Tell MAMA, the UK’s leading national monitoring service for anti-Muslim hate over the last 15 years, has revealed a sustained and dramatic rise in reports of anti-Muslim hatred in London over the past five years, with 2026 figures indicating the trend is continuing. This was covered in numerous press sources today including Sky News, the BBC and the Evening Standard, amongst others.

Whilst the capital remains one of the most diverse capitals in the world, this raises questions as to what is taking place in other cities in the U.K, where there have been demonstrations against migration and the perceived lack of integration of new migrant communities.

Statistics

Tell MAMA’s verified case data for London shows:

• 313 reports of anti-Muslim hate and prejudice in 2021,
• 818 reports in 2022,
• 1,028 reports in 2023,
• 1,819 reports in 2024,
• 1,909 reports in 2025 – the highest annual total on record
• 1,031 reports already recorded in the first six months of 2026 (01 Jan-30 June 2026)

The number of anti-Muslim reports in London has grown more than sixfold since 2021. Having risen sharply year-on-year through 2022 to 2024, reports have remained at a historically elevated level through 2025, and the first half of 2026 alone has already surpassed the total recorded across the whole of 2023.

Recent London Cases Strengthen a Growing Trend

This spike is part of a broader 19% national rise in police recorded anti-Muslim offences, with the borough of Westminster emerging as a major hotspot for these crimes. The reasons for this could be manyfold as the Borough is a convergence point for people as they travel to work, socialise and come into the City for leisure activities over the weekends.

These figures are reflected in a series of serious incidents affecting Muslim communities across London in recent months.

Tell MAMA has therefore recorded a spike and growing trend of street-based aggression, xenophobic rhetoric, and the targeting of Islamic institutions and centres. This volatile climate is reflected in troubling cases across London, including a foiled terror plot by a teenager targeting south London mosques, regular intimidation of worshippers during prayers, and aggressive public harassment that disproportionately impacts visibly Muslim women.

Tell MAMA is therefore calling on the following bodies to take action:

1. The Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to strengthen recording, investigation and prosecution of anti-Muslim hate crimes.
2. The Mayor of London and London boroughs to fund targeted community safety and outreach programmes in areas that are the most affected.
3. Social media platforms and public bodies to take stronger action using AI and their respective algorithms, against the online abuse that frequently precedes or accompanies offline incidents.
4. Tell MAMA continues to support victims of anti-Muslim hate across London, working with police, local authorities and community organisations to ensure incidents are recorded, investigated and addressed. It has a 15 year track record of the delivery of these services and has helped over 65,000 British Muslims since 2011.

Read More: Increased levels of aggression around anti-Muslim hate being reported in.

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The fact is that online discussions seem to have thrown up issues of race and identity on key platforms like ‘X’. Whether there is a link to the actual street based cases we are receiving is questionable, but the timing seems to dovetail and the increased aggression is being picked up over the last 8-10 weeks in Tell MAMA. Discussions on platforms like X around belonging, identity and citizenship have roughly been taking place around this timeline.

Social media commentators making suggestions that British Muslims are not ‘English’ or in fact ‘British’ are percolating across ‘X’ and these have impacts on comments and conversations that also take place on other social media platforms. What is deeply concerning though are cases like the one listed below which we have received.

Short Case Study

This involves a young man who was driving his elderly mother who was wearing a Hijab. A motorcyclist collided with the car and it seems that the collision was not life threatening and that the motorcyclist and both car passengers were not physically harmed.

The young Muslim male reported into Tell MAMA threats of harm and aggression which were made towards him as he went to check on the situation regarding his vehicle. He also suffered racial and anti-Muslim abuse and felt deeply threatened by the posture, the language and the anger that was directed towards him.

He also made clear that he believed that the abuse was linked to the Hijab that his mother was wearing in the vehicle and which the perpetrator had seen. He described his fear and the vulnerability that he felt particularly when he was with his elderly mother. He also felt that her personal safety was at risk.

These are not isolated cases as we have said and the language, rhetoric and anger directed at the young Muslim who was driving his elderly mother has left the individual shaken. He may well carry the view that being a Muslim is a risk factor for him and these kinds of feelings and perceptions have huge impacts around a ‘sense of self’, personal safety and belonging.

Tell MAMA continues to re-assure, seek justice for victims and ensure that perpetrators account for their actions and we do this by working in partnership with police forces.

Read More: Belfast Attack and Unrest is Having an Impact on Anti-Muslim Hate in England

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A new research briefing by Tell MAMA exposes how anti-Muslim hate in the UK is no longer solely home-grown, but increasingly shaped by foreign influence, online extremism, and the misuse of artificial intelligence. The report documents how a short-lived but highly dangerous far-right network — operating primarily on Telegram and amplified through X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube — actively encouraged attacks on mosques, Muslim communities, and the police.

This case study shows how online hate translates into real-world harm, how AI is being weaponised, and how foreign actors can exploit moments of national trauma to incite violence inside the UK.

From Online Propaganda to Real-World Targeting

The report centres on an extremist network known as “Direct Action”, which emerged in the aftermath of the Southport murders and stabbings. The group deliberately sought to hijack public grief and social tension, reframing tragedy as justification for racist violence. Using Telegram as its core platform, the network led to encouragement of the vandalism of mosques, whilst it also offered incentives in cryptocurrency so that the flows of money could not be tracked. This incentivisation marked a new low in the targeting of mosques and Islamic institutions. 

Direct Action also shared terror manuals and circulated bomb-making instructions, as well as guidance on the use of weapons. The aim of this was to direct the possibility of arson attacks against Muslims and thereby the intimidation and harassment of Muslim communities in the real world.

Anti-Muslim Hate as a Strategic Target

A central finding of the report is the systematic targeting of Muslims and Islamic institutions. Analysis of hundreds of posts by our in-house researchers marked out the repeated references to mosques, Islams, Muslims and migration, as well as anti-Muslim tropes like the ‘Great Replacement Theory’ and the ‘Demographic Time Bomb of Muslims in Europe’. There were also calls to make things difficult in the social space for British Muslims. The report also highlights how Direct Action framed mosques as not just being places of worship, but places that needed to be targeted.

Clear Foreign Influence

One of the most alarming aspects of the case study is the strong indication of foreign ideological and technical influence. Our researchers found out that there were fingerprints of Russian hacktivists and logos from defunct Russian extremist Telegram channels that were evident in the fomenting of violence against mosques and Muslims. Language errors also pointed to people who were based overseas and non-native English speakers and we also picked up references to extremist manuals that were sourced from abroad. 

Our report also highlights AI-generated images that falsely depict Muslims as violent and visuals that have been created using AI tools that promote false narratives of burning police cars and mosques. The aim of these AI assets is to mobilise anger and emotional hatred, whilst then seeking to mobilise this emotional impact into real world physical impacts on the streets of the United Kingdom.

By launching this report, our in-house research team are highlighting the risk that foreign actors are fomenting on our streets in the United Kingdom. This is not only a security issue — it is a human one.

Read the Report HERE.

Read More: Thirty Reports of Mosques Targeted Across the U.K. Between June and the 30th of October 2025

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Historical Context

➢ Between 2012-2024, over 51,000 British Muslims have utilised the services of Tell MAMA.
➢ Since 2012-2024, Tell MAMA has seen a 2,253% increase in street based anti-Muslim hate cases reported in.
➢ Significant, tangible and large increases in anti-Muslim hate cases reported to Tell MAMA between 2023-2024.

Key Findings – Between 2023 and 2024
Total Number of Cases Reported to Tell MAMA Between 2023-2024:

➢ Between 2023 and 2024, Tell MAMA received 10,719 cases out of which 9,604 were verified cases of anti-Muslim hate that were overwhelmingly reported in by British Muslims in the United Kingdom. (Note – the term ‘verified’ means that cases have been diligently checked and as being ‘anti-Muslim’ in nature and with supportive relevant evidence that confirms this finding).
➢ 2024 saw the highest number of anti-Muslim hate cases recorded by Tell MAMA in any year, since the founding of the project in 2011/2012. This amounted to 6,313 cases of anti-Muslim hate reported to Tell MAMA, a rise of 165% of verified cases reported in since 2022 and in just 2 years.
➢ Tell MAMA recorded a 120% increase in street based cases since 2022.
➢ Data shows an 103% increase in targeted anti-Muslim hate towards people who are visibly Muslim when comparing 2023 and 2024 data sources.
➢ There has been a large rise in the categorisation of ‘threatening behaviour’ in street based cases. This amounts to a 715% increase in such cases between 2023 and 2024.
➢ In summary, cases of anti-Muslim hatred are becoming more threatening towards victims, higher in volume and much more prone to significant peaks because of a higher frequency of national and international events.

