The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the UK and Eire today raised serious concerns following Islamophobic abuse suffered by Abida Malik and her husband as they travelled by train between Leicester and Nottingham.

Faisal Hanjra, President of FOSIS, said today, “This incident has shocked many in the Muslim community. This was a young couple, minding their own business, travelling by train. They were both visibly identifiable as Muslims. A group of middle aged men boarded the train and subjected the couple to a barrage of verbal abuse and then went on to physically assault them, singling them out precisely because of their Muslim identity.”

Abida Malik, Vice-President of FOSIS, said, “I am upset and hurt by the Islamophobic attack on both myself and my husband. I am concerned of such attacks repeating, especially with the rise of the EDL and the BNP. There is so much to be done to tackle the ignorance within our British society – and I hope that through the work we do as FOSIS we can proactively tackle such anti-Muslim prejudice.”

Faisal Hanjra further added, “Political leaders must look urgently at the climate that has been created which allows for such abuse to go unchallenged. Physical attacks on Muslims because they are Muslim are on the rise – police, politicians and communities alike must start doing all they can to recognise this – and fight it. We urge all Muslims to be vigilant as they travel on public transport. We will be re-sending our Muslim student safety briefing, available on our website, to Muslim students over the next few days.”

The NUS Black Students Campaign condemns attack on Muslim student and joins calls for concerted campaign against Islamophobia.

Statement from Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy NUS Black Students Officer and co-convenor of the NUS Anti-Racism campaign:

“The NUS Black Students Campaign expresses full support for the victims of this vicious Islamophobic attack. We call on the authorities to bring those who perpetrated this crime to be brought to justice. The rise in racist hostilities is having its most violent impact on students and young people. It is concerning that Muslim students going about their everyday lives face physical and verbal abuse of this kind, which belongs to a bygone age. The reality is that the fascist BNP and the violent thugs of the EDL are targeting Mosques and Muslims whilst elements of the media and others in mainstream society continue to berate the Muslim community. Only last week, the EDL assembled in Dudley to oppose the building of a Mosque and this culminated in attacks on a Mosque in Dudley. The NUS Black Students Campaign pledges full support to FOSIS and Muslim students in challenging all forms of Islamophobia.”

Notes:

1. FOSIS (est. 1962) is the umbrella organisation of student groups in colleges and universities throughout the UK and Ireland, representing over 90,000 Muslim students. The NUS Black Students Campaign represents over 1 million African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean students.

2. For more information please contact FOSIS media email head.media@fosis.org.uk or alternatively visit our website www.fosis.org.uk
3. Muslim student safety advice can be found at:http://fosis.org.uk/student-affairs/projects/666-muslim-student-safety