British Muslims and mosques targeted in violent riots
Riots in 17 towns and cities across England and Northern Ireland in the past three days have shaken the country, leaving Muslims in fear of their lives. Muslims and asylum seekers have been targeted, and mosques have been attacked in many of the incidents, which were said to have been coordinated and stoked online, fuelled by far right influencers.
The trouble began the day after three girls were stabbed to death in an attack at a dance class in Southport. A false claim on social media that the attacker was a Muslim who had come to Britain illegally on a boat across the channel, was seen as the cause of the first riot in Southport itself, when the mosque was attacked. In fact the 17-year-old charged with murder was born in Cardiff of parents who are Christian and from Rwanda.
The chairman of Southport mosque, Ibrahim Hussein, was trapped in the building when it was attacked an hour after the whole town gathered for a vigil. He said it was terrifying and feared rioters would break in and “burn the place down”.
In Sunderland, Zaf Iqbal, co-chair of the Sunderland Interfaith Forum, told the BBC that he and others locked themselves in a mosque to avoid being attacked by a violent mob and he said members of the Muslim community are terrified and unwilling to leave their homes.
In Liverpool, rioters massing near the Abdullah Quilliam Mosque. Centre, Britain’s first mosque, were outnumbered by counter protesters including a 71-year-old grandmother who carried the banner “Nans against Nazis”. But elsewhere in the city, a mob ran riot and destroyed a stall selling Islamic literature.
Iman Atta, director of Tell Mama, which collates data on anti-Muslim incidents, said there is a heightened level of fear in the Muslim community, people are scared to go to their mosques or Islamic centres for fear of being attacked, and many mosques have cancelled events.
The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced emergency security protection for mosques at risk of violent disorder, with a process enabling security staff to be drafted in, after liaison between police, local councils and mosques. She said attacks on Muslims would not be tolerated.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said the riots were organised, violent, far right thuggery and pledged that those involved would feel the full force of the law. This would include the people stoking the trouble on social media. “To those who feel targeted because of the colour of your skin or your faith, I know how frightening this must be. I want you to know that this violent mob does not represent our country. We will bring them to justice”
How will the government forge links with Muslim communities?
The riots have raised questions on how the new government will liaise with Muslim organisations, or any faith group. The last Conservative government did not have any formal consultation process with any Muslim group and it sacked its last remaining individual contact, Imam Qari Asim, after his comments on protests about the controversial film “Our Lady of Heaven”. The Conservatives refused to speak to the Muslim Council of Britain because of a quote from one of its office holders in 2009 seen as supporting violence against Israel and condoning attacks against British troops. This Labour government has indicated that nothing has changed. A written answer published on 2 August by junior minister Alex Norris, said there were no plans for ministers to meet with the Muslim Council of Britain. In its last months, the Conservative government also refused to continue funding the Inter Faith Network, which has since disbanded. There are no formal, national government structures to liaise with faith groups, apart from with the Church of England and Catholics in education. In the election campaign, Sir Keir Starmer wrote to 500 faith leaders, praising their front line community work and pledging strong partnerships with faith communities in pursuit of Labour’s “five missions” to “renew the country”. He said the government would appoint a minister to lead on engagement with faith communities. But four weeks in, there has not yet been an appointment to this role. Usually the faith minister sits within the Department of Communities and Local Government. So far, the only reference to faith in government business appears to be the written answer (above) from DCLG junior minister Alex Norris, MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley. A list of the ministers in the department who could take on this role is here.
Multiple causes of the riots including Islamophobia
The extensive coverage of the riots has led to a discussion of multiple possible causes, including widespread Islamophobia. The secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Zara Mohammed, said Muslims were being terrorised: “What we saw on the streets of Britain this week is the consequence of unchecked Islamophobia: acceptable, potent, and very real in our society today”. The Telegraph reports calls to make Islamophobia a specific crime in the wake of the riots, but it explains there is an issue over how the term is defined. An All Party Parliamentary Group created this definition in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”. The Conservatives rejected this because of its reference to race and the Telegraph claims that current Conservative MPs continue to object to the definition, saying it stifles criticism of religion and freedom of expression.
Communities join together to resist and clean up their towns
Faith and civic leaders have united in condemnation of the riots but also watched as citizens resisted and later picked up their dustpans and brushes and joined council workers in massive clear up operations. Dr Pete Olusoga has compiled top examples here including volunteers of all ages turning up in Hull town centre early on Sunday morning to clean the streets; 76 year old Harry in Liverpool, on a counter protest from 0530: “I was born in a fascist free country and I’m determined to keep it that way”; Bristol anti racist protesters who held back the rioters from a hotel housing asylum seekers, until police arrived; anti racist activists in Belfast who outnumbered the rioters by 10:1; and the frequent refrain from confused local residents who said their town “isn’t like this”. Also, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “It is completely unacceptable that Muslim and asylum-seeker communities are feeling so unsafe and I encourage people to reach out and support them”. And in Southport, Imam Qari Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, posted pics of faith leaders laying flowers together in a display of unity across religious divides. He’s been in touch with many mosques over recent days and said some were opening their doors to rioters offering hospitality.
OTHER NEWS
Archbishop says ending Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is “a legal and moral necessity”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has issued a strong statement against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Welcoming the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion on Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, he said the State of Israel has been “denying the Palestinian people dignity, freedom and hope” – and that ending its occupation of Palestinian territory is “a legal and moral necessity”. He said: “Having visited our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters many times over recent decades, it is clear to me that the regime imposed by successive Israeli governments in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is one of systemic discrimination. Through annexing Palestinian land for illegal settlements, depriving Palestinians access to their own natural resources, and imposing a system of military rule that denies them safety and justice, the State of Israel has been denying the Palestinian people dignity, freedom and hope. I am particularly aware of how this is impacting Palestinian Christians, threatening their future and viability. It is clear that ending the occupation is a legal and moral necessity”. He has urged governments around the world to reverse the “deeply damaging trend” of upholding international law “in a selective manner”. He prayed that all UN member states respond positively to the Advisory Opinion, paving the way for the realisation of the Palestinian people’s fundamental right to self-determination.
Olympic athletes wearing their faith on their sleeve
The Guardian carries an article saying there is a growing visibility and acceptance of religion in the Olympics. Reporter Emma John tells the story of Adam Peaty talking about his faith soon after just missing out on gold in the100 metres breaststroke final. The British diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix gave glory to God following her bronze in the 3m springboard synchro. The 100m breaststroke champion, South Africa’s Tatjana Smith, in a Tshirt thanking “God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit”. She says: “Sportspeople thanking God for their wins is nothing new, but the sheer number doing so at this Olympics is noteworthy – especially so in France, which has insisted on its own athletes upholding the country’s secularist laws”.
The non-religious vote in the US presidential election
The Public Religion Research Institute has published research on how people who identify as “non religion” are likely to vote in the US presidential election. 27 per cent identify as religiously unaffiliated, with one third of this number as atheists or agnostic, but most identifying as “nothing in particular”. Of the nones group, 38 per cent will vote Democrat and 12 per cent Republican. Abortion is their key issue, alongside LGBTQ Rights, climate change and access to guns.
