Hammad Khan spoke after the arrest of a white man in his 50s, who had gone into Manchester Central Mosque wearing hi-vis and had with him an axe, knife and hammer.

Greater Manchester Police say they have not declared it a terrorist incident but are working with Counter Terrorism Police to investigate.

The suspect is being held on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs.

A second man, a black male, who is believed to have been with the suspect but left before officers arrived, is now being hunted by police.

Mr Khan said volunteers kept the suspect talking until police arrived and arrested him, where he shouted, “I’m not a terrorist!” according to one man who was present as he was taken away.

Mr Khan said the suspect was “very calm” and had been spotted visiting the mosque, in the Victoria Park area of south Manchester, before last night.

However, after entering the mosque around 8.30pm on Tuesday, where around 1,500 people were saying Ramadan prayers, an axe was spotted in his bag and he was ushered into an office by volunteers and police called.

He had a knife and a hammer on him, along with “other materials” relating to the Second World War and some newspaper cuttings.

Mr Khan added: “His demeanour was very calm.

“He wasn’t under the influence of anything at all. I also understand he was also carrying some other materials with him relating to World War Two, also some newspaper cuttings, which the police have.

“The volunteers obviously kept the conversation going in very amenable way to ensure the situation did not escalate in any way.”

Mr Khan said he had asked police for an increased police presence around all the local mosques after an increase in hate mail and threats.

He added: “I was disappointed that we didn’t have visible presence.

“I stressed prior to the month of Ramadan we needed police presence because prayers go on to late at night.”

Sir Keir Starmer said: “I am concerned to hear of the incident at Manchester Central Mosque last night.

“I know this will be worrying for Muslim communities, especially during Ramadan, a time of peace and reflection.

“My thanks go to the volunteers and emergency services for their quick response.

“We have provided up to £40 million funding for additional security at mosques, Muslim schools and community centres, and will continue to act to ensure communities are able to live without fear.”

In a statement, the mosque said a “serious security incident” had occurred during prayers and the Muslim community more generally had experienced a rise in threats and hostility in recent years.

Assistant Chief Constable John Webster, from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: “We were called at around 8.40pm to concern from security staff at the mosque about a white man in a high-vis jacket carrying a bag with an axe inside.

“The man had reportedly claimed to be in the mosque to do work on the building, but staff had no knowledge of this.

“They rightly acted on their suspicions and called police.

“There was no suggestion that he made any threats or confronted members of the congregation.

“However, we understand the concern that this suspicious and concerning behaviour caused.

“We quickly responded to the scene where we searched the suspect, arrested him and seized weapons, including an axe, a knife and class B drugs.

“The suspect, a white man in his 50s, is under arrest on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon and class B drugs.

“At this time, it is not clear what the circumstances or intent, if any, was around this incident.

“I know this uncertainty can cause concern, but it is key that we have the time to question the suspect and speak to as many witnesses as possible to understand the nature of this incident.

“To ensure we are appropriately exploring every line of inquiry, we are working with detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing North West, but it has not been declared a terrorist incident.

“We are taking this very seriously and have increased patrols around mosques at what we know is a really important time for Muslim communities as they come together during Ramadan.

“We’re reviewing all available CCTV and body-worn video to identify a second man, a black man, who was reported as acting suspiciously in the mosque at the same time as the suspect.

“He is described as approximately in his late 40s, with an athletic build and short stubbled facial hair.

“He was wearing a grey hoody with the hood up, a navy blue jacket with that hood also up (double hood), blue tracksuit bottoms, and white trainers.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact GMP on 101 or through the LiveChat function on the force’s website. They can also contact Tell MAMA on 0800 456 1226.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Read More: Leeds Crossbow Attacker Praised Christchurch Terrorist Online, Planned Massacre.

The post Call for more police help from Manchester mosque after ‘concerning’ axe incident appeared first on TELL MAMA.

