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.”
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Tell MAMA – Notes
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