Reports of Islamophobia spike in UK amid war on Gaza
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The CEO of the Islamophobia Response Unit (IRU) reports a 365% rise in incidents of Islamophobia in October 2023, in the wake of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
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Protesters hold placards reading messages for Britain's Labour leader Keir Starmer during the 'Day of Action for Palestine' march in London on November 18, 2023. (AP)
According to a recent survey, the frequency of Islamophobic events in the UK has increased dramatically in the wake of "Israel's" deadly war on the Gaza Strip, leaving Muslims anxious.
The research published on Sunday by the British daily The Independent revealed that the majority of Islamophobic events targeted people for expressing support for Palestine.
A Muslim woman recalled being the target of a stone hurled at her window because she had a Palestinian flag hung there, and that she "could have been killed" by it.
Another 17-year-old boy also stated that he was cornered by his professors after displaying a Palestinian insignia on his bag to school, which led him to a panic attack and forced him to fail an exam. His teachers interrogated him on his faith and his "understanding of Hamas."
In a related context, a 32-year-old doctor also reported on an "extremely traumatic" incident when a huge rock crashed through his Manchester house, which flew a Palestinian flag.
The doctor reported a substantial influence on his well-being, stating that he could not sleep and had to take two weeks off work.
Majid Iqbal, CEO of the Islamophobia Response Unit (IRU), an organization that assists victims of Islamophobia, reported a 365% rise in incidents of Islamophobia in October 2023, in the wake of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
Iqbal warned that it was "clear" this was becoming a "long-term trend" with a deep impact.
He also urged journalists and politicians "not to demonize legitimate Palestinian activism and, by extension, British Muslims, to avoid contributing to the serious societal problem of Islamophobia."
Tell MAMA, which monitors anti-Muslim occurrences, also recorded 2,010 Islamophobic events between October 7 and February 7, more than double the 600 reported over the same period last year.
Observers also pointed out that Muslims, particularly women wearing hijab, have been ridiculed and abused on the streets.
UK Tories suspend MP from parliament party over Islamophobic remarks
Britain's ruling Conservatives on Saturday suspended their former deputy chairman from the parliamentary party, after he refused to apologise for saying London's Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists.
Pressure had been growing on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Tories to act following lawmaker Lee Anderson's controversial remarks Friday, which have been widely condemned as racist and Islamophobic.
"Following his refusal to apologise for comments made yesterday, the chief whip has suspended the Conservative whip from Lee Anderson MP," a spokesperson for Tory lawmaker Simon Hart announced.
Hart's chief whip position makes him responsible for internal Conservative Party discipline.
On the right-wing GB News channel, Anderson claimed "Islamists" had "got control" of Khan, who was the first Muslim mayor of a Western capital when first elected in London in 2016.
