Greatest Rise in Reported Anti-Muslim Hate Cases to Tell MAMA since Oct 7th
(Tell MAMA has recorded a 335% increase in anti-Muslim hate cases, comparing the last 4 months to those in 2022/2023)
Contact: Iman Atta OBE
Tel: 0800 456 12 26
Email: info@tellmamauk.org
Embargo: None – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As the leading hate crime monitoring agency on measuring anti-Muslim hate, Tell MAMA recorded over 2,000 anti-Muslim cases in the four months that followed Hamas’s deadly terror attacks on October 7. This is the largest recorded number of cases in four months, since Tell MAMA was founded in 2011.
Following the publication of our previous briefing on December 20, Tell MAMA can confirm that in total, of the 2,010 cases post October 7th 2023, 901 occurred offline with 1,109 online cases. In comparison with the same timescale a year earlier, this demonstrates a 335% increase in anti-Muslim hate cases.
(In stark contrast, between 7 October 2022 and 7 February 2023, Tell MAMA recorded 310 offline cases and 290 online cases, respectively.)
Consistent with our previous statistical bulletins, a geographic breakdown for offline cases is as follows:
Tell MAMA received 576 cases in London, 71 in the northwest, 27 in South Yorkshire, 39 in West Yorkshire, 33 in the East Midlands and 41 in the West Midlands. In other areas, like the Southeast, we recorded 26 and in the Southwest of England, we recorded 27 cases. The final geographic areas concern Scotland (21), Wales (9), and the Northeast (31).
Regarding the types of cases recorded, Tell MAMA received 535 cases of abusive behaviour, 77 threats, 83 assaults, 79 acts of vandalism, 69 cases of discrimination, 39 acts of hate speech and 19 examples of anti-Muslim literature. And in over 65% of these cases, women were the target of such attacks. This once again demonstrates that British Muslim women have borne the majority of the brunt of anti-Muslim hate during this time.
Like all Tell MAMA cases, the figures are subject to further revision and analysis. We ensure that evidence is corroborated where possible and that cases are reviewed.
Statement by the Director of Tell MAMA – Iman Atta OBE
“We are deeply concerned about the impacts that the Israel and Gaza war are having on hate crimes and on social cohesion in the U.K. Hate crimes against British Muslims have substantially risen and our data clearly demonstrates this. This rise in anti-Muslim hate is unacceptable and we hope that political leaders speak out to send a clear message that anti-Muslim hate, like antisemitism, is unacceptable in our country. There really is no space for hate and more than ever, it is essential that we sustain, nurture and protect the bonds that we have between communities, so that we all feel valued and safe in our communities and in our country”.
Street Level Anti-Muslim Abuse
Examples of street-level abuse and harassment flagged with our service since our December bulletin include a case of a Muslim woman in Islamic clothing who described the assault she faced when on a bus in East London. During the assault one of the perpetrators made inflammatory statements to her including, “you Muslims are troublemakers”. A hate crime investigation is ongoing, as we continue to provide support and liaise with the Metropolitan police.
In another London-based case, a woman described how someone vandalized their car with a Nazi swastika.
Outside of London, street-level abuse included cases of Muslim women harassed in the street and called “terrorists”, a classic anti-Muslim trope.
Tell MAMA is also liaising with Durham Police over a written death threat to worshippers at a mosque in Darlington on the 29th of December. Furthermore, local Muslim and Palestinian communities spoke of their fear about rising levels of racism and hate locally when speaking to the Northern Echo newspaper.
Another case included the targeting of a Muslim family home after someone daubed “Hamas” on their front door.
Online Anti-Muslim Abuse
In the online world, comparisons continue to show a sharp rise in reported cases. For example, in January 2023 Tell MAMA received 18 online anti-Muslim hate cases. In January 2024, we received 70 cases.
Following our December bulletin, we continued to record cases on public transport. One case of note is the targeting of individuals expressing visible support for Palestine (be it wearing a badge or carrying a Palestinian flag) who faced abuse, including anti-Muslim slurs like being a “terrorist”.
Statements by far right sympathisers post October 7th have included comments around demonstrations for a Gaza ceasefire that have included, “f*** off” to a Muslim country and do so”.
We also note that X, (formerly known as Twitter), suspended an account that asked users “Who’d win in the upcoming civil war in Britain?” providing two options: “British” or “Muslim”; the post attracted various replies from individuals who expressed overt anti-Muslim sentiments, boasted Crusader imagery in their bios and who made racialised and extremist comments about Muslim communities.
Reference Points
Our previous bulletins can be found here, here, here, here, here, here and here. The December bulletins appear here.
We attach the same advice and safety tips below as with previous bulletins. We urge Muslim communities and mosques to keep them to hand.
Standing together, not apart
In the current climate, we continue to urge communities to stand together and practice compassion and care for each other and for themselves; to be upstanders and intervene safely to stop racism and hate crimes.
Safety advice
We urge mosques and Islamic centres to download our mosque safety advice resources and to consider our updated mosque security advice service.
We have safety advice in both English and Arabic – and urge Muslim communities to remain vigilant when out and about.
Our counselling service is accessible to anyone in need. If you would like to access the service or find out more about it, e-mail us at counselling@tellmamauk.org
ENDS
Notes
1) Tell MAMA is a national service supporting victims of anti-Muslim hate through casework, counselling, advocacy, legal and signposting support.
2) Tell MAMA was founded in 2012 and is supported by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.