The Online World

➢ Post October 7th 2023, Tell MAMA received the highest number of online anti-Muslim hate reports with a 1,619% increase, when compared to online cases received prior to October 7th. The Middle East conflict super-fuelled online anti-Muslim hate. (Verified online cases recorded in 2023 – 1,719)
➢ In 2024, Tell MAMA recorded 2,307 (verified) cases of online anti-Muslim hate that were reported in, the majority of which were reported in after the 29th of July 2024 and after the brutal murder of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguias.
➢ This demonstrates a 34% increase in online anti-Muslim hate cases reported to Tell MAMA when comparing 2023 and 2024. In both years, significant national and international events spiked online reports of anti-Muslim hate into Tell MAMA.
➢ To date, ‘X’ remains the most toxic online platform in the dissemination of anti-Muslim hate. The platform far outstrips any other social media platform in the volume, aggressive language and the targeted nature of anti-Muslim hate towards other users, which the Tell MAMA report highlights.
➢ Tell MAMA is deeply concerned about how Artificial Intelligence generated anti-Muslim pictures are being generated and circulated online and which have been reported in by British Muslims who have been targeted by them online. This phenomenon became marked and noticeable in cases in 2024.
➢ Tell MAMA continues to see an overlap between the online and offline (street-based) worlds. Tell MAMA continues to collate information that is reported in by British Muslims on how far right extremist groups continue to harass and target vulnerable refugees in temporary accommodation with anti-migrant and anti-Muslim hate.

2024 Key Findings on Anti-Muslim Rhetoric and the Targeting of British Muslim Members of Parliament

➢ Anti-Muslim tropes in both street based and online anti-Muslim hate cases reported in stress anti-Muslim tropes of a ‘take-over’ of Europe, demographic surges in ‘numbers of Muslims’ with an associated preconceived plan to Islamise the United Kingdom, and to ‘outbreed’ the local ‘indigenous’ population.
➢ There has been a stark rise in the intensification of language calling for the banning and removal of British Muslims from the political life of the United Kingdom.
➢ Tell MAMA has recorded disproportionate amounts of anti-Muslim hate targeted towards the following British politicians who happen to be Muslim and in the following order of frequency, with the most targeted politician listed first:

1. The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan,
2. The former Scottish First Minister – Humza Yousaf MSP,
3. Zara Sultana MP,
4. Apsana Begum MP,
5. Naz Shah MP

➢ Racist posts have also been reported into Tell MAMA that have targeted Diane Abbot MP, Suella Braverman MP and the former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP.

Commenting on these findings, the Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE said:

“We have had the largest volume of cases reported to us in Tell MAMA in 2024 and since we started our work in 2012. As anti-Muslim hate continues to be felt by a greater number of British Muslims, both at a street and online level, our work and support for victims of anti-Muslim hate is needed now more than ever. We are at a nexus point where it is clear that anti-Muslim hate needs a coordinated action by His Majesty’s Government.”

“The rise in anti-Muslim hate is unacceptable, and this is deeply concerning for the future. We should never allow such hatred and intolerance to take root in our communities. We urge the public to stand together against hatred and extremism and we urge those in positions of influence and public authority to consider how their language risk stereotyping communities and how it unduly influence discussions online and offline”.

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Tell MAMA Launches Manifesto for New Government to Tackle Hate Crime

[London, UK, Wednesday 19 June 2024]

Tell MAMA (“Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks”) has launched its Manifesto Against Hate ahead of the upcoming General Elections on July 4, urging political candidates to address the significant increase in hate crimes across the country and promote social cohesion through several clear-eyed initiatives.

Founded in 2012 with government support, Tell MAMA has been instrumental in documenting and supporting over 28,000 victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes. These past few months have seen an alarming rise in such incidents. Since last year’s October 7 Hamas attacks into Southern Israel and the ongoing Israel-Gaza War, there has been a sharp increase in such anti-Muslim hate crime and a significant break-down in Jewish-Muslim community relations. Between October 7  and February 7 alone, Tell MAMA recorded 2,010 Islamophobic incidents, predominantly targeting Muslim women and on social media platforms, a stark increase from 600 incidents during the same period the previous year. This surge demands better measures to combat hate speech and physical attacks. Tell MAMA believes that with the measures of its Manifesto, it can tackle hate crime and increase social cohesion across the UK.

Tell MAMA’s Manifesto Against Hate 2024 key proposals include:

• The appointment of a Government “Hate Crime” Tsar to prioritise and oversee hate crime initiatives.
• Increase ministerial engagement with local communities to foster inclusivity and reduce social divisions, under the remit of the DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) and the Home Office.
• The establishment of Boards at local, regional, and national levels to promote dialogue and collaboration between Muslim and Jewish communities.
• Urge the Government to create a fund sponsored by Social Media companies, aided by legislative measures for compliance, to support organisations combatting online hate.
• For the administration of the ‘Protecting Places of Worship’ Security Fund to be outsourced to a legal entity that is a consortium made up of hate crime reporting agencies, to enhance accessibility and trust.

Regarding Tell MAMA’s Manifesto Against Hate 2024 launch, Iman Atta OBE, Director of Tell MAMA, stated:

“The sharp rise in hate crimes in the UK, both online and on our streets, is deeply alarming. It is no secret that Muslim and Jewish communities are more distanced and fractured from each other than ever before. Our Manifesto for the next Government is crucial. It is a blueprint for security and social cohesion, urging political parties to create a future free from hate and division, a UK in which all its citizens are safe.”

*** ENDS ***

Tell MAMA – Notes

Please visit https://tellmamauk.org/ for more details.

Follow us on Twitter/X.

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A Decade of Anti-Muslim Hate 

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Director of Tell MAMA – Statement
Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE says:

“We have produced one of the most detailed studies in the U.K. 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.

If we are to ensure a society where social cohesion is strengthened, then tackling anti-Muslim hatred is an important area of work that needs our collective effort.”

Key Points

• 20,000 British Muslims and others have used the Tell MAMA services between 2012-2022
  
• Tell MAMA has worked on over 16,000 cases of reported anti-Muslim hate
  
• There has been a doubling of verified and confirmed anti-Muslim hate cases reported to Tell MAMA in a decade,
  
• 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,
  
• 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 onlinerecorded 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,
  
• 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,
  
• In 2021, Israel-Palestine spilled over into reports with an increase of anti-Muslim cases to Tell MAMA. (This is also in line the Community Security Trust – the CST – which reports a spike in antisemitic cases when this conflict takes place in the Middle East). Furthermore, Azeem Rafiq’s highlighting of the racist abuse he suffered and attacks against asylum seekers and centres also led to increased reports to Tell MAMA. 
  
•  The trend of household conflicts between neighbours continued and demonstrated that it was not just a ‘lock down’ issue and thatthere was a growing trend of neighbour disputes that turned anti-Muslim in nature.
• The language of anti-Muslim hate over a decade that can be classified broadly into two categories that include ‘mechanistic’ dehumanising language such as denying the humanity and human traits of Muslims and comparing them to machines, including depicting Muslim women as ‘bombs’ or machines that increase the population of Muslims through births. The second category involves relating Muslims to animalistic dehumanisation where Muslims are compared to animals and thereby denying their human traits.

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The short briefing ‘The Tangled Web of Far Right Anti-Muslim Hate’ identifies accounts Leak used on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, where extremist, far-right statements appear consistently.

Our investigation unearthed a video of Leak calling for “Time to close the borders and sink all these boats. Let’s sort out the strong from the weak” following the terror attacks in Paris in November 2015.

The briefing identifies a deeply-held far-right outlook that holds Muslims collectively to blame for crimes, including child sexual abuse and calls to remove elected Muslim officials from office.

The report poses pressing questions about what platforms like Twitter did or did not do in the days, hours and weeks before Leak carried out his attack.

