Police appeal for help to find man who launched Islamophobic rant at Muslim in London supermarket

Categories: Latest News
Friday July 01 2016
The Waltham Forest Guardian reports on a police appeal for information in connection with an incident of Islamophobic abuse at a Morrison’s store in Walthamstow on Saturday 4 June.
Zubair Munsif uploaded video footage of an elderly man launching an Islamophobic tirade as he shopped in the supermarket in east London last month.
Munsif said the man who overheard him greet a fellow Muslim in the store turned to him and ask if he was a Muslim. When Munsif replied to say he was, the man responded saying “go back to where you came from. I hate Muslims”.
The man who went on a rant for several minutes told Munsif to “sod off” and spoke of how he “disliked all Muslims”. He was later removed from the store by security staff.
Munsif argued the tone of the EU referendum debate was contributing to an anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant climate writing on his Facebook post, “Politicians are scaremongering and the only argument that is being heard is of immigrants coming here and taking jobs, housing and the like. Ultimately you follow the line and it turns into an anti-Muslim rhetoric. The likes of Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, Britain First and Donald Trump are the voices that are being heard.
“Muslims and migrants end up being demonised, and the referendum becomes a pointless immigration debate instead.”
The remarks appear prescient in light of numerous reports of alleged post-Brexit hate crimes around the country.
The Metropolitan Police are seeking information from the public to help identify the man shown in the video footage.
Anyone who recognises the man is asked to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers UK on: 0800 555 111, quoting references: METCU 216099 and 4911138/16.