LGBTQI Muslims: The Unspoken Taboo

In recent years, there’s been a significant rise in homophobic hate crime in the UK. According to the latest figures in fact, one in four members of the LGBTQI community have been victim to hate crime as a result of their sexual orientation.

As with any form of hate crime, the emotional, psychological and physical effects of such harassment are harrowing. However, homophobic attitudes do not simply manifest themselves in verbally and physically abusive attacks by strangers on the street.

They are of course the end of the line of a spectrum of homophobic views which are evident in the discriminatory behaviour and social attitudes of non-LGBTQI peers. And as documented by the NHS, homophobic discrimination and bullying can (and does) lead to poor mental health amongst members of the LGBTQI community. This can include depression and even suicidal thoughts.

Gay or Muslim: An invented dichotomy

It’s exactly these social attitudes which we need to address within the Muslim community. As a “straight” Muslim, I’m calling on the Muslim community to tackle the last “unspoken taboo”: faith and sexuality.

You see, as soon as the words “gay”, “LGBT”, “lesbian” or “homosexual” enter into the conversation, many Muslims will sit up in a certain panicked gaze. For the created dichotomy of Muslim or gay is the “norm” in many circles. They may shout: “You can’t be Muslim and gay!” and feel this is totally appropriate and “correct”. For such people, if you are gay then you are “not Muslim”. Now, I’m not discussing the intricate details of fiqh, Islamic law, history and Qur’anic interpretation in regards to sexual identity (I’m not a scholar and in-depth unbiased scholarship is in fact already lacking in this issue). Instead, I’m highlighting the harmful social attitudes prevalent within the Muslim community and the way that LGBTQI Muslims are in most cases denied the right to “mainstream” community life. In explicit terms, the LGBTQI community at large is denied the right to simply stand as Muslim and gay.

Whether or not you see homosexuality as “haram” (sinful), let’s just acknowledge the fact that you do not often see the same exclusionary and judgemental behaviour towards Muslims who drink, gamble or commit adultery. Such takfiri judgement (declaring someone to be non-Muslim) seems to be almost exclusively reserved for people who are deemed “too different” and who engage in beliefs and practices far from the “normalised” notion of what “Islam” is and what is “compatible” with such “Islam” (note that there is no one “Islam” – Islam is diverse in scholarly tradition and history). This is exactly the same kind of takfiri behaviour we see in relation to Muslims outside the Sunni majority within certain circles and with certain individuals.

Within many Muslim circles, there is little/no room for basic tolerance of the LGBTQI community as Muslim. This does therefore not extend to acceptance (and logically neither agreement) of belief in regards to how they practice their faith and accept/live their sexuality.

Excluded: Little room for queer tolerance

 

What am I basing this on? Well this is not simply a reflection of a range of social experiences both within LGBTQI friendly and “mainstream” circles I have witnessed and lived but also the self-profession of non-queer Muslims themselves.

Back in 2016 for example, a survey undertaken for a Channel 4 documentary found that half of all British Muslims believe that homosexuality should be illegal. Even more shocking than this disregard for diversity of opinion and practice is the fact that almost 50% of participants also stated that they did not believe it was acceptable for a member of the LGBTQI community to work as a teacher.

It has of course been noted that similar views would also be expressed from members of other (orthodox traditions) and whilst that is undoubtedly true, I have also witnessed for myself the range of LGBTQI friendly spaces within the Christian and Jewish communities. Yet there are sadly few such examples within the British or global Muslim community. Social attitudes which demonise members of the LGBTQI community are prevalent in many Muslim circles.

Organisations such as Imaan – Europe’s largest organisation working to support LGBTQI Muslims – make up a very small body of organisations who work to tackle the issues faced by the LGBTQI Muslim community and offer a safe space of tolerance and belonging. Imaan for example is not generally welcomed within the wider Muslim community and that’s the major indicative point here of the reality faced by the Muslim LGBTQI community.

