Muslim woman subjected to sustained assault, hijab pulled by a woman when out driving

February 23, 2021 Article

The Metropolitan Police are investigating an assault on a black Muslim woman who was punched, spat at, and had her hijab pulled by a woman who had shouted racist abuse at them, as another vehicle had attempted to run them off of the road.

The anti-Muslim and Islamophobic attack occurred last week on February 16.

After speaking with Tell MAMA’s casework team, the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how she “could not get her head around” what had happened. To further protect their identity, we are not disclosing precise location information.

She described how she had been on a driving lesson with her father in north-west London, noting that the targeting from the first vehicle started for several minutes (including flashing lights and the tossing of objects towards their car) in a 20-mph zone. She stayed, however, in the same lane until another vehicle, containing the perpetrator and her male partner, had overtaken them and forced them to stop after almost running them off the road.

After observing the female perpetrator exiting the passenger-side door and shouting obscenities and abuse, the Muslim woman did not anticipate the violence that would follow as the white woman had forced open the driver’s door, punching her repeatedly, spitting at her, and grabbing her hijab.

A child from the perpetrator’s vehicle had witnessed the attack and was standing in the road the entire time.

It left the Muslim woman with a scratch on her face, a swollen eye, and a broken necklace – reflecting the force the perpetrator had exerted when pulling at her hijab.

She told our casework team how she ‘never expected’ this to happen to her.

A family member contacted the police, who, having collected the dashcam footage, continue their investigation.

You can get advice from our confidential and free helpline on 0800 456 1226. Or through our free iOS or Android apps. Report through our online form. Or contact us via WhatsApp on 0734 184 6086.

The post Muslim woman subjected to sustained assault, hijab pulled by a woman when out driving appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: Hijab, London, Metropolitan Police, News, road rage

JAILED: Man threatened to kill Muslims, burn a mosque, and bomb council property during 999 call

February 18, 2021 Article

A man who threatened to murder Muslims, burn down a mosque, and bomb local council buildings in Ebbw Vale, Wales, has been given a six-month prison sentence.

45-year-old Robert Armstrong had made the threats during a 999 call he made on November 24 last year, according to the South Wales Argus.

He was remanded in custody last year.

Additional charges under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 related to threats to burn down a mosque and bombing Blaenau Gwent council buildings.

He appeared in Newport Crown Court on December 23.

Given his conviction, extracts from his 999 call have been made public, and reveal that he had told the police call handler that his issues were with “the government, the police, and the NHS”.

The tone became more menacing and threatening as he said: “I am going to f*** up as many lives as I can. By the time I am finished the Muslim community in Wales will be p***** off because I will murder them.”

He also threatened to kill any police officer who responded to his threatening phone call.

When officers from Gwent Police did attend the scene, however, they arrested Armstrong after discharging a taser.

In mitigation, Stuart John cited Armstrong’s mental health issues, including trouble accessing his prescription.

When sentencing Armstrong, Judge Christopher Vosper, could not say what triggered the threats and how the call handler could not ignore the threats, despite “unsure whether to take the threats seriously.”

Judge Vosper added that Armstrong had threatened to stab council workers in the neck, and: “You also made threats against the Muslim community, particularly those of Pakistani origin. You threatened to kill them and destroy a mosque.”

He added that whilst the council workers and local Muslims had not heard the threats, he sentenced Armstrong to 26-weeks in prison.

The post JAILED: Man threatened to kill Muslims, burn a mosque, and bomb council property during 999 call appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: mosque, News, South Wales

JAILED: Man threatened to kill Muslims, burn a mosque, and bomb council property during 999 call

February 18, 2021 Article

A man who threatened to murder Muslims, burn down a mosque, and bomb local council buildings in Ebbw Vale, Wales, has been given a six-month prison sentence.

45-year-old Robert Armstrong had made the threats during a 999 call he made on November 24 last year, according to the South Wales Argus.

He was remanded in custody last year.

Additional charges under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 related to threats to burn down a mosque and bombing Blaenau Gwent council buildings.

He appeared in Newport Crown Court on December 23.

Given his conviction, extracts from his 999 call have been made public, and reveal that he had told the police call handler that his issues were with “the government, the police, and the NHS”.

He also threatened to kill any police officer who responded to his threatening phone call.

When officers from Gwent Police did attend the scene, however, they arrested Armstrong after discharging a taser.

In mitigation, Stuart John cited Armstrong’s mental health issues, including trouble accessing his prescription.

He added that whilst the council workers and local Muslims had not heard the threats, he sentenced Armstrong to 26-weeks in prison.