Our investigation found that in the weeks leading up to the attack, Leak became more overtly violent and racist online, including calls for Spitfires to shoot refugees in Europe. In addition, he engaged with various hardened far-right accounts on Twitter, seemingly hoping to encourage others to get involved in similar anti-refugee agitations. However, police at this stage believe he acted alone.

Andrew Leak also posted vile, racialised homophobic hate, blaming LGBT+ communities for Monkeypox and retweeting transphobic memes.

As we revealed on Twitter, Leak “liked” Enoch Powell was right; God Hates Islam; Close UK Borders; England Fight Back; Islam Exposed Media UK (which displays a photo of a copy of the Holy Qur’an burning as its profile picture); Islam 666; The Racist Posts; and Tumbling Down The Rabbit Hole (full of conspiracist materials). Some pages proved inactive for a year or more, confirming what we identified before: his racist worldview began several years ago, namely how one such Twitter account we believe to be him followed the far-right British National Party in 2014.

Responding to the report, Tell MAMA Director Iman Atta said:  ‘Harmful, dehumanising and racist language on social media can evolve into offline violence and even terror. We will continue to work with civil society,  social media platforms and Police forces on addressing harmful content that leads to violence.’

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Active steps are needed to retain and build on strong community links forged during lockdown, such as highlighting Muslim communities in a positive way.

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Researchers at Newcastle University say the community spirit shown during the Coronavirus crisis could provide a foundation for greater understanding and improved relations between different groups. One example of this, they say, should be a better understanding of the contribution that the Muslim community makes to British society – and this in turn could help tackle Islamophobia.

They point to a report ‘Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred in North East England’, published today following research carried out with Muslims across the North East, that highlights the extent and character of Islamophobia across the region and the impact it has on Muslim communities.

Among the recommendations made in the report is the need for improved education about Muslims and Islam, including more community projects to build bridges between groups. Public campaigns against Islamophobia and more funding for interfaith work, to improve the understanding about the Muslim community, the report team say, could also help challenge assumptions and misunderstandings.

Professor Peter Hopkins, Professor of Social Geography at Newcastle University, is one of the report’s authors and is also one of the country’s leading experts on understanding the effects of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.

He said: “The way that people have come together during the lockdown is proof that communities can put their differences to one side and focus on the greater good. But this shouldn’t just be for the duration of the current emergency. Many people are already talking about ways to keep this community spirit going once the lockdown starts to lift, and one way to do this is by building a better understanding of our Muslim neighbours, to counter negative stereotypes and anti-Muslim hatred.”

To produce the report, the report authors collaborated with Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks), a secure and reliable service that allows people to report any form of anti-Muslim hatred.

Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle Central said “The launch of this report reminds us, yet again, that racism is a serious everyday issue for residents of the North East. Nearly 70% of participants in this study experience anti-Muslim racism regularly or daily and nearly 75% of Muslims feel that Islamophobia is getting worse. Muslim women are at the sharp end of this, being abused frequently on the street, on public transport and when driving. We must stand in solidarity with those struggling against racism and Islamophobia. We need real change, now”.

Iman Abou Atta OBE, Director of Tell MAMA, said: “We have seen a real sense of solidarity during the COVID crisis. It shows the real spirit of our country and this needs to be maintained in the struggle also against hatred, prejudice and intolerance. We must never be complacent in this struggle against hate as we have shown that we are not complacent in the struggle against COVID.”

The research, by a team at Newcastle University, with colleagues at Northumbria University, showed that more than two thirds of survey respondents across the three police force areas of Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria said Islamophobia is either a regular or everyday occurrence.

Muslims said they most often experienced Islamophobia as verbal abuse, harassment, intimidation or online abuse. This included comments based on incorrect assumptions about someone’s immigration status or literacy ability. It also included damage to buildings and property owned by Muslims.

The research also showed that Islamophobia takes place in a wide range of locations. Most often it was encountered in the street or in public places such as supermarkets or public transport systems. But many said they had also experienced it in the workplace – for example customers, colleagues or managers making assumptions about their language or making derogatory comments, glances or stares.

More than half of those who experienced anti-Muslim hatred  said they did not report it as they felt that little would be done, and some felt there was no-one willing to defend them when they experience Islamophobia in public.

This had the result of Muslims, particularly women, actively avoiding going to certain places. Some had also tried to adjust their clothing to disassociate themselves from religion but had still received abuse due to their race and gender.

The Safer Cities Action Team of Tyne and Wear Citizens have been campaigning for some time on issues of racism and Islamophobia. Taj Khan, a member of the action team said: “I try to understand and ask myself, why is there so much hate and resentment toward me when I have done nothing to any of those people who decide to verbally and physically torment and abuse me?

“I am a woman, a brown woman, a Muslim woman, I suffer misogyny, racial and Islamophobic hate on daily basis. I hate going out to shop because the perpetrators get more sympathy while I as a victim get threatened with security or the police and get forced off the premises.

“This whole experience leaves me feeling upset, hurt and humiliated but worst of all, I am tormented and think to myself ‘my appearance repulse others so much to a point they feel raged for the way I look, dress and the faith I represent’.

“The police need witnesses to prove you have been a victim of hate crime and the offender walks away with a smirk. I feel I need to invest in a body camera or never leave my home alone. Something has to change.”

Dr John Clayton, a Senior Lecturer in Geography at Northumbria University and report co-author added: “Our research presents clear evidence of the worsening everyday reality of Islamophobia for Muslims in the North East of England. It also shows the impact this has on access to services and employment as well as everyday decision making, identity and belonging. This is a clear reminder of the urgency required in tackling this form of racism in all its forms, across all parts of the UK.”

North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll said: “Muslim communities throughout our region are continuing to be blighted by anti-Muslim racism, and it’s getting worse. Islamophobia is an everyday reality for Muslim men and women, on public transport, in shops, in the workplace. It has a devastating effect on people’s life chances and opportunities. That’s the shocking finding of this new report.

“But the report also gives us hope. It makes excellent recommendations for how we can address this injustice and as mayor I am committed to supporting these. We have just introduced a new Equality and Diversity policy for the North of Tyne and I’m working closely with groups such as Tyne & Wear Citizens and Show Racism the Red Card who are challenging Islamophobia.

“We’re coming through the Covid-19 pandemic and now have a chance to do things differently and the report shows the urgency of this for our Muslim communities. The outpouring of social solidarity and cooperation, including between communities, during Covd19 shows we can change things for the better. Eradicating Islamophobia once and for all will be an essential part of how we build back better.”

Councillor Joyce McCarty, Deputy Leader at Newcastle City Council said: “I am immensely proud that Newcastle is a friendly city that is home to many vibrant, diverse communities. I welcome the findings of this report and its recommendations and thank those who have pulled it together. It is vital that we continue to learn from our communities, share experiences and challenges and improve our understanding of our city and its cultural makeup. Having a better understanding of community contributions to our society will help eliminate misunderstandings, prejudice and social injustice. Newcastle’s community spirit has shone brightly throughout the coronavirus crisis; we must continue to work together as our city recovers and we will embrace every community in our city.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “Anti-Muslim prejudice should absolutely not be tolerated here in Northumbria, or anywhere for that matter. Sadly, as experiences in this report highlight, there is a small minority who are intolerant of others. However, it’s clear this pandemic has brought society together. Like a virus, hate can spread fast, but so can the positives. We need this kind, consideration of others, that has been so evident here in the North East, to stay and wipe out the spread of ignorance and bigotry. Let’s build on the positives and tackle the causes that wedge divisions and see this time as one of opportunity and hope.”

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KEY FINDINGS

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51 people worshipping at 2 mosques in New Zealand were murdered by a far-right inspired extremist – Brenton Tarrant. The anti-Muslim terrorist attack took place on the 15^th of March 2019 – exactly a year ago.

• In the week following the terror attacks in Christchurch, incidents reported to Tell MAMA increased by 692%, with 12 incidents recorded in the previous week (March 8 – 14) and 95 the following week (March 15 – 21).
• The terror attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand had a significant effect in the UK, resulting in a rapid but long-lasting increase in anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia.
• Between January 1 and June 30, 2019, 705 incidents were reported to Tell MAMA, of which, 529 were verified as anti-Muslim and Islamophobic in nature. Of those verified, 374 occurred offline, and 155 had occurred online.
• Between the same period, 20 police forces across the UK recorded 1,213 anti-Muslim incidents. Of these, 1,028 occurred offline, while 91 were online, and, for 94 reports, the nature of the incident is undisclosed.
• Incidents in public areas increased by 192% between February and March, from 12 to 35 incidents respectively. Most significantly, anti-Muslim incidents targeting mosques or other Islamic institutions increased by 433% between February and March, from 3 to 16 incidents respectively.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 

“I am appalled that reported incidents of hatred aimed at Muslims in Britain have increased. All hate crime is completely unacceptable and I am determined to tackle this problem at its root.

