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Islamophobia Watch

Napa said:
Incredibly stupid comedian, absolutely pathetic audience.
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While politically incorrect, the comedian obviously tapped into something he intuitively knew would resonate with his audience. We all know that we have seen jokes about cab drivers aimed at certain nationalities or people of a certain background even on forums like this, albeit not as callous.

Rather than quick condemnations and attempts to move along, would be interesting to examine the underlying factors for such contempt of the dead, and why it strikes such a cord with sections of Australian people.
 
188 anti-Muslim attacks recorded in Germany in 3 months, Interior Ministry says

German police recorded 188 anti-Muslim hate crimes in the second quarter of this year, Germany’s Interior Ministry said. At least 15 mosques were attacked between April and June of 2020 and dozens of Muslims were physically assaulted or verbally harassed on the street or in a public place, the latest figures released by the ministry showed. Nine Muslims were injured in these attacks.

While criminal investigations were opened against several suspects, no arrests have been made so far, the ministry confirmed. Nearly 40 of the anti-Muslim hate crimes were recorded in the capital Berlin.

Germany has witnessed growing racism and Islamophobia in recent years, fueled by the propaganda of neo-Nazi groups and the far-right opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Germany is home to 81 million people and is home to the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Of the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, at least 3 million are of Turkish descent.

The country has been recording Islamophobic crimes separately since 2017. The total number of cases in 2019 has not been officially announced. In 2018 there were 910, including 48 attacks on mosques alone, a little lower than 2017 with 1,095 crimes. More than 90% of these were attributed to politically motivated crimes by the far-right. Considering that the overall number of crimes has decreased, the assaults have increased, Die Tageszeitung stressed. In 2017 authorities reported 56 Islamophobic assaults with a total of 38 injuries. In 2018, there were 74 offenses with a total of 52 injuries – including two attempted murders.

Every other day throughout the course of 2019, a mosque, a Muslim institution or a religious representative in Germany was targeted in anti-Muslim attacks, another inquiry by the Left Party showed recently.

The latest violent anti-Muslim attacks took place in the town Hanau on Feb. 19. Tobias Rathjen, a terrorist harboring racist views, gunned down nine people of immigrant backgrounds, including five Turkish nationals, before killing himself. The Hanau attack ignited the debate over the seriousness of far-right terrorist threats often ignored by authorities. It was one of the worst acts of terrorism with racist motives in recent memory.

Racist attacks targeting Muslims or immigrants increasingly make the headlines as white supremacists become more efficient in an age where their ideals, or at least parts of them, are going mainstream. Not a single, large terrorist group harboring a racist agenda against Muslims and immigrants exist, but copycat attacks apparently inspire more to take up arms. The tolerant political climate under the pretext of freedom of speech helped far-right sympathizers with violent tendencies expand their support.

https://www.dailysabah.com/world/eu...in-germany-in-3-months-interior-ministry-says
 
Bigoted hatred of Muslims at 'epidemic' level: UN chief

Antonio-Guterres-REUTERS1607784693-0.jpg


WASHINGTON: Hatred and discrimination against Muslims has risen to "epidemic proportions," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday.

Guterres described skyrocketing anti-Muslim bigotry as part of a wider shift globally toward nationalism, and away from minority rights.

"A resurgence in anti-Muslim bigotry is certainly in-line with other distressing trends we are seeing globally: a resurgence in ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazism, stigma and hate speech targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities, as well as others," Guterres said at a UN event marking the Commemoration of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2290135/bigoted-hatred-of-muslims-at-epidemic-level-un-chief
 
This is the horrifying moment a Muslim mother is struck with a concrete slab by a stranger in a broad daylight attack.

Police are investigating CCTV footage as a hooded man approaches her from behind raising a loose concrete slab he had grabbed from a garden wall in South Street, Dewsbury at 12.30pm on Wednesday.

He gets within a metre of the unsuspecting mother-of-three and hurls it at her head.

She sees him at the last moment and manages to move out of the way but is still struck by the heavy piece of concrete.

Her family said they believed she was targeted because she was visibly Muslim wearing a hijab in the town centre attack.

Her husband Eid Karimi, 40, was getting lunch for his wife from a takeaway as she waited outside ahead of a crucial job interview in town.

He told The Independent: “I went inside to get food and she chose to wait outside in the rain because she had an umbrella.

“Suddenly I saw people running around and this guy. He tried to run but I ran after him and grabbed him."

“She was wearing a hijab that’s why she was chosen,” her husband continued. “There were 50-60 people there but she was the one attacked from behind.”

The construction worker thanked the people of Dewsbury who helped him tackle the suspect.

“I want police to take this seriously,” he continued. “She didn’t suffer any broken bones or need stitches but I worry so much about her.

“She is very shocked. He didn’t say anything to her, we didn’t know him and we have never seen him before.

“She came back from hospital and couldn’t sleep all last night. She is very stressed.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman refused to confirm if the attack was being treated as a hate crime.

He said: “We are aware of this video and can assure residents such incidents are treated extremely seriously.

“A man has been arrested in connection with the offence and enquiries are ongoing by Kirklees Police.”

It came amid reports that the Israel-Hamas conflict saw hate crimes increase across UK, with Islamophobic offences in London rising by 140 per cent.

There has also been a 1,350 per cent increase in hate crimes against Jewish people, Scotland Yard added.

Figures from the Met covering London show that 218 antisemitic offences were recorded from 1 October to 18 October this year, compared with 15 in the same period last year.

Source: The independent


 
At least five possible hate crime incidents at Stanford University since the Israel-Hamas war’s onset are under investigation, including an apparent hit-and-run crash involving an Arab Muslim student, according to the university’s public safety department.

The student was struck by a car Friday afternoon, authorities said.

“The victim reported that the driver made eye contact with the victim, accelerated and struck the victim, and then drove away while shouting, ‘f*** you people,’” according to a news release from the Stanford Department of Public Safety.

A preliminary investigation by the California Highway Patrol determined the incident was a hate crime, according to a statement Saturday from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the investigation.

The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening, the university said.

The victim described the driver as “a white male in his mid-20s, with short dirty-blond hair and a short beard, wearing a gray shirt and round framed eyeglasses,” according to an alert published on Stanford’s website Saturday.

The student also described the vehicle involved as a 2015 black Toyota 4Runner “or possibly a newer model,” according to the alert.

Top law firms signal they won’t recruit from college campuses that tolerate antisemitism
Stanford president Richard Saller and provost Jenny Martinez condemned the hit-and-run in a campus statement Friday.

