Press Release: mend / Unite Against Fascism

Press Release:  mend / Unite Against Fascism

For Attention: News-desk

19 November 2014

 

Diane Abbott MP, Muslim community groups and NGO’s come together to tackle Islamophobia

Tackling Islamophobia: Roundtable panel discussion in Parliament

3-5pm Thursday 20 November 2014

Committee Room 16 

House of Commons

Unite Against Fascism and mend (Muslim Engagement & Development) have called a roundtable event in Parliament as part of November’s Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM).  The event is an opportunity to address some of the pressing issues facing the Muslim community with a diverse panel that will take up matters including government policy regarding the Muslim community, the rise in Islamophobic hate crimes, policing and the Muslim community and the impact of the media portrayals of Islam and Muslims.

Islamophobia has been rising at an alarming rate over recent years. In London alone, from April 2013 to March 2014, we have seen a rise of 69% in Islamophobic crimes with the Met Police observing an eightfold increase in anti-Muslim attacks in the two weeks following Lee Rigby’s murder. During the last twelve months, the Metropolitan Police have recorded 573 Islamophobic crimes in London. Given that 43% of all hate crimes go unreported (Crime Survey for England and Wales), the actual number of Islamophobic crimes is undoubtedly much higher. Unlike most incidents of hate crime, which overwhelmingly involve male perpetrators and victims, Teeside University have found that the majority of the victims of Islamophobic attacks are female.

The round table will focus on key demands to the Government, policy makers, and parliamentarians to deal more effectively with Islamophobia, including statutory responses and responsibilities, measures to improve policing and better legislation to protect faith-based communities.

Panellists will consist of:

Diane Abbott MP, 

Sufyan Ismail CEO, mend 

Hugh Lanning, Vice-Chair, Unite Against Fascism

Dr. Mark Walters, Senior Lecturer in Law, Sussex University, 

Dr. Omar Khan Director, Runnymede Trust

Talha Ahmad, Member of the National Council, Muslim Council of Britain

Mohammed Kozbar, Vice President MAB and Chair of Finsbury Park Mosque

Maz Saleem, Daughter of Mohammed Saleem

Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett, Joint National Secretaries, Unite Against Fascism 

 

Sufyan Ismail, CEO of mend, said:

“Scores of attacks on British Muslims around the country shows that it is time to take Islamophobia every bit as seriously as racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia. This round table event in Parliament is an important step towards identifying causes, assessing impact and collaborating on a strategy to tackle anti-Muslim hatred. mend is delighted to be part of this initiative.”

Sabby Dhalu, Joint National Secretary, UAF, said:

‘The cutting edge of the rise of the far right has been its Islamophobia.  The fascist BNP targeted the Muslim community and the violent EDL marched on Mosques.  UAF is proud to have worked centrally with the Muslim community to defeat fascism electorally and in our communities. UAF played an active role in challenging Islamophobia and will continue to do so until it is condemned to the dustbin of history.’

For more information and interviews contact Denis Fernando on 07790 022 472 or Shiplu Miah on 07863 349 007

 

Notes to editor:

1. mend (Muslim Engagement & Development) is a not-for-profit company working towards enhancing the active engagement of British Muslim communities in our national life, particularly in the fields of politics and the media.

2. November is Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) during which exhibitions, seminars, workshops and conferences are organised across the country by various organisations to highlight the growing incidence of anti-Muslim hatred and hate speech.

3. List of mend’s events for Islamophobia Awareness Month can be found here: http://iengage.uk.net/iam/upcoming-events-iam2014/

4. mend Website: www.mend.org.uk

5.  Unite Against Fascism Website: Www.uaf.org.uk[email protected]

 

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