Showing posts with label Islamophobia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islamophobia. Show all posts

Thursday 2 November 2023

Brent to mark 'Islamophobia Awareness Month' with exhibition and in-person event

From Brent Council

 

This Islamophobia Awareness Month, get involved in listening to people’s ‘Muslim stories’ to raise awareness of Islamophobia.

Islamophobia Awareness Month takes place annually during the month of November to celebrate the positive contributions of Muslims to British society and raise awareness of Islamophobia, with the hope of creating a society free from hate.

This year’s theme is ‘Muslim stories’, aiming to build connections among individuals from diverse backgrounds using the transformative power of storytelling to help raise awareness of all forms of discrimination and hatred.

All residents are invited to join an in-person event on 21 November from 6 to 8pm at Brent Civic Centre, Training Centre (First Floor), to discover the rich tapestry of Muslim Stories through engaging discussions, presentations, and thought-provoking narratives.

Our esteemed speakers will share their personal experiences, shedding light on the impact of Islamophobia and the importance of fostering understanding and tolerance. Through these powerful narratives, we hope to inspire change and combat misconceptions.

There will also be an exhibition to raise awareness of Islamophobia in society. The exhibition will be up at Wembley Library, from 15 to 17 November during opening hours, with stock displays at Wembley and Willesden Green Libraries every day throughout the month.

Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Equalities and Culture, said: 

Brent is a place where people of all faiths and backgrounds live and work side-by-side.

Islamophobia Awareness Month aims to bring people together in solidarity to stand against discrimination and hate crime in all its forms. We will always strive to make Brent an inclusive and accepting place for people of all backgrounds.

I hope many of you will join our in-person event to celebrate diversity, challenge stereotypes, and bring greater awareness across the borough. You’ll hear personal experiences from our guest speakers, shedding light on the impact of Islamophobia and the importance of fostering understanding and tolerance.

If you’ve been affected by Islamophobia or any other hate crime, report it online or contact Crimestoppers to report anonymously.

Book your place on Eventbrite.

 



Readers may be interested in a publication by the Brent-based An-Nisa Society titled 'Islamophobia: from Denial to Action'. LINK

Writen during Islamophobia Awareness Month 2022 it was launched on UN International  Islamophobia Day March 15th 2023.

The report rejects the definition that sees ‘Islamophobia as a form of racism’ and suggests 'a better way forward'.

An-Nisa write:

We believe the biggest obstacle to addressing anti-Muslim discrimination is classifying it as a ‘form of racism.’ We recognised this approach was not working for Muslims in the mid-1980’s and campaigned for faith discrimination to be made illegal on its own terms. We argued for a multi- ethnic British Muslim identity and faith-based needs for Muslims.

 

When the Equality Act 2010 came into force, finally making religious discrimination unlawful, we were hopeful this would be a game changer to positively changing theconditions of British Muslims. But this was not to be. We remain bogged down in arguments about the word ‘Islamophobia’ and what it means; freedom of speech about the criticism of Islam and denial that it even exists.

 

Prior to the Equalities Act 2010, which has nine protected areas, including for the first time “religion or belief’, there had not been any legal protection for Muslims against anti-Muslim discrimination. One of the critical issues An-Nisa Society found in the mid-1980’s was that the Race Relations Act 1976 recommendations, policies and services that come from it did not work for Muslims. It only extended protection to ‘racial’ groups and Muslims  are not one racial group. It did not recognise religious discrimination. Our realisation is not a denial of racism or that it can also impact Muslims, who in this country are mainly people of colour. The problem was the framework of tackling racism institutionally and in the delivery of race-based services which was bypassing the Muslim experience.


Wednesday 20 September 2023

Brent-based charity, An-Nisa Society, calls for urgent investigation into institutional Islamophobia at Brent Council

 Guest post by An-Nisa Society

 

Two weeks ago, a young Muslim mother with her baby was attacked with Islamophobic abuse on the 260 bus in Harlesden. She was called a ‘jihadi,’ referring to her faith, and was sworn at in an unprovoked incident. No one, except another Muslim woman, challenged the man. Even more shocking was that the Mayor of Brent stood right next to the abuser and did not report the incident to the relevant authorities.

