Teacher suspended after students shown ‘offensive’ image of Prophet Mohammed

March 25, 2021 Article

A West Yorkshire teacher has been suspended after reportedly showing an “offensive” caricature of the Prophet Mohammed during a religious studies lesson, sparking a protest outside the school.

Protesters had gathered outside Batley Grammar School, near Bradford, on Thursday, following claims a member of staff had shown students a cartoon deemed offensive to the Islamic faith.

Pictures circulating on social media earlier in the day showed dozens of people stood outside the school gates, partially blocking the road.

The school has “unequivocally” apologised for showing “totally inappropriate” material to children and said a member of staff has been suspended pending an investigation.

Dr Abdul Shaikh, a local academic in Batley and Muslim activist, said he had heard about the incident on social media on Wednesday night.

Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “I was shocked like many Muslims in the town that Muslim school children’s religious sensitivities were completely ignored by the school teacher who decided to show an offensive image that lampooned the noble Prophet Mohammed.

“Every Muslim around the world holds the Prophet in the highest esteem.

“I feel that the school should be allowed to complete their investigation in due course and find a fair and adequate solution that satisfies first and foremost Muslim pupils, their parents and the wider Muslim community in Batley.

“This situation should not be allowed to happen again for the sake of community cohesion in the area.”

West Yorkshire Police said they were called to the protest at around 7.30am on Thursday.

A police spokesman said the school road had been closed for a short time, no arrests were made and no fines were issued.

In a statement, Batley Grammar School head teacher Gary Kibble said: “The school unequivocally apologises for using a totally inappropriate resource in a recent religious studies lesson.

“The member of staff has also given their most sincere apologies.

“We have immediately withdrawn teaching on this part of the course and we are reviewing how we go forward with the support of all the communities represented in our school.

“It is important for children to learn about faiths and beliefs, but this must be done in a sensitive way.

“The member of staff has been suspended pending an independent formal investigation.”

In a letter addressed to Mr Kibble and shared online, founder of Batley-based charity Purpose Of Life, Mohammad Sajad Hussain, said he was “deeply hurt” by the “insulting caricatures of our beloved Prophet Mohammed”.

He said the charity is unwilling to work with or promote the school until the teacher is “permanently removed”.

However, the National Secular Society branded the protest as an “attempt to impose an Islamic blasphemy taboo on a school”.

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, said: “Teachers must have a reasonable degree of freedom to explore sensitive subjects and enable students to think critically about them.

“And the school’s weak response will fuel a climate of censorship, which is brought on by attempts to force society as a whole to accommodate unreasonable and reactionary religious views.”

The post Teacher suspended after students shown ‘offensive’ image of Prophet Mohammed appeared first on Faith Matters.

Categories: Batley Grammar School, Blasphemy, Cartoons, News, Prophet Muhammad, teacher, West Yorksire

Two men charged after windows broken at Derby mosque

March 24, 2021 Article

Two men have been charged in connection with criminal damage at a mosque in Derby.

Derbyshire Police were called to the Faizan-e-Madina mosque in Malcolm Street in the early hours of Sunday (March 21) after reports that windows had been broken.

Scott Mouser, 33, of Hartington Street, Derby and Jason Mouser, 26, of Aston Close, Chellaston, were charged with religiously aggravated criminal damage.

The men appeared before a magistrates court the following day and are out on bail pending their next court date, and bail conditions prevent them from going within 100 metres of the mosque.

Tell MAMA provides tailored security advice for mosques and free safety tips to download.

 

The post Two men charged after windows broken at Derby mosque appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: criminal damage, Derybshire, hate crime, mosque, News

Racist jailed for various offences, including abusing Muslim woman as she queued for the bank

March 11, 2021 Article

A racist who reduced a Muslim woman to tears after telling her to ‘go bomb’ her children and family as she queued to use the bank is now in prison for a string of offences.

According to the LeaderLive newspaper, Maurice Leonard Taylor, 48, was in a drunken state and ‘surrounded by empty beer cans’ when he targeted the Bangladeshi Muslim woman, who wears the hijab, on July 21, 2020, outside of a branch of Lloyds Bank in Shotton, North Wales.

The prosecution outlined how he had asked the woman what was in her handbag, which she ignored, and he said: “I know you are carrying a bomb in your bag”, and she replied, to the effect of “What have I done to you?” according to North Wales Live.

The abuse continued as Taylor said: “Just go home and bomb your own kids and family.”

After threatening to involve the police, he soon apologised, but the Muslim woman rejected it.