“We are profoundly disturbed to hear this report of potentially hate-based physical violence on our campus,” the statement read. “Violence on our campus is unacceptable. Hate-based violence is morally reprehensible.”

The Council on American–Islamic Relations San Francisco Bay Area said in a statement Saturday the incident “underscores the urgent need to address the growing Islamophobia and hatred that have been plaguing our communities.”

Public safety authorities encouraged anyone with information on the incident to come forward. CNN has reached out to the California Highway Patrol for more details.

Source: CNN
 

Mohammed Abbkr: Man guilty of setting fire to worshippers after they left mosques in London and Birmingham​

A man has been found guilty of attempting to murder two elderly worshippers by setting them alight after they left mosques in London and Birmingham.

Mohammed Abbkr, 29, prayed with the congregation before waiting for victims Hashi Odowa, 82, and Mohammed Rayaz, 70, outside.

He followed both men before spraying them with petrol from a water bottle and using a lighter to set them on fire.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Abbkr set fire to Mr Odowa on 27 February as he made his way to a neighbour's car outside West Ealing Islamic Centre, in west London.

Mr Odowa escaped serious injury as he was able to remove his burning jacket and vest, while his neighbour removed his burning hat and took off his own jacket to help smother the flames.

Abbkr, of Gillott Road, Edgbaston, then attacked Mr Rayaz around 100 miles away on 20 March after he left the Dudley Road Mosque in Birmingham.

CCTV footage captured Mr Rayaz's shouts of pain as he was engulfed in a ball of flame, which subsided to reveal he was on fire from head to foot.

Abbkr then threw more petrol onto the flames, causing a second fireball to engulf his victim.

Chief Inspector Haroon Chughtai, from West Midlands Police, said both men were left with "long-lasting physical injuries and significant mental trauma".

Counter-terrorism officers were involved in the investigation into the attacks in the run-up to Ramadan but no motive has been identified.

"This was not treated as a terrorist incident. To date there is no evidence of an ideology," the officer said.

"These were horrific unprovoked attacks on two men in their 70s and 80s who were leaving their local mosques and going home after their prayers."

Abbkr, who came to the UK from Sudan in 2017 seeking asylum and was granted leave to remain two years later, had denied two counts of attempted murder and two alternative counts of maliciously administering a destructive thing to endanger life.

Jurors were told he admitted to setting the victims on fire but they had to determine whether he had intended to kill his victims and if he had known what he was doing and that it was wrong.

They heard evidence from psychiatrists who said he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attacks.

Abbkr told his trial he believed those he had set on fire were among several people "controlling him through magic" and claimed he did not expect them to have been hurt.

But the prosecution encouraged the jury to reject the defence of insanity, arguing that Abbkr had known what he was doing was wrong and had intended to kill his victims.

Source: Sky
 

Canadian man found guilty of murdering Muslim family in truck attack​

A Canadian man inspired by white nationalist beliefs has been found guilty of murdering four members of a Muslim family by running them over with a pick-up truck in an attack that sent waves of shock, grief and fear across the country and spurred calls to tackle Islamophobia.

On Thursday, 22-year-old Nathaniel Veltman, who had railed against immigration and Islam, was convicted of attacking the family in the Ontario town of London in June 2021.

“He was hunting for Muslims to kill,” prosecutor Fraser Ball said in closing arguments, adding that Veltman had donned body armour and a shirt bearing a crusader emblem.

Salman Afzaal, 46; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; their daughter Yumnah, 15; and Afzaal’s mother, Talat, 74, were killed. The couple’s nine-year-old son suffered serious injuries but survived. The family, originally from Pakistan, had been out for a walk near their home.

Prosecutors called the attack an act of “terrorism”, and Veltman, convicted on four counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder, faces life imprisonment with no chance for parole for 25 years.

During the 10-week trial, the jury heard that Veltman had authored a far-right screed in which he described his hatred of Islam and opposition to mass immigration and multiculturalism.

After driving directly into the family, Veltman gave himself up to the police and said he had wanted to “send a strong message” against Muslim immigration.

In the manifesto, Veltman wrote, “I am a white nationalist,” and said white people were “facing genocide”. Prosecutors said he also repeatedly watched the video of a mass shooting by a white supremacist in New Zealand that killed 51 people.

For members of Canada’s vibrant Muslim community, Ball said, that the message was terrifyingly clear: “Leave this country or you and your loved ones could be next.”

The attack, which left three generations of the family dead and pieces of the victims’ clothing stuck to the front of Veltman’s truck, was the deadliest against Canada’s Muslim community since 2017 when a man, who had consumed far-right anti-Muslim material, gunned down six people in a Quebec City mosque.

The defence argued that Veltman suffered from numerous mental health issues and had asked that his charges be downgraded to manslaughter.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for December 1.

“While this represents an important step towards closure for the Muslim community, and our city at large, it is by no means the end of that journey,” London Mayor Josh Morgan said in a social media post on Thursday.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims posted on X that it was “relieved that justice has been served”, adding, “We have to reflect deeply on the violent Islamophobia that has gripped our country.”

Source: Al Jazeera and News Agencies
 
The world would be a far better place without the hate among people. Everyone should respect others' religion and don't spread or support hate towards people of other religions.
 
Running over a family including women and children. What a way to make a statement about your opposition to immigration. I wonder if this cretin realises that he is actually the offshoot of immigrant settlers himself.
 

Sweden PM condemns far-right call to tear down mosques​

Sweden Democrats (SD) leader Jimmie Akesson called for some mosques to be seized and levelled during a speech to his annual party conference on Saturday.

"We need to start confiscating and tearing down mosques where anti-democratic, anti-Swedish, homophobic, anti-Semitic propaganda or general disinformation is being spread," Akesson said.

Kristersson, whose coalition government does not include SD but relies on its support, condemned the statements as "disrespectful".

"I think it is a disrespectful way of expressing oneself, a polarising way of expressing oneself," Kristersson told broadcaster SVT.

"This misrepresents what Sweden stands for internationally," he added.

Akesson's speech sparked anger both in Sweden and abroad and forced Kristersson to issue a statement on X, formerly Twitter, reiterating Sweden's "constitutional right to freedom of religion".

"In Sweden, we do not demolish places of worship. As a society, we must fight back against violent extremism whatever its grounds -- but we will do so within the framework of a democratic state and the rule of law," he said.

Former Social Democrat prime minister Magdalena Andersson called for Kristersson to remove all SD officials working at the cabinet offices in Stockholm.

"It worsens the image of Sweden, does not facilitate our NATO application and further increases polarisation in our country. This is not putting Sweden and the Swedish people's safety and security first," Andersson said on X.