Dishonour: Denial to death

The issues at hand and consequence are real, complex and wide-ranging for the victims. They include the denial of basic freedoms/rights and extend to explicit abuse, ranging from stigma and taboo – with the takfiri notions of “he/she is not Muslim” – to even violent attacks.

Not only are many denied the right to acceptance – or at least a sense of tolerance or diversity – but also the right to join a community, to pray in congregation, to be loved, accepted and even enjoin in the right to family and to life.

Sons and daughters who bravely “come out” to their families or who are “exposed”, instead of acceptance and love (even more so tolerance) face family rejection. They are often simply disowned with many facing verbal or physical abuse. They may even pushed into marriage and at worst become victims of an honour killing as Peter Tatchell of The Peter Tatchell Foundation explains:

 “…LGBT Muslims are some of the most victimised people in Britain today. While not all Muslims are homophobic, a disproportionate number LGBT Muslims are pushed out of their homes by their families, ostracised by their communities and banned from worshipping at their mosque… We had reported to us a case of a gay Muslim man from the Midlands who was lured back to Pakistan on the pretext of a family reunion. When he got there he was hacked to death for being gay.”

We can clearly see that there is a real problem here ranging with non-tolerance at the very bottom of the scale, to violent murder at the very far end.

Moving forward: Critical literary engagement

There are two issues at hand first. Firstly, no matter your beliefs, such abhorrent violent behaviour is morally repugnant. Everyone has the right to practice their faith, to live safely and to be free from abuse.

Secondly, the other issue which has so far been ignored by a large segment of the Muslim community is that of accepting sexual diversity – not merely condemning street-based attacks and even murder. Given how crucial sexuality is to human identity and one’s emotional and psychological wellbeing, we need to actively engage in discourse on sexual diversity – examining the Qur’an and hadith and Islamic history.

In a previous interview with Islamic feminist and scholar Dr Amina Wadud, Dr Wadud informed me about her latest piece of key research on sexual diversity in Islam and why such work is so crucial:

“I believe that certain things are outdated and we need to figure out how to address them succinctly and not to defer to past – even intellectual – engagements as if the matter is closed… We have growing diversities in our community and… whenever I describe the research project I always say sexual diversity and human dignity… I want to bring the conversation to hopefully a more nuanced way and just make it possible for us to open up to have some genuine conversations.”

Having genuine conversations is such a seemingly small yet massive step for our community. This indeed is exactly the kind of work we need and I for one welcome such scholarship, discussion and engagement.

Indeed, the time has come. Enough is enough. We cannot ignore the needs of our brothers and sisters of faith within the LGBTQI community. It’s time we stepped out into the open and spoke about this crucial issue. Sexuality should not be a taboo. It’s a reality. I therefore call on faith leaders to welcome Muslims of all backgrounds – regardless of sexual identity, gender, ethnicity, age or religious “sect” – into their mosque. Allah Almighty is the Creator and Allah is our judge, not us.

To start with, I recommend the training provided by Faith and Belief Forum. For non-faith leaders, I advise getting to know the people who are so often stigmatised and hear about their experiences, their realities and their needs. By simply standing with them, we can start to break this outdated, closeted, ill-informed taboo.

By Elizabeth Arif-Fear, Founder of Voice of Salam

The post LGBTQI Muslims: The Unspoken Taboo appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Elizabeth Arif Fear, gay, hate, homophobic, LGBTQI, Muslim, News, Opinions, Peter Tatchell

Muslim woman repeatedly called a ‘dirty f**king bomber’ on train

A Muslim woman was repeatedly called a ‘dirty f**king bomber’ on a train by a drunk male.

The incident occurred at 13:21 GMT on May 28.

The Bengali woman, in her twenties, was travelling on the Thameslink network in London with her mother, who wears the hijab when she noticed a man staring at her.

