Johann Hari has written an article for the gay magazine Attitude that he has posted on his blog, entitled “Can we talk about Muslim homophobia now?“, in which he states:
“East London has seen the highest increase in homophobic attacks anywhere in Britain. Everybody knows why, and nobody wants to say it. It is because East London has the highest Muslim population in Britain, and we have allowed a fanatically intolerant attitude towards gay people to incubate there, in the name of ‘tolerance’.”
Patrick Lilley has written to Johann Hari pointing out that figures released by the Metropolitan Police do not bear out the inflammatory claim that there has been such a huge increase in homophobic violence in “Muslim” areas of East London. Patrick has kindly allowed us to publish his letter here.
Hi Johann
Further to my letter yesterday to which I have as yet received no reply.
I care deeply about the gay community of which I am part. I also care deeply about our relationships with the wider community & other minorities which I am either a part or live, work and play amongst. I live in a very Muslim area – Edgware Road – and have NEVER encountered any homophobia here.
I would like to discuss your logic and honesty in your article CAN WE TALK ABOUT MUSLIM HOMOPHOBIA and your claims on your blog and in Attitude magazine.
“East London has seen the highest increase in homophobic attacks anywhere in Britain.”
I disagree. North London has [a bigger rise than East London], according to the Metropolitan Police Service. Specifically what do you base this claim on?
“Muslim” East London according to Met Police stats saw a reduction of over 10% in reported Homophobic Crimes and in Hackney, home of the George and Dragon, it was down year on year.
| Hackney | ||
| 12 months to Jan 2010 |
12 months to Jan 2011 |
% Change |
| 57 | 53 | -7% |
“Everybody knows why, and nobody wants to say it. It is because East London has the highest Muslim population in Britain, and we have allowed a fanatically intolerant attitude towards gay people to incubate there, in the name of ‘tolerance’.”
I agree only that most Muslims are concentrated in the east London boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Prejudice may lie behind your claim that “everybody knows why”.
Therefore IF your claim is true, we would expect the statistics for the Met Police to reflect and back up your inflammatory claims.
Here are the latest stats on reported Homophobic Crimes in London and the % changes year on year.
http://www.met.police.uk/crimefigures/
The figures shows a year on year reduction in the number of reported crimes in the areas with most Muslims i.e. East London and dramatic reductions in some areas of high Muslim populations including Newham and Waltham Forest and only 2 more incidents in the year to Jan 2011 than the year to Jan 2010 in Tower Hamlets. The overall total is down, 19 attacks fewer year on year on year in those boroughs. In Tower Hamlets the change was +2.8% rise i.e. 2 more attacks year on year. Regrettable but hardly “the highest increase in homophobic attacks anywhere in Britain”.
| Tower Hamlets | ||
| 12 months to Jan 2010 |
12 months to Jan 2011 |
% Change |
| 71 | 73 | +2.80% |
| Waltham Forest | ||
| 39 | 24 | -38.50% |
| Newham | ||
| 36 | 30 | -16.70% |
The overall changes in “Muslim” East London are over -10% reported crimes, year on year till Jan 2010 and Jan 2011:
| 12 months to Jan 2010 |
12 months to Jan 2011 |
Change | % Change |
| 146 | 127 | -19 | -13.01% |
North London and Islington saw a much bigger rise in reported homophobic crimes:
| Haringey | ||
| 12 months to Jan 2010 |
12 months to Jan 2011 |
% Change |
| 36 | 13 | -63.90% |
| Enfield | ||
| 13 | 23 | +76.90% |
| Islington | ||
| 81 | 132 | +63% |
| 12 months to Jan 2010 |
12 months to Jan 2011 |
Change | % Change |
| 130 | 168 | +38 | +29.23% |
If you have other information that contradicts these year on year statistics from the Metropolitan Police I’d be happy to see them?
There are however huge variations in totals of reported Homophobic Crimes: some Boroughs rise by 60% others decline by the same amount. I don’t know what may affect reporting of homophobic crime but on the basis of the information available from the Met your claims that East London has the highest increase in homophobic crime is TOTALLY inaccurate (and inflammatory).
Please justify this with more than anecdotal stories about the George and Dragon. We can guess that most of these crimes are probably not reported for a wide range of reasons.
If you haven’t seen these figures before I’d suggest that you andAttitude publish these figures along with comments condemning the homophobic stickers by leading local Muslims.
I fear your article has really fanned the flames of misunderstanding in our community. You are an award winning journalist – let’s both probe and find the truth and share it with people, not pander to prejudice.
I again invite you to join the local residents and friends of the “Help Yourself To Love” campaign that is combating hate with love!
Kind regards
Patrick Lilley