London's controversial decision at the height of Islamophobia

The British government has announced that from the end of this month (March), the funding of the Tell Mama organization, which has been operating as the main center for registering and reporting Islamophobia cases in the country since 2012, will be cut.

In recent years, by receiving public reports and cooperating with the police, this organization has acted as a bridge between victims of Islamophobia and judicial institutions and has played an important role in monitoring hate violence against Muslims.

According to official data, this organization recorded nearly 10,700 cases of anti-Muslim crimes and attacks last year, of which 9,600 were confirmed. The organization also reports that the volume of anti-Islamic online activity has increased sharply since last year’s riots in Southport.

Meanwhile, British police have said that the information provided by Tell Mama has been “undeniably valuable” in identifying worrying trends and preventing potential attacks. Security sources have warned that ending government support for the organization will not only reduce reporting of Islamophobia, but will also make it more difficult to monitor the activities of extremist and right-wing groups.

Increasing threats against Muslims

With religious hate crimes in the UK reaching alarming levels, Keir Starmer’s government has faced widespread criticism. According to official figures, religious hate crimes in England and Wales reached an all-time high in the year to March 2024, with the vast majority (37%) being committed against Muslims.

In recent months, several far-right terrorist plots have been uncovered to target mosques and Muslim religious figures. A British court recently ruled that a neo-Nazi gang had begun planning attacks on mosques in the north-west of the country.

In its latest report, Tell Mama warned that Britain had become one of the most unsafe countries for Muslims, with government policies and the media climate exacerbating the trend, a report that appears to have angered politicians and ultimately led to the organisation’s funding being cut.

Fayyad Makal, founder of Tel Mama, called the government’s decision “a blatant injustice” and warned that in the current circumstances, shutting down the organization would leave thousands of victims of Islamophobia without support or legal recourse.

“We are witnessing an unprecedented growth in Islamophobia as far-right and populist parties gain power across Europe,” he said. “Yet our government has decided to close the only institution that works to support victims of Islamophobia.”

Noting that many victims of Islamophobia avoid going to the police for various reasons, Makal stressed that Tel Mama had been their only point of contact for reporting violence and receiving support. He criticized the ruling Labour Party’s performance in combating Islamophobia, adding: “Labour talks constantly about combating hate speech against Muslims, but it has eliminated the only institution that works nationally in this area. This decision shows a clear contradiction between the government's words and actions.”

London’s Double Standard on Religious Hate

Critics say the British government is pursuing a double standard in its fight against religious discrimination. Experts say London has cut funding for Tel Mama while continuing to fund similar organizations that monitor anti-Semitic crimes. “The British government has a formal, binding definition of anti-Semitism and strict laws to combat it,” said Andrew Curtis, an expert on combating racism in the UK. “But when it comes to Islamophobia, it’s all about a non-binding debate and repeated stereotypes about freedom of speech.”

The British government recently set up a special task force to combat Islamophobia. The task force, chaired by Dominic Grieve, a former attorney general, is tasked with coming up with a new definition of Islamophobia and exploring ways to combat it.

However, critics have described the move as more of a show of force, saying the government is designing a mechanism to deflect public criticism rather than taking practical steps to tackle Islamophobia. Last month, Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, said: “The rise in hate crime against Muslims is unacceptable and has no place in our society.” But now, the cuts to Tell Mama raise questions about whether the government is really trying to tackle Islamophobia, or is it simply manipulating public opinion?

Experts have warned that cutting support for Tell Mama will widen the gap between Muslims and government agencies and hamper the reporting of Islamophobia. “After every major incident, whether at home or abroad, we see an increase in tensions and attacks against Muslims. The data from Tell Mama has been vital in understanding this and preventing violent incidents.”

The UK government has not yet given an explanation for its decision to withdraw funding from Tell Mama, and it is unclear whether a replacement has been considered. A spokesperson for the Department for Communities and Housing said in response to the criticism that the government remains committed to tackling Islamophobia and “will clarify its approach to funding in the future.” But with Islamophobia on the rise in the UK, the question remains whether the London government is really taking steps to tackle Islamophobia, or is it simply trying to control the backlash.