Stuttgart – A comprehensive two-year study conducted by the Independent Expert Panel on Hostility against Muslims (UEM) has exposed the prevalence of hostility towards Muslims in German society.
The study, titled “Islamophobia – A German Balance Sheet,” was commissioned in response to the racist attack in Hanau in 2020 and sheds light on the alarming state of affairs.
The report, consisting of over 400 pages, highlights that a hostile attitude towards Muslims is deeply ingrained in various segments of German society. Shockingly, one out of every two individuals in Germany agrees with anti-Muslim sentiments.
The UEM defines Islamophobia as the act of attributing negative, unchangeable, and threatening characteristics to Muslims and those perceived as Muslim. This construction of foreignness or hostility results in social exclusion, discrimination, and even violence against Muslims.
Since 2017, police crime statistics have recorded a separate category for explicitly Islamophobic crimes.
Each year, between 700 and 1,000 cases of insults, incitement, threats, property damage, and physical violence targeting Muslims have been documented.
The report also highlights that non-Muslims perceive Muslims as lacking integration abilities, consciously distancing themselves from others, and avoiding interfaith interactions.
The study also found that Muslim women who wear headscarves often face public hostility, while prejudice against Muslim men is fueled by stereotypes associating them with violence, extremism, and patriarchal values. The equation of Muslim piety with fundamentalism is particularly problematic, the research notes.
The study also delves into the German political landscape, pointing out the far-right populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) as having anti-Muslim programs.
The report also criticizes the ruling Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and Free Democrats (FDP) for their inconsistent efforts to combat institutional racism, with the exception of the Left Party.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) expressed her concern over the report’s findings and emphasized that the 5.5 million Muslims in Germany are an integral part of society, deserving equal rights and opportunities.
“Muslim life is a natural part of Germany. We want all people in our diverse society to have the same opportunities and rights,” she said.
The report proposes several recommendations to address the situation, starting with the appointment of a federal commissioner to combat hostility towards Muslims, the establishment of a permanent council of experts, and increased investment in institutions for registering and documenting complaints.
The experts also called for targeted public relations campaigns, comprehensive training programs for various professionals, and the revision of curricula and textbooks in schools to eliminate anti-Muslim content.
The report comes at a time when Muslim community leaders have reported a rise in Islamophobic attacks, many of which go unreported due to a lack of trust in authorities.
In the first 90 days of 2023 alone, 124 attacks on Muslims and mosques were reported. The report also highlighted previous instances of attacks on mosques and emphasized the need for addressing unreported cases of Islamophobia.
The German Islam Conference, which funded the UEM’s work, will review the final report, with a specialist conference planned to be held in the future. The study serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for solidarity, awareness, and concrete actions to combat hostility towards Muslims and promote inclusivity in German society.