 

By chance, journalist Shamim Chowdhury was on the same bus, challenged the abuser and offered support to the woman that was being attacked. She was consequently threatened by him as well. What was particularly tragic, is that several passengers on the bus, rather than support the traumatised victim, raised their voices in support of the male abuser! This, despite, judging from the image, everyone on the bus and the abuser were people of colour!

 

Shamim managed to take a photograph of the abuser and posted it onto Twitter detailing what happened and also reported the incident to the police and Transport for London (TfL).

 

 


 

The tweet went viral, reaching and surpassing half a million views. Members of the public identified that the woman in the flowery top standing next to the abuser was actually the Mayor of Brent, Councillor Orleen Hylton. The issue is not that the Mayor did not challenge the abuser there and then, but that in her position and role as Mayor and Councillor, she did not later report the incident to the police and the relevant departments within Brent Council. It was her duty and moral obligation to speedily report the incident and take action, and we cannot understand why she chose to remain silent.

 

As a Brent-based charity that works for the welfare of Muslim women and families for the past 35 plus years, we were horrified with what had happened. We immediately asked Brent Council for a response. Working with Muslim women, we know that many live in constant fear of being attacked, as Islamophobic abuse is rife in Brent. We circumscribe our lives to avoid abuse, as we don’t feel safe. However, none of us can avoid going out or using public transport.

 

Sadly, we have had several reports of attacks on Muslim women in Brent and in particular on buses and bus stops on the Harrow Road route through Harlesden. It begs the question as to why this is happening on this route and it needs to be investigated.

 

Muslims suffer the highest levels of abuse and attacks across the UK, and these are greatly under-reported and not even recorded for a variety of reasons. Muslim women especially are on the frontlines of Islamophobic attacks.

 

In Brent we have had reports of many Muslim women being attacked. Road crossings seem to be a favoured place for attacks as well as on buses. Outside Islamia School in Salusbury Road, there have been several instances of attempts at running Muslim women over, usually with children in tow! One Muslim woman at another crossing, had a woman stop her car, get out and hit her on the head with, ironically, a bunch of flowers, while shouting anti-Muslim expletives.

 

So, you can imagine our distress and horror at this incident on the 260 bus. Hundreds of people on Twitter were also enraged at the attack, with many leaving comments and retweeting. The views of the photo that the journalist posted were rapidly increasing, reaching over 630k at the time of writing. On my personal LinkedIn page post of the incident, there are over 20,500 impressions today and rising, with numerous shares and comments agreeing that such attacks were rife and expressing shock at the Mayor’s lack of action. The Muslim community in Brent were also sharing the incident on WhatsApp and in person with each other, speaking about their shock and distress. Despite the upset the incident caused and the growing comments, Brent Council remained silent for five days.

 

We expected that there would have been a deluge of councillors expressing concern about the safety of women, there are 57 of them! But disappointingly, only a couple of Muslim male councillors responded and a new female Muslim councillor, Ishma Moeen, who expressed strong concern and gave a promise to work for change. Why is a Muslim woman being attacked locally, only a concern for Muslim councillors?

 

The response that eventually came from the council was shocking in its banality, basically a ‘fobbing off’ type of classic corporate statement. Clearly, they did not give the incident any importance. The response from the Mayor, whose ward consists of 27% Muslims, sounded uncaring and inconsistent. She said she was at the front of the bus, so denied that she saw or heard anything but also contradictorily added that she was intimidated, which is why she didn’t intervene! It seems highly unlikely according to journalist, Shamim Chowdury, that the Mayor did not see and hear what was going on as such a big ruckus was created on the bus.