Sweden, whose NATO application still needs ratification from Hungary and Muslim-majority Turkey, has seen a slew of incidents spark tensions with countries around the Middle East.

A series of Koran-burnings earlier this year led to protests and widespread condemnations of Sweden, with several Middle Eastern countries summoning Swedish envoys.

Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad twice in July, starting fires within the compound during the second incident.

Last year Sweden was the target of a vast disinformation campaign claiming its social services were "kidnapping Muslim children" and placing them in Christian homes, forcing the authorities to publicly deny the allegations.

© 2023 AFP
 
It will be a far better world if everyone start respecting other religions.
 
Denmark passes law to ban Quran burnings

Denmark's parliament has banned the "inappropriate treatment" of religious texts - with a bill widely known in the country as the Quran law.

Offenders now face a fine or up to two years in jail after a 94-77 vote.

It follows a series of burnings of Islam's holy book that led to uproar in Muslim countries.

Denmark and neighbouring Sweden have recently seen a number of street protests over such incidents, raising security concerns in Scandinavia.

During Thursday's heated debates in Denmark's 179-strong parliament, the Folketing, many opposition MPs argued against the bill.

"History will judge us harshly for this, and with good reason... What it all comes down to is whether a restriction on freedom of speech is determined by us, or whether it is dictated from the outside," Inger Stojberg, leader of the Denmark Democrats, was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.

But the country's centre-right coalition government of Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen argued that criticising religion would remain legal, as the bill would only have a marginal impact.

Back in August, when the government was proposing the changes, it said it wanted to send a signal to the world after witnessing over a few weeks 170 demonstrations, including Quran burnings in front of foreign embassies.

At the time, Denmark's PET intelligence service warned that such incidents had increased the terrorist threat.

Sweden has also seen a series of Quran burnings, and its security service has warned of a worsening security situation. In July, the Swedish embassy in Iraq was set alight by protesters.

The government in Stockholm is currently considering a similar bill.

Both Denmark and Sweden have abolished blasphemy laws.


www.bbc.com

Denmark passes law to ban Quran burnings

MPs stop the "inappropriate treatment" of religious texts after a series of burnings of Islam's holy book.
www.bbc.com
 
Imam fatally shot outside Newark mosque in New Jersey

An imam succumbed to gunshot injuries outside a mosque in Newark Wednesday at Masjid Muhammad-Newark South Orange Avenue and Camden Street according to authorities in New Jersey as the wounds were sustained on his left arm and his abdomen.

As the authorities arrived at the scene, Sharif was found lying in the parkin, 10 feet from the mosque entrance.

After the shooting in Newark, officials are investigating to determine the suspect with the help of security cameras. Officials also found shells of the bullet from the scene.

According to local media reports, the deceased imam also worked as a Transportation Security Officer at Newark Liberty International Airport since 2006.

The TSA stated in a statement: "TSOs serve diverse populations of travelers to secure the nation's transportation systems. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing and send our condolences to his family, friends, and co-workers."

Governor Phil Murphy urged people to come forward and share any information regarding the shooter.

He said: "At a time when the Muslim community is concerned by an increase of bias incidents and crimes, I want to assure the Muslim community and people of all faiths that we will do everything in our power to keep all residents safe, especially in or near our houses of worship."

A spokesperson for a non-profit organisation CAIR-NJ in a statement said that Sharif was a beacon of leadership in the community.

The statement noted that "we are shocked by the news of the shooting at Masjid Muhammad in Newark, NJ during Fajr (pre-dawn) prayers. At this time, we do not have information on the perpetrator's motive.”

The statement also added: “Imam Hassan Sharif is a beacon of leadership in his community and we are praying for his full and speedy recovery. We ask others to do the same. As always, and irrespective of this specific incident, we advise all mosques to keep their doors open but remain cautious, especially given the recent spike in anti-Muslim bigotry."



www.thenews.com.pk

New Jersey mosque Imam gunned down

An imam succumbed to gunshot injuries outside a mosque in Newark Wednesday at Masjid Muhammad-Newark South Orange Avenue and Camden Street according to authorities in New Jersey as the wounds...
www.thenews.com.pk www.thenews.com.pk
 
Is this the UK's France headscarf ban moment? I am seeing furious debate in the UK leading news dailies, mostly in support of Birbalsingh who is credited with running Britain's strictest school. She claims that she is protecting secular values, so I think maybe we should understand what they are.

www.theguardian.com

Katharine Birbalsingh defends ban on school prayers in high court

Headteacher of London school Michaela says policy is vital to ensure ‘children of all races and religions can thrive’
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
She is doing her bit for the culture wars. I work in school and we have a few children that request pray rooms. This lady wanted this conflict but what doesn't help is the total morons that aren't part of schools using the school as a proxy war in a culture war.
 
RexRex said:
I agree with Birbalsingh .. school is a place for study, not prayer.
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But Prays are part of schools in the UK? Have you not heard of Jewish, Catholic and Islamic schools. Or like all these guys your problem isnt prays, its the Muslims.
 
Bewal Express said:
But Prays are part of schools in the UK? Have you not heard of Jewish, Catholic and Islamic schools. Or like all these guys your problem isnt prays, its the Muslims.
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But this is not a Jewish, Catholic or Islamic school .. do you not know the difference ?
 
RexRex said:
I agree with Birbalsingh .. school is a place for study, not prayer.
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There is no prayer facilities at the school, the row erupted when a schoolgirl used her blazer as a prayer mat during the school break in the playground. The school has over 50% Muslim pupils. I grew up in a school which was led by Christian prayer and where the pupils sang hymns at the morning assembly, and you had Sikh children who wore turbans and it was never seen as an issue. I am just curious as to why what is being done during a school break in the playground is now being so strictly martialled by Birbalsingh.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
I don't know, that is why I said I am curious. I am smelling whiffs of Priti Patel/Braverman fudge brownie aromas but could be mistaken.
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Any Indian origin person who doesn't cater to your sensibilities is deemed a brownie.
 
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RexRex said:
Any Indian origin person who doesn't cater to your sensibilities is deemed a brownie. You should probably be a bit more open-minded rather feel offended 24/7.
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Why do my sensibilities matter in this discussion? I said I am curious as to why Birbalsingh is being championed in the press, you gave no opinon and asked what I thought so I told you. There can always be alternative views and you are welcome to provide some if you have any.
 
Birbalsingh is of Indo-Guyanese origin.

Surprised that she is doing this. Caribbeans are generally quite chill when it comes to things like this. Maybe her Indian gene is acting up.
 