We are deeply concerned about the way that Greater Manchester Police initially communicated the incident to members of the public and we are also aware that there were community based concerns before this incident in Manchester airport, around the flying of Gaza flags on private homes. Some residents who flew such flags on their properties were questioned by members of Greater Manchester Police. So, prior to the Manchester airport incident, there were community based concerns around policing.

We within Tell MAMA are clear. There are no circumstances that a man lying on the floor and who is not a threat to anyone, should end up being kicked in the head and then stamped on, as the officer in question did. Whilst Greater Manchester Police talked about context, there is no context that can justify these actions.

We understand that criminal charges may be brought against the officer. We await the result of the outcome of the IOPC investigation and we hope that the investigation will publish its results so that the findings are accessible to members of the public.

There are tens of thousands of men and women serving in our police forces on a daily basis. They suffer abuse, high stress levels and daily threats, yet, thankfully, we do not see them doing what the Greater Manchester Officer did on film. His actions are uncalled for and deeply troubling.

We will be tracking the outcome of this case and we will await a response to our letter from Greater Manchester Police.

The post Our Letter to Greater Manchester Police appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Kieran Turner, 37, re-shared the Christchurch terror attack video online on the day it happened.

The BBC reported that the 37-year-old was an army veteran.

Turner used alternative social media platforms like GAB and Bitchute to spread racist and harmful propaganda – according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), between 2016 and 2020, he “posted and re-shared material expressing antisemitic, transphobic, misogynistic, homophobic, racist and Islamophobic views.”

A year earlier, Kieran Turner wrote: “Britain needs 650 Thomas Mairs.”

Counter-terror police arrested him in November 2021, gathering substantial evidence of their online behaviour: encouraging terrorism, stirring up racial hatred, and disseminating terror attack videos.

Great Manchester Police revealed that Turner praised the banned neo-Nazi terror groups National Action and the Sonnenkrieg Division whilst possessing a copy of the white supremacist screed written by the Christchurch terrorist.

Our research revealed how over twenty individuals, later convicted of far-right terrorism offences, took inspiration from or sought to replicate the terror attacks in Christchurch.

Appearing at Manchester Crown Court on February 8, Turner received a prison sentence of 2 years and 8 months following guilty pleas: one count of encouraging terrorism (contravening Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006); two counts of disseminating terrorist publications (breaching Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006); and seven counts of stirring up racial hatred in written materials – contrary to Section 19 (1) of the Public Order Act 1986.

Responding to Kieran Turner’s jailing, who leads the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, made clear: “Kieran Turner’s extreme views and his relentless attempts to stir up hatred have no place in society.

“His online posts and comments were abhorrent and far-right extremists such as Turner have the potential to threaten public safety and security.

“The CPS will always seek to prosecute such appalling online criminal behaviour, and it is only right that Turner has been sentenced today for his crimes.”

Detective Superintendent Andrew Meeks, from the Counter Terrorism Policing North West, described how the investigation “revealed he held abhorrent views. The ideology he promoted creates fear and distrust and will not be tolerated,” adding that: “A lot of the work carried out by CTPNW cannot be seen but rest assured we are committed to identifying and prosecuting those who pose a risk to our society.

The post Neo-Nazi jailed for terror offences praised the murder of Jo Cox, shared Christchurch terror attack video appeared first on TELL MAMA.

The arrests came after officers simultaneously executed three search warrants in the Stockport area.

Two men, aged 22 and 47, remain in custody for questioning.

The shocking anti-Muslim and Islamophobic hate crime caused great distress and fear to worshippers in interviews with the press.

Detective Inspector Gareth Beasley of GMP’s Stockport division said: “Hate crimes are abhorrent and have no place in civil society.

“Today’s action sends a clear message that GMP will leave no stone unturned in order to hold those responsible for such offences to account and demonstrates to our communities that hate crime will never be tolerated.”

Days earlier, Greater Manchester Police did confirm that the hate crime investigation was ongoing and encouraged communities impacted to contact their @gmvictim line for support.

Tell MAMA continues to liaise with Greater Manchester Police following the dumping of a pig's head at a mosque in Stockport.