Speaking to Tell MAMA anonymously, the woman described how she felt threatened by his stares, given his unkempt appearance and the can of alcohol in his hand. He then mumbled ‘dirty f**king bomber’ several times. The Islamophobic abuse was within earshot of the woman and other passengers.

She was able to photograph the perpetrator when safe to do.

The perpetrator is said to be a bearded white male, in his 40s or 50s, who spoke with a regional accent, and was wearing a black sports-branded hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms.

In our 2016 annual report, 85 incidents (13 per cent) took place on transport networks,  which includes all forms of public transport and extends to bus stops, coach stations, train stations and London Underground stations.

The British Transport Police are now investigating the incident.

In a statement to Tell MAMA, she said: “When he made his remarks and stared in my direction, I felt I had to hide away in my seat and also use a different exit to get off the train to avoid more abuse.

“Being referred to as a ‘bomber’ and ‘dirty’ made me feel like I had to be held accountable for something, and that I was beneath others, just because of my skin colour.

“Regardless of your background or religious belief, everyone has the right to commute and go about their day without being targeted and made to feel like they have to hide away from others.”

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: bomber, BTP, hate crime, News

Muslim woman repeatedly called a ‘dirty f**king bomber’ on train

A Muslim woman was repeatedly called a ‘dirty f**king bomber’ on a train by a drunk male.

The incident occurred at 13:21 GMT on May 28.

The Bengali woman, in her twenties, was travelling on the Thameslink network in London with her mother, who wears the hijab when she noticed a man staring at her.

Speaking to Tell MAMA anonymously, the woman described how she felt threatened by his stares, given his unkempt appearance and the can of alcohol in his hand. He then mumbled ‘dirty f**king bomber’ several times. The Islamophobic abuse was within earshot of the woman and other passengers.

She was able to photograph the perpetrator when safe to do.

The perpetrator is said to be a bearded white male, in his 40s or 50s, who spoke with a regional accent, and was wearing a black sports-branded hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms.

In our 2016 annual report, 85 incidents (13 per cent) took place on transport networks,  which includes all forms of public transport and extends to bus stops, coach stations, train stations and London Underground stations.

The British Transport Police are now investigating the incident.

In a statement to Tell MAMA, she said: “When he made his remarks and stared in my direction, I felt I had to hide away in my seat and also use a different exit to get off the train to avoid more abuse.

“Being referred to as a ‘bomber’ and ‘dirty’ made me feel like I had to be held accountable for something, and that I was beneath others, just because of my skin colour.

“Regardless of your background or religious belief, everyone has the right to commute and go about their day without being targeted and made to feel like they have to hide away from others.”

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 repeatedly called a ‘dirty f**king bomber’ on train appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: bomber, BTP, hate crime, News

British Muslims Trying to Help Clear a Road Vehicle Accident are Abused in Sheffield

A group of Muslim men, who attended the scene of a car accident, were racially abused when directing vehicles away from the wreckage.

The incident occurred on May 20, at around 8 pm, in Tinsley, Sheffield.

Speaking to Tell MAMA anonymously, one of the men abused, stated that the group of men had given their up their evening to help clean up their local area by litter picking when they witnessed two high-powered sports vehicles collided, adding that at least one of the drivers had fled the scene.

The group then contacted the emergency services and helped to re-direct traffic away from the scene of the accident until the police arrived.

Some drivers, however, shouted racist and anti-Muslim abuse at them. The men were called ‘P*kis’ and ‘terrorists’.

The police are said to have taken twenty minutes to arrive at the scene, and an attending officer spoke to the group in a manner which, they felt was presumptive about their involvement in the crash but they challenged this assertion.

A press release from South Yorkshire Police revealed that one of the drivers suffered minor injuries. The other driver, however, was not present when officers arrived so they could not establish the extent of their injuries.

Of the verified street-level incidents reported to Tell MAMA in 2016 more than half occurred in public areas.