 

The Mayor’s lack of action as a public servant is of grave concern. In our view, she displayed moral cowardice and lack of integrity. She has not even apologised at the very least for her actions. This year, funnily enough, the Mayor was appointed for her ‘service’ to the borough In her appointment statement she “assured the community that she will work tirelessly…to surpass expectations and deliver the best results for Brent’s diverse communities.” As a result of her actions, how can the community trust the Mayor to fairly represent their issues with understanding and vigour, if she ignores abuse that she’s been a witness to? She has lost all credibility. She has failed in her duty to Brent residents. The moral and right thing for her to do is to resign. Or failing that the council should sack her. 

 

However, neither has happened, she continues to be a guest of honour at events in the borough, shockingly so soon after the bus incident. There was the Mayor’s Fun Day, in Wembley on Saturday 16 September, organised by Brent Health Matters, which is a council initiative, and she was seen laughing and enjoying herself, as well as being given status and kudos.

 

On Sunday, she was guest of honour at Queens Park Day, where she was spotted by a Muslim Harlesden resident, whose daughter was performing there. The resident approached the Mayor, and politely told her that ‘her response to a woman being verbally abused was disappointing.’ She replied, that a statement had been issued. He asked if she could tell him the main points of the statement as he had not seen it, and whether she had written it herself or if was it delegated. At that point, security stepped in and whisked her away! The Harlesden resident was very disturbed by the incident and Brent Council’s lack of robust response. He told me, “The Mayor has a responsibility as a representative of the community to model the behaviour we ask of our kids.” He added, “I have a daughter, who will soon be travelling to school alone on local buses and if the Mayor can’t take action to keep the local area and buses safe, then we are very concerned.” 

 

 


 The Mayor at Queens Park Day

 

So, not only has the Mayor not resigned or been suspended, she continues to merrily carry out her duties at local community events in total disregard for the huge upset amongst the community. This behaviour is symptomatic of the lack of moral integrity in local and central government, and politics generally.  It also sends signals that Islamophobia and attacking vulnerable Muslim women is okay.

 

Meanwhile, the council’s statement did not answer any of the questions that we posed, other than it had been reported to the police (not by the Mayor obviously)!  We had asked the council for specifics to let us know who in the police is dealing with this incident; what are they doing about it; we asked for figures on Islamophobic attacks in Brent; what are the monitoring processes; how are these attacks recorded. There was radio silence and still is. We do not accept their condescending statement, and want tangible and measurable actions so that such attacks are stopped.

 

We also wanted to know what the council is doing to ensure the safety of Muslims, particularly Muslim women. Apparently, there is  a Brent Council Community Safety Team, surely, they should be aware of and have policies to deal with Islamophobia? But when we have asked for it, the council ignores the request and does not provide the information which should be readily available. Instead, the council has proposed a disingenuous offer of hosting an event for Islamophobia Awareness Month. The event was a big flop last year and had no strategic objective to deal with Islamophobia. And as far as we are concerned, without anti-Islamophobia measures being embedded in its policies and procedures, such an event is just window dressing and pointless.

 

We are convinced that if a woman had been attacked from any other community in Brent with the Brent Mayor present and ignoring the incident, it would have had a much more urgent and robust response. We feel that we, Brent Muslims are ignored and are treated with contempt by the council.

 

Institutional Islamophobia

 

Abuse and attacks and how they are mishandled by the authorities puts the spotlight once again on widespread Islamophobia in the public sphere. However, that’s not only where it exists. It is thriving in the public sector, which is supposed to cater equitably and sensitively for the needs of our citizens, who are tax payers. 

 

The way this attack has been so atrociously handled, demonstrates a clear example of institutional Islamophobia. Coincidentally, in a separate incident in a few days after the attack, a group of Muslim women set up a petition, due to institutional Islamophobia they suffered in Everyone Active Leisure Centres within Brent and Westminster, who demonstrated a complete lack of understanding or respect for the needs of Muslim women in sport. This type of insensitivity leads to Muslim women not taking part in sports, contributing to poor health outcomes.