“This Government has put millions into protecting all places of worship and we will continue to fund projects that help to challenge prejudice and discrimination.

“As we mark the anniversary of the terrible tragedy in Christchurch, let me be clear that there is no place for anti-Muslim hatred in Britain.  As Communities Secretary, I will do everything in my power to stamp out hatred in all its forms, wherever it appears.”

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Of over 2,000 contacts made with Tell MAMA in 2018, Tell MAMA recorded 1,282 anti-Muslim or Islamophobic reports, of which 1,072 were verified as being classified as such, through secondary evidential sources.

Of the 1,072 cases, 745 occurred at a street level and 327 were online.

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In addition, Tell MAMA received reports of 1,891 anti-Muslim hate crimes and incidents from 20 police forces in the U.K. which Tell MAMA has data sharing and information agreements with. (These details do not overlap with the Tell MAMA data sets). In total, we received 2,963 anti-Muslim hate incidents in 2018, including Tell MAMA and police data sets.

Two Significant ‘Spike Points’ of Anti-Muslim Hatred in 2018

In 2018, two significant spikes occurred. The first, in spring, reflected the ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ letters sent to Muslim homes, institutions, and places of work in March, followed by heightened tensions, fears, and anxieties around the proposed day in April, and the second wave of letters (‘Punish a Muslim Day 2’), received in May. In total, Tell MAMA received reports of 37 offline (street based) incidents which directly referenced ‘Punish a Muslim Day’.

The second and more significant spike occurred in August after the former foreign secretary Boris Johnson a column referring to veiled Muslim women as ‘letterboxes’ and ‘bank-robbers’. In the week following his article, anti-Muslim incidents increased by 375% – from 8 incidents the previous week, to 38 in the following. Of the 38 anti-Muslim hate incidents in the first week following Mr Johnson’s comments, 22 were directed at visibly Muslim women who wore the face veil (niqab) or other veiling practices. We recorded a total of 57 incidents in the three weeks following the column’s publication, 32 of which were directed at visibly Muslim women. Between the 5th and 29th of August, 42% (24) of the street-based (offline) incidents reported to Tell MAMA directly referenced Boris Johnson and/or the language used in his column.

Language of Hate

Verbal abuse (abusive language), accompanied many of the anti-Muslim incidents. We analysed the trends in language, finding several themes; terrorism, paedophiles, hatred of foreigners, blame, competition, insulting/derogatory remarks about Islam, and expressions of confidence by the perpetrator that no punishment will follow.

Social Media

Over the last three years, Tell MAMA has recorded a steady increase in street-based (offline) anti-Muslim incidents year-on-year. However, this year demonstrated an 11% reduction in street-based (offline) incidents compared with the previous reporting period of 2017 (with 839 street-based incidents recorded). It should also be noted that there were 4 major terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom in 2017, which led to sharp spikes of reported anti-Muslim hate incidents into Tell MAMA just after the major attacks.

The online 2018 Tell MAMA dataset includes 327 verified reports, down 10% from the 2017 figure of 362 verified reports. A clear majority of reported abuse occurred either on Twitter (175 reports/incidents) or Facebook (92 reports), with a small minority having occurred on YouTube (8 reports). The ‘Other’ category (52 reports) includes communications sent over email or posted on internet forums. As with the previous dataset, we categorised most online cases as Hate Speech (168 reports) and Abusive Behaviour (96 reports). Threats accounted for 12 reports, while Anti-Muslim Literature remains present in a clear minority of cases (50 reports).

Locations of Hate

Most commonly, anti-Muslim attacks/incidents in 2018 took place in public areas (209). Incidents which took place within, or targeted the victim’s household or private property, increased by 11% (101 to 113), and those occurring in the victim’s place of work have risen by 8% (74 to 80) since the previous year.

Interconnectedness of anti-Muslim Hate and anti-Islam Comments

The rising instances of discrimination, hate speech, and anti-Muslim literature indicate that a more general intolerance and hatred is growing. These typologies are seldom prosecutable by law and have proven more difficult to achieve satisfactory outcomes and solutions for victims. Similarly, this year we analysed the trends in verbal abuse, finding a common theme whereby perpetrators use language attacking Islam and religious practices alongside, for example, anti-Muslim hate incidents that range from abusive behaviour, discrimination, or threats. We, therefore, emphasise the gravity of attacks on Islam in tandem with hatred directed at individuals or institutions. The two are interconnected, thus hatred and intolerance must both be challenged simultaneously.

Gender of Victims and Perpetrators

We recorded the details of 1244 victims and 1196 perpetrators. Consistent with our previous reports, of the known/disclosed victims, the majority were female at 57% (721). The majority of known perpetrators were male (73%, 482 of 663), and 61% were white men (404 in 663).

The post Tell MAMA Annual Report 2018: Normalising Hatred appeared first on TELL MAMA.

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Early intervention and involvement of the Muslim/other community and police plus civil society groups could reduce hate crimes following a terrorist incident, says Britain’s leading anti-Muslim hate crime monitoring group and academics.

• Hate crime spikes usually take place between 24-72 hours after a terrorist incident.
• Tell MAMA has seen and measured these spikes since it first observed a large spike after the murder of drummer Lee Rigby by Islamist extremists in 2013.
• Yet effective messaging between the Metropolitan Police, civil society groups and a mobilisation by local faith groups after the appalling March 2017 Westminster Bridge attack meant that any divisive hate incidents after the attack were not as significant as they could have been in terms of their volume.
• The report underscores the need for quick and early mobilisation and communication interventions, thereby closing down the window for hate groups to promote their divisiveness and in detaching the actions of the terrorist from wider Muslim communities who want to peacefully get on with their lives.
• A National 14-day Plan (terror incident response plan) should be implemented by police forces across the UK, based on the Metropolitan Police’s model used after the Westminster attack, which had a significant impact on hate crime levels.
• This mobilisation also means that wider communities are able to come together and bond at a time when many are in shock and grief when lives are lost and another reason why quick community mobilisation is essential.

This ground-breaking report is a joint collaboration between Tell MAMA (Measuring anti-Muslim Attacks) and the authors, Ms Kim Sadique, Dr James Tangen and Ms Anna Perowne.

The full report can be found HERE.

 How Hate Can Be Reduced After Terrorist Attacks

The overall aim of this report is to understand post ‘trigger event’ hate incident patterns with a specific focus on the anomalous data following the Westminster terror attack (22^nd March 2017). In order to achieve this, the authors undertook a detailed discourse analysis for a period of 2 weeks post Westminster attack between 22^nd March 2017 to 5^th April 2017 (this timescale is linked to the National 14 Day Plan implemented by the Metropolitan Police). Analysis of hate incident reports provided by Tell MAMA was undertaken and semi-structured interviews were conducted with three hate crime and two journalism professionals to illicit the expert opinions of those working in this field as to why there is a difference between some trigger events and others in terms of hate incident patterns. The report concludes with a list of recommendations that have been devised following interviews with key professionals.

Comments

Speaking about the findings of the report, the Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE said:

“This report consolidates and confirms what we know. That there are significant spikes in anti-Muslim hate and bigotry after major national terrorist events, though these can be mitigated by strong local co-ordinated community messaging that is quick, responsive and from the heart of local communities.

 We know after Westminster, that this works and if we are to maintain social cohesion and reduce hate crime impacts, this report provides the first real insight into how this can be done through rapid mobilisation and positive messaging.”

