The Islamophobia Emergency Group (IEG) held its first meeting in July, and is currently planning a series of working groups to foster collaboration between civil society, local government, and the academy. The IEG now has more than 50 members, whose expertise ranges from law to social media.
As the IEG noted in its Call for Participants in June, Islamophobia in the UK has reached frightening levels, and there are serious risks to safety in Muslim communities across the country. Not only are rates of hate crime against individuals increasing, but there have been several attacks on mosques during and since the mass violence of summer 2024, which saw Muslims being targeted. Muslims fear for their safety, as highlighted by recent research conducted by Liverpool City Council. Furthermore, these individual acts of Islamophobic hate crime must be seen in the broader context of political and media discourses that vilify and demonise Muslims
Nonetheless, the UK government’s recent definition of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ does not even mention the term ‘Islamophobia’, and there is no effective national strategy or apparatus in place to meet the current Islamophobia crisis. Further, the rise of Reform UK, as seen in the recent local elections, and its explicitly Islamophobic and anti-immigrant platform signals dangerous times ahead should the party make electoral gains at the next general election.
The IEG was formed to stimulate collaborative action across the country in response to these profound challenges.
The convenors are Mobashra Tazamal, Naaz Rashid, Kamran Khan, and James Renton.
For queries, please contact: [email protected]
Photograph by James Renton
