Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

Why Muslims in Birmingham feel like a ‘suspect’ community

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“The post-9/11 ‘war on terror’ narrative, has revealed a new suspect community. Whether inadvertently or not, measures such as profiling, hard-line policing, stop and search and surveillance all have the potential to stigmatise an entire population, such as Irish people living in Britain during the conflict in Northern Ireland, and now the Muslim community in Britain.”

Imran Awan, deputy director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University, and co-editor of the study Extremism, Counter-terrorism and Policing, examines the impact of counter-terrorism legislation and other repressive measures on the Muslim community in Birmingham.

Huffington Post, 9 March 2014

Right-wing extremism: Germany’s new Islamophobia boom

Posted on by Bob Pitt

German anti-mosque placardAcross Germany, right-wing organizations are using anti-Islam rhetoric to further their ideas – and finding a receptive audience. Now legal experts are debating whether it’s time for a new kind of hate-crime legislation.

Der Spiegel reports that the rise of right-wing Islamophobic organisations like Die Freiheit, Pro Deutschland, Pax Europa, Nürnberg 2.0 and Politically Incorrect has been accompanied by arson and other attacks on mosques.

Via Loonwatch

Call for ‘solidarity’ after Stevenage mosque attack

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A member of a mosque which was targeted in a suspected arson attack has called for “solidarity”. Salman Lone, from the Stevenage Muslim Community Centre, spoke at a meeting with the police on Friday – three days after a flammable liquid was poured inside the mosque in Vardon Road and set alight.

A toilet extractor fan was smashed before the liquid was poured in at some point between the evening of Tuesday, February 25, and the following morning. The toilets had a tiled floor and walls, preventing the fire from spreading. However the smoke caused extensive damage throughout the building.

Continue reading →

Tory MP condemns ritual slaughter as un-British

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Andrew Rosindell and dogAn MP and animal welfare campaigner yesterday supported the leader of Britain’s vets by demanding an end to the religious slaughter of animals. Andrew Rosindell, secretary of Parliament’s animal welfare group, demanded that Muslims and Jews stop killing more than half a million creatures a week by cutting their throats in accordance with holy texts.

“If you asked the average British citizen whether they agreed with this, they would say ‘No’. An animal has to be killed for food, but it needs to be done in a humane way,” Mr Rosindell said. “Why should we allow that kind of thing to go on in this country when it goes against everything that we really stand for as a people?”

He spoke out after John Blackwell, president-elect of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), urged religious leaders to end unstunned slaughter voluntarily or face a ban as in Denmark.

Continue reading →

Muslim group calls for cancellation of controversial speaker at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Posted on by Bob Pitt

CAIR Embry-Riddle press conference (2)Muslim Students and community leaders are protesting a controversial speaker at Embry-Riddle University. Activists organized a news conference Wednesday to highlight their concerns.

UCF Professor Jonathan Matusitz has previously controversially said, “coexistence with Islam is not possible.” That got the Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, involved in an effort to cancel his appearance during a speaker series event this week.

Standing outside The Embry-Riddle Welcome Center, CAIR Florida Director Hassan Shibly says he has no problem with Matusitz, but doesn’t think he should speak at a school where Muslim students may experience backlash. “He certainly has the freedom to promote fear and hatred, but we must recognize that his promotion against American Muslims is not cost free,” Shibly says.

Continue reading →

Boris Johnson’s radicalisation myth-making

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Boris Johnson’s suggestion this week that children of Islamic extremists be taken into care to prevent their being radicalised illustrates perfectly our collective failure to understand the problem of terrorism.”

Arun Kundnani, author of the new study The Muslims Are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror, responds to the Mayor of London’s proposal in his recent Telegraph column.

Huffington Post, 4 March 2014

Freedom of Information requests show Student Rights private correspondence with universities

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Students for Real Student Rights presents some revealing insights into the modus operandi of the Henry Jackson Society front organisation, the misnamed Student Rights.

Update:  See also Hilary Aked, “Student Rights gets a taste of its own medicine as fifth SU publicly condemns ‘anti-extremism’ group”, Huffington Post, 5 March 2014

British sense of fairness vis-a-vis Muslims is on trial

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Islamophobia, as a cultural racism with a religious element, has now flourished and is becoming entrenched in people’s psyche. In the current socio-political environment Islamophobes and anti-Muslim bigots from the counter-jihadist sphere (those who think Islam is the problem, and that Muslims are ‘taking over’) have become emboldened and as a result public space for Muslims has been curtailed. Muslims’ right to civic and political participation, particularly when it comes to criticism of government domestic and foreign policy, is frowned upon. Right wing groups are able to get away with demonising Muslims easily, but standing up to Islamopobia is often seen as a ‘victim mentality’ by some.”

Muhammad Abdul Bari examines the state of anti-Muslim bigotry in the UK today.

Huffington Post, 4 March 2014

Hundreds protest outside police headquarters after Moazzam Begg charged

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Moazzam Begg protest Birmingham

Hundreds of people called for the release of former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg today in a protest outside West Midland Police’s headquarters. The demonstration was held just hours after 45-year-old Begg was charged with Syria-related terrorism offences at Westminster Magistrate’s Court. Around 500 people attended.

Police closed Snow Hill Queensway and part of Colmore Circus in the city centre as a safety precaution while protesters gathered outside police headquarters Lloyd House.

During the demonstration, a statement from Begg’s daughter was read out by Asim Qureshi, the Research Director for CAGE. “No six-year-old should remember their father being kidnapped and thrown into the back of a car. My father was released to our home safe in England without charge and without trial from Guantanamo by the time I was ten. He has lived in the home with the belief that England will keep us safe from unjust cruelty.

“Most would keep quiet after an experience like Guantanamo. My father never stayed silent. He fought to give a voice to the voiceless.

“To relive that moment once again four days ago was a nightmare I never hoped to encounter again. We are standing strong and we are ready for what may be a long and drawn out fight. My request to you all on behalf of my father and our family is do not let these issues rest and continue the struggle. Innocent until proven guilty.”

Continue reading →