Commenting on the report, the lead researcher and author of the report, Kim Sadique, said:

“This research provides support for previous anecdotal evidence regarding hate incident patterns following ‘trigger’ events such as the EU referendum or terror attacks. Analysis of the data shows clear spikes in online hate between 24-48 hours after a ‘trigger’ event and this then moves offline between 48-72 hours after. Furthermore, it shows that hate incidents are underpinned by the level of emotional connection to the ‘trigger’ event. In what we call the ‘familiar and familial’ effect, the level of empathy or connection felt towards the chosen target influences both the prevalence and severity of hate responses. The more of a connection the public has with the target location or the more they can empathise with the victims, the more likely we are to see hate spikes both online and offline after such ‘trigger’ events (700% increase in ‘street incidents’ in the seven days following the Manchester Arena attack). Westminster was different, the hate spike was not as significant as those following other trigger events. We believe this was because there were clearer counter-narratives immediately after the attack and there appeared to be less emotional attachment by the public to the target location”.

The full report can be found HERE.

Key Recommendations

1. Government and political parties should provide clear leadership and a distinctive counter-narrative to anti-Muslim sentiments following a potential trigger event

There needs to be a clearer counter-narrative from the Government and/or political parties following a ‘trigger event’ to prevent hate responses. Clear leadership and visibility of Government and/or political parties is crucial from the outset.

2. All Police Services should implement the National 14-Day Plan in the immediate aftermath of a potential trigger event

The National 14-Day Plan implemented by the Metropolitan Police should be utilised by all Police Services across the UK following terrorist attacks.

3. Media reporting in the aftermath of a ‘trigger event’ needs to be more balanced and media outlets should be held to account for reporting that is inflammatory or factually inaccurate

The media needs to consider the use of language and images used in reporting ‘trigger events.’

4. Social media companies should enforce a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards posts that incite hate

Social media companies can respond much faster to posts which incite hatred by blocking/removing the posts/user more quickly.

5. Muslim communities need to be given a safe platform from which they are able to express their emotions and response to ‘trigger events’, such as terror attacks

Muslim communities should be supported to provide a clear and immediate response to potential ‘trigger events’, particularly terror attacks. Media outlets should ensure a safe platform is provided for legitimate representatives from Muslim communities to be able to speak, without fear of being vilified or collectively blamed for the actions of individuals

6. Further research must be undertaken to understand the role of emotions in post ‘trigger event’ hate responses

Research should focus particularly on feelings of connection to the event, location and/or victims in addition to patriotic sentiments more generally

The post Understanding Hate Incident Patterns After the Westminster Terrorist Attack of the 22nd of March 2017. Building a Pattern of Community Resilience Against Hate – What Worked? appeared first on TELL MAMA.

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Gendered Anti-Muslim Hatred and Islamophobia: Tell MAMA Interim Report 2018

The Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE, commenting on the 6-month interim report for 2018 stated:

 “The gendered intersectionality of anti-Muslim or Islamophobic hate incidents are now well documented through our extensive work. Being a woman and being Muslim are markers for some of this gendered Islamophobia and not a single year has gone by since 2012 when we started work, when the majority of victims of street-based hate crimes have not been women. Of equal concern are the rising levels of aggression that are being shown to victims at a street level. This is deeply concerning and possibly indicates that something is changing for the worst.”

Key Points

• Tell MAMA recorded a total of 685 reports. Of these reports, 608 were verified as being anti-Muslim or Islamophobic in nature and as having occurred in the UK between January and June 2018. Two-thirds of verified incidents occurred offline, or on a street-level (65.9%, n=401). An offline, or street-level, incident means that the incident  occurred  in-person  between  a  victim and a perpetrator. There were therefore more street incidents of anti-Muslim hatred reported into Tell MAMA.
• Crimes or incidents that are classified as ‘online’ occurred on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, or on other Internet-based platforms, were verified as having happened within the UK, and account for over a third of reports in 2018 ( 34%, n=207).
• In 2018, the most widely reported anti-Muslim hate incident was classified as ‘abusive behaviour’ (45.3%, n=182) with the second most reported frequency of incident classed as a ‘physical attack’ (15.5%, n=62). This demonstrated a rise in physical intimidation and actions against Muslim faith institutions and property.) Discrimination (almost 10%, n=40) has shifted to the third most common anti-Muslim incident reported to Tell MAMA between January and June 2018. This category included mistreatment, denial of opportunities or denial of services based on Islamophobic prejudice, some of which was institutional in nature.
• The realities of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred are complex: involving situational abuse, discriminatory practices and behaviours, hate crime, and the structural and institutional barriers which limit the educational and career aspirations of Muslims. Structural prejudice can impact Muslims when dealing with law enforcement, the criminal justice service, or the misapplication of safeguarding policies. Such acts of hatred, discrimination and racism harm Muslims of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and are not solely the actions of violent bigots who exist on the margins of society. We must instead examine the everyday nature of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred which curtails the agency, aspirations and mobility of Muslims when they are going on their day to day activities.
• Places of Anti-Muslim Hate Incidents: Consistent with previous years, the largest proportion of street-based incidents took place within public areas such as parks and shopping areas and the second most common place for incidents was public transport networks, such as trams, buses etc.
• Gendered anti-Muslim Attacks: 2018 data showed that at a street levelwomen remain the number one victim of anti-Muslim hatred with 58%,(n=233) of victims being female, re-affirming previous findings over the years, that anti- Muslim hate or Islamophobia at a street level is also male on female abuse in addition to anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry.

The post Interim Report 2018: Gendered Anti-Muslim Hatred and Islamophobia, Street Based Aggression in Cases Reported to Tell MAMA Is Alarming appeared first on TELL MAMA.

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Tell MAMA is delighted to contribute to the APPG on British Muslims inquiry into a working definition on Islamophobia/anti-Muslim hatred. We hope that our submission can help further the debate.

Now, more than ever, it is important to define what is a growing problem, in the hope that with further understanding, that we can support Muslims and challenge institutional and non-institutional forms of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred.

Our recent annual reports, published in 2018 and 2017, which cover the 2016 and 2017 reporting cycles, have used the terms Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred (and/or prejudice) interchangeably, partly for brevity because the term is established in existing academic literature and used by police forces nationwide when logging hate incidents and crimes.

Tell MAMA believes any definition of Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred should always centre on the voices and experiences of Muslims. We welcome further understanding of this issue in the hope that the debate can move beyond semantics whilst ensuring that fundamental rights are taken into consideration. From a research perspective, John Gerring argued: “to deprive the social science community of certain words, or of certain uses of commonly understood words, is bound to create confusion, and also to limit the usefulness of social science as a way of apprehending the world.”

Some perpetrators in our dataset demonstrate a disproportionate hatred of Islam which often has little to do with attacking or abusing Muslims directly. Therefore, we cannot always detach how some display a hatred of Islam from a hatred of Muslims. We affirm the fundamental right of freedom of expression and speech, but it comes with a responsibility to not harm others or threaten or incite violence.

Previously Tell MAMA has used a reworked version of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), working definition of antisemitism: “A certain perception of Muslims, which may be expressed as hatred or outward hostility towards Muslims. Hatred may take the form of anti-Muslim rhetoric and physical manifestations that are targeted towards Muslims (or non-Muslim individuals considered to be sympathetic to Muslims) and/or their property; or towards Muslim community institutions or religious and other related social institutions”.

Having flexibility in our definition, we feel, allows our work to document and evidence how Islamophobia and anti-Muslim prejudice are situational, criminal, hateful, and importantly, structural. We know that there are potential obstacles to achieving outcomes for victims of Islamophobic abuse, including institutional discrimination, widespread prejudice, and social barriers to reporting incidents and accessing public services. But, crucially, understanding how structural inequalities and institutional discrimination can help us understand how Muslims are often disadvantaged when they engage with law enforcement agencies and the courts due to institutional discrimination.

Free Speech Versus Islamophobia or Anti-Muslim Hatred

At the root of the value system of Tell MAMA’s work is the defence of free speech given that these are hard won rights and any infringement on free speech creates a long-term chilling effect on thoughts, ideas and discussions. This is fundamentally corrosive to society.

We therefore believe that religion can be disliked, mocked or ridiculed and whilst such beliefs and actions will naturally be disliked by many people of faith, they mainly fall into the bracket of free speech. Where they move into the bracket of anti-Muslim bigotry is when these views and beliefs attempt to target and curtail the right of British Muslims or when they attempt to bestialize and caricature Muslims as a whole. Tell MAMA therefore looks at such issues on a case by case basis and whilst many cases of anti-Islam speech fall into the bracket of free speech, there are cases where this also tips into anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia when there are impacts on people, communities and institutions. It is the latter – impacts on people, communities, institutions, work environments and in the delivery of goods and services where Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred has impacts and which we assist victims on and record and monitor. This also includes supporting individuals who have suffered structural institutionally based anti-Muslim bigotry.