 

To begin with, contrary to the incorrect popular belief, Islamophobia is not about racism (which is about colour). Islamophobia is about a hatred, prejudice and ignorance of Islam and Muslims, resulting in abuse, attacks and discrimination. It can be perpetrated by people of all colours against Muslims of all colours. Institutional Islamophobia is anti-Muslim discrimination in the public sector, both in its internal practices and service delivery, this can be deliberate or unintended, due to ignorance and lack of understanding.

 

To be clear, Muslims are a multi-ethnic, heterogenous and diverse community. We are not ‘Asians!’ Our values and most of our needs are influenced by our faith, whether we practise Islam a little or a lot. We are all as a group, also targets for abuse, prejudice and discrimination.

 

Brent is a good example, of how even in such a multi-cultural and multi-faith borough, both Islamophobic abuse and institutional anti-Muslim discrimination are thriving. As a charity that has been based in Brent for almost 40 years, widely known for being at the forefront of campaigning against Islamophobia, we have been saddened and disappointed by this council’s consistent indifference and lack of concern for its Muslim residents. We have been advocating and appealing to the council for decades to address the invisibility of Brent Muslims to the council and its own institutional Islamophobia. See our blog post on Wembley Matters about the Invisibility of Muslims in Brent.

 

Despite, the awards that Brent has won for its diversity, there is actually rampant institutional Islamophobia, which includes insensitive and discriminatory workplace practices and service delivery. Let’s just look at a few examples:


Muslims staff employed in Brent - By their own figures Muslim staff in Brent are underrepresented (10%) and are not commensurate to the large number of Muslims (21%) that live in Brent. Why is there an under-representation of Muslim council employees?  In addition, Brent Muslim employees have reported Islamophobic discrimination and abuse internally to us, which they feel afraid to report to the council due to repercussions and victimisation.

 

Public Services - The council provides a wide number of services such as child protection, children in care, health, housing, education amongst a lot of other services.  Insensitivity, outright discrimination and lack of understanding of Muslim needs are responsible for Muslim social exclusion; research and surveys repeatedly show Muslims have some of the highest levels of ill health and socio-economic disadvantage in the country, including Brent. From our own experience with Brent Council, over decades, through our interactions and the experience of our community, we believe we are ill-served by Brent Council.

 

While this was happening, the latest of numerous research reports showing Muslim specific disadvantage and inequalities, was published showing that Muslims had higher rates of death from Covid and, as significant numbers of worked in health services as essential workers, they faced greater exposure to the risks. This demonstrates that research using faith as a factor, alongside race and ethnicity, clearly highlight more accurately the true reality of the discrimination that Muslim specifically suffer.

 

We are not asking for special treatment or privileges. We are saying that the council needs to take Islamophobia seriously in all its forms. It needs to tackle Islamophobia as a priority, separate to race-based approaches. Race-based categorisations, identifying and delivering services to communities as racial groups does not work for Muslims. It has excluded us and

does not meet our faith-based needs and issues. We want Islamophobia to be recognised as a serious form of abuse that is a separate type of hate to racism, and is also a factor for institutional discrimination, although racism and Islamophobia can sometimes intersect. That is why we do not accept the toothless and incorrect definition of Islamophobia that it is a ‘form of racism.’

 

An-Nisa Society fought for decades for religious discrimination to be outlawed. Since the Equality Act 2010 came into force, Religion & Belief has been recognised as one of the nine protected characteristics; it is as important as racial discrimination. The public sector now has a statutory public sector equality duty to address discrimination based on religion and belief. By ignoring us, especially as we the community are demanding action that Islamophobia be tackled, they are effectively breaking the law.

 

 


 

 

Earlier this year, we launched our report. ‘Islamophobia - From Denial to Action’ about tackling Islamophobia in the Public Sector. The report presents a working definition of Islamophobia as a form of hate, prejudice and discrimination that emanates from a hatred of Islam and Muslims.  It goes into this issue extensively and makes practical recommendations for change. However, it was ignored by Brent Council. It might be helpful if the council would actually read it and implement the recommendations.

