Elham Asaad Buaras

Police forces across the UK are issuing hate crime awareness advice urging victims to report incidents after reporting significant spikes in Islamophobic attacks following the Manchester Arena and London Bridge terror attacks on May 22 and June 3 respectively.

Greater Manchester Police has revealed a significant rise in hate crimes following the terror attack on May 22. The force said the number of such reports had doubled to 56 on May 24, from the 28 reported on May 22.

Muslim leaders claim more crimes are not reported because people are “scared to talk”. Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “We’ve seen an increase in hate incidents since the bomb from 28 on Monday, which is our normal average a day, through to 56 on Wednesday.”

Both South Yorkshire Police and Essex Police have reported an increase in the reporting of hate crimes since the Manchester terror attack.

Bedfordshire Police said it had experienced a number of hate crime incidents over the London Bridge attacks. Sergeant James Hart, hate crime lead for Bedfordshire Police, said: “Sadly we are aware that following incidents such as the tragic attack in London there can be an increase in hate crime within our communities.”

In the Capital, figures released by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, showed a fivefold increase in Islamophobic attacks since the atrocity at London Bridge and a 40% increase in racist incidents, compared with the daily average this year.

The Mayor has called on all Londoners to report hate crimes of any kind to the police. “If you witness a hate crime please report it to the police. If you commit a hate crime, you face arrest.”

“Just as the police will do everything possible to root out extremism from our city, so we will take a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime,” he added.

According to figures the increase in recorded Islamophobic incidents in London after the London Bridge attacks is greater than it was after the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby and after the 2015 massacre in Paris.

As of June 1 the Metropolitan Police have confirmed they made 25 arrests for Islamophobic offences and have increased the number of officers on the streets and in communities since the London terror attack. “We have to reassure local people that they are able to go about their daily lives in peace and without fear of harassment or intimidation. Dedicated ward officers have also made contact with their local places of worship to encourage them to report hate crimes and to reassure those who congregate there that the police will take these crimes seriously.”

Some of many Islamophobic incidents post-Manchester and London terror attacks

MAY 27, GREATER MANCHESTER: A driver was flagged down by two white men who had a flat tyre, then set upon with a glass bottle and called a ‘terrorist’. Shiraz Khan, 30, was wearing a prayer cap. When he slowed down to look, they attacked him with a glass bottle, leaving him with injuries as he lifted his hand to protect his face and then blacked out. “While I was looking at it one of the guys said ‘We’re only joking. You’re a terrorist bomber’ and tried to smash a bottle over my face.”

MAY 27, TORQUAY: Three men hurled stones and abusive language at worshippers at the Torbay Islamic Centre in Avenue Road at 3:30 am. Police are treating the incident as a suspected hate crime.

JUNE 4, MERSEYSIDE: Two men have been arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after posting separate videos on social media threatening to kill Muslims and P****. A 39-year-old man from Mossley Hill was arrested for posting a video of himself brandishing a machete while wearing a fake grenade. A second 39-year-old man, from Kirkby, was arrested in connection with a separate video. The video shows the man making racist comments about Asian people, anti-Semitic remarks and abuse aimed at people who defend Muslims. He also promises to “to take every Muslim out of Knowsley”.

JUNE 4, SOUTH LONDON: Sutton police are investigating a religiously aggravated criminal damage on an Islamic Centre in south London after vandals spray painted ‘Terrorise your own country’ and ‘Go away’ on the building

JUNE 4, LUTON: A man was knocked unconscious by a group of men in Beadlow Road and branded a terrorist at approximately 11.30pm. The man required hospital treatment but was not seriously injured. No-one has been arrested and police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.

JUNE 8, PETERBOROUGH: A woman travelling with her 3-year-old daughter was pushed to the ground and her hijab ripped off and thrown at her in an assault that police are treating as a religiously aggravated hate crime. The assault took place at 10.15pm on James Avenue, Fengate. The male offender is described as white, tall, of medium build and wearing a black hooded top with the head pulled up.

To report any Islamophobic incident to The Muslim News please telephone 0208 863 8586 or email info@muslimnews.co.uk. All cases will be treated with the utmost confidence.