No doubt, this debate will continue, but in general criticism of religion does not fall into being anti-Muslim discourse.  We will continue to feed into this debate whilst balancing the rights of free speech and the rights of individuals to live their lives free from fear and hate.

The post Tell MAMA Submission – A Working Definition of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim Hatred/Prejudice appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE says, “we are in deeply worrying times where people are looking for certainty and what they are getting is instability at a political and societal level. This means that at times like this, minority groups are the ones who suffer the anger of those looking to vent their fears, insecurities and concerns.

“We are seeing more aggressive street-based incidents, younger perpetrators, between the ages of 13-18, increased vandalism and international interference by well organised social media accounts playing groups off in the UK. More than ever, we need to come together and redouble our efforts against those who seek to divide and play communities off against each other”.

Key Points

• In 2017 Tell MAMA recorded a total of 1,330 reports. Of these reports, 1,201 were verified as being anti-Muslim or Islamophobic in nature and as having occurred in the UK between January and December 2017. More than two-thirds of verified incidents occurred offline, or on a street-level (70%, n=839), which represents a 30% rise in offline reports when compared to the previous reporting period (n=643). An offline, or street-level, incident means that the incident occurred in-person between a victim (or property) and a perpetrator. There were therefore more street incidents of anti-Muslim hatred reported into Tell MAMA.
• Crimes or incidents that are classified as ‘online’ occurred on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, or on other Internet-based platforms, were verified as having happened within the UK, and account for a third of reports in 2017 (n=362), which represents a 16.3% rise in reports when compared to the previous year (n=311). This small rise can be partially attributed to the way in which ideologically-motivated accounts felt emboldened by major trigger events, (such as terrorist attacks) and broader Islamophobic discourses in the public sphere.
• The ‘online hate’ figure, however, should be viewed as part of a wider trend in our datasets where there has been a marked shift towards more serious offline incidents such as physical attacks, threatening behaviour and abuse more generally, along with a growing awareness of Tell MAMA in Muslim communities, among key stakeholders, and partners, resulting in a greater willingness amongst victims and witnesses to report.
• Tell MAMA has listed in its annual report examples of ‘Twitter bots’ that have sought to cause disruption and division in community perceptions and which have actively promoted anti-Muslim hatred. One such Twitter account was @DavidJo52951945 . Responses to the rhetoric on this account, called for violent action against Islamic institutions and on August 30^th 2017, the Times reported that this bot originated from Russia. Furthermore, a Twitter account called @SouthLoneStar, which had amassed some 16,500 followers, was responsible in starting a global trend after the Westminster terrorist attack.

The @SouthLoneStar account made several tweets about the terror attack on Westminster Bridge before sharing the photo of a Muslim woman walking across the bridge on a mobile phone, just after the vehicle had mown down pedestrians. It used the major hashtags (#PrayForLondon and #Westminster) to post tweets which described Islam as a ‘cult of death’ and added the #BanIslam hashtag. An earlier tweet called for Islam to be ‘outlawed’.^[1] An archive of the @SouthLoneStar account in January 2017 revealed many pro-Trump tweets and how the account had followed a far-right account named @pepethetroll, which remains active on the platform.^[2] Nor was the anti-Muslim content specific to the United States or even Britain. Further archive research of the account reveals that the @SouthLoneStar had attempted to stir-up anti-Muslim views in other European countries. For example, on 11 March 2017, @SouthLoneStar used the ‘#BanIslam’ and ‘#Rotterdam’ hashtags in a tweet which shared an image of about Muslim conquests and the Crusades.^[3]

The Guardian reported that the @SouthLoneStar account was the “creation of the Internet Research Agency, a Russian “troll army” based in St Petersburg. This is where, in rooms of about 20 people working 12-hour shifts for pay of between 45,000 and 65,000 rubles a month (£575-£830), a modern disinformation campaign is crafted.” Whilst these are some examples of Twitter and social media accounts promoting direct anti-Muslim hatred, we need to maintain vigilance against foreign interference, in these cases, emanating from Russia, which seek to promote division and intolerance in the UK.

• Social media agencies such as Twitter conduct a haphazard removal process for content. Our report highlights inaction from Twitter even on material that glorifies anti-Muslim hatred and violence against Muslims and Islamic institutions. Furthermore, Twitter’s inactivity in removing anti-Muslim hate material is deeply worrying and shows a wanton lack of desire to understand this hatred on its platform. Twitter has also demonstrated to us in Tell MAMA, its inability to stop individuals opening up new accounts repeatedly, when they have been banned from using the platform. In one case, a victim had to report in eleven separate accounts for harassment and with Twitter unable to stop the creation of new accounts and even dismissing reports on the same individual when multiple accounts linked to him were reported in through the ‘reporting in’ channels for Twitter.
• In 2017, vandalism replaced threatening behaviour as the third most common anti-Muslim hate incident. There was a 56% increase in anti-Muslim vandalism when compared with 2016, with one in ten ‘real-world’ incidents being classed as vandalism. (The most widely reported anti-Muslim hate incident was classified as ‘abusive behaviour’ with the second most reported frequency of incident classed as a ‘physical attack’. This demonstrated a rise in physical intimidation and actions against Muslim faith institutions and property.) Discrimination was the fourth most common anti-Muslim incident reported to Tell MAMA in 2017, with a 77% increase in incidents when compared to 2016. This category included mistreatment, denial of opportunities or denial of services based on Islamophobic prejudice, some of which was institutional in nature.
• Places of Anti-Muslim Hate Incidents: Consistent with previous years, the largest proportion of street-based incidents took place within public areas such as parks and shopping areas and the second most common place for incidents was public transport networks, such as trams, buses etc.
• Gender Variances in Attacks: 2017 data showed that at a street level nearly 6 out of 10 victims of anti-Muslim hate were women and 8 in 10 of the perpetrators were male, re-affirming previous findings over the years, that anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia at a street level is also male on female abuse in addition to anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry. 
• Victim Ethnicity – Predominantly Asian females

10). Perpetrator Ethnicity – Predominantly white males

11). Victim and Perpetrator Age Ranges

Where age group data was available, the most common age for victims was 26-35.

The most common age for perpetrators was 13-18.

References

^[1] Ibid.

^[2] Texas Lone Star. Twitter post. 2016. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20170112123756/https://twitter.com/SouthLoneStar/ (retrieved 18/06/2018).

^[3] Texas Lone Star. Twitter post. March 11 2017, 20:01. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20170112123756/https://twitter.com/SouthLoneStar/ (retrieved 18/06/2018).

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Tell MAMA’s annual report (2016) highlights the gendered nature of anti-Muslim prejudice at a street level and the need to fully understand the intersectional nature of anti-Muslim hatred where race, gender and anti-Muslim prejudice intersect within cases.

Given the impact of anti-Muslim hatred on the mobility of Muslim women and on the personal life choices that they make, the impacts are also felt within the family and have implications for integration and social cohesion. Tell MAMA re-enforces the need for greater awareness within police forces about the intersectional and gendered nature of anti-Muslim hatred at a street level and the negative perceptions that it can build within victims and their families, around their place and future in communities

Tell MAMA’s annual report for 2016 finds a range of social impacts caused by anti-Muslim hatred within the United Kingdom. The greatest impact is again felt by visible Muslim women, who wear Islamic clothing, be it the headscarf (hijab), face veil (niqab), the abaya, or a combination of garments. Commensurate with our 2015 annual report, 56% of victims in in-person or street-based incidents were females.  A majority of perpetrators are male 66%, and where identifiable, 69% of perpetrators for such offences are white males. The language of some perpetrators also had misogynistic overtones, meaning that women were abused for their gender and religious identity.

Against this backdrop, we recorded a 47% rise in the number street-based incidents (n=642), in the 2016 calendar year, up from the 437 street-based incidents recorded in our previous reporting period. A street-based incident is an incident that occurred in-person between a victim (or property) and a perpetrator. Of the 1,223 reports of street-based and online anti-Muslim incidents in 2016, we verified 953 reports, demonstrating our due diligence in ensuring that cases are indeed anti-Muslim in nature, where the victim, or victims, perceived that they were targeted on the perception of their Muslim identity.