 

We understand, there is a review of Brent’s Diversity, Equalities and Inclusion (DEI) strategy underway right now. This seems an ideal time to overhaul the outdated DEI race-based classifications in identifying communities and strategies that are no longer, if they ever were, fit for purpose. It needs to ensure its own policies and procedures and service delivery meet the needs of all its communities, which means factoring in faith in such a faith-dominant borough.

 

Islamophobia is not harmless. We know that Islamophobia kills! Unless the council uses this opportunity to take Islamophobia seriously, we demand an independent investigation into institutional Islamophobia within Brent Council. If this tragic incident triggers a will from the council to address Islamophobia, then it will be something.

 

An-Nisa Society

Tuesday 28 March 2023

Michaela petition now at 4,323 signatories. No comment from school or Brent Council yet. Petition call for Michaela School to provide a Prayer Room for students amid allegations of 'disturbing' treatment of Muslim students

A petition has been launched calling for Michaela School in Wembley, where Home Secertary Suella Braverman was one of the founders and the first Chair of Governors, to provide a Prayer Room for students. By noon Thursday the petition had 4,323 signatories.

The petition makes a number of allegations about the treatment of Muslim pupils in the school and claims that this is disturbing 'Islamophobic' behaviour: 

A school that prides itself on being “multi cultural” and “multi faith” is treating their Muslim students in this way?? What’s worse is that this school is majority Muslim students and there is no prayer room designated for them. Students have requested for a prayer room which has  been refused by the school and so they have to pray on the floor outside.

The petition asks students who have experienced such treatment and concerned parents to get in touch because the petitioner wants to escalate the issue to the 'school board' (Board of Governors) and the local council.

Michaela is a free school so not under the direct oversight of Brent Council, but the local authority does have responsibility for the safeguarding and wellbeing of all children in the borough.

You can read the Petition in full HERE

 Both Michaela Community School and Brent Council were asked for a comment yesterday but neither had responded by the time this was published today.

UPDATE: No comment from either by noon today despite social media commentary.

Wednesday 12 October 2022

Hidden Heritage - An-Nisa Society in Conversation with author Fatima Manji on Britain's long-standing connection with the Muslim world. November 24th at The Yellow, Wembley Park

 

 

Learn more about Britain’s long-term links with the Muslim world. Fatima talks about her groundbreaking book, ‘Hidden Heritage’

 

Thu, 24 November 2022, 6-8pm The Yellow 1 Humphry Repton Lane Wembley Park HA9 0JL

 

To mark this year’s Islamophobia Month, Fatima Manji will be joining us to discuss her book, ‘Hidden Heritage’. 

 


 

Channel 4 News Presenter, Fatima Manji explores Britain’s longstanding connection with the Muslim world in her groundbreaking book.

 

"This is such an important, brave book that sheds a calm, bright light on the complexity of history at a time when simplistic assumptions have become the norm. It is truly brilliant" Elif Shafak

 

"A timely, brilliant and very brave book" Jerry Brotton, author of This Orient Isle: Elizabethan England and the Islamic World

 

"A compelling read about a history of Britain rarely cited and one that enriches an understanding of our complex, intriguing and wonderful past" Daljit Nagra

 

TICKETS £5.98 BOOKHERE

Monday 6 January 2020

Green Party candidate calls for Labour to withdraw support from their Alperton by-election candidate over anti-Muslim views

The website Order-Order.com has today published more extracts from Tweets allegedly written by the Labour Party candidate in the Alperton by-election, Chetan Harpale,

Andrew Linnie, Green Party candidate for Alperton said:
I am shocked and disgusted by the racist, islamophobic views aired by Labour's candidate in the Alperton by-election. I think it is important, given the hostility of the language used, that Labour leader Cllr Butt not only condemns these views but withdraws support from this inappropriate candidate from the election while there's still time. Mr Harpale has no place representing anyone, let alone representing an area as culturally diverse as Alperton.