The post JAILED: Man threatened to kill Muslims, burn a mosque, and bomb council property during 999 call appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: mosque, News, South Wales

Man charged with assault as worshippers subjected to racist abuse and gun gestures outside mosque

January 21, 2021 Article

Merseyside Police today (January 21) named a 45-year-old man charged in connection with an assault and a racially aggravated public order offence following the targeting of worshippers when leaving the Al-Rahma Mosque, on Mulgrave Street, in Toxeth last month.

The anti-Muslim and Islamophobic attack occurred on the afternoon of December 11.

In a statement, officers attended the scene following reports of an assault with a bike lock against a 41-year-old man.

The statement added that the victim had challenged the perpetrator who had been shouting racist abuse and making gun gestures at worshippers as they left the mosque.

Following the completion of their investigation yesterday (January 20), Paul Anderson, 45, of Duke Street in Liverpool City Centre, was arrested, taken into custody, and later charged with assault (Section 47) and a racially aggravated public order offence (Section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986).

Paul Anderson is due to appear in court today after being remanded in custody.

The post Man charged with assault as worshippers subjected to racist abuse and gun gestures outside mosque appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: gun, hate crime, Liverpool, mosque, News

Covid-19: Disabled Muslim woman told “to go back to where you came from” so the “virus will leave with you”

January 13, 2021 Article

A disabled Muslim woman described how a racist elderly couple shouted at her for not wearing a face mask, and, having detailed her medical exemption via her sunflower lanyard, was told to “go back to where you came from” so the “virus will leave with you” in a Lidl car park in Kent.

They also called her a “f****** idiot” and told her to educate herself.

Speaking to Tell MAMA in confidence, the woman, who wears the hijab, described how she felt ‘more targeted’ as the couple wilfully ignored a white male who had also been wearing a sunflower lanyard.

The anti-Muslim and Islamophobic incident occurred on the afternoon of December 30.

To further protect their identity, we are not disclosing the exact store location but can confirm that Kent Police are investigating.

As governmental advice makes clear: If you have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering or mask, you do not routinely need to show any written evidence, nor provide evidence of an exemption card.

For those wanting to use an exemption card or badge, however, a template can be downloaded for free from the Gov.uk website.

Last October, Nick Ephgrave, the Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee that a ‘common trigger’ in rising levels of racist hate crimes last year concerned arguments over the use or non-use of face masks.

“Someone will challenge someone about the use or not of a face mask, and then in the course of that interaction will then use racist language,” he said.

Tell MAMA has documented the targeting of Muslims during the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, including a shocking and vile assault where a racist male coughed in the face of a Muslim woman and told her he had the coronavirus. Other examples include a Muslim man being told by a fellow customer that they would “deport him” after he had requested that maintain social distancing in a department store.

More broadly, the process of racialisation, which some academics argue, relates to the essentialist characteristics attached to a group based on physical or cultural traits (including language, clothing, and religious practices), as the process of racialisation not only crystalises by reference to their faith but also their articles of clothing, for example.

For white Muslims and converts in Britain, as in this example, other research from academics explores how they become ‘not-quite-white’, or ‘non-white’, due to ‘persistent conflation’ of Islam as a ‘non-white’ religion.

Other as research explored its relation to the political, economic, and political marginalisation of groups.

Gendered and harmful stereotypes of Muslim women who wear the hijab (or other forms of religious clothing) as being ‘meek and submissive’ continues to be explored in Tell MAMA’s research reports.

The post Covid-19: Disabled Muslim woman told “to go back to where you came from” so the “virus will leave with you” appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: COVID-19, face mask, hate crime, Kent, News

Racist told Muslim man he’d call the police to “deport you” when asked to maintain social distancing

December 1, 2020 Article

A racist customer at a high-street department store in Bury angrily told a Muslim man that he would call the police to “deport him” after they made a polite request to maintain social distancing when queuing.

The incident occurred on the evening of November 27, and, despite the threat, the racist customer soon left the store as members of staff apologised, adding that the comments were unacceptable.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, and wishing to remain anonymous, he described how the man, whom he described as white and in his early-to-mid-forties, reacted to his innocuous request to maintain social distancing measures with such hostility, that even staff members had challenged him before their racist outburst, where he said: “I’ll call the police; if I call the police; they’ll take you to the airport and deport you.”

The Muslim man felt targeted due to his ethnicity and beard.

Nor did he report the racist incident to the police, citing a previous negative experience, where officers had informed him that despite the presence of CCTV footage, they had been unable to investigate further.

Following discussions, with our casework team, however, he did consent for our service to make an anonymous report to Greater Manchester Police to make them aware.

