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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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’.

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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.

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Categories: bullying, News

Racist spat and shouted “F**** P* sl*t” at Muslim woman at traffic lights

October 14, 2020 Article

A racist driver spat at and shouted “f****** P*** sl*t” at a Muslim woman who wears the hijab when at a set of traffic lights in central London.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, and wishing to remain anonymous, the woman described how the hostility from the driver began before the racist and misogynistic abuse took place, stating that the male driver had swerved towards her vehicle, shouting obscenities at her, before overtaking her on repeated occasions.

The racist incident occurred on the afternoon of October 8.

She felt that the man was following them, adding to her anxiety as her young child was also present and that when he directed his spit, her window had been open.

After expressing frustration at the time taken to report the Islamophobic hate crime to the Metropolitan Police on 101, Tell MAMA made a report on her behalf, and an investigation is ongoing.

She described the perpetrator as a bearded white male in his mid-to-late fifties who drove a white Mercedes van.

Tell MAMA has long-documented the intersection between anti-Muslim hatred, Islamophobia, and misogyny, in news articles and research reports, that also connect racialised and gendered stereotypes about the religious identities of Muslim women.

In the first six months of 2019, 5 per cent of verified reports to Tell MAMA took place on roads or highways.

The latest Home Office bulletin on hate crime in England and Wales reveals a sharp rise in racist hate crime, accounting for 72 per cent of offences, up 6 per cent on the previous recording cycle.

The bulletin noted, “The increases seen in June and July 2020 were likely to be related to the Black Lives Matters protests and far-right groups counter-protests.”

Religious hate crime fell by 6 per cent, but the bulletin excludes data from Greater Manchester Police and Nottinghamshire Police. Of the figures available, half of the religiously aggravated offences (against the perceived targeted faith group) targeted Muslims (3,089), as almost one-in-five offences targeted Jewish people (1,205), with 7 per cent of offences targeting those of ‘Other’ faith, as 3 per cent (202 incidents) targeted Sikh communities.

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Categories: Hijab, London, Metropolitan Police, News

Met Police confirm hit-and-run in Ilford is a hate crime

October 8, 2020 Article

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed to Tell MAMA that it is investigating a hit and run attack on a Muslim woman in Ilford, east London as a hate crime.

A viral tweet shared on October 1 described how the woman hit was wearing a hijab and had been given a dirty look from the driver before the incident occurred, a further tweet described injuries and trauma resulting from the attack.

In a statement published on October 6, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers attended the scene at Betchworth Road at 09:29 on September 29.

Officers and members of the London Ambulance Service spoke with the 28-year-old woman, who reported bruising to her knee.

The driver, who failed to stop at the scene, is described as being a white male in his late twenties or early thirties with blond hair and was driving a white Ford Transit van with a passenger inside.

Officers at East Area CID led by Detective Sergeant Dave Parrish continue to investigate, including reviewing the available CCTV, and speaking with the woman, the statement adds.

Anyone who can assist the investigation is urged to call 101, quoting CAD 1820/29Sep. Or, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Categories: hate crime, hit and run, Ilford, London, Metropolitan Police, News

Racist coughed on Muslim family and told them “there you go” in Leeds

October 2, 2020 Article

A racist coughed on a Muslim family and told them “there you go”, targeting a husband, his pregnant wife who wears the hijab and their child, when out shopping in Leeds.

The assault took place on the afternoon of September 21, just days before local lockdown restrictions took effect in the city on September 25.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reported a day later that rates of coronavirus (Covid-19) over a seven-day period in the city were 108 cases per 100,000 people, with 8.4 per cent of those tested returning positive results. In early September, the BBC reported that the seven-day infection rate for the city stood h0ad risen to 32.5 cases per 100,000 people.

It is within this context that the family wanted their story told anonymously and worry that the perpetrator will continue to target others unless caught.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, a family member described how the man singled them out, having walked from a distance before stopping to cough on them and then walking away into the crowds, identifying them by their South Asian ethnicity and the religious clothing of their wife.

Tell MAMA encouraged them to report the racist assault to West Yorkshire Police given the CCTV in the area.

Nor is this the first coronavirus-related assault reported to our service, as back in March, a racist coughed in the face of a Muslim woman and told her that he had the virus.

The family are, however, thankful that no one has since displayed any symptoms.

They described the perpetrator as being a white male in his mid-to-late forties or early fifties, who carried a bottle of what they believe to be alcohol.

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Categories: assault, Coronavirus, cough, COVID-19, Leeds, News, West Yorkshire Police

Head of probe into discrimination in Tory Party seeks further evidence

September 17, 2020 Article

The head of an investigation into the Conservative Party’s handling of complaints of discrimination and prejudice, including Islamophobia, has issued a call for further evidence.

Professor Swaran Singh, a former commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the investigation is nearing the end of its first phase of work.

It has examined all existing documentary evidence relating to formal complaints of unlawful discrimination made to the Tory Party complaints team.

But the investigation is now seeking further evidence relating to allegations which may have been raised in the past but not considered by the party’s complaints team.

Prof Singh said: “The independent investigation is reaching the end of its initial examination of the Conservative Party’s handling of past complaints of discrimination.

“We are now calling for further evidence that we may not already have seen to ensure that we are aware, as far as realistically possible, of all evidence relating to alleged discrimination within the party.

“We need to determine whether all important evidence of discrimination has been considered in the framework of the party’s existing complaints process.”

The deadline for submissions is 4pm on October 17.

The Tories announced in December that Prof Singh would head the party’s review into its handling of complaints of discrimination and prejudice, including Islamophobia.

Boris Johnson originally promised an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the party when he was campaigning to be Tory leader last summer.

The commitment was later widened to cover all forms of discrimination and prejudice.

The post Head of probe into discrimination in Tory Party seeks further evidence appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Equality and Human Rights Commissioner, News, Professor Swaran Singh, Tory Party

Man spat at Muslim woman in niqab in Tooting

September 16, 2020 Article

A man spat at a Muslim woman who wears the niqab as he bent down to collect his lighter, the saliva landed on her thigh and the sleeve of her abaya, causing her great shock.

The assault occurred on the morning of August 17 in Tooting, south London.

Wishing to maintain her anonymity, the woman consented to have her story told to raise awareness.

She described how upon leaving a Superdrug store, a grey-haired male, aged in his mid-to-late fifties and slim build, had approached her before dropping his lighter, adding that he had a flushed appearance.

The man remained silent, even after the Muslim woman said ‘you just spat at me,’ and soon walked away.

She soon removed the abaya and was thankful for wearing layers, as a member of the offered to help her wash the garment at a nearby shop, assisting her further with hand washing.

Speaking of her restraint, she wanted to set a good example and refrained from responding with profanities and felt blessed that the saliva had not hit her face. Reflecting on past experiences of anti-Muslim and Islamophobic abuse, she described how two men had referred to her as ‘Batman’.

Tell MAMA continues to document the disproportionate targeting of Muslim women who wear the face veil.

In 2018, six per cent of Muslim women reporting to Tell MAMA wore the niqab or the face veil in combination with the abaya.

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Categories: assault, London, News, Niqab