RexRex said:
But this is not a Jewish, Catholic or Islamic school .. do you not know the difference ?
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You don't seem to know the law. This is only an issue because its Muslim kids and people are scared that Muslims actually believe in their religion, where other groups mostly couldn't care less.

"Section 70 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 stipulates that pupils of community, foundation or voluntary schools in England and Wales must take part in a daily act of Collective Worship, unless they have been explicitly withdrawn by their parents
 
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Bewal Express said:
You don't seem to know the law. This is only an issue because its Muslim kids and people are scared that Muslims actually believe in their religion, where other groups mostly couldn't care less.

"Section 70 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 stipulates that pupils of community, foundation or voluntary schools in England and Wales must take part in a daily act of Collective Worship, unless they have been explicitly withdrawn by their parents
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Think religious conversion of school kids who are not old enough to make a decision is the reason. As you said work in school, so I am sure you are aware of it as it is widespread across UK.
 
Rajdeep said:
Think religious conversion of school kids who are not old enough to make a decision is the reason. As you said work in school, so I am sure you are aware of it as it is widespread across UK.
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A girl came to me and said I am a Muslim, she was giggling away and saw this like a choosing a meal from Maccies. I said fine. Point being that most of the kids doing it are looking for a reaction. It's not a problem and if others feel intimidated by Muslim kids, then I would lock up those doing the intimidation .
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Why do my sensibilities matter in this discussion? I said I am curious as to why Birbalsingh is being championed in the press, you gave no opinon and asked what I thought so I told you. There can always be alternative views and you are welcome to provide some if you have any.
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My view is - it is a non-religious school and it gets great academic results; and Birbalsingh does not want the distraction or additional hassle of combating any religious polarisation.

Btw it wasn't one girl with the mat. It was one initially .. it then grew to about 30-40 mats in the playground during the break.
 
Bewal Express said:
You don't seem to know the law. This is only an issue because its Muslim kids and people are scared that Muslims actually believe in their religion, where other groups mostly couldn't care less.

"Section 70 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 stipulates that pupils of community, foundation or voluntary schools in England and Wales must take part in a daily act of Collective Worship, unless they have been explicitly withdrawn by their parents
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Department of Education announced that it stopped enforcing this rule in 2004. (as per wikipedia)
 
RexRex said:
My view is - it is a non-religious school and it gets great academic results; and Birbalsingh does not want the distraction or additional hassle of combating any religious polarisation.

Btw it wasn't one girl with the mat. It was one initially .. it then grew to about 30-40 mats in the playground during the break.
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Although it seems by enforcing ad hoc bans which affect the Muslim pupils she is actually causing the polarisation. As far as I know Sikh kids aren't banned from wearing turbans so this secular angle seems at best selective.
 
RexRex said:
Other muslims kids in this school were being shamed into joining the mat-prayer-kids apparently.
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You know that is rubbish. For a start to wudhu in school means no bodily function for nearly 6 hours. Can the uncommitted really do that. We do it our school and 95% don't.
 
RexRex said:
My view is - it is a non-religious school and it gets great academic results; and Birbalsingh does not want the distraction or additional hassle of combating any religious polarisation.

Btw it wasn't one girl with the mat. It was one initially .. it then grew to about 30-40 mats in the playground during the break.
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What kids do during lunch breaks should be none of the anyone's concern, unless a law is being broken.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Although it seems by enforcing ad hoc bans which affect the Muslim pupils she is actually causing the polarisation. As far as I know Sikh kids aren't banned from wearing turbans so this secular angle seems at best selective.
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She didn't create it, she was reacting to polarisation. Frome the Times article -

"During this period, Coppel said that the school and its teachers were subject to online abuse. One teacher had a brick thrown through their window and a bomb threat was sent to the school."

www.thetimes.co.uk

School prayer ban challenge being funded by legal aid

Michaela school, founded by Katharine Birbalsingh, is being sued by a Muslim pupil who claims restrictions on praying are discriminatory
www.thetimes.co.uk www.thetimes.co.uk
 
Bewal Express said:
But it's law. Have they changed the law and can you give me a reference.
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Law still exists. But tis a lame duck law that nobody enforces.

Btw the law says collective worship of non-faith schools should be Christian in nature from what I've read.
 
RexRex said:
Law still exists. But tis a lame duck law that nobody enforces.

Btw the law says collective worship of non-faith schools should be Christian in nature from what I've read.
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It's the law, and it will only be lame duck when it's changed. The reason you and others use these terms is when you are caught with pants down. This is her attempt to get popular with DM reading crowd that are angry after public backed the Palestinians over the Israelis. The prays are a proxy war, its easy to accommodate and hurts no one. If anyone causes problems, she can kick them out.
As far as my school is concerned-We do moral messages and figures from all backgrounds are celebrated in Assembly to follow the law.
 
I dont understand the concept of free schools. Perhaps @Bewal Express you can explain more.

Is it not some Tory scheme to get people to set up their own schools?

Anyway I've had a read about the school and the headmistress policies and stances are quite clear. There is a reason why the school does so well - its because she has an uncompromising approach and enforcing boot camp style discipline.

Parents will know before enrolling that its her way or the high way but they are probably swayed by the success of the school.

If I was in their position, knowing the headmistress style and policies I would take my kid out and go to a local school. That's the best way to respect the head and also respect the religion
 
RexRex said:
She didn't create it, she was reacting to polarisation. Frome the Times article -

"During this period, Coppel said that the school and its teachers were subject to online abuse. One teacher had a brick thrown through their window and a bomb threat was sent to the school."

www.thetimes.co.uk

School prayer ban challenge being funded by legal aid

Michaela school, founded by Katharine Birbalsingh, is being sued by a Muslim pupil who claims restrictions on praying are discriminatory
www.thetimes.co.uk www.thetimes.co.uk
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If that was the case then the Police need to deal with it. No doubt we have losers in our community that love trouble as well but no sane person with kids in that school would threaten a bombs. Other schools have had bomb and very few are Muslims.
 
Bewal Express said:
The prays are a proxy war, its easy to accommodate and hurts no one. If anyone causes problems, she can kick them out.
Click to expand...

The 9 yr old girl did cause a problem. She was told she can pray, but prayer mats are not allowed in school. Instead of listening, she created a fuss and later decided to sue the school.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
I dont understand the concept of free schools. Perhaps @Bewal Express you can explain more.

Is it not some Tory scheme to get people to set up their own schools?

Anyway I've had a read about the school and the headmistress policies and stances are quite clear. There is a reason why the school does so well - its because she has an uncompromising approach and enforcing boot camp style discipline.

Parents will know before enrolling that its her way or the high way but they are probably swayed by the success of the school.

