The Government must act to deal with Islamophobic and racist hate crimes to protect Muslim and other minority communities

Media speculation and outright lies have surrounded a number of incidents in the last few weeks. These have led to attacks on mosques, commercial and residential property and people perceived to be Muslim.

In recent days, a 17 year old of Rwandan heritage stabbed several children in Southport, murdering three. Subsequently, an online ‘news organisation’ falsely claimed it was carried out by a Muslim “known to MI6.” This lie was amplified further by right-wing groups on social media, right wing TV channels and (partially) by some MPs. leading to actual riots in Southport where a Mosque and an Asian-owned shop were attacked in mob violence , and people shouted Islamophobic and anti-immigrant slogans. This was followed by further rioting in London, Manchester, Aldershot, and Hartlepool, where there was an attack on an Asian passerby.

In mid-July, a riot took place in Leeds which was instigated by members of the Roma community because social services removed a Roma family’s children. Many of the later rioters were from other communities, including white English youth. Nevertheless, right-wing commentators, politicians and media blamed Muslims, in particular Councillor Mothin Ali, who was actually trying to stop the riots.

We call for the Government to urgently take the following actions to address this:

1. We call upon the Government to create an emergency mosque protection fund to improve mosque security. Mosque security funding is currently contingent on the mosque being able to prove it was previously attacked and the application process is currently too complicated and takes months to process. It should be simplified and streamlined.
2. We need to improve media regulation, starting with the second part of the Leveson inquiry. This is something the Labour Party was committed to in opposition and must not abandon whilst in government.
3. We call on the government to equalise the Racial and religious incitement legislation and remove the need for intent when prosecuting incitement to religious hatred. Too often lies, incitement, and hatred against Muslims goes unchallenged because it is legal to do so.
4. Implement primary legislation to deal with hate speech online and hold to account those  social media companies who fail to do so.