IHRC is deeply concerned at the message being sent out by Zaki Badawi’s attributed statement that Muslim women should remove their hijab to avoid being attacked in the wake of 7/7. The devastating rise in faith hate crimes post 7/7 cannot simply be linked to the wearing of hijab. Whilst incidents against Muslim women have risen, it is worth noting that there have been many complaints both by women who do not wear hijab and also women who are not Muslim but who have been mistaken to be Muslim.

IHRC press release, 4 August 2005