If I was in their position, knowing the headmistress style and policies I would take my kid out and go to a local school. That's the best way to respect the head and also respect the religion
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Basically Gove and others wanted to use a model seen mostly in Scandinavian countries. They are effectively Private schools within the public sector to allow people to create a culture and tailor their curriculum ( within reason) to their ideology. Some like this school have been an amazing success and I have a lot of respect for what she has done for the ambitious from the low income groups. The biggest beneficiaries have been the Muslim community, so this is a fight she didn't need to pick and we didn't need. But we live in an era of culture wars and she wanted to show who is boss.
 
RexRex said:
The 9 yr old girl did cause a problem. She was told she can pray, but prayer mats are not allowed in school. Instead of listening, she created a fuss and later decided to sue the school.
Click to expand...
So the law will decide if she was right or wrong. My school doesn't provide a pray mat, I actually do it. They can pray in my room and the school has had no issues. Respect to all those that keep Wudhu for nearly 5 hours.
 
Seems to me that in a school which has
Bewal Express said:
Basically Gove and others wanted to use a model seen mostly in Scandinavian countries. They are effectively Private schools within the public sector to allow people to create a culture and tailor their curriculum ( within reason) to their ideology. Some like this school have been an amazing success and I have a lot of respect for what she has done for the ambitious from the low income groups. The biggest beneficiaries have been the Muslim community, so this is a fight she didn't need to pick and we didn't need. But we live in an era of culture wars and she wanted to show who is boss.
Click to expand...

If she wants to show who's boss that's fine but then the ban should be extended to Sikhs wearing turbans. More than 50% of her pupils are Muslim, and let's give some credit to them for doing well also. I don't think she should be alienating her pupils and their parents for the sake of winning brownie points with the DM crowd.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Seems to me that in a school which has


If she wants to show who's boss that's fine but then the ban should be extended to Sikhs wearing turbans. More than 50% of her pupils are Muslim, and let's give some credit to them for doing well also. I don't think she should be alienating her pupils and their parents for the sake of winning brownie points with the DM crowd.
Click to expand...
That's why I am confused. She has done wonders inner London and Muslims have benefited. She wants to be political and be part of the culture war taking place against Muslims but it was battle that no one needed to fight
 
Bewal Express said:
That's why I am confused. She has done wonders inner London and Muslims have benefited. She wants to be political and be part of the culture war taking place against Muslims but it was battle that no one needed to fight
Click to expand...

She banned prayer rituals of all religions, not just Islam.
 
RexRex said:
So what ? Are they entitled to special treatment because they've touched the 50% mark ?
Click to expand...

They've taken it to court because they feel their rights are being infringed. Would it have not been a better solution to set aside a prayer room or something for those who want to do it? She's their principal the pupils should feel she is working with them, not for the approval of the DM readers.
 
RexRex said:
So what ? Are they entitled to special treatment because they've touched the 50% mark ?
Click to expand...
Are Sikhs entitled to special treatment. Wearing a Turban is an act of worship. The desperation to get at Muslims on non issues creates divisions for political narratives but does no one any good.
 
Saudi Arabia’s embassy in the US is looking into the assault of a female school student wearing a hijab head covering.

The embassy said in a social media statement Thursday that it is in touch with the American authorities after some reports said that the Glenside Middle School student is a Saudi citizen.

It has not yet received reports of assault on any female Saudi citizen, but will continue to follow up on the matter and verify the facts of the incident, the embassy said.

Various news reports and some videos circulating on social media showed a headscarf-wearing student being slammed against a locker and then pushed to the ground by a male student.

Many called the assault a hate crime, but Queen Bee School District 16 Superintendent, Joseph Williams, told the Chicago Tribune newspaper that investigators have identified the students and there is no indication that the attack was motivated by bigotry.

“This is a serious disciplinary incident and we’re handling it as such, but we have no evidence that this was some act of intolerance related to a matter of faith,” Williams said.

“This type of behavior is aberrant; we completely won’t tolerate it. Our duty at this point is to protect the child through what happened, and then respond within the limits of the law, understanding that everybody here is a child.”

The assault which was recorded by onlookers’ mobile phones happened at a school in Glendale Heights in Illinois.

Some unconfirmed reports said that the student started attending the school two months ago.

While the altercation in the school has not been classified as a hate crime, violent and hateful actions against Muslims and Jews have skyrocketed in North America after the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza erupted in October, according to some studies.

Source: Al Arabiya

 
A 235% increase in anti-Muslim hate cases in the UK has been recorded since Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October.

In the four months since some 1,200 Israelis were killed and around 250 taken hostage by Hamas from southern Israel, 2,010 cases of online and offline abuse have been recorded by Tell MAMA, a national project which logs and measures anti-Muslim incidents in the UK.

This is the largest recorded number of cases in four months since Tell MAMA started in 2011.

The organisation said the latest data is in stark contrast to a year before, when between 7 October 2022 and 7 February 2023, 310 offline cases and 290 online cases were recorded.

It follows more than 4,000 antisemitic incidents recorded in the UK in 2023 by a Jewish charity, with the all-time high attributed to the "sheer volume" which took place after the 7 October attacks.

The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which provides protection for British Jews against antisemitic attacks, said the "explosion in hatred" is an "absolute disgrace".

Cases of anti-Muslim hate included 535 reports of abusive behaviour, which Tell MAMA said involved 77 threats, 83 assaults, 79 acts of vandalism, 69 cases of discrimination, 39 acts of hate speech and 19 examples of anti-Muslim literature.

In one example, inflammatory comments were made towards a Muslim on a bus in east London, and another included reports that the word "Hamas" had been daubed on a Muslim family's front door.

In over 65% of these cases, women were the target, the organisation said.

Of the 2,010 cases overall, 576 were reported in London, followed by 71 in the northwest and 41 in the West Midlands.

The areas with the lowest number of cases included Wales with nine and Scotland with 21.

"We are deeply concerned about the impacts that the Israel and Gaza war are having on hate crimes and on social cohesion in the UK," Iman Atta, director of Tell MAMA said.

"This rise in anti-Muslim hate is unacceptable and we hope that political leaders speak out to send a clear message that anti-Muslim hate, like antisemitism, is unacceptable in our country.

"There really is no space for hate and more than ever, it is essential that we sustain, nurture and protect the bonds that we have between communities, so that we all feel valued and safe in our communities and in our country".