The hate crime investigation is ongoing and we will provide more updates where possible.#No2h8#WeStandTogether#Islamophobia pic.twitter.com/VMjlkPnPsW

— Tell MAMA UK (@TellMamaUK) December 14, 2022

Tell MAMA’s free counselling service is available to those impacted – we provide six free sessions over three months.

As protocol, we also encourage mosques and Islamic centres to keep our safety and security advice in mind.

We will continue to provide further updates where we can.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact GMP quoting 3246 09/12/22. Information can also be shared anonymously via the independent charity – Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Tell MAMA can also pass on information on your behalf.

The post Arrests made after pig’s head dumped on mosque’s roof in Stockport appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Manchester Evening News reported that 30-year-old David Platt was found guilty in under two hours at Manchester Crown Court.

Platt subjected taxi driver Mohammed Zubair to a torrent of racist abuse, including calling him the P-word and mocking the traditional clothing Mr Zubair wore to celebrate Eid with his family before collecting Platt and his girlfriend.

Platt called him a “P*** b******” and a “scruffy c***”.

The violence of the punch delivered to Mr Zubair left him with a fractured cheekbone and an injury to his eyelid, which required hospitalisation.

Having exited his vehicle, David Platt threatened him with further violence.

The Manchester Evening News report also disclosed that Platt had lied to the police during his initial interview, falsely claiming that he assaulted Mr Zubair because he caught him “masturbating”.

The racist assault caused great shock and distress to Mr Zubair.

Tell MAMA continues to provide taxi drivers and firms with a tailored programme within our existing support structures, the Safety, Security & Beyond scheme.

With Hate Crime Awareness Week upon us, we remind Muslim and other minoritised groups about the free guide “Hate Crime: a guide for those affected”, written in partnership with the Community Security Trust and the Crown Prosecution Service, which is free to download here.

#HateCrimeAwarenessWeek: in partnership with the @CST_UK and the @CPSUK, this accessible guide is there to help those who experience hate crime understand their rights, what support is available, and how to navigate the criminal justice system.

https://t.co/JXsDJMpg73 #nhcaw pic.twitter.com/9Q39uwy8aJ

— Tell MAMA UK (@TellMamaUK) October 12, 2022

The post Racist who punched taxi driver and called him a “P*** b******” jailed appeared first on TELL MAMA.

The incident occurred on the evening of November 27, and, despite the threat, the racist customer soon left the store as members of staff apologised, adding that the comments were unacceptable.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, and wishing to remain anonymous, he described how the man, whom he described as white and in his early-to-mid-forties, reacted to his innocuous request to maintain social distancing measures with such hostility, that even staff members had challenged him before their racist outburst, where he said: “I’ll call the police; if I call the police; they’ll take you to the airport and deport you.”

The Muslim man felt targeted due to his ethnicity and beard.

Nor did he report the racist incident to the police, citing a previous negative experience, where officers had informed him that despite the presence of CCTV footage, they had been unable to investigate further.

Following discussions, with our casework team, however, he did consent for our service to make an anonymous report to Greater Manchester Police to make them aware.

Last month, a senior police officer told a committee that arguments over face masks to limit the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) was a contributing factor in rising reports of racist hate crime.

Nick Ephgrave, who is the Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, said: “Someone will challenge someone about the use or not of a face mask, and then in the course of that interaction will then use racist language.”

These comments appeared within a broader context: of rising racist behaviour from neighbours during the national lockdown, or strangers targeting members of the public, reflecting how racist hate crime remains, overwhelmingly, an issue of aggravated public order offences.

Tell MAMA has long documented in previous annual reports how the dynamics of neighbours targeting Muslim individuals and families, warning in 2017 that: “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.”

And in 2018, one in 10 reports from Muslim men had sported beards when targeted in anti-Muslim and Islamophobic incidents.

Academics have also explored, more broadly, how, in a post-9/11 context, the racialised visibility of Muslim men are more likely to be deemed security threats or disloyal, as visible Muslim women, in particular, are questioned about their nationality and cultural values.

