MEND Statement on Government’s Appointment of British Muslim Trust to Monitor Islamophobic Hate Crime

MEND welcomes the government’s recognition of the rise in Islamophobia and the urgent need for action. Islamophobia is becoming increasingly normalised across politics, media and online spaces. The appointment of the British Muslim Trust to lead a new initiative tackling Islamophobia comes at a time when British Muslims face unprecedented levels of hostility, both online and in everyday life.

However, any initiative needs to take into consideration the mistrust many Muslim communities feel towards government-led efforts in this area. Past approaches have lacked transparency, meaningful accountability and genuine community engagement. For this initiative to succeed, the British Muslim Trust must prioritise collaboration with grassroots Muslim organisations and civil society groups already leading vital work in this area. Government initiatives must build on the work already being done by Muslim communities themselves and organisations like MEND who remain committed to tackling Islamophobia and the IRU, a community backed organisation that has extensive experience in monitoring Islamophobic hate crime and discrimination.

This work must be carried out with full transparency, ensuring that the Trust’s leadership, reporting mechanisms and decision-making processes are open to scrutiny and reflect the diversity of British Muslim communities. Efforts to combat Islamophobia must also extend beyond England, so that Muslims across the UK have equal access to reporting tools and support services.