The results of the latest research conducted in the UK show that the number of crimes related to Islamophobia has increased. Islamophobic crimes in the UK have tripled since the beginning of the Gaza war. Since the onset of the Gaza conflict, Muslims have faced unprecedented levels of persecution. Muslim women are more exposed to Islamophobia. The rise of attacks on Muslim women is more visible in the UK. This article deals with the increasing trend of Islamophobia in the period after the Gaza War.
The rising trend of Islamophobia in the UK
Since the start of the Gaza war, supporters of Israel and Palestine have held massive protests around the world. Many protesters want a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Under the influence of this trend, Islamophobia has increased significantly in various European countries. Murderer, and terrorist are among the insulting titles attributed to Muslims these days.
An increase of 600 incidents related to Islamophobia
The British Charity Tell Mama announced that from October 7 to February 7, it recorded 2,100 incidents related to anti-Islamism. This statistic shows an increase of 600 cases compared to last year. This is the highest rate in four months. It is also the highest number since this British charity started collecting statistics on Islamophobia in 2011.
Rise of attacks on Muslim women
Tell Mama has defined one of its missions as measuring crimes related to Islamophobia. According to the report, half of the crimes committed in the last four months were related to insulting statements in cyberspace. Five hundred seventy-six cases of physical attacks, insulting behaviour, threats and vandalism were recorded. Out of every three recorded crimes, two are related to Muslim women. The rise of attacks on Muslim women is worrying. Some have been called terrorists, and some have been physically abused.
Shut down and attack British Islamic centres
Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, an independent Islamic school in the UK has been closed. This shutdown happened after receiving a threatening letter. This school was closed for a day after receiving a letter from a supporter of Israel stating that the school’s Muslim students had been killed. Earlier, following the threat of bombing a mosque in East London, more than 700 Muslims evacuated the mosque in question.
Threats to kill Muslim children in the UK
According to Newsweek, a self-governing Islamic school located in East London, dedicated to educating children aged 3 to 11 within the Muslim community, recently received a handwritten threat. The letter conveyed a menacing message, menacingly stating that all students of the institution were at risk of death. The author, identifying themselves as a “terrorist” within the letter, ominously declared that an act of terrorism would soon shock the entire school community. The letter further contained violent language, asserting that the students deserved to perish.
Police measures to protect the safety of Muslim students
The writer of the letter told the independent Islamic school that a bomb was supposed to explode in the school. After discovering the warning letter, the London police learned the story by notifying the school’s principal. The police increased patrols in this area to protect students and school teachers. The police advised the families of the students and the school officials to be more careful with their students. London’s Metropolitan Police have stated that they will conduct further investigations into this disturbing incident.
London police statement regarding the rise of Islamophobia
The London police have stated the rise of Islamophobia. A London police statement said: “We are investigating after a threatening letter was sent to a school in Ilford. Officers have been in touch with staff at the school to ensure the relevant security measures are in place. This will include increased patrols around the school. Enquiries are ongoing to identify who sent the letter. There have been no arrests.”
Islamophobic acts on the rise in Britain’s mosques
Since mid-February 2024, several events have occurred in mosques across London. These cases include illegal entry into three mosques: Palmers Green Mosque, Southgate Mosque and Masjid Ayesha. The rise of Islamophobia in the UK after the Gaza war and unlawful entry into mosques by some in this country has caused concern. Muslims have called for increased security measures.
Ramadan 2024: The most stressful Ramadan for Muslims
Due to the Gaza war, British Muslims started the month of Ramadan with trepidation. Bibi Rabbiyah Khan, president of the London Islamic Cultural Society (LICS), said: “Islamophobia is on the rise and people within our community have been subjected to attacks because they’re Muslim, but they don’t necessarily report it.” She added that in one of the recent incidents in the mosques, it seemed that the attackers wanted to turn off the CCTV cameras and take away the computer hard drives.
The lack of planning by the UK government to solve the problem of xenophobia
Since October 7, there has been a sharp rise in Islamophobia-related crimes in the UK. Instead of promoting unity, the UK government responded with inflammatory rhetoric. Recently, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used Islamophobic language in response to a Muslim MP. Meanwhile, the government has not devoted time and effort to improving unstable social relations or resolving the Middle East conflict. Islamophobia affects women the most. The rise of attacks on Muslim women has led to their psychological insecurity. The UK government has no plan to improve the situation.
Exacerbation of xenophobia with the implementation of the plan to expel asylum seekers
The UK government has put its energy into implementing a controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, which is the epitome of institutionalized xenophobia. Xenophobia has become all too normal in the strata of political power. It has also become vital to winning elections across Europe and beyond.
British Muslim women are more insecure than Muslim men
Most of the violent reactions against Muslims in the UK occur against veiled and Muslim women. The rise of attacks on Muslim women has created insecurity for them. Muslim women wear veils and veils. These signs are a definite indicator of being a Muslim in Britain and even throughout Europe. Islamic women have had almost no role in the terrorist and extremist actions of extremist Muslims in Europe and the subsequent transformation of Islamophobia into anti-Islamism. Women have not participated in any of these actions. After the start of the war in Gaza, Muslim women have been more exposed to Islamophobia than Muslim men.