Monday 8 July 2019

An-Nisa urge Brent Council to reject the APPG definition of Islamophobia at tonight's Council Meeting

Statement from An-Nisa Society

An-Nisa Society urges Brent Council to reject the All-Party Parliamentary Group's ill thought out and regressive definition of Islamophobia at the full Council meeting on Monday July 8th that has been tabled by for adoption by Cllr Ahmad Shahzad (Labour - Mapesbury) LINK.

An-Nisa Society rejects this definition which states that:

“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” 

The definition and the arguments in the report are riddled with thinking that doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

We reject that Islamophobia is a form of racism. Rather, it is a deeply rooted historical hatred and prejudice of Islam as a faith and of its adherents, who are Muslims who are from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. This manifests in prejudice, discrimination, abuse and attacks. It is a hatred of Islam and Muslims that drives the discrimination and attacks. This is not just the case in the West but also in places like China, India and Myanmar.

To subsume Islamophobia into racism, which is about colour and ethnicity no matter how much this definition is trying to manipulate it as a form of ‘cultural’ racism, is to minimise the alarming extent of the hatred of Islam. We cannot combat Islamophobia effectively if the root cause is not properly identified.

This definition of Islamophobia, like the Prevent policy and its Public Sector Duty, will do little to improve conditions for our local Muslim communities. It not only fails to identify the root causes but fails to address the most important issues that are about implementation and resources for implementation.  This report does not offer any guidelines how it will be implemented in practice.

If racism alone was the issue then the anti-racism policies that have been implemented for decades would be enough to tackle this social exclusion of Muslims and the hate crimes perpetrated against them. But they clearly haven’t.

While there is often intersectionality with racism Islamophobia is s specifically anti-Muslim religious discrimination. Unless this is understood and taken on board then adopting any definition that says otherwise is not only not fit for purpose and unworkable. It is also detrimental as there will be a false impression that something is being done, thereby preventing a more relevant and meaningful definition to be worked at,

The definition is regressive and undermines all the work that has been done since the mid 80’s to identify Islamophobia as faith based and not race based. The campaign to tackle anti-Muslim exclusion and anti-Muslim hatred began in the mid 1980s in Brent, led and initiated by An-Nisa Society as a call for the government and the anti-racist movement to acknowledge anti-Muslim discrimination as a specific discrimination separate but sometimes intersectional with race. It is ironic that a movement that started locally by Muslim women and taken on board nationally has never been addressed in it’s place of origin. (1)

Our Director has worked for Brent Council in its Race Relations Unit and has served as a Commissioner with The Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia and as a trustee for the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism.

Getting the definition right should not be piggybacked on other existing recognised hatreds or as a defensive reaction to those who will attack the existence of Islamophobia. For example,

Pragmatism

“In this definition of Islamophobia, the link to racism is made for both pragmatic and theoretical reasons.  Pragmatically, many large organisations already have in place mechanisms and protocols for dealing with racism; therefore, by articulating Islamophobia as a form of racism, there is no need to invent new procedures to deal with complaints and concerns that arise. Theoretically, racism is understood to be a form of regulation based on racialization by which collective identities are formed and placed in hierarchies." (2)

If these race-based structures had worked for Islamophobia we wouldn’t have had to campaign for decades for separate recognition. And why should we be pragmatic? We have to be bold and courageous and chart our own experience of prejudice and discrimination and how to it need to be addressed.

Lazy thinking

Should the definition be an almost word for word copy of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-semitism?

“The authors of the report have taken the structure and content of IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism as their starting point and, in many places, done little more than cross out ‘Jew’ and insert ‘Muslim’ in its place. Most forms of bigotry have some common characteristics but diverge significantly in their details and form. Homophobia doesn’t take the same form as anti-Black racism. Transphobia isn’t identical to misogyny. If you start out with a definition of antisemitism and try to apply it to the sort of hatred that Muslims face, you will miss the mark.” (3)

Freedom of Speech & the Right to Criticise religion

And of course the issue of freedom of speech and the right to criticise religion. Yes we agree that any criticism of Islam that is made in good faith is welcome. What is not welcome where this is used as a cover to incite hatred of Islam and Muslims, either directly or indirectly leading to discrimination and attacks on Muslims. This needs to be addressed robustly through our laws around incitement to hatred, which at the moment it isn’t.