Tell MAMA has documented other case studies where Muslim men, targeted because of their ethnicity and religious appearance, faced discriminatory and dehumanising comments related to terrorism or explosives.

You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.

The post Racist told Muslim man he’d call the police to “deport you” when asked to maintain social distancing appeared first on TELL MAMA.

The incident occurred on June 2 at around 13:40 GMT.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, one of the women, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how a group of individuals in the car had shouted “bob heads” as they imitated the Indian headshake, called them “P*kis”, and shouted other abuse.

Both women were wearing the hijab and abaya when the incident occurred, but neither woman is Pakistani or South Asian, demonstrating how Muslims irrespective of ethnicity, are often racialised by perpetrators.

They reported the incident to Greater Manchester Police.

She described the perpetrators as being three white males and a white female, all between the ages of 18 and 25.

You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.

The post Muslim family shouted at and called “P*kis” in a car park in Manchester appeared first on TELL MAMA.

The incident took place outside of Salford City’s Peninsula Stadium on August 11 at around 10:00 am GMT.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, he consented to have his story shared anonymously to raise awareness of the incident, reported the Islamophobic and anti-Muslim abuse to staff who are investigating.

Tell MAMA reported the incident to Greater Manchester Police on their behalf.

The Muslim man felt targeted due to his beard, ethnicity, and thobe, which demonstrates the intersections between racialisation and religiosity. Non-Muslim men have faced racialised abuse and violence on the misperception that their appearance, including their ethnicity and beard, were indicators of the Islamic faith.

He described the perpetrator as a white male, who was in his mid-to-late fifties.

A spokesperson for Salford City spoke of their “immense disappointment”, and, in a statement to Tell MAMA, said: “We are hugely disappointed to learn of this, and it is being dealt with in cooperation with the relevant authorities. Salford City does not tolerate the use of racist or abusive language or behaviour and we will take relevant action against the person responsible in conjunction with Greater Manchester Police”.

Kick It Out, the anti-discrimination charity, reported a 43 per cent rise in reports of racist abuse in English football, with 274 reports when compared to the previous reporting cycle, with an additional 99 reports of racist abuse online.

Racist incidents continue to rise, with 274 incidents reported to Kick It Out during the season – an alarming 43% increase on the previous campaign.

An additional 99 reports were made regarding racist abuse online.

Full report: https://t.co/rlFsktKU7x #KickItOut pic.twitter.com/68uHY7bGRQ

— Kick It Out (@kickitout) July 24, 2019

Kick It Out also measures faith-based discrimination, which includes Islamophobia and antisemitism, rose by 75 per cent, with 63 reports compared to 36 reports the previous year. The charity said on Twitter that such a rise was “a significant cause for concern”.

Recent examples of Muslim footballers being targeted for racist abuse online, including Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Nottingham Forest striker Lewis Grabban were both subjects of criminal investigations, with 32-year-old Gary Hyland pleading guilty to the abuse of Salah last week.

Photographs of Grabban and Salah were doctored to include suicide vests.

Show Racism the Red Card, a charity which works to counter racism, issued a statement late last month after a small section of Newcastle United supporters made pro-Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) chants during a pre-season friendly with Hibernian FC.

Kick It Out has an online form and apps on Google Play and iOS to report racism and discrimination in football.

You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.

The post Salford City investigating racist slur made against Muslim supporter appeared first on TELL MAMA.

The incident took place on June 27.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, her mother described how several students from her daughter’s year group had targeted her and a friend in a local branch of the fast-food giant.

One of the students had, in a sarcastic manner, asked her daughter about their name and replied: “Oh, I thought your name was Quran!”.

The group of students then surrounded the young Muslim girl and her friend, which escalated further, when a male from the group stepped forward to grab her hijab and tap her head on repeated occasions, in a threatening manner.

Management then requested that the group leave after her mother became aware of the incident and complained.

When her daughter left, however, to use the toilet facilities, the female members of the group followed her and continued the harassment and intimidation.