Consistent with broader research, anti-Muslim hatred in 2016, as with our previous annual report, is overwhelmingly an issue of abusive behaviour, with over half (54%) of all our reports falling under the flag of abusive behaviour, which is a 4% rise on the 2015 annual report. The abuse is verbal or non-verbal in spaces that occupy the day-to-day lives of Muslims. Meaning such incidents took place in public areas, which include streets, public parks and any other public space, on transport networks, the workplace or when out shopping. Perhaps most invasively, this day-to-day form of abuse can happen in and around the homes of Muslims, harming their sense of safety and limiting their social mobility. A lack of intervention from members of the public during incidents, especially on public transport, can compound the deeper psychological impact that a hate crime can have on a person, compared to equivalent non-aggravated offences.

The report launch coincides with the annual #No2h8November awareness month to highlight how communities, key partners, and society at large works to counter the scourge of hatred and racism.

The post A Constructed Threat: Identity, Intolerance and the Impact of Anti-Muslim Hatred , Tell MAMA Annual Report 2016 appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Though the guide has a focus on anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism, its advice can, and should, be used by anybody who has suffered any kind of hate crime, which can occur due to race, religion, sexuality, age, disability, gender or any other characteristic.

Tell MAMA, the CST and many other agencies have repeatedly stated, that as levels of reported hate crime continues to grow in the UK, collaborative efforts to educate and inform those affected by it are increasingly important.

Introductory statements within the guide include:

Iman Atta OBE, Director Tell MAMA

We have seen a rise over the last five years in the reporting of anti-Muslim hatred. Tell MAMA has been at the vanguard of supporting victims of anti-Muslim hatred, whilst collecting evidence and mapping, monitoring and measuring incidents across the United Kingdom. Through partnership work in the production of materials such as this guide, we hope that we can collectively make it easier for people to report, take charge and feel confident when they report hate incidents. We stand together with other communities in working to counter hatred, intolerance and bigotry.

David S Delew, Chief Executive, CST

Despite our best efforts to combat all forms of hate crime and hate incidents, levels of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred in the UK are unfortunately on the rise. CST works hard to protect, support and inform victims of antisemitism. This collaborative guide will be an important tool for all those affected by hate crime in understanding their rights, and how to navigate the complicated criminal justice system.

Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, Communities Secretary:

Hate crime against any community is entirely unacceptable. Everyone in this country has a right to live without fear of abuse or attack and we must, as a nation, firmly condemn hate crimes and all other forms of bigotry. It is vital that victims have the confidence to report crimes to the Police. This Government is committed to making sure that those who perpetuate hate are subject to the full force of the law – but we cannot do this alone. This guide is an example of how we can work together to stamp out hate crime and support victims in bringing their cases forward so that justice can be served.

Alison Saunders CB, Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Prosecution Service:

We want communities and individuals to have the confidence to come forward and report these offences, no matter how minor they may appear. This guide is an important way of ensuring that victims can make informed decisions about the most appropriate course of action, taking account of their particular personal circumstances. Hate crime divides communities and the CPS has an absolute commitment to bring perpetrators to justice and support victims and witnessed through the criminal justice system.

The post Launch of Guide on Hate Crimes Demonstrating Strong Partnership Working appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Participants in the report talk about the disturbing nature of verbal and physical violence that they have suffered. A convert to Islam, Sophie (who wears the Hijab) stated, “a guy walked past, he spat at me and called me a ‘Muzzi’. Also, I’ve been called dirty Paki, (I am white), as a group of guys walked past and shouted ‘speak English in our country.’ I was looking at a map and did not say anything.”

Some participants also warned about the risks of radicalisation, especially for young people as a result of suffering online and/or offline anti-Muslim hate crimes. One respondent, Hamza, noted that “anti-Muslim hate crime has affected Muslims. This is why Muslims are going to Syria. This is why they support ISIS. When people experience Islamophobic abuse, they will be easily radicalised. They feel weak, lonely, isolated, and rejected from British society. This is when these hate preachers pick them up and brainwash them. If you are constantly victimised, you are weak.”

This report also highlights an impact on Muslim communities which is rarely discussed and which includes changes in dress style so that attention is not drawn to the visibility of their faith. The report highlights the issue of Muslims managing their Muslim identity on-line and off-line with the aim of reducing future abuse. It states that, “the reality of anti-Muslim hate crime creates ‘invisible’ boundaries, across which members of the Muslim community are not ‘welcome’ to step. The enactment of both virtual and physical boundaries impacts upon ‘emotional geographies’ in relation to the way in which Muslims perceive the spaces and places around and outside their communities of abode. Rather than risk the threat of being attacked, either off-line or on-line, many actual and potential victims opt to change their lifestyles and retreat to ‘their own’ communities.

The post REPORT: “We Fear for Our Lives”: Offline and Online Experiences of Anti-Muslim Hostility appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Yet, today we are in a turbulent environment where some politicians think that pointing to posters showing Syrian refugees who are visibly racially and religiously different, is perfectly normal political campaigning. We are in a period where post Brexit, some feel that their hatred and prejudice has been legitimised and we are in a period where terrorism and extremism fuels anti-Muslim hatred.

The upside of this is that anti-Muslim hatred plays into the hands of violent extremists from Muslim communities. It gives credibility and credence to those who say, “see they don’t want you (Muslims) in Europe, so why don’t you go to Syria and Iraq.” These radicalisers rarely give their lives in their extremism, but they generate a lost youth who die in the deserts of a foreign land in the Middle East. This is one of the legacies of anti-Muslim hate, mixed in with a victim culture and with extremist ideology.

We must redouble our efforts collectively to tackle all forms of hate where we find them. In that struggle, we must defeat the forces of anti-Muslim haters who stealthily promote their poison. Muslims are part and parcel of the development of this country and their place in society needs to be defended and protected. We will continue to play a role in a country that values pluralism and which values human rights.

Offline figures trebled in the 2015 calendar year:

The number of offline incidents have trebled from 146 in 2014/15 (12 months to March 2015) to 437 ‘offline’ incidents in the 2015 calendar year. This shows an increase of 300 per cent and there was an increase over time on the previous reporting period by 200 per cent.

‘Offline’ incidents happened in-person between a victim (or property) and a perpetrator.

Anti-Muslim hate impacts Muslims when they travel, shop and socialise in public

Our data shows that the hotspots of anti-Muslim hate occur when Muslims use public and private transport networks, walk in public spaces of cities, and where they do their shopping.

The largest proportion of victims are Muslim women, perpetrators are overwhelmingly male

Muslim women are more likely to be attacked than men in most settings. The largest proportion of perpetrators are white males. This means that the largest proportion of incidents involves Muslim women, usually wearing Islamic clothing – be it the hijab, abaya or niqab.  Verbal abuse from men often carries misogynistic, racist and Islamophobic overtones.

Verbal abuse and assaults were most common incident types in offline cases

Of the ‘offline’ cases, 219 involved verbal abuse and 74 involved assault (including common assault, battery, as well as attempted and grievous bodily harm).

Offline incidents by where they occurred

Incidents often occur near major public transport areas

It appears that areas near arterial roads in metropolitan areas experience a relatively higher level of anti-Muslim hate crime. Similarly, 84 per cent of all incidents in London recorded by Tell MAMA and the MPS occurred within 200 metres of a bus stop and 48 per cent of all incidents occurred within 100 metres of a bus stop.

Far-right, nativist hate speech about Muslims and Islam online is being normalised

A majority of cases reported to Tell MAMA in the online sphere concerned hate speech, harassment and bullying on Facebook and Twitter. Our analysis found that nativist, far-right language construed Muslims as violent rapists or terrorists and a cultural threat to Britain. Our data reveals that 45 per cent of perpetrators of online incidents are verifiably supportive of the far-right. If we could not prove far-right affiliation, it demonstrates that far-right narratives are being normalised in online discussions which directly and indirectly target Muslims online.

The post The geography of anti-Muslim hatred in 2015: Tell MAMA Annual Report appeared first on TELL MAMA.

– 548 verified incidents (of 729) reported to Tell MAMA (a number that broadly reflects the 2012/2013 report when 584 incidents were recorded).

– A decrease from the previous report but that reflects the documented spike of incidents following the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in 2013/2014.

– A majority of incidents took place online (402 out of 548 or roughly two-thirds).

