We have been asked before whether anti-Muslim ‘peaks and troughs’ compare to those of antisemitism around hate incidents and crimes. In fact, after the murder of Lee Rigby, some even bizarrely questioned whether there had been an anti-Muslim backlash. The ‘closest’ two national/international incidents which can be compared are the period just before, during and after the invasion of Gaza through Operation Cast Lead. We know that there was a spike in antisemitic hate incidents through this period of time and we are aware of this through the work of the Community Security Trust (CST) and a link to the 2010 Incidents report from the CST is listed below.
The closest anti-Muslim backlash incident that we can overlay is the period during and after the murder of Lee Rigby in May 2013. The figures that we have used are Metropolitan Police hate crime figures on anti-Muslim hatred (Islamophobia), and we will also be releasing our 2013/2014 annual figures on Friday the 4th of July 2014 in partnership with Teesside University. Our report will provide an independent assessment on anti-Muslim hate incidents and crimes from 2013 to 2014.
What is clear from the graph showing anti-Muslim and antisemitic peaks and troughs is the similarity of the graphs though there is one key difference. The graph on anti-Muslim hate crimes takes longer to drop down and even when it does, the base-line of anti-Muslim hate crimes has shifted upwards and this is worrying. However, what is clear is that major incidents show a similar pattern for antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate incidents and crimes and this is corroborated through the evidence sources that we have used.
Lastly, there may be reasons for the higher baseline of anti-Muslim hate crimes. International incidents in Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and other countries may well be adding to the higher baseline as they maintain framing Muslims and Islam as topics in the social sphere.
Graphs Showing Anti-Muslim and Antisemitic peaks and troughs
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CST Incidents Report 2010
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