Rabat – The Muslim Council of Britain, the UK’s leading Muslim body, has urged the new British Prime Minister to take Islamophobia seriously.
Zara Mohammed, the secretary-general of the Muslim body, said that whoever succeeds Boris Johnson “must represent everybody, and they have to make sure that they do that fairly.”
In an interview with Metro, the council’s secretary-general called on all candidates seeking to replace Johnson to actively combat “deep-seated” Islamophobia.
Mohammed’s council seeks a “zero tolerance to Islamophobia,” arguing that the leading party has to make clear that Islamophobia is “totally unacceptable.”
The council continues to demand an apology from Johnson, who has faced criticism over his remarks in August 2018, in which he stated that burkas make women “look like letter boxes.”.
The comment sparked an uproar among the Muslim community, who condemned the statement and argued that his controversial remarks could trigger a rise in Islamophobic attacks in the UK.
Johnson’s successor, who will assume power on September 5, remains uncertain.
While the race to replace him currently features five candidates, former finance minister Rishi Sunak leads after the first round of voting, according to reports.
Several reports have flagged the increase in Islamophobic attacks in the UK.
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A recent survey carried out by the Muslim Engagement and Development group and the Muslim Census initiative said that 42% of surveyed mosques and Islamic institutions experienced Islamophobia-driven attacks in the past three years in the UK.
The survey also noted that the attacks included theft and vandalism. Approximately 17% of staff and mosque goers reported facing physical abuse.
“Attacks on mosques are common occurrences in the UK and peaked after the Christchurch terror attack in March 2019, which killed 51 people and injured 40,” the report warned, stressing that Islamophobic attacks against mosques increased by an additional 15% during the COVID-19 crisis.
