Home Correspondent
A staggering 1 in 3 British Muslims have considered leaving the UK because of the escalating anti-Muslim hate, according to a new survey commissioned by Tell MAMA in collaboration with Survation.
The findings, collected from 750 British Muslims between September 30 and October 14, paint a troubling picture of growing Islamophobia in the aftermath of far-right demonstrations earlier this year.
The survey highlights that 1 in 4 British Muslims experienced anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia—whether online or in person—following the far-right demonstrations triggered by the murder of three young girls in Southport.
Even more concerning, 7 in 10 respondents believe that Islamophobia has become more widespread since these events, with 2 in 3 expressing increased concerns about the safety of their communities.
Nearly 40% of those surveyed fear that far-right extremists could target their local mosques.
The Home Office’s Places of Worship Protective Security Fund, aimed at safeguarding religious institutions, is attempting to address these concerns, but the sense of vulnerability remains high within British Muslim communities.
While the findings underscore growing fears, they also reveal an intriguing countertrend. Half of those surveyed reported feeling more emboldened to express their Muslim identity openly in conversations with friends and colleagues. This defiance, spurred by far-right hostility, demonstrates remarkable resilience
among British Muslims.
Additionally, 6 in 10 respondents said they still feel safe in Britain, suggesting a complex blend of fear and hope within the community.
Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE, emphasised the urgency of the situation: “The poll findings demonstrate that anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia is having significant impacts on Britain’s Muslim communities. The findings should be a wake-up call for the Government. In the weeks since the riots at the end of July, Tell MAMA has been inundated with calls from members of the public who have been shouted at aggressively, threatened, spat at, and even assaulted. There has also been an increase in online hate, including calls to burn down mosques and harm Muslims.”
Iman Atta stressed the need for a “laser-like focus” from the government to tackle the root causes of Islamophobia and build long-term solutions to reassure Muslim communities.