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 British Muslims Trying to Help Clear a Road Vehicle Accident are Abused in Sheffield appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: anti-Muslim hate, Muslim men, News, Road vehicle accident, Sheffield, terrorism, Tinsley

Hafiz Hamid Raza – the Sialkot Anti-Ahmadi Mosque Inciter, Spoke in the UK in 2014

Hafiz Hamid Raza, the Sialkot Imam who can be heard callously enjoying the destruction of the Ahmadi mosque, (which can be heard in the background), visited the United Kingdom and spoke at the Khatame Nabuwat conference in Derby in 2014. We have listed the video below and which confirms his entry into the United Kingdom.

Hafiz Raza was central to the incitement that led to the destruction of the Ahmadi mosque on the 23rd of May in a town that has not had such sectarian tensions below. Residents of Sialkot have generally been immune to sectarian tensions and this development is therefore even more shocking. The destruction of the mosque took place a few days ago as people literally tore the place of worship apart brick by brick. 

Anti-Ahmadi hatred pervades widely into Pakistani society and has gone unchecked for decades, though it is also found in the United Kingdom. Anti-Ahmadi statements, graffiti on mosques and intimidation outside Ahmadi mosques have taken place in this country and continue to take occur without any real focus on the intolerance and institutionalised hatred that impacts on this well integrated and peaceful Muslim community. It is as if, institutional anti-Muslim hatred, does not exist for some Muslims when it affects Ahmadi Muslims in the UK.

Entry into the UK

Hafiz Raza’s central role in the destruction of the Ahmadi mosque should bring into question, his future access and entry to the United Kingdom. According to Home Office guidelines and rules, his actions should essentially bar from him future entry to the United Kingdom, as his presence would more than likely be considered to be ‘not conducive to the public good’.  Yet, it also brings into question the kinds of speakers that attend Khatame Nabuwat conferences.

We will be reviewing the situation as it develops.

 

Pictures of the Destruction in Sialkot

Assault and Destruction of Ahmadi Mosque in Sialkot (Credit: Rabwah Times)

Ahmadi Mosque in Sialkot Before the Assault and Destruction on May 23rd 2018, (Credit: Rabwah Times)

The post Hafiz Hamid Raza – the Sialkot Anti-Ahmadi Mosque Inciter, Spoke in the UK in 2014 appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: anti-Ahmadi, Destruction of the Ahmadi mosque, Hafiz Hamid Raza, Khatame-Nabuwat, mosque, News, Sialkot

We Welcome the Landmark Ruling Against Alison Chabloz

Today is a landmark judgment that has been brought against Alison Chabloz who was convicted of two counts of causing obscene material to be sent and one of sending obscene material. These incidents occurred in 2016. It is another line that is drawn on those who think that freedom of expression entitles them to make grossly offensive and menacing statements: in Chabloz’s case, denying the Holocaust and accusing Jewish people, including Holocaust survivors, of fabricating claims of genocide.

Holocaust denial is far more than a false presentation of history. So-called Holocaust ‘revisionists’ are motivated by their own Jew-hatred.  Their aim is to expose the Jewish people to further hatred by making the indefensible claim that Jews are lying about a historical reality which destroyed the lives of more than a third of the world’s Jewish population.

I have seen the impacts of the Holocaust first-hand having visited the death camps in Poland and the Yad Vashem memorial to the Holocaust’s victims.  I saw the personal items of those who walked to their deaths in the vain hope that they were having a shower. They were killed because they were Jews.  Seeing the shoes, the wedding rings, the photographs and confiscated property left an indelible mark on me. It is our duty to never forget the victims and to educate the generations that come after us about the vicious consequences of antisemitism.