Upon leaving the branch of McDonald’s the mother, daughter, her aunty, and her school friend walked towards the local mosque, when the group of students returned to harass them, this time, riding bicycles.

Upon entering the adjacent park, they noticed how adults had joined the group of abusive students, which they discerned were likely some of their parents or relatives.

The daughter then witnessed her mother and her aunt have their hijabs pulled by individuals in the group, and the threat of violence ceased once the police had arrived at the scene and made arrests.

Tell MAMA has declined to reveal the details of the family to protect their identities. And we continue to support them. Her mother added that the Islamophobic bullying and harassment had begun in school, but a failure from staff to address their multiple complaints had served to exacerbate the situation.

A failure to deal with the bullying has seen the family remove their daughter from the school, as they are now educating her at home.

The mother described that the perpetrators were white, and a range of ages and genders.

You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.

The post Muslim girl and her family assaulted in sustained campaign of abuse appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Tell MAMA was made aware of the graffiti on social media on February 18, but indications suggest that the graffiti is not recent.

The logo of the neo-fascist and neo-Nazi group, the National Front, appears on the chimney of the property.

Residents of Manchester famously turned out in large numbers to the Northern Carnival Against the Nazis in 1978, and, despite its dwindling numbers, has continued to maintain a visible presence in far-right protests in the area in recent years. The movement’s capacity for violence was felt, for example, in the Oldham area of Greater Manchester in 2001.

Tell MAMA has continued to document examples of how some have felt emboldened by the EU referendum result to carry out acts of Islamophobic or racist violence, acts of vandalism, or, in some cases, discriminatory practises. This graffiti may pre-date discussions of Brexit, but remains of deep concern.

The racialisation of Muslims is demonstrative of how traditional racial epithets, like ‘P*ki’, have become woven into the language of Islamophobic and anti-Muslim discourses.

In the interim of 2018, Tell MAMA verified 25 reports of vandalism and property damage, with 81 verified reports of vandalism in 2017 reporting cycle.

Tell MAMA will be raising the graffiti with Greater Manchester Police.

You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.

The post ‘P*kis Out’: racist graffiti spotted on Manchester rooftop appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at 10:31 pm GMT on Sunday evening.

The fire took several hours to contain and caused thousands of pounds of damage.

Iman Maaz Waheed told the Manchester Evening News that the mosque was largely empty when the fire broke out, and nobody was injured.

Mr Waheed also raised concerns about the security of the building but added that it should not be an issue for congregants to cover the cost of repairs.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed this afternoon (December 11) that the fire is hate crime related.

Detective Inspector Muz Kernain of GMP’s City of Manchester Division said: “Fortunately, no-one was injured in the fire but had it been earlier in the day, this could have been a very different story.

“Attacking a place of worship is truly disgusting and I can assure you we will not be taking this lightly.

“It’s so important we find who has done this – the pain and upset they have caused is deplorable.”

Tell MAMA continues to document incidents and attacks against masjids and other Islamic institutions in the public domain, with over one hundred incidents recorded since May 2013.

We are reissuing our safety tips, having raised concerns yesterday on social that the fire was indeed arson-related.

https://twitter.com/TellMamaUK/status/1072147349659676672

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 2220 of 09/12/18 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

The post Fire at mosque ruled as an Islamophobic hate crime, police launch appeal appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Here is a sneak preview of Tom’s tweets.

(Above) Here is Tom taking a Geography lesson and suggesting that the persecution of Christians in Egypt will take place here in the UK against Muslims – 18/08/13

(Above) Here is Tom, clearly not doing so well with vocabulary! A clear threat to kill Muslims – 18/08/13

(Above) Here is Tom again, this time suggesting that Egyptians (and defacto – according to him, Muslims), deserve to die – 18/08/13

And this is just for officers of Greater Manchester Police to make sure that they take in the right person when we lodge this with the Service. Lesson of the day: if you want to make physical threats to harm, you are breaking a range of laws in relation to the use of social media and the Racial and Religious Hatred Act, (2006).

The post Threats from ‘Tom EDL Nelson’ appeared first on TELL MAMA.