Last month, a senior police officer told a committee that arguments over face masks to limit the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) was a contributing factor in rising reports of racist hate crime.

Nick Ephgrave, who is the Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, said: “Someone will challenge someone about the use or not of a face mask, and then in the course of that interaction will then use racist language.”

These comments appeared within a broader context: of rising racist behaviour from neighbours during the national lockdown, or strangers targeting members of the public, reflecting how racist hate crime remains, overwhelmingly, an issue of aggravated public order offences.

Tell MAMA has long documented in previous annual reports how the dynamics of neighbours targeting Muslim individuals and families, warning in 2017 that: “Perhaps most invasively, this day-to-day form of abuse can happen in and around the homes of Muslims, harming their sense of safety and limiting their social mobility.”

And in 2018, one in 10 reports from Muslim men had sported beards when targeted in anti-Muslim and Islamophobic incidents.

Academics have also explored, more broadly, how, in a post-9/11 context, the racialised visibility of Muslim men are more likely to be deemed security threats or disloyal, as visible Muslim women, in particular, are questioned about their nationality and cultural values.

Tell MAMA has documented other case studies where Muslim men, targeted because of their ethnicity and religious appearance, faced discriminatory and dehumanising comments related to terrorism or explosives.

The post Racist told Muslim man he’d call the police to “deport you” when asked to maintain social distancing appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: Coronavirus, Greater Manchester Police, News

Man threatened pregnant Muslim woman with ‘death stare’ and stalked her in Sainsbury’s store

November 19, 2020 Article

A pregnant Muslim woman, who wears the hijab and abaya, described feeling very threatened by the stalkerish and intimidating behaviour of a man who, for a brief time, followed her and her young child, in a branch of the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s in south London.

The anti-Muslim and Islamophobic incident occurred on the evening of November 18.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, she agreed to have their story told anonymously to raise awareness (but has not reported elsewhere) and mentioned how her husband had been in a different aisle when the threatening behaviour began.

At first, she described paying the perpetrator no attention as he walked past her, only to stop, retrace his steps, and give what she described as a threatening “death stare”.

Out of fear, she began to quicken her pace, pushing the trolley with her young child inside, only to see the man continuing to follow, and given it was late evening, there were few other customers around to intervene.

Only after reuniting with her husband did the perpetrator stop their intimidating behaviour, as the husband challenged the man, who stopped and said nothing.

She described the male perpetrator as white and in his late thirties to early forties.

Tell MAMA continues to highlight and document in research and the experiences of other Muslim women how anti-Muslim abuse and Islamophobia harms their mobility – whether out shopping, on public transport or in public areas, free from the fear of harm, discrimination, or violence.

This extends to other fundamental rights, including religious expression in workplaces and educational institutions without hindrance from management, and the expectation of equality when purchasing goods or when travelling.

As long evidenced in various annual and interim reports by Tell MAMA, the gendered dynamic, which often operates through racialised and misogynistic frameworks, also reveals how male perpetrators feel emboldened by harmful stereotypes about the apparent ‘meekness’ of Muslim women based on their religious clothing.

Such experiences also influence behavioural changes in Muslims, with some changing routines or avoiding public transport to risk the risk of experiencing abuse or violence again.

Throughout 2018, a majority of known perpetrators in verified reports to Tell MAMA were male (73 per cent, or 482 of 663), and 61 per cent of that figure were white men.

Tell MAMA approached Sainsbury’s for comment, and a spokesperson said, “We want everyone to feel safe and welcome in our stores, so we’re very concerned by this customer’s experience,” and urged the Muslim woman to contact them directly.

The post Man threatened pregnant Muslim woman with ‘death stare’ and stalked her in Sainsbury’s store appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: Hijab, News, Sainsbury's, Supermarket

Muslim woman called a ‘rat’ by racist customer in Costa Coffee

November 17, 2020 Article

A Muslim woman spoke of her anger and frustration after a white, middle-aged couple made abusive and racist remarks, including the man shouting, “There’s a rat in here” at a branch of Costa Coffee in Leeds.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, she described how she felt targeted by the racist comments due to her ethnicity and because she was wearing a salwar kameez, in a mostly white area of the city.

After finishing her drink, the woman directed a demeaning ‘aww’ sound at her as she left.

The racist incident occurred on November 2, three days before new national restrictions took effect to reduce the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19).

In a statement to Tell MAMA, a spokesperson for Costa Coffee said: “Costa Coffee is passionate about creating an inclusive, warm and welcoming environment for our team members to work in and for our customers to enjoy. Racism and discrimination has no place within Costa Coffee.”

