research costs, (plus a range of other project related costs), this simply cannot continue on. Facebook and Twitter cannot expect organisations to haemorrhage resources because of their platforms and where their stock response is that more monitoring and bureaucracy needs to take place so that the social media platforms may improve their customer service profiles. This is simply ludicrous and ultimately beneficial for the social media platform with no recompense for the pressures caused to third-party reporting agencies, many of whom are swamped with on-line reports from members of the public.

However, we must also not lose sight of the fact that this Government has not taken a robust approach to social media providers in making clear that they must invest and support hate crime projects at the front-line of tackling bigotry and supporting victims. The discussions with social media providers have been piece-meal, cordial and based on ensuring that these social media giants remain on-side. Money, it seems, speaks rather than ensuring that these multi-billion pound companies pay their duty to society as a means of off-setting the very real problems that these platforms have created for victims of hate and civil society groups.

It is therefore essential that the Home Office, civil society groups working on hate crime work and social media providers meet. With resources shrinking and with social media company profits rising, there is a natural balance in exploring how both Twitter and Facebook can pool a fund in the future. This facilitated dialogue is essential with both the Home Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government being involved.

In the end, the public purse cannot foot most of the bill of hate crime work which is largely happening now. It should be Facebook and Twitter who should foot the bill given the level of resource that their platforms suck out of organisations like TELL MAMA.

Tag Archives: hate crimes