Press Release: MEND Urges West Midlands Police to Thoroughly Investigate Heinous Attack on Elderly Muslim Man

MEND is appalled by the video circulated of a heinous and cowardly attack on an elderly Muslim man on York Road in Kings Heath, Birmingham, yesterday.

We urge West Midlands Police (WMP) to treat this matter with the utmost urgency, bring the perpetrators to justice and reassure the Muslim community of their safety.

While WMP is investigating the matter, we call on them to confirm whether they are treating this as a hate crime as, at the outset of the attack, CCTV footage captures audio which strongly indicates this being a likelihood.

We are in the blessed month of Ramadan, and there is increased activity across mosques in the Midlands. Mosque attendees must feel confident in the knowledge that more is being done to protect them.

In recently published stats on reported hate crimes from 2021-22, 42% of religiously motivated hate crime victims were Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim across the UK.

Yesterday the Home secretary, Suella Braverman, announced an increased annual fund of £15 million for safety measures at Jewish community institutions. Whilst we welcome this announcement, in light of such an attack among others, we ask whether a sum of this amount or more will be set out to protect Muslim institutions?

[ENDS]

 

Notes for Editors:

• MEND is a community-funded organisation that seeks to encourage political, civic, and social engagement within British Muslim communities by empowering British Muslims to interact with political and media institutions effectively.
• MEND’s work has been commended by the World Economic Forum and EU’s Parliament Magazine.
• MEND works with the Crown Prosecution Service, police forces, schools and communities across the UK to tackle Islamophobia.
• For any enquiries, including information or interview requests, please contact: [email protected]