Sky News

news.sky.com

Israel-Hamas war: Muslim pro-Palestine supporter 'could have been killed' after brick hurled through window

The woman, named Mahetab, told Sky News she believes she was targeted because she had a Palestinian flag in her window. The incident happened as new figures revealed a sharp rise in recorded anti-Muslim hate in the UK since Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 
Hating people based on religion is wrong and goes against the principles of tolerance and respect. The reported rise in anti-Muslim hate cases in the UK is deeply concerning. It's crucial for society to stand united against such discrimination and work towards fostering understanding and harmony.
 

Outrage as King’s Cross displays Islamic message about ‘sinners’ on departures board​

Outrage has been sparked by a King’s Cross display board featuring an Islamic teaching that describes people as “sinners” who must “repent.”

On the 9th day of Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims, the central London train station featured a “Hadith of the day.”

A hadith is an account of teachings from the Prophet Muhammad.

It says: “The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) [Peace Be Upon Him] said: All the sons of Adam are sinners but the best of the sinners are those who repent often.”

It was broadcast alongside several delayed train announcements.

Reacting to the display board, a GB News viewer said: “Public bodies, especially when they receive state funding, should not be seen to favour one religion over another - that’s even when we have no official separation of church and state. There should be a clear distinction between secular and religious spaces and this is blurring that boundary.

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“You only have to turn a few pages in religious texts like the one quoted and you’ll find something scientifically incorrect, morally reprehensible, or totally insane - businesses and, again, especially where they’re subsidised by my tax money, should not associate themselves with such things.”

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

・Lee Anderson row sparks fiery Islamophobia debate: 'Islam is an idea, it should be open to criticism!'

・'Is criticism of Islam Islamophobic?' Fierce debate breaks out as Bev Turner blasts 'we've got to bring people together!'

・Richard Tice warns UK heading for Sharia law as he demands ban: ‘Keep religion out of politics!’

Source: MSN
 
French interior minister slams ‘unacceptable act’ after boar head found near mosque

France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has slammed “unacceptable acts” against the Muslim community after a boar head was found near a mosque in the east of the country.

A prosecutor said a probe into “incitement to racial hatred” had been opened after worshippers at a mosque in the village of Contrexeville in the Vosges region discovered the animal’s head on Friday.

Darmanin late Saturday said that two other mosques in northern France had also been “degraded”.

“This weekend mosques in Valenciennes and Fresnes-sur-Escaut were degraded. A mosque in the Vosges was also targeted. I firmly condemn these unacceptable acts against out Muslim compatriots,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

The incidents come during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, during which believers fast from dawn till dusk and focus on prayers.

 
US anti-Muslim incidents hit record high in 2023 due to Israel-Gaza war

Reported discrimination and attacks against Muslims and Palestinians reached a record high in the U.S. in 2023, driven by rising Islamophobia and bias as the Israel-Gaza war raged late in the year, data from an advocacy group showed on Tuesday.

Complaints totaled 8,061 in 2023, a 56% rise from the year before and the highest since the Council on American-Islamic Relations began records nearly 30 years ago. About 3,600 of those incidents occurred from October to December, CAIR said.

Human rights advocates have similarly reported a global rise in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias and antisemitism since the latest eruption of conflict in the Middle East.

U.S. incidents have included the fatal October stabbing of 6-year-old Palestinian American Wadea Al-Fayoume in Illinois, the November shooting of three students, opens new tab of Palestinian descent in Vermont and the February stabbing of a Palestinian American man, opens new tab in Texas.

CAIR's report said 2023 saw a "resurgence of anti-Muslim hate" after the first ever recorded annual drop in complaints in 2022. In the first nine months of 2023, such incidents averaged around 500 a month before jumping to nearly 1,200 a month in the last quarter.

"The primary force behind this wave of heightened Islamophobia was the escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine in October 2023," the report said.

The most numerous complaints in 2023 were in the categories of immigration and asylum, employment discrimination, hate crimes and education discrimination, CAIR said.

Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked, opens new tab Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has killed over 32,000 people, according to the local health ministry, displaced nearly all its 2.3 million population, put Gaza on the brink of starvation, opens new tab and led to genocide allegations, opens new tab that Israel denies.

CAIR said it compiled the numbers by reviewing public statements and videos as well as reports from public calls, emails and an online complaint system. It contacted people whose incidents were reported in the media.

REUTERS
 
Anti-Muslim hate spikes amid Israel-Hamas war: Council on American-Islamic Relations

Last year saw a record-breaking number of anti-Muslim bias incidents in the U.S., according to a new report from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which noted 8,061 reported complaints that the organization is largely tied to the ongoing Israel- Hamas war.

The figure marks the highest total in the 28 years CAIR has been tracking the data — and a roughly 56% increase from 2022, when the group recorded 5,156 incidents, according to the data published Tuesday.

CAIR also noted that a little over 44% of the total 2023 complaints came during the final three months of the year, immediately following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

“The new data confirms our worst suspicions: what we are witnessing since October 2023 is nothing short of the largest wave of anti-Muslim hate seen in this country in more than a decade,” Farah Afify, the report's co-author and research and advocacy coordinator for CAIR, said in a statement to CNN.

“These findings demonstrate that, even amid moments of perceived progress, Islamophobia persists as an underlying force that is always capable of reemerging to significantly impact the lives of Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim,” wrote the authors of the report.

The study tracked anti-Muslim incidents across several different categories, with the most frequent reports being related to immigration and asylum-seekers, totaling 1,637 cases.

Employment discrimination was the second-highest category, followed by discrimination connected to education settings.

The report also pointed out the real tragedies behind these cases, including the murder of a 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy named Wadea Al-Fayoume, who was allegedly stabbed to death by his family's landlord in Chicago while he yelled, “You Muslims must die!”

They also discussed the teacher in Warner Robins, Ga., who was threatened to beat and behead his seventh-grade Muslim student last December.

“Employers, universities and schools were among the primary actors suppressing free speech by those who sought to vocally oppose Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza and call attention to Palestinian human rights, particularly Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians,” the report stated.

The authors recommended a series of changes for political, educational and corporate leaders, including giving “equal weight and attention” to “Palestinian suffering” when discussing the Israel-Hamas war.

Congress was also encouraged to strengthen anti-doxxing laws to protect the identities of those who express support for Palestinians in Gaza. Amidst the ongoing war, many have faced intimidation for expressing such points of view, the authors wrote.

www.nydailynews.com

Anti-Muslim hate spikes amid Israel-Hamas war: Council on American-Islamic Relations

Last year saw a record-breaking number of anti-Muslim bias incidents, according to a new report from CAIR, which noted more than 8,000 reported complaints that the organization largely tied to the …
www.nydailynews.com www.nydailynews.com
 
At least two people shot near Ramadan celebration in Philadelphia

At least two people were shot near an event celebrating the end of Ramadan in Philadelphia, police said.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said five people were arrested after "young people actively engaged in gunfire" close to the Eid al-Fitr celebration.

