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Rabat – A newly released survey has outlined an alarming increase in Islamophobic attacks targeting mosques and Islamic organizations in the UK.
Jointly carried out by two British Muslim organisations, the Muslim Engagement and Development group and he Muslim Census initiative, the report found that 42% of surveyed mosques and Islamic institutions experienced Islamophobia-driven attacks in the past three years.
The attacks included vandalism and theft, the survey said, emphasizing that 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 survey found, stressing that Islamophobic attacks against mosques increased by an additional 15% during the COVID-19 crisis.
It also documented that 45% of all religious hate crime offenses in the UK were against Muslims between March 2020 and March 2021.
“This figure has been broadly consistent in recent years and significantly higher than other religious communities,” the report said while renewing concerns that such attacks cause serious worries about the safety of Muslim worshipers and their communities.
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The survey further spoke of “several mosques” being “dubious of reporting an incident to mitigate any negative impacts such as fear of attending mosques, reduction in community cohesion and loss of confidence in police action.”
It also pointed out dissatisfaction about the police’s response when mosques are targeted, saying: “Only 55% of mosques reported being satisfied with police responses, and 38% said no police action was taken.”
Concerns about mounting Islamophobia are not limited to the UK; Muslims residing in most EU countries and in North America have over the past few years continued to complain about the increase in Islamophobic attacks and slurs.
Several rights groups recently condemned the EU’s failure to provide concrete measures to tackle Islamophobia.
Human rights advocates also accused the Fracne’s presidency of the EU — with ended at the end of June — of failing to address widespread discriminations against Muslim minorities in Europe.