The sad reality is that people like Chabloz are adept at exploiting people and playing off communities against each other to further their malicious aims. Chabloz even attempted to use the national project opposing hatred against Muslims, Tell MAMA, to pursue her vendetta against Jewish people.  In 2013 and 2014, she sent written reports to Tell MAMA in the hope that this would lead to the investigation and humiliation of Jewish people for pushing anti-Muslim hatred.  In reality, she didn’t care about the Muslim community or the Tell MAMA project.  This was a disguised attempt to target Jews, because they were Jewish. In September 2014, when we learned of Chabloz’s disturbing antisemitic views, we cut off all communication. I am glad to see that today justice has been served.   

There’s a lesson for all of us here.  In the fight against hatred and discrimination, not everyone who offers help and assistance is a friend. Their smiles may hide other motives, reinforcing the need for enhanced due diligence and vetting of sources.  Alison Chabloz’s antisemitism and Holocaust denial show her true colours, which run totally contrary to the values of Tell MAMA, which works closely with groups like the Community Security Trust.

That’s why Tell MAMA and Faith Matters have added layers of compulsory internal due diligence checks on all those who communicate or engage with us. Whilst this has increased our admin load, rigorous vetting is essential in today’s world. Chabloz’s attempt to divide the Muslim and Jewish communities has also resulted in us seeking to work ever more closely with Jewish communities in the fight against antisemitism. We are partnering with the Jewish community to ensure that the younger generation understand what antisemitism is and that it is an affront not only to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, but also the dignity of Jewish communities today.

We must send out the strongest possible message that no-one can take sides in the battle against hate. There is no ‘picking and choosing’. In the end, antisemites have no problem abusing both Jews and Muslims – something we must never forget.

To effectively fight anti-Muslim hate we must all of us learn about the unique hatred that is antisemitism. I, for one, have sought to further my understanding of Jewish history, culture and heritage. I think it’s important that everyone travels to the sites in Europe where the crimes of the Holocaust were committed and pays homage to the memories of those Jewish brothers and sisters that were murdered only because they were Jewish. Seeing what the Jewish people endured only 70 years ago has helped me see why we should never allow the flags and symbols of terrorist groups that have a history of kidnapping and murdering Jews to be displayed on the streets of London.

We must protect the memory of the Holocaust, highlight it, shout about it.  It’s everyone’s responsibility to tackle anti-Semitism wherever it is found.   Hatred against Jews is an attack on our society as a whole and an attack on our common values. It’s our responsibility to show our Jewish brothers and sisters that they are not alone.

Fiyaz Mughal was the Director of Tell MAMA from 2012-2017 and is the Director of Faith Matters

The post We Welcome the Landmark Ruling Against Alison Chabloz appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Alison Chabloz, Antisemitism, Holocaust, Holocaust Denial, Jewish communities, Jewish people, Judgement, Landmark ruling, News, Yad Vashem

Exclusive – An Alliance of Groups that Should Worry Us in the UK

Faith Matters has been at the vanguard of writing about entryism by far right groups from Poland, who are seeking to access members of settled Polish communities in the United Kingdom. The aim is pretty simple. With over 700,000 settled members of Polish communities in the country, they make an accessible and ready pool of potential volunteers, supporters and donours to the extreme causes of such groups. It really is as simple as that.

We have written extensively about groups like Ogniwo, Leszek Żebrowski, Grom Legion, Janus Korwin-Mikke (and his group – Liberty), and the neo-fascist ONR. The comments and actions of such groups and individuals run contrary to the pluralism and the tolerant values that are part and parcel of our country.

Today, we can exclusively reveal that in January 2017, many of these groups signed a letter of alliance or partnership which is chilling. It was signed in Hammersmith in London and includes neo-fascist groups, ONR (Oboz Narodowo-Radykalny) and Ogniwo.

The document reads:

“We, the undersigned, the representatives of patriotic and libertarian circles, bearing in mind the greater good of our Fatherland – Poland, and the next generations of Polish men and women, declare the will to cooperate and the will of mutual pursuit of our common goals.”