No one was killed in the shooting, the commissioner emphasised.

He said that the shooting occurred between "two factions" at the outdoor event where 1,000 people were present.

An adult was hit in the exchange of gunfire, the police official said, and a 15-year-old suspect was shot in the leg and shoulder by police.

The teenaged gunman is in stable condition and was taken to hospital, said Mr Bethel.

He also noted that a third person appeared at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand, though it was not immediately clear whether the person was involved in the gun battle.

Authorities have recovered five weapons that they suspect were involved in the shooting.

One child pedestrian was hit by a police vehicle while fleeing the scene and suffered a broken leg, Mr Bethel said.

"Ninety-nine percent of the individuals at this event are good people who wanted to have a good time," the commissioner said. And once again, we have young people engaging in gunfire who just really destroyed the sanctity of the event."

Helicopter footage from the Clara Muhammad Square park shows a large crime scene outside the Philadelphia Masjid mosque. The video shows the food trucks and tents brought in for the celebration.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene during an event that was supposed to memorialise the holy day, with families separated from their loved ones as the crowd fled the scene.

Abdallah Legh, an employee at the Girard Meat Market near the crime scene, told Fox's local affiliate WTXF-TV that between 20 to 30 children came rushing into his store seeking shelter soon after he heard the crack of gunfire.

The FBI and Pennsylvania State Police are assisting Philadelphia police in the investigation, according to CBS.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Eid should always be a time of joy for our Muslim neighbors — and I grieve for every member of the Philadelphia Muslim community whose celebration was shattered by gun violence today."



BBC
 

MUSLIM STUDENT LOSES LEGAL CHALLENGE AGAINST MICHAELA COMMUNITY SCHOOL'S 'PRAYER BAN'​


The pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took the action against Michaela Community School in Brent, north London, claiming the policy "uniquely" affects her faith, with prayer one of its five pillars.

The High Court heard in January how she alleged the school's stance is "the kind of discrimination which makes religious minorities feel alienated from society".

Defending the policy, lawyers for the school argued it is "justified" and "proportionate" after it faced death and bomb threats linked to religious observance.

During a two-day hearing, the school's headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh - commonly referred to as Britain's strictest - said on X it was defending an environment "where children of all races and religions can thrive".

She welcomed the judgment as a "victory for all schools" and said they should not be forced to change because one pupil and her mother "don't like something", while Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said headteachers are "best placed" to make decisions.

The school, which is rated as outstanding by regulator Ofsted, enforces a series of strict rules on students, including a ban on conversations in corridors and groups of more than four anywhere on site.

Around 700 pupils attend the school, half of whom are Muslim.

In a written judgment on Tuesday, Mr Justice Linden said: "She [the pupil] knew that the school is secular and her own evidence is that her mother wished her to go there because it was known to be strict.

"She herself says that, long before the prayer ritual policy was introduced, she and her friends believed that prayer was not permitted at school and she therefore made up for missed prayers when she got home."


School targeted with 'bomb hoax'

Ms Birbalsingh, a former government social mobility tsar, introduced the policy in March 2023, after up to 30 students began praying in the school's yard, using blazers to kneel on.

Lawyers for the school said students seen praying outside contributed to a "concerted campaign" on social media over the school's approach to religion.

They added Muslim children were "observed to be applying peer pressure" to other Muslim pupils to "act in certain ways".

The court also heard the school was targeted with a "bomb hoax", death threats, abuse and "false" allegations of Islamophobia.

Reversing the school's "emergency" ban would again expose it to "an unacceptable risk of threats", lawyers said, adding it avoided "the logistical disruption and detriments to other school activities".

A 'modest' request

But the court was also told the pupil is making a "modest" request for permission to pray for around five minutes at lunchtime, on dates when faith rules required it - not during lessons.

The student also challenged allegedly unfair decisions to temporarily suspend her from school, which the judge upheld.

The pupil said she doesn't agree it would be "too hard" to accommodate pupils who "wished to pray in the lunchbreak", adding the school is "very well run".

"Even though I lost, I still feel that I did the right thing in seeking to challenge the ban," she added. "I tried my best, and was true to myself and my religion."

Her mother said the case was "rooted in the understanding that prayer isn't just a desirable act for us - it's an essential element that shapes our lives as Muslims".

Source: Sky News
 
California university cancels Muslim valedictorian's speech, citing safety concerns

The University of Southern California, citing safety concerns and passions around the latest Middle East conflict, has canceled its valedictorian speech from a Muslim student who said she was being silenced by anti-Palestinian hatred for her views on human rights.

USC Provost Andrew Guzman said in a statement on Monday that the decision to scrub the traditional valedictorian address at next month's graduation had "nothing to do with freedom of speech" and was simply aimed at protecting campus security.

The valedictorian, biomedical engineering major Asna Tabassum, in her own statement challenged the university's rationale, questioning "whether USC's decision to revoke my invitation to speak is made solely on the basis of safety."

Guzman's statement did not refer to Tabassum by name, or specify what about her speech, background or political views had raised concerns. Nor did it detail any particular threats.

The provost referred more broadly to how "discussion relating to the selection of our valedictorian had taken on an alarming tenor" in recent days.

"The intensity of feelings, fueled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security and disruption at commencement," he wrote.

As a consequence, "we have decided that our student valedictorian will not deliver a speech at commencement," Guzman wrote, adding, "tradition must give way to safety." The Los Angeles Times reported the decision was a first for USC.

Public safety officials and civil rights advocates have reported a rise in hate crimes against Muslims, Jews, Arabs and Palestinians in the United States, along with heightened tensions on college campuses related to the Israel-Gaza war, since the conflict erupted on Oct. 7.

According to Tabassum, who described herself as a "first-generation South Asian-American Muslim," USC officials refused in an April 14 meeting with her to share details of the university's security assessment.

USC, renowned for an intercollegiate athletic program whose football and other teams are known as the Trojans, did not respond to Reuters' request for further comment.

'CAVING TO FEAR'

Tabassum said she also was told USC possessed the ability "to take appropriate safety measures for my valedictory speech" but opted not to because a tougher security posture was "not what the university wants to 'present as an image.'"

Instead, Tabassum said USC was "caving to fear and rewarding hatred," which she said was being directed by "anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices" targeting her "because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all."

Neither Tabassum nor USC made explicit mention of the Israel-Gaza war.

