CAIRO – With Muslims often portrayed as “terrorists” who are seeking to “Islamize” the country, a British study is accusing politicians and media of fuelling hatred and assaults against London’s Muslims, reported the Guardian on Thursday, January 28.
"The constant assault on Muslims from certain politicians, and above all in the mainstream media, has created an atmosphere where hate crimes, ranging from casual abuse to arson and even murder, are bound to occur and are even in a sense encouraged by mainstream society," journalist Peter Oborne writes in the report’s forward.
The report, by the University of Exeter’s European Muslim research center, said politicians and media are to blame for the surging hate crimes against London Muslims.
"The report provides prima facie and empirical evidence to demonstrate that assailants of Muslims are invariably motivated by a negative view of Muslims they have acquired from either mainstream or extremist nationalist reports or commentaries in the media."
It cites the book Londonistan written by a Daily Mail writer as an example of the media role in fuelling anti-Muslim sentiments.
"Islamophobic, negative and unwarranted portrayals of Muslim London as Londonistan and Muslim Londoners as terrorists, sympathisers and subversives in sections of the media appear to provide the motivation for a significant number of anti-Muslim hate crimes."
The umbrella Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) on Wednesday accused the government of failure to tackle the surging anti-Muslim hatred, saying politicians either keep their silence or ride the bandwagon of anti-Islam trend.
A recent government-commissioned study has also found that a torrent of negative and imbalance stories in the British media demonize Muslims and their faith by portraying them as the enemy within.
British Muslims, estimated at two million, have also taken full brunt of anti-terror laws since the 7/7 attacks.
They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.
* Rightist Assaults
The report, based on interviews with witnesses to and victims of hate crimes, notes a link between the media and anti-Muslim assaults by rightists, such as the British National Party (BNP).
"An experienced BNP activist in London explains that he believes that most BNP supporters simply followed the lead set by their favourite tabloid commentators that they read every day,” it says.
"When these commentators singled out Muslims as threats to security and social cohesion, he says that it was perfectly natural for BNP supporters to adopt the same thinking."
The BNP, a far-right and whites-only political party, is notorious for attacks against immigrants and Muslims.
BNP leader Nick Griffin had earlier described Islam as a “wicked and vicious faith”.
The report said that Muslims are the focus of assaults by rightists and gangs other than any ethnic or religious groups.
"Interviewees with long experience of extremist nationalist street violence in London are unequivocal in their assessment that Muslim Londoners are now a prime target for serious violence and intimidation in the way that Londoners from minority ethnic communities once were.
"Similarly, interviewees with experience of London street gangs that have no connection or affinity with extremist nationalist politics are adamant that Muslims have become prime targets for serious attacks.
"In addition, well-informed interviewees are clear that the main perpetrators of low-level anti-Muslim hate crimes are not gangs but rather simply individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who feel licensed to abuse, assault and intimidate Muslims in terms that mirror elements of mainstream media and political comment that became commonplace during the last decade."
London Muslims are being targeted by gangs in “punishment” over members turning to embrace Islam, notes the report.
"Often, they know someone who has left their scene and become a devout Muslim.
"That is like a defection. And whether they do or don't, they say they know this or that terrorist who used to be a great person till he joined the Muslims."
It said gang members believe Muslim values “oppose everything these kids aspire for”.
“Flash cars, nightclubs, expensive clothes, jewellery, drugs, alcohol, casual sex, glamour, dancing, music ...".
In 2004, a young British Muslim assaulted by a gang of youths while going to prayers in London, leaving him with brain-damaged.
The report, to be followed by another this summer covering Britain’s Muslims, called for utmost efforts to tackle the anti-Muslim hatred.
"Anti-Muslim hate crimes have not been afforded the same priority attention [that] government and police have invested in racist hate crimes."
Source: IslamOnline
"The constant assault on Muslims from certain politicians, and above all in the mainstream media, has created an atmosphere where hate crimes, ranging from casual abuse to arson and even murder, are bound to occur and are even in a sense encouraged by mainstream society," journalist Peter Oborne writes in the report’s forward.
The report, by the University of Exeter’s European Muslim research center, said politicians and media are to blame for the surging hate crimes against London Muslims.
"The report provides prima facie and empirical evidence to demonstrate that assailants of Muslims are invariably motivated by a negative view of Muslims they have acquired from either mainstream or extremist nationalist reports or commentaries in the media."
It cites the book Londonistan written by a Daily Mail writer as an example of the media role in fuelling anti-Muslim sentiments.
"Islamophobic, negative and unwarranted portrayals of Muslim London as Londonistan and Muslim Londoners as terrorists, sympathisers and subversives in sections of the media appear to provide the motivation for a significant number of anti-Muslim hate crimes."
The umbrella Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) on Wednesday accused the government of failure to tackle the surging anti-Muslim hatred, saying politicians either keep their silence or ride the bandwagon of anti-Islam trend.
A recent government-commissioned study has also found that a torrent of negative and imbalance stories in the British media demonize Muslims and their faith by portraying them as the enemy within.
British Muslims, estimated at two million, have also taken full brunt of anti-terror laws since the 7/7 attacks.
They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.
* Rightist Assaults
The report, based on interviews with witnesses to and victims of hate crimes, notes a link between the media and anti-Muslim assaults by rightists, such as the British National Party (BNP).
"An experienced BNP activist in London explains that he believes that most BNP supporters simply followed the lead set by their favourite tabloid commentators that they read every day,” it says.
"When these commentators singled out Muslims as threats to security and social cohesion, he says that it was perfectly natural for BNP supporters to adopt the same thinking."
The BNP, a far-right and whites-only political party, is notorious for attacks against immigrants and Muslims.
BNP leader Nick Griffin had earlier described Islam as a “wicked and vicious faith”.
The report said that Muslims are the focus of assaults by rightists and gangs other than any ethnic or religious groups.
"Interviewees with long experience of extremist nationalist street violence in London are unequivocal in their assessment that Muslim Londoners are now a prime target for serious violence and intimidation in the way that Londoners from minority ethnic communities once were.
"Similarly, interviewees with experience of London street gangs that have no connection or affinity with extremist nationalist politics are adamant that Muslims have become prime targets for serious attacks.
"In addition, well-informed interviewees are clear that the main perpetrators of low-level anti-Muslim hate crimes are not gangs but rather simply individuals from a wide range of backgrounds who feel licensed to abuse, assault and intimidate Muslims in terms that mirror elements of mainstream media and political comment that became commonplace during the last decade."
London Muslims are being targeted by gangs in “punishment” over members turning to embrace Islam, notes the report.
"Often, they know someone who has left their scene and become a devout Muslim.
"That is like a defection. And whether they do or don't, they say they know this or that terrorist who used to be a great person till he joined the Muslims."
It said gang members believe Muslim values “oppose everything these kids aspire for”.
“Flash cars, nightclubs, expensive clothes, jewellery, drugs, alcohol, casual sex, glamour, dancing, music ...".
In 2004, a young British Muslim assaulted by a gang of youths while going to prayers in London, leaving him with brain-damaged.
The report, to be followed by another this summer covering Britain’s Muslims, called for utmost efforts to tackle the anti-Muslim hatred.
"Anti-Muslim hate crimes have not been afforded the same priority attention [that] government and police have invested in racist hate crimes."
Source: IslamOnline