It is then followed by a quote by a Polish nationalist leader from the 1930s, Roman Dmowski:

“We are different, we come from different parts of Poland, we have different interests but we are united in a common goal. This goal is the Fatherland, for which we want to live and work.”

It is ironic that the agreement was signed in London, when the groups want to live and work for the ‘Fatherland’ – Poland. A picture of the signatories and list of groups is highlighted below. 

This is clearly a worrying development, given some of the groups involved and the ideology of them. It also further adds to our argument that resilience, or rather the lack of it within Polish communities, means that many of these groups can conduct entryism for influence, pretty easily.

List of Groups Who Signed

Ogniwo

Patriae Fidelis

Independent Poland

Fides Et Libertas

ONR

Liberty (Janusz Korwin-Mikke’s party)

Commitee for the Defense of Poland

Patriots of the Republic

Against the Tide

The Patriots

Polish Patriots Association

The post Exclusive – An Alliance of Groups that Should Worry Us in the UK appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Alliance, Grom Legion, Janus Korwin-Mikke, Leszek Żebrowski, nationalism, News, Oboz Narodowo-Radykalny, ONR, Polish, Polish groups

A Ramadan message from Tell MAMA

Asalaamu Alaikum           

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

As we draw closer to the end of the first week in Ramadan, I am eager to reach out and reaffirm our continued support to Muslim communities throughout the United Kingdom.

The bonds which unite us must remain strong, and we are reminded of this, as Abu Bakra reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “There is no wrong action which Allah is swifter to punish in this world – in addition to the punishment which He has stored up for the wrongdoer in the Next World – than cutting off ties of kinship and injustice.”

Ramadan is for me as well as for many others, a very special month, a month of spirituality and reflection, a month of family gatherings, a month where I would be looking forward to coming back home to be with my family, a month where all of us would sit around the table for a whole month at the same time to break our fast, and then get ready to visit the Al-Aqsa mosque for ‘Taraweeh’ prayers. This is, after all, a month filled with love, compassion and solitude. A month that is like no other.

Masjid Al-Aqsa, AlQuds | Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem. © Iman Atta.

I miss spending Ramadan in Jerusalem, where you would hear the sound of the canons firing off to indicate the breaking of the fast in the evening alongside the adhan (call to prayer) when we all rush to our seats at the dining table to break our fast. I miss the sounds of merchants down the Old City of Jerusalem as you walk down the streets heading to pray. I miss the smell of the spices and the Arabic coffee when walking down the city, and most of all, I miss the smell of history that the Old City walls.

We all have our memories of Ramadan, and mine will always be of Jerusalem and its spirituality and holiness. A city that is where my heart is and where my life began.

During this Ramadan, Tell MAMA is proud to reaffirm its commitment to your safety through the ties of kinship and support. We believe in the fundamental right to practise religious beliefs, suffice that they are not actively harmful to others, free from bigotry, hatred, or violence. This freedom extends to the right to wear religious clothing, the right to speak openly about your beliefs or to partake in religious worship.

Tell MAMA acknowledges and will continue to acknowledge the lived experiences of those who use our support service. Our understanding of how racism, prejudice, Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslim communities is shaped, enables us to recognise how attitudes manifest in the public and within institutions which can harm the aspirations and life experiences of Muslims in Britain. This has been highlighted in our report on ‘A Constructed Threat: Identity, Prejudice and the Impact of anti-Muslim Hatred’ and previous reports. We will continue to be highlighted through our work.

Freedom of expression is a vital tool but it comes with a responsibility to not harm the dignity of others or promote racial hatred or violence. Sadly, for some, a disproportionate hatred of Islam is often interchangeable with a hatred of Muslim individuals, whereby hostility toward largely minority communities is hidden behind a critique of their religious beliefs.

Throughout the month of Ramadan, we will be holding iftars across the country, security training sessions and outreach activities. We look forward to seeing you at one of our events.

