Tell MAMA is deeply concerned with the rise in antisemitic incidents in the UK and rising anti-Muslim cases to our service in recent days following Hamas’s deadly terror attacks on October 7 and the ongoing painful repercussions for Palestinians and Israelis. Our work is grounded in fundamental rights, and we abhor and condemn such terrorism as we saw on Oct 7. We equally condemn human rights abuses and the killing of civilians on all sides.
The nature of many offline cases sent to our service is often overtly racist – targeting Arab and Palestinian communities with dehumanising slurs, anti-Muslim slurs or in some cases targeting their homes, or when speaking Arabic in public, as well as targeting Asian and Muslim communities.
For example, a Palestinian Muslim family had “Killers Terrorists” daubed on their front door.
Other cases see individuals called “bloodthirsty” and “terrorists” or in the online world, Muslims are described collectively as “terrorists” amidst calls for “mass deportations”. In one such online case, a Sussex-based individual who self-identifies as being on the far-right called for violent “resistance” against Muslim communities on Twitter/X. Such language places all Muslims into tropes that dehumanise them and which foment hatred towards them through this dehumanising language. This is not acceptable and Tell MAMA will work with victims who are targeted by this language to seek relief or support.
The following cases came into Tell MAMA between October 7th and October 12th.
37 offline cases (3 assaults, 7 threatening behaviour and 27 cases of abusive behaviour). Cases occurred in areas like London, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, South Yorkshire, Derby and Birmingham.
61 online cases – a majority of which contained dehumanising anti-Muslim language and tropes, equating communities with terrorism and violence.
For comparison, in the same time period last year, (between October 7th and October 12th 2022), we recorded 30 cases.
Tell MAMA received 10 cases last week (October 1 to October 6, seven of which occurred offline).
The numbers remain, like all Tell MAMA cases, subject to further revision and analysis, and are intended to demonstrate the rise our service recorded this week.
Speaking on this sharp rise in reported cases, the Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE said: “This rise in anti-Muslim sentiment is deeply worrying. We know that the Community Security Trust is also demonstrating a sharp rise in antisemitism and this shows that what happens in the Middle East, has real consequences and impacts for communities in the UK.
I urge people who have been targeted by anti-Muslim hate to report to us so that they do not suffer in silence. We should never allow such hatred and intolerance to take root in our communities and at this time, please look out for each other, whether Muslim or Jewish. We must stand together against intolerance, hate and racism.”
Further notes:
Furthermore, Lancashire Police are investigating the dumping of a pig’s head at a proposed mosque in Barnoldswick on Sunday afternoon, as a man shouting “Islamic f****** scumbags” occurred in Rossendale on October 11.
With Hate Crime Awareness Week 2023 beginning tomorrow, we will continue to challenge all forms of racism and hate, promote mutuality and support, and why it is so crucial to report cases.
We have safety advice in both English and Arabic – and urge Muslim communities to remain vigilant when out and about.
In any emergency, dial 999.