The spokesperson further confirmed to Tell MAMA that they will look into the matter internally to see if any complaints to staff about the racist incident had occurred.

The post Muslim woman called a ‘rat’ by racist customer in Costa Coffee appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: Leeds, News, rat

Taxi driver abused and asked if he would ‘behead’ passenger

November 4, 2020 Article

Derbyshire Police are investigating an Islamophobic hate crime after a taxi driver was abused by a female passenger who asked if he intended to behead her.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, the driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, described how the customer had pre-booked for the afternoon of the previous weekend, and smelt alcohol on her breath before the journey began.

During the short journey, he described how she made belligerent and inchoate remarks about the horrific and terroristic beheading of Samuel Paty, who taught history and geography at the Collège du Bois d’Aulne, in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, France, on October 16.

She then said to the taxi driver, “Are you going to that to me?” to which the driver did not respond, and at that moment, she made more disparaging and harmful remarks about the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran, which caused the Muslim man distress, but as before, he did his best to ignore her.

After arriving at their destination, the racist female passenger left the taxi without paying the £6.80 fare.

The local taxi firm has now banned the woman, whom they describe as being white, and in her mid-to-late twenties.

After giving his consent, Tell MAMA reported the incident to the police on their behalf.

Tell MAMA has long documented the racialised targeting of taxi drivers, and the particular vulnerabilities those in the night-time economy face when concerning racist violence, abuse, and discrimination.

We have also advocated on behalf of taxi drivers, ensuring that in some cases, police investigations re-open.

For the interim of last year, Tell MAMA verified 5 per cent of reports of having taken place on roads or highways, consistent with the 2018 reporting cycle.

In a report co-authored with Professor Peter Hopkins of Newcastle University and Dr John Clayton at Northumbria University, about the experiences of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia in North East England, one participant in the research, himself a taxi driver, described the racialised abuse faced which linked Muslims broadly to terrorism.

Another taxi driver interviewed for the research spoke of the overt racism they faced, including being called a ‘P*ki’.

The post Taxi driver abused and asked if he would ‘behead’ passenger appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: derby, hate crime, News, taxi driver, terrorism

Muslim child bullied for homemade lunches until parents complain

October 21, 2020 Article

Staff at a primary school in east London intervened to stop the racist bullying of a young Muslim girl who was mocked for their homemade lunches after her parents raised concerns, Tell MAMA can reveal.

To protect their identity, we are not disclosing the name of the school or the identities of those impacted, but Tell MAMA can confirm that during lunchtimes, a group of mainly white students would cover their noses at the Muslim child’s meals that included rice and curry, causing her much distress and embarrassment, until she informed her parents of the situation, who, in turn, informed staff.

They agreed to have their story told to raise awareness after being made aware of the bullying late last month, adding that, following discussion with staff, the bullying students will no longer be able to interact with their child.

In response to growing concerns about anti-Muslim and Islamophobic bullying in schools, both primary and secondary, Tell MAMA created tailor-made safety tips for young people, and PDF versions are free to download.

Polling of 1,000 six to 15-year-olds revealed that just over one-in-three (32 per cent) of children had heard someone be racist at school, a figure that rises by the time they reach the age of thirteen to 52 per cent.

Although the polling did not control for ethnic background, it did, however, show that children living in diverse cities were more exposed to racism.

Earlier this year, the BBC reported that exclusions for racist behaviours in primary schools in England had risen by 40 per cent.

Advice on talking to children about racism from practitioners and experts appears on UNICEF, Barnado’s, the BBC and others.

Anti-bullying charities also publish supportive guidance about racist bullying and the statutory rights that underpin the issue.

Various Tell MAMA annual reports have included anonymised case studies where schools have and have not addressed bullying or discriminatory practices when we have advocated on behalf of service users.

The post Muslim child bullied for homemade lunches until parents complain appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: bullying, News

Muslim woman subjected to sustained assault, hijab pulled by a woman when out driving

JAILED: Man threatened to kill Muslims, burn a mosque, and bomb council property during 999 call

JAILED: Man threatened to kill Muslims, burn a mosque, and bomb council property during 999 call

Man charged with assault as worshippers subjected to racist abuse and gun gestures outside mosque

Covid-19: Disabled Muslim woman told “to go back to where you came from” so the “virus will leave with you”

Racist told Muslim man he’d call the police to “deport you” when asked to maintain social distancing

Man threatened pregnant Muslim woman with ‘death stare’ and stalked her in Sainsbury’s store

Muslim woman called a ‘rat’ by racist customer in Costa Coffee

Taxi driver abused and asked if he would ‘behead’ passenger

Muslim child bullied for homemade lunches until parents complain

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