Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

Islamophobia ‘explosion’ in UK

Posted on by Eddie Truman

Muslim groups have agreed with a report by the EU race watchdog that anti-Islamic feeling has “detonated” in the UK since 11 September.

The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) said there had been a big rise in attacks – including physical assaults – on Muslims in Britain since the US terror attacks.

It monitored a period from 11 September until the end of December last year, and found numerous reports of attacks on Muslim people and institutions such as mosques.

They included women and children being harassed in the street, and one taxi-driver who was paralysed from the neck down in an attack in which 11 September was mentioned.

Muslim groups said anti-Islamic feeling was still running high in the UK even now – more than eight months after the attacks thought to have been masterminded by Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden.

BBC News, 24 May 2002 report

Pat Robertson describes Islam as violent religion that wants to dominate, destroy

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson drew criticism Friday from Arab-Americans for describing Islam as a violent religion that wants to “dominate and then, if need be, destroy.” Robertson made the comment Thursday on his “700 Club” television program after watching a segment about Muslims’ views on terrorism.

Co-host Lee Webb asked Robertson why he thought Muslim immigrants would want to live in the United States “if they have such contempt for our foreign policy.” Robertson replied: “Well, as missionaries possibly to spread the doctrine of Islam.” He went on to say that Islam “is not a peaceful religion that wants to coexist. They want to coexist until they can control, dominate and then, if need be, destroy.”

Hussein Ibish, spokesman for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, a Washington-based civil rights group, said: “The rhetoric is exactly the same as traditional anti-Semitism. All you can do is change the word ‘Jew’ to ‘Arab’ or ‘Muslim’.”

Associated Press report, 22 February 2002

Arrest every Muslim that enters Georgia, says chair of House Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today wrote to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert asking that Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, be removed from his position because of bigoted anti-Muslim comments at a Nov. 19 meeting with local Georgia officials. Chambliss told 30 local officials in Valdosta, Ga., that to combat terrorism a Georgia sheriff could be turned loose to “arrest every Muslim that comes across the state line”.

ADC President Ziad Asali, wrote to Speaker Hastert that, in spite of Rep. Chambliss claims that this remark was a “joke”, and that “if anybody’s offended by it, I feel very apologetic toward them”, he should no longer continue as chairman. “ADC feels that Rep. Chambliss is unfit for the chairmanship of the House Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security in light of these comments,” Asali wrote, “and we ask you to removed him from this position. Joking or not, they reveal a level of insensitivity and intolerance which is completely inappropriate given the concerns attached to this important position.”

Asali’s letter to Speaker Hastert points out that “Having the chair of this crucial House Subcommittee making remarks of this kind sends the worst possible message to the Arab-American and Muslim communities in the United States, to the Arab and Muslim worlds, and to society in general about the level of intolerance and anti-Muslim bigotry that is considered acceptable in the U.S. Congress.”

“We feel that the important work of this Subcommittee may well be undermined by the taint of Rep. Chambliss’ outrageously bigoted remarks,” Asali concluded.

Counterpunch, 21 November 2001

Muslims in the West

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Just as the rhetoric associated with Samuel Huntington’s ‘clash of civilizations’ was dying down, at least in public, the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has reasserted the view that the underlying problem for the West is not terrorism or even Islamic fundamentalism, but Islam as a rival and inferior civilization.”

Tariq Modood in the Observer, 30 September 2001

Mosque attacks ‘going unreported’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

British Muslims are not reporting attacks on mosques because they fear that to do so could raise racial tension.

Imran Rizvi, the chief spokesman on race for Manchester City Council’s ruling Labour group, said mosques had been attacked and congregations had received telephone threats. In Greater Manchester there had been “at least half a dozen attacks” on mosques and Islamic centres since Tuesday of last week.

Three incidents have been officially reported to police – two of them in Manchester, the other in Bolton where a mosque was firebombed. No one has been injured. Mr Rizvi’s remarks indicate that attacks in other towns and cities are also going unreported.

“We are not giving details because that will create tension,” said the councillor. “But there have been at least half a dozen attacks in Greater Manchester. These have included telephone threats along the lines of ‘We are going to burn you down’. There have also been other threats, intimidation and graffiti.”

Mr Rizvi, who was speaking as the city council hosted a private meeting of civic, religious and community leaders, said he believed that threats had been issued by “a small handful of idiots” who may or may not be members of racist organisations.

“There is that level of fear. You have only to look at what is happening in Bradford, Glasgow, Birmingham and London, where a taxi driver has been paralysed. Issues like that are very frightening. We want people to be vigilant and to contact the police. We will not tolerate this behaviour.”

Daily Telegraph, 20 September 2001

Muslim leaders probe reported attacks

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Muslim leaders in Swansea are investigating a claim that a woman ripped a headscarf from a Muslim schoolgirl amid claims that a mosque in the city has been stoned and death threats received.

Political and religious leaders in Wales have issued calls for restraint amid concerns that Muslims could become targets for racial attacks following the terrorist attacks in the US.

South Wales Police have refused to confirm or deny that the incidents have been reported to them. However, on Tuesday the force issued a statement which said it is recording an increase in the number of racial attacks.

Omar Williams, who runs a social welfare group in Swansea, said he was investigating claims Muslim pupils in the city have been abused. It is alleged an adult tore off a Muslim girl’s headscarf in one incident and Kayfer has referred the incident to the police.

Muslims have also received malicious telephone calls and windows and mosques have been vandalised.

BBC News, 19 September 2001

Scottish Muslims describe fears

Posted on by Eddie Truman

The leaders of Scotland’s Muslim community have been meeting to assess the extent of racist threats and attacks suffered since terrorists struck at the heart of the US.

Around the world many followers of Islam have reported heightened hostility since hijacked airliners were flown into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The American authorities have named Osama Bin Laden, who is a Muslim, as their prime suspect and that has triggered a backlash against followers of Islamic religions.

World leaders, including the US President George W Bush, have condemned violence against Muslims and have appealed for calm.

However, Muslim leaders met in Glasgow on Wednesday evening to discuss the situation in Scotland where some abuse has been reported.

They also drew up an action plan to help change the attitudes of those who hold them responsible for the terrorism.

BBC News, 19 September 2001

Some people will believe anything

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“For quite a few years now, there has been a sustained effort on the part of the British media to present Islam – even after the Rushdie affair and now during the Taliban’s reign of terror – as something essentially ‘joyous’ and ‘vibrant’…. Not a mention of the women tortured, the Christian converts executed, the apostates hounded, the slaves in Sudan being sold into torment right now. Call me a filthy racist – go on, you know you want to – but we have reason to be suspicious of Islam and to treat it differently from the other major religions.”

Julie Burchill in the Guardian, 18 August 2001

“Julie Burchill’s article could very well have been written by Nick Griffin of the British National Party, who has also declared that Muslims are a problem”, Bilal Patel points out.

Guardian, 25 August 2001