UK: Islamophobic hate crimes soar by more than 50% in year

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The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association say any form of hate propaganda, extremism and vilification of communities is to be condemned.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: Get West London
By Claire Miller, Danya Bazaraa | June 2, 2015

The number of hate crimes against Muslims reported to the Metropolitan Police has more than doubled in the last year.

According to Freedom of Information requests collated by Trinity Mirror's data team, the number of hate crimes - recorded by the police force in London as either Islamophobic or that mention Muslim or Islam - was 80 in January 2015, up from 36 in January 2014 and 22 in January 2013.

Across west London boroughs, the figures were 25 in 2015, 13 in 2014 and seven in 2013.

The rise may be part of a general upward trend or better recording, as more police forces add an Islamophobic flag to their system. However, the increase may also be a spike in incidents following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in early January this year.

Hate crimes that have been flagged as involving an element of faith, religious hate or Islamophobia in the capital rose by nearly a third in a year, from 886 incidents in January 2014 to 1,170 in January 2015.

Over the same period, crimes involving disability hate rose by 70%, from 10 to 17, while crimes involving transphobia rose by a third from nine to 12.

The Met said it is committed to tackling Islamaphobic crime and all other hate crime - and recognises the impact it has on communities within London.

The force believes the increase in recorded offences is due to a range of factors including a growing willingness of victims to report hate crime, an improved awareness of MPS staff in identifying these offences, and work with partners to support victims.

A spokesman said: "We will take positive action to investigate all hate crime allegations, support victims and their families and bring perpetrators to justice.

"We're always seeking ways to increase reporting and work with a number of third party reporting sites, so that victims who would otherwise feel unable to approach police direct can report crime to non-police organisations and individuals. Victims of hate crime can in addition now report online on the MPS website.

"If anyone feels they are the victim of hate crime, including anti-Semitic abuse, we would urge all victims to come forward and report any incident or crime as soon as possible.

"All 32 London boroughs have a dedicated Community Safety Unit (CSU) with more than 500 specially trained officers across the Met who investigate domestic abuse and hate crime.

"We have recently formed a special hate crime senior partnership group which has a focus on creating and delivering an effective hate crime operational strategy for London. This is being developed in partnership with strategic and community partners."

Farooq Aftab, of the west London branch of AMYA (Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association), spoke to getwestlondon about the figures: "We are of course concerned by the rise in extremism and radicalisation. ‎Of note is the rise in Islamophobia.

"We hope the authorities will clamp down on this and ensure the safety and well being of all citizens, including Muslims.

"Any form of hate propaganda, extremism and vilification of communities is to be condemned. This will do nothing to foster peace and security in our society.

"We should learn to understand, tolerate and respect each other if we want to create a peaceful society."

Across the UK, the number of hate crimes against Muslims reported to the police in January was more than double the previous year, 244 in January 2015, up from 116 in January 2014 and 80 in January 2013.

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/islamophobic-hate-crimes-soar-more-9367212

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