Trojans for Israel, a USC-based group, and We Are Tov (Hebrew for "good"), a group advocating support for Israel and Jews in collegiate life, had called for Tabassum's removal as commencement speaker earlier this month, saying she had espoused antisemitic views in the past.

Local media reported both groups had mounted opposition to Tabassum based on her social media profile, including an Instagram account with a link directing users to a slideshow about "what's happening in Palestine and how to help." It advocated for "one Palestinian state" and "the complete abolishment of the state of Israel."

Tabassum told an NBC News affiliate that she posted the link five years earlier and did not author the slideshow.

In her statement, Tabassum said her undergraduate minor studies in genocide resistance had shown her the danger of allowing "cries for equality and human dignity" to be deliberately conflated with "expressions of hatred."

"Due to widespread fear, I was hoping to use my commencement speech to inspire my classmates with a message of hope," she wrote.

Sonya Meyerson-Knox, spokesperson for the Jewish anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace, said the USC episode was part of a larger pattern on U.S. college campuses of students being censured as anti-Jewish for criticizing Israel's government or for expressing support for Palestinian rights.

"Holding the government of Israel accountable for committing grave human rights violations and war crimes and possible genocide has nothing to do with antisemitism," she said.

Other Jewish groups have countered that anti-Zionist rhetoric - sometimes marked by calls for Israel's destruction or right to exist - frequently feeds overt forms of anti-Jewish hatred.

Tabassum was chosen valedictorian from nearly 100 applicants - submitted from among the more than 200 graduating seniors - who qualified for the honor based on their grade-point-averages, according to USC.

The university had not asked for an advanced copy of Tabassum's address before withdrawing her invitation to speak, and she had not even begun working on her speech, said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations, an advocacy group that circulated her statement.

The council launched an online campaign calling for USC to reinstate Tabassum's invitation to speak.

The May 10 commencement exercises, honoring this year's class of 19,000-plus graduates, is expected to draw 65,000 people to the downtown Los Angeles campus of USC, long regarded as one of California's most prestigious private universities.

REUTERS
 
UK police investigating Islamophobic hack of Wi-Fi at train stations

British police said on Thursday they had launched an investigation into a cyberattack after passengers at the country’s major railway stations saw an Islamophobic message when they tried to use Wi-Fi services.

The Wi-Fi system, which is managed by communications group Telent, was quickly taken offline after passengers said a message was displayed which referred to terror attacks.

“We received reports at around 5:03 p.m. (1603 GMT) yesterday (Sept. 25) of a cyberattack displaying Islamophobic messaging on some Network Rail Wi-Fi services,” British Transport Police said.

Tensions in Britain flared over the summer with a wave of anti-Muslim riots across the country after the killing of three young girls, an attack which was initially falsely blamed on a Muslim migrant following online misinformation.

The police said they were working with Network Rail to investigate the Islamophobic cyber security incident “at pace.”

Network Rail, the group which manages tracks and train hubs, said the Wi-Fi remained offline on Thursday following the incident at 19 stations including London Bridge and London Euston as well as Manchester Piccadilly and Edinburgh Waverley.

It said that given the nature of the service provided, it did not believe any personal data had been impacted by the hack.

“Once our final security checks have been completed we anticipate the service will be restored by the weekend,” Network Rail said.

Telent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


 

Muslim woman allegedly attacked in London, Ont.​


Police have confirmed an investigation is underway after online reports of an alleged attack on a Muslim woman in London.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims and Hikma Public Affairs Council have both released statements on social media regarding the reported incident.

Hikma stated the woman was wearing a hijab and was with her children at the time.

Although no location in the city is known, Hikma said, “The attack [was] by an assailant who was armed with a knife and shouting racist, Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian threats.”

london.ctvnews.ca

London man charged with attack on Muslim women

The National Council of Canadian Muslims and Hikma Public Affairs Council have both released statements on social media regarding the reported incident.
london.ctvnews.ca london.ctvnews.ca
 
FearlessRoar said:

Muslim woman allegedly attacked in London, Ont.​


Police have confirmed an investigation is underway after online reports of an alleged attack on a Muslim woman in London.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims and Hikma Public Affairs Council have both released statements on social media regarding the reported incident.

Hikma stated the woman was wearing a hijab and was with her children at the time.

Although no location in the city is known, Hikma said, “The attack [was] by an assailant who was armed with a knife and shouting racist, Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian threats.”

london.ctvnews.ca

London man charged with attack on Muslim women

The National Council of Canadian Muslims and Hikma Public Affairs Council have both released statements on social media regarding the reported incident.
london.ctvnews.ca london.ctvnews.ca
Click to expand...
https://twitter.com/x/status/1839697221849174116
 
Controversial Buddhist monk jailed for insulting Islam

A hardline Sri Lankan monk who is a close ally of ousted former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for insulting Islam and inciting religious hatred.

Galagodaatte Gnanasara was convicted on Thursday for the remarks, which date back to 2016.

Sri Lanka rarely convicts Buddhist monks, but this marks the second time that Gnanasara, who has repeatedly been accused of hate crimes and anti-Muslim violence, has been jailed.

The sentence, handed down by the Colombo Magistrate's Court, comes after a presidential pardon he received in 2019 for a six-year sentence related to intimidation and contempt of court.

Gnanasara was arrested in December for remarks he made during a 2016 media conference, where he made several derogatory remarks against Islam.

On Thursday, the court said that all citizens, regardless of religion, are entitled to the freedom of belief under the Constitution.

He was also given a fine of 1,500 Sri Lankan rupees ($5; £4). Failure to pay the fine would result in an additional month of imprisonment, the court's ruling added.

Gnanasara has filed an appeal against the sentence. The court rejected a request from his lawyers to free him on bail until a final judgment was made on the appeal.

He was a trusted ally of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was forced to resign and flee abroad following mass protests over the island nation's economic crisis in 2022.

During Rajapaksa's presidency, Gnanasara, who also leads a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist group, was appointed head of a presidential task force on legal reforms aimed at protecting religious harmony.

After Rajapaksa's ouster, Gnanasara was jailed last year for a similar charge related to hate speech against the country's Muslim minority but was granted bail while appealing his four-year sentence.

In 2018, he was sentenced to six years for contempt of court and intimidating the wife of a political cartoonist who is widely believed to have been disappeared. However, he only served nine months of that sentence because he received a pardon by Maithripala Sirisena who was the country's president at the time.


www.bbc.com

Gnanasara: Controversial Sri Lankan monk jailed for insulting Islam

Galagodaatte Gnanasara was convicted on Thursday for his anti-Muslim remarks, which date back to 2016.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
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