One Society Many Cultures (a new campaign against Islamophobia, racism and for freedom of religious and cultural expression) welcomes the publication of Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate Crime: UK Case Studies 2010. The report by Robert Lambert and Jonthan Githens-Mazer, published by the European Muslim Research Centre at the University of Exeter is their second piece of research into Islamophobia in Britain and is part of a ten year Europe wide research project.

The findings of the research indicate that there is an increasing problem of prejudice and villification of Muslims in Britain, including violence being directed against Muslims. The report documents:

- Anti-Muslim hate crimes against Mosques including pig’s heads being left outside Mosques; eggs, bricks, stones and other missiles being thrown at Mosques.
- Criminal assaults on Muslims on their way to and from Mosques.
- A disturbing number of hate crimes against Muslim women wearing a Burka, Niqab (full face veil) or Hijab (veil) in public places.
- Violent demonstrations of the English Defence League (EDL).
- Links between anti-Muslim hate crime and media discourse.

The publication of the report is unfortunately timely, as hours after it was launched on Saturday 27 November, the English Defence League descended on Preston and chanted “Burn down a Mosque”.

One of the report’s authors Jonathan Githens-Mazer will be addressing the Speak Out Against Racism and Islamophobia conference, organized by One Society Many Cultures on Saturday 11 December (details below):

Dr Jonathan Githens-Mazer Co-Director of the European Muslim Research Centre said

“The launch of this report is an opportunity to remind some politicians and the media that their rhetoric has consequences for ordinary Muslims going about their everyday lives. The factually inaccurate yet consistent portrayal of Muslims as somehow being apart from British culture and values fans the flames of hatred and violence against Muslims in Britain.”

Anas Altikriti CEO of the Cordoba Foundation that part funded the research and Vice Chair of One Society Many Cultures said:

“The level of hatred Muslim communities in Britain are experiencing, combined with the lack of condemnation of this is disturbing. For example on Saturday in Preston the EDL held a violent demonstration and chanted “burn down a Mosque”. Both public order and incitement to religious hatred legislation outlaw such activity, but what is being done about this? If a Muslim organisation behaved in exactly the same fashion as the EDL, and chanted burn down a Church or Synagogue it would be a proscribed organisation. There is grotesque double standards in the treatment of Muslim communities. The Speak Out Against Racism and Islamophobia conference brings together a cross party, cross faith alliance that can seriously challenge the hatred and Islamophobia described in Lambert and Githens-Mazer’s report.”

Sabby Dhalu One Society Many Cultures Secretary said:

“We welcome this detailed and thorough report which is compulsory reading for all those serious about eradicating the scourge of Islamophobia, racism and anti-Muslim hatred. If one replaced the word Muslim with Jew, Christian or gay, in all the disturbing case studies in this book, there would quite rightly be widespread horror, anger and condemnation. The Speak Out Against Racism and Islamophobia conference gives us an opportunity to explore and discuss the issues highlighted in the report and how we can campaign against Islamophobia and racism.”