We urge Brent Council to reject this definition.


References

1) http://www.insted.co.uk/islam.html#concepts

2)https://www.criticalmuslimstudies.co.uk/defining-islamophobia/?fbclid=IwAR3cm0gC1VyFJSMTJAyxqS9R1OZq_jRtBZKXVy0-QevvUmKFHtwSmFGspUg

3)https://www.thejc.com/comment/comment/we-need-an-effective-definition-of-islamophobia-1.481712


Friday 5 July 2019

Brent Council moves to adopt APPG definition of Islamophobia at Full Council on Monday

Brent Council is due to adopt the All-Party Parliamentary Group's definition of Islamophobia at Full Council on Monday July 8th if a a motion from Cllr Ahmad Shahzad (Labour - Mapesbury) is adopted. The definition is not without its critics, including claims that it too closely mirrors the controversial IHRA definition of Anti-Semitism and confuses race and religion.  LINK  The motion claims that the Council has adopted the IHRA definition and its examples, but does not mention that it accepted an amendment to the examples that was contradictory. LINK

Standing up to racism, discrimination and prejudice in Brent 
This Council notes: 
Brent Council adopted the definition of antisemitism in September 2017, including its examples, set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and now, seeks to adopt the definition of Islamophobia, including its examples, as set out by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. 
The charity Tell Mama reported that in the week after 50 innocent, Muslim worshippers were massacred in the Christchurch New Zealand terror attack, Islamophobic incidents increased by almost 600 per cent back in Britain.

This Council believes:

That words have consequences within political discourse. 
We unequivocally condemn all forms of pernicious racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, pregnancy and maternity discrimination, ableism and sexism and reaffirm our commitment to fighting against them.

This Council resolves:

To adopt the APPG on British Muslims – Working Definition of Islamophobia as follows:
 
“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to: 
·      Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist/ fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.
·      Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism, and claims of a demographic ‘threat’ posed by Muslims or of a ‘Muslim takeover’.
·      Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non- Muslims.
·      Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.
·      Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the ‘Ummah’ (transnational Muslim community) or to their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
·      Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, e.g. loyalty tests.
·      Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia (e.g. the Prophet Muhammed being a paedophile, claims of Muslims spreading Islam by the sword or subjugating minority groups under their rule) to characterize Muslims as being ‘sex groomers’, inherently violent or incapable of living harmoniously in plural societies.
·      Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.



Monday 28 January 2019

UPDATED: School staff silent protest 'Our school is no place for hate' after vitriolic internet posting aimed at pupils

Staff outside Central Foundation Girls' School, Bow, London
The following was posted by Alex Kenny, a member of the NEU Executive, on Facebook today. It is a sad comment that such acts are occuring on our streets and aimed at children and young people. All the more reason for us all to be vigilant and act quickly against these acts. Congratulations to all the school staff involved.
On Friday, as about a thousand girls were leaving a local school, they were followed and filmed by someone who provided a vitriolic commentary full of racist, misogynist and Islamophobic comments - and then posted it on the internet.
Today staff at the school lined lined up along the road outside the school in a silent protest with a simple message “our schools are no place for hate” - a simple but very important show of unity and solidarity, all the more impressive for it being organised so quickly.
More actions are likely to follow to make sure racists such as this get the message that they are outnumbered and not welcome.

UPDATE: The Met Police have arrested a man in his 60s for questioning over this incident

Wednesday 19 September 2018

Standing together against racism and Islamophobia in Dollis Hill

The T-shirt says: There are two types: they are either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity
Standing together in solidarity
Local people, including members of North West London Stand Up To Racism, received a warm welcome tonight at the Al-Majlis and Al- Hussaini Centre in Dollis Hill when they visited to express support and solidarity after the previous night's attack. The Chair and Secretary of Brent Trades Council were amongst the visitors.