– In the online sphere, a vast proportion of incidents were abusive in nature and nearly a fifth involved threats.

– The ‘memeification’ of anti-Muslim hate online was traceable with a high number of ‘anti-Muslim literature’ incidents.

– Nearly a fifth of service users reported repeated offline incidents of anti-Muslim hate.

– Again, Muslim women (48 incidents) suffered more offline incidents than men (40 incidents) in the dataset.

– 44 offline cases noted that the individual, at the time of the incident, wearing traditional Islamic clothing during and the perpetrators’ were overwhelmingly white male.

– 7 offline cases involved ‘extreme violence’, 21 constituted assault and 29 involved threats.

– Damage to Islamic institutions and personal properties totalled 15 incidents.

– The evolving data coding and approval process carries a good degree of confidence from CFAPS’s analysis.

Another worrying trend highlighted in the analysis detailed how global acts of terror – whether in Paris, Copenhagen or Sydney – inspired or at least fostered an environment where individuals felt justified in spreading anti-Muslim hate either on social media or on a street-based level. In the wake of the Paris atrocities, the number of reported incidents for offline and online incidents increased.

How sections of the media portrays these incidents potentially (and often unintentionally) may inspire part of the backlash. The report does not call for censorship but engagement with media outlets to promote a more nuanced understanding of ‘terrorist motivations in order to reduce the impact of coverage relating to, or even fuelling, instances of ‘cumulative extremism’.

The dataset offers a window into the levels of anti-Muslim hate in 2014 and the early parts of 2015. But a perceived mistrust of police in sections of Muslim communities means underreporting of incidents remains a consistent problem.

Our working agreement with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), agreed upon in March 2015, to share data on anti-Muslim incidents (with police forces that record Islamophobic crimes under a separate flag) will continue to strengthen our reporting in the months ahead.

The post TELL MAMA 2014/2015 Findings on Anti-Muslim Hate appeared first on TELL MAMA.

What is sadly clear is that the comments left on the Britain First Facebook page on the day of the launch of the Rotherham grooming report, showed that comments and language ranged from outright prejudice against individuals of Pakistani heritage, to prejudice and hate against Islam and Muslims. The report also showed the trajectory of that hate and how it turned into wanting to take action against mosques and Islamic institutions. This report makes for sombre reading as to how national events can lead to the targeting of whole communities and innocent individuals who happen to be of the same racial, cultural or religious heritage.

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The post Rotherham, Hate, and the Far Right Online appeared first on TELL MAMA.

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The Centre for Fascist, Anti-fascist and Post-fascist Studies at Teesside University, independently analysed Tell Mama’s anti-Muslim incident data for 2013/2014.

Some of the key findings include:

– Tell Mama recorded 734 self-reported anti-Muslim incidents between May 2013 and February 2014 (599 online and 135 offline) – a near 20 per cent increase on the same period last year.

– More than half of anti-Muslim incidents are committed against women (54 per cent); women were often targets because they wore traditional Islamic dress.

– The under-reporting of incidents remains a serious problem (nearly 5 out of six victims of offline and online abuse did not go to the police.)

– Three months after Lee Rigby’s murder, Tell Mama recorded 34 anti-Muslim attacks on properties (most notably mosques), incidents ranged from arson to graffiti.

– In May and June of 2013, there were 354 verified anti-Muslim incidents (281 online and 73 offline.)

– Two-fifths of all anti-Muslim incidents recorded by Tell Mama reported a link to far-right groups (e.g. BNP/EDL.)

Improving Data Collection

In the past year alone, we took great care in improving the robustness of our data collection, following recommendations from stakeholders in the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and Community Security Trust (CST).

The CST’s wealth of experience in recording anti-Semitic abuse is a model that continues to inspire the Tell Mama project.

So what are the improvements?

– Before any data is categorised, senior members of Tell Mama staff independently verify that incidents are indeed anti-Muslim in nature.

– Caseworkers now require secondary validation (e.g. an additional witness in the case of offline violence or link to abusive online content.)

– Islam is not immune from criticism and these changes will ensure better support for genuine victims of abuse.

– Any ‘scraped data’ that is not self-reported (from third-party sources, newspapers or other online sources) is discounted.

– Improvements in flagging up repeat reports minimises double counting.

– Sub-coding of incidents (e.g. for online abuse) include ‘drop-down’ options for ‘anti-Muslim literature,’ ‘life-threatening abuse’ and ‘non-life-threatening abuse.’

– Offline incidents are categorised as ‘property damage’, ‘assault’, ‘threat’, ‘extreme violence’ and ‘anti-Muslim literature.’ That way, a distinction between online and offline abuse is clear.

Cases now face a secondary random check from a senior member of the Faith Matters staff. A failure to meet the above criteria results in removal, triggering a full audit of the preceding week of reports.

But we should not downplay the seriousness of online abuse, and the hurt it causes victims, as often, it is not solved by simply walking away from the computer.

For example, in the aftermath of Lee Rigby’s murder, a far-right supporter went to prison after posting online threats against Muslims. Others got in legal hot water after posting online threats about burning down mosques.

Bucking the Hate Crime Trend

Of the 734 self-reported incidents, 135 were offline in nature. Whilst most of the offline incidents were non-violent in nature (ranging from property damage to abuse), the 23 cases of assault and 13 cases of extreme violence are very alarming given the short data cycle. For example, the CST had no self-reported incidents of extreme violence last year.

The alleged perpetrators of offline abuse were overwhelmingly young (60 per cent were between 10 and 30 years old.) A fifth of alleged perpetrators were female.

Both stats broadly follow the CPS statistics on racial and religiously motivated hate crimes in 2012/13. Yet, the most alarming difference is the volume of women (54 per cent) self-reporting hate crimes.

The religiosity of female British Muslims makes them a target for abuse – nearly a quarter of female victims wear various Islamic clothing (e.g. hijab, abaya and niqab.)

Attacks against visibly dressed Muslim females may not accurately explain away the trend of hate crimes being opportunistic and situational. The data suggests that the alleged perpetrators of anti-Muslim hate crimes at a street-based level, are young white males targeting Muslim women, and that is a cause for concern.

More than that, the Tell Mama data bucks the trend of hate crime reporting, which the government figures show as falling.

The ‘Post-Woolwich’ Spike

Following the murder of Lee Rigby, there was a dramatic increase in anti-Muslim incidents during the week following his death when compared to the previous week, but the volume of incidents did reduce months later.

Various police forces noted a rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes during this period:

– Anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by a third (to 206 and 523 respectively) across all 32 reporting boroughs of London. A fifth of anti-Muslim incidents took place in May alone.

– The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) noted 71 incidents of anti-Muslim abuse five days after Rigby’s murder.

– Greater Manchester Police (GMP) recorded an increase of religious hate crime, which rose from 31 recorded incidents in April to 47 in May, it did not return to its average spike (of 25 incidents) until July 2013.

– The Birmingham Mail reported that religious hate crimes increased by 63 per cent (to 82 offences) in the West Midlands.

The Role of the Far-Right

– Two-fifths of all anti-Muslim incidents recorded by Tell Mama reported a link to far-right groups (e.g. BNP, EDL, etc.)

– Nearly half of online abuse is linked to the far-right, thanks to their use of the EDL’s NFSE (No f*cking surrender ever) slogan, avatars with neo-Nazi connotations, and hashtags linked to far-right groups.

– The neo-Nazi terrorist Pavlo Lapshyn, attempted to bomb several mosques, and murdered Mohammed Saleem.

– Another neo-Nazi, Ian Forman, plotted to bomb two Merseyside mosques in the aftermath of Rigby’s murder.

To quote from the report’s conclusion, “Various indicators suggest that anti-Muslim hate crimes notably rose in Britain between 1 May 2013 and February 2014.”

The post ‘Anti-Muslim Overview, Analysis & Cumulative Extremism’, July 2014 appeared first on TELL MAMA.

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The post ‘Maybe We Are Hated’: The Experience and Impact of Anti-Muslim Hate on British Muslim Women, November 2013 appeared first on TELL MAMA.

This report looks at the period of 2012/2013 and covers the first year of activities within TELL MAMA and the monitoring of anti-Muslim hatred across the United Kingdom. Key findings can be found through the link below.

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The post Anti-Muslim Hate Crime and the Far Right, June 2013 appeared first on TELL MAMA.