From myself and my colleagues at Tell MAMA, we wish you a Ramadan Kareem and Mubarak and we will continue our journey in serving the communities in tackling anti-Muslim hatred, Islamophobia, prejudice, discrimination, and racism in all its forms and working against any injustice we see.

رَمضانْ مٌبارَك

Iman Atta, Director, Tell MAMA

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Categories: hate crime, News, Ramadan

Janusz Korwin-Mikke – Speaking in London. The Worrying Trend of Entryism into Polish Communities

This Sunday, Janusz Korwin-Mikke will be speaking in London in Hyde Park. Previously a member of the European Parliament, he is no stranger to controversy. Korwin-Mikke has previously stated that Hitler knew nothing about the Holocaust.

Korwin-Mikke will be returning to speak in London again on the 8th of July with one Stanislaw Michalkiewicz. Michalkiewicz has previously stated on Catholic Radio Marja that, “(Poland was) being outmanoeuvred by Judeans (Jews) who are trying to force our government to pay extortion money disguised as compensation”

This is another turn in the worrying trend of speakers from Poland who are entering into the UK with such views. Faith Matters has raised concerns before, since people with such comments are not assisting integration or supporting cohesive communities in the UK. Their past history and their comments simply cause divisions and there is a real attempt to inject these views into the UK context and sphere where there are between 700,000 to 800,000 people of Polish heritage in the UK.

Some of Korwin-Mikke’s statements are breath-taking. He states that the best way to deal with Muslims in Europe is to keep them out and ban them from building mosques and “if need be, oppose them militarily”. Commenting on the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in France, he said that the terrorists “exaggerated” (their response), as they should have only given the Charlie Hebdo ‘blasphemers’, a few lashes instead of killing them. Had they done that, “half of Europe would have applauded them”. In the same tweet he added, “It’s the same thing fighting against anti-Semitism. The Jews exaggerate and then they are surprised anti-Semitism is on the rise. And as usual, it will end with pogroms”.

His view of Muslims is also demonstrated in the following comment, where he stated that, “our enemy is not in Moscow. Our enemies are in mosques. In the mosques of Paris, in the mosques of Marseilles.” He has also gone onto say that, 

“I have no doubts that your daughters and grand-daughters will end up in harems. Muslims despise us, we are doormats to them. Why? Because in modern Europe, life is the highest value. I don’t understand it. To be honest, Muslim civilisation is closer to me than the European Union which is just savage. When the Muslims come, at least they will abolish the VAT tax. They might chop some heads off, but at least they won’t allow any gay parades”.

Korwin Mikke’s has also suggested that Germany should introduce religious apartheid as a solution to problems caused by Muslims.

Racism

It is not just Muslims or Jews who are at the brunt end of Korwin Mikke’s statements. He has stated that, 

“The world is collapsing. 150 years ago, we white people, ruled the world. Today, we are being colonised…….We colonised Africa, it wasn’t the Negroes who colonised Europe. It’s something to be proud of. I am proud of my civilisation”.

During a debate on youth unemployment in the EU Parliament, Korwin-Mikke referred to black people on several occasions as “niggers”, stating that the “minimum wage should be destroyed as we would be treating 20 million young Europeans like niggers”.

Talking about racial segregation, he stated

“It’s just like when women can’t enter a male toilet. What’s wrong with black people not being allowed to enter a toilet for whites?”

These are just the array of comments associated with the former EU Parliamentarian. Yet it brings to light again how such people are being invited to speak in the UK and to possibly normalise these views into settled communities of Polish heritage.

Faith Matters has highlighted the issue of entryism into settled communities of Polish heritage in the UK. What we are seeing is a co-ordinated effort by groups and speakers to enter into the UK and poison the minds of people. This is not just unacceptable, it is time that the Her Majesty’s Government seriously look at this issue and the various groups and speakers we have highlighted.

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Categories: anti-Muslim hate, Communities of Polish heritage, Entyrism, Hyde Park, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, News