The group were invited in to share in the celebrations and the atmosphere was positive with clear determination that such episodes would not be allowed to divide the community.

I was struck particularly by a very articulate lower secondary boy who was keen to explain his faith and at the same time emphasise his respect for all religions by explaining the meaning of the slogan on his T-shirt.


Women visitors were welcomed with  food and sweets and speeches were made thanking them for their support.

There was a low-key police presence at the Centre in Edgware Road as well as effective stewarding by the Centre itself.

Earlier Brent Council had issued this statement from Cllr Muhammed Butt, leader of the council:
Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured and all those affected by the serious act of violence which took place outside the Al-majlis Al-Hussaini Center last night.

We are in close contact with the police who are looking into this as a possible hate crime. However, we are reassured that the police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to Brent's Muslim community. There is absolutely no place for hate in our borough. Violence like this will not be tolerated.

We visited representatives at the centre this afternoon and will give them all the help they need.

Brent has one of the most diverse communities in the UK and we are extremely proud of this. We will not allow cowardly acts like this to spread fear and hate amongst our residents.


Wednesday 28 March 2018

Say “NO!” to hatred Join the National Happier Together Day: Tuesday 3rd April 2018


A welcome response to the Islamophobic April 3rd campaign covered earlier on Wembley Matters LINK

Say “NO!” to hatred

Join the National Happier Together Day: Tuesday 3rd April 2018 LINK

We value Britain’s rich cultural diversity. We want to live in a country that welcomes people from other places and embraces ethnic, cultural and religious difference. We reject discrimination and hatred in all its forms. We have a vision of strong, united communities based on what we have in common.

But there are a few people who don’t share our vision. They try to sow division, fear and hatred. They scapegoat migrants and refugees. They target and threaten Muslims and their places of worship.

We won’t allow their message of racism, intolerance and bigotry to weaken us. That’s why, on 3rd April, we’re holding national Happier Together Day.

What you can do:

• Join our twitter storm hastag #happiertogether at 12pm on the 3 April- encourage all your friends and followers to do the same!

• Join us outside London Muslim Centre, on Whitechapel Road E1 at 6.15pm on the 3 April, to take part in our human smile chain across Whitechapel towards the city

•like our Facebook page and share with your followers encouraging them to like and share too

• Ask your local MPs, councillors, council staff, police, fire service , NHS staff, community groups and members of the public to join your smile chain

For more information, contact:


Nozmul Hussain
CEO
East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre
Email: nozmul@londonmuslimcentre.org.uk


Who is organising this?:
East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre
United East End
Stand Up to Racism
 

Monday 19 March 2018

'Brent is no place for hate' - Islamophobic letters condemned by Council & Brent MPS




Brent Council has issued the following annoucement

Recent threatening, Islamophobic letters sent to addresses in towns and cities have shone a spotlight on the national conversation around hate crime and the targeting of faith-based communities.

Brent Council and the Metropolitan Police Service have condemned the Islamophobic threats made in letters encouraging violence against Muslims.
 
Cllr Tom Miller, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities said:
Brent is no place for hate. Let me be clear: these disgusting messages and their attempts to normalise hatred towards Muslims will absolutely not be tolerated. We are in close contact with the Metropolitan Police Service and are working hard to support residents to feel safe in Brent.

We are proud to be home to one of the most diverse communities in the UK and if anyone believes they have been the victim of a hate crime or knows someone who has, I would urge them to contact the local police force on 101 or 999 for emergencies. Reports can be made by community advocates or faith groups on behalf of those involved
In 2016 Brent Council launched the Time to Talk Campaign, giving people the space to talk openly about difficult issues.

Since then, the council has widened the remit of referral services and its community support officer to include hate crime and has commissioned a hate crime manual. An online portal has also been developed to learn and report different types of hate crime.

Advice and guidance on what to do if you are the victim of or witness to a hate crime is available here.
 
You can also report Islamophobic hate crime to TELL MAMA, an organisation dedicated to recording anti-Muslim incidents and bringing them to the attention of the police.