Soon after, North Wales Police arrived, and the investigation began. Five months later, the Muslim woman selected Leonard Taylor from an identity parade.

The ordeal left her upset and fearful of going outside, as the local press described the draining emotional toll the anti-Muslim and Islamophobic abuse had on her.

Other offences brought before the court, which occurred between January 23 and January 25, include an assault and threats against a local Tesco store manager, which caused them added anxiety to the key worker due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Taylor punched an off-duty prison officer (causing no injury), committed theft, and threatened NHS workers, wishing that they would ‘all die’ from Covid-19.

The hospital security guard did suffer an injury, however. Blood from Taylor entered their eye, requiring a precautionary Hepatitis C injection, as Taylor said to him: “You’re not supposed to be in this country, you Polish c***”.

A breach of curfew resulted in Taylor’s arrest two days later, as he kicked an attending police officer.

The above was the second racially aggravated offence (harassment and assault, respectively) Taylor would admit when brought before Mold Crown Court.

Judge Rhys Rowlands called the abuse of the Muslim woman “deeply offensive,” and his behaviour towards NHS health workers was a “very unsettling” experience for them.

The two-year and eight-month-long prison sentence Taylor received will run consecutively, two months for the racially aggravated harassment of the Muslim woman, ten months for the racially aggravated assault of the Polish hospital security guard, two months for the assault of the Tesco keyworker, six months for assaulting the police, eight months for breaching his criminal behavioural order, and finally, a four-month sentence for breaching a curfew order from a suspended sentence, a sentencing breakdown provided by North Wales Live.

Tell MAMA, in its research and case studies, continue to demonstrate the racialised, gendered, and disproportionate targeting of Muslim women by male perpetrators – in 2018, a clear majority of known perpetrators were male (73%, 482 of 663), and 61% were white men (404 in 663).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Racist jailed for various offences, including abusing Muslim woman as she queued for the bank appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: hate crime, Hijab, News, North Wales Police, Wales

Muslim man told to ‘eat a bacon sandwich’ and abused after mistakenly messaging wrong number

March 8, 2021 Article

The Metropolitan Police are investigating several vile anti-Muslim and Islamophobic text messages, which were sent to a Muslim man who messaged a number believing that it belonged to a friend.

Statements included being told to “eat a bacon sandwich” and  to “go and s*** on the Quran”.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, and agreeing to have their story told anonymously, he described how the abuse surprised him as he had initially been unaware that this friend had stopped using that number, as the first message he sent opened with a traditional ‘Assalamu Alaikum’ (peace be upon you) greeting.

He added that a friend had also messaged the same number and faced similar torrents of abuse.

The abusive and harmful messages only stopped after he told the perpetrator of their intention to involve the police.

The incident occurred on January 24.

Tell MAMA continues to provide support, including liaising with the Metropolitan Police on their behalf, ensuring that an officer followed up on their initial report after receiving formal consent to do so.

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 man told to ‘eat a bacon sandwich’ and abused after mistakenly messaging wrong number appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: bacon, hate crime, London, Metropolitan Police, News, Quran

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”.

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

Lorry driver threw a coffee cup at Muslim woman’s car in road rage attack

February 5, 2021 Article

A Muslim woman who wears the hijab described feeling rattled after a male lorry driver had thrown a hot cup of coffee at her car’s windscreen as a set of traffic lights turned green and drove off at speed.

The incident occurred on the morning of December 19.

Speaking to Tell MAMA (and wishing to remain anonymous), she believes the man had targeted her for no other reason than her religious clothing, adding that for several minutes earlier, the driver had driven aggressively, tailing her, and attempting to overtake on the A40 in London.

She was able to clean the coffee from her windscreen with the wipers, noting that she had, thankfully, not left her window open.

And, with their consent, Tell MAMA reported the anti-Muslim and Islamophobic incident to the Metropolitan Police.

Before speaking with our casework team, she had been unaware that such an incident, which may seem, in her words, ‘trivial’ to some, was, in fact, dangerous and left her feeling rattled, and it was also something she could report to the police.

To raise awareness about what exactly a hate crime is (and is not), Tell MAMA, in partnership with the Community Security Trust, and the Crown Prosecution Service, published a free booklet titled ‘Hate Crime: a guide for those affected’.

The Metropolitan Police continues to investigate.

The gendered, disproportionate targeting of Muslim women, often (where the verified data was available) by men, is a pressing issue Tell MAMA continues to document in its research and reports.

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 Lorry driver threw a coffee cup at Muslim woman’s car in road rage attack appeared first on TELL MAMA.

Categories: Hijab, London, Metropolitan Police, News

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.

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 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