Harun Nasrullah
A major new study has revealed that almost one in six Britons believe the growth of the Muslim population poses a threat to British culture, prompting warnings that anti-Muslim hostility risks becoming normalised across society. However, fifty-two per cent of the wider public said Muslims are as British as white non-Muslims.
The report, Understanding Anti-Muslim Hostility: Foundations for Action, published by the social integration thinktank British Future and the British Muslim Trust, found that 17 per cent of the public strongly agree with the statement that “the growth in the Muslim population poses a foundational threat to UK culture.”
At the same time, 19 per cent said they did not agree that Muslims born in Britain are as British as white non-Muslim people born here.
The findings come despite evidence that many Britons take a more positive view of integration. Fifty-two per cent of the wider public said Muslims are as British as white non-Muslims, while 57 per cent agreed that “it is possible for Muslims and non-Muslims to live well together in towns and cities around the UK.”
Among British Muslims themselves, 73 per cent said the UK is a good place to be Muslim, and 69 per cent agreed that British-born Muslims are fully British.
The research, based on surveys of around 2,000 members of the public and 1,000 British Muslims, paints a complex picture of integration in modern Britain. While the majority of people reject anti-Muslim prejudice and support action to tackle it, the findings suggest a significant minority continue to hold negative views about Muslims and their place in British society.
The British Muslim Trust, launched last year as the Government’s official partner in monitoring Islamophobia, said Muslims repeatedly reported feeling that their identity and place in Britain were being questioned.
Its director, Akeela Ahmed told The Muslim News, “More than half of British Muslims experienced prejudice in the last year, and most are more fearful for their safety since the Unite the Kingdom Rally. That’s more than two million Brits, and it is utterly intolerable for anyone who cares about community cohesion and public order.
“It’s heartening to see the vast majority of people in this country support action to crack down on Muslim hatred. Muslim communities are not asking for special favours – they just want to be free to live rich and full lives in our country just like anyone else, but they are experiencing unprecedented levels of hate and hostility.
“At the British Muslim Trust we are working hard to monitor, report on, and support victims of anti-Muslim prejudice – but tackling this crisis will require a society-wide effort. These figures underline an undeniable truth – there is a clear need for a more effective strategy to protect British Muslims from hate.”
The report found strong evidence supporting Ahmed’s concerns about both online hostility and a lack of contact between communities. More than a third of Muslims surveyed, 34 per cent, said they had experienced anti-Muslim prejudice on social media during the past year. A further 27 per cent reported prejudice in public spaces such as streets or public transport, while 19 per cent said they had experienced discrimination at work or within institutions, including the NHS.
Researchers also found that personal interaction played a significant role in shaping attitudes. While 36 per cent of the public reported frequent social contact with Muslims, 34 per cent said they seldom met Muslims and 14 per cent said they never did.
The study found that 61 per cent of Muslims felt less safe after the first Unite the Kingdom rally was held in September last year. Among Muslim women, that figure rose to 69 per cent.
More than half of Muslims surveyed – 56 per cent – said they had experienced prejudice because of their religion within the last year.
Ahmed described that figure as “utterly intolerable” but said it was “heartening” that most people supported action against anti-Muslim hatred.
The report also found widespread concern among Muslims about how they are portrayed in public life. The media received the most negative ratings of any institution surveyed, with 52 per cent of Muslim respondents saying Muslims are treated worse by the media than the general public. Of those, 26 per cent said Muslims were treated “a lot worse” and a further 26 per cent said they were treated “somewhat worse”.
Despite concerns about hostility, the report found substantial public support for addressing anti-Muslim prejudice.
Sixty-three per cent of the public recognise there is prejudice against Muslims, while 61 per cent support government action to tackle anti-Muslim hostility.
Of those, the most supportive 20 per cent believe the Government should take strong action, while another 41 per cent back action provided there are safeguards for freedom of speech. Only 7 per cent said they opposed action altogether.
Researchers also identified a clear link between personal contact and attitudes, finding that people who regularly interacted with Muslims were significantly more likely to hold accepting views.
There was also a marked generational divide. Twenty-nine per cent of over-65s said Muslims’ contribution to Britain was negative, compared with just 16 per cent of 18-24-year-olds.
Responding to the report, Sunder Katwala, Director of British Future, said the findings should concern the whole country.
“It’s deeply worrying that one in six people hold sweeping, hostile prejudices towards Muslims in Britain,” he said.
“Most people do not agree with them – but if this trend continues unchecked, there is a real risk that these attitudes become normalised in wider society.”
He added: “It cannot be OK for a section of our society to be subjected to such hostility because of their religion. This shouldn’t be a matter for polarised political debate but a basic norm that we can all agree on. We must protect free speech and we must also protect our fellow citizens from hatred.”
While the report does not set out detailed policy recommendations, its authors say the findings should serve as “foundations for action” in tackling anti-Muslim hostility, strengthening community relations and ensuring that British Muslims feel accepted as equal members of society.
The strongest additions are the statistics on where prejudice occurs (social media, public spaces and workplaces), the findings on media perceptions, and the contact data showing that many Britons rarely or never interact with Muslims. These deepen the article beyond the headline figures and give greater weight to Ahmed’s comments about social cohesion.
