Anti-Muslim hate reaches record level across UK, report warns

The head of a leading anti-hate crime charity has warned that it is the “most dangerous” time to be a Muslim in the UK following a surge in Islamophobic assaults.

Iman Atta, Director of the Tell MAMA charity, stated that the UK has reached a “nexus point” as figures show that Islamophobic assaults increased by 73% in 2024.

6,313 cases of anti-Muslim hate were reported in total by the charity, up 43% on figures in 2023. 3,680 of those cases took place offline, with incidents reported of physical abuse, discrimination, and vandalism, taking place in public places such as streets, parks, and the workplace.

The ongoing normalisation of Islamophobic rhetoric in political discourse, including Reform MP Lee Anderson’s unbased claims that Islamists had “got control” over the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, can be seen as a crucial factor in the increase of anti-Muslim hate.

[Right-wing extremists] share tips on how to target Muslim communities, attack mosques, evade police, [and] avoid leaving forensic evidence

Iman Atta, Tell MAMA Director

This continuous behaviour allows for anti-Muslim notions to be perpetuated, including the far-right ‘Great Replacement Theory’ in which white nationals and other extremists believe there is an active effort to replace white populations in current white-dominated countries.

Atta said that such right-wing extremists “share tips on how to target Muslim communities, attack mosques, evade police, avoid leaving forensic evidence, and even offer financial incentives for carrying out attacks” on social media platforms such as X.

The ‘race riots’ last year can also be seen as a result of such rhetoric, as far-right extremists reigned terror across the UK, setting building alight and attacking hotels housing migrants.

The extremist riots were claimed in part to have been a retaliation to the murder of three girls at a dance class in Southport, after false claims were spread on social media that the assailant Axel Rudakubana was a Muslim immigrant.

Attacks on and hatred against Muslim communities are unacceptable and have no place in our society

Government spokesperson

Tell MAMA said that such a normalisation of Islamophobia, among other factors such as the publicization of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, has led to a “surge in rhetoric that falsely portrays Muslims as terrorists or terrorist sympathisers.”

A spokesperson for the government stated that the “attacks on and hatred against Muslim communities are unacceptable and have no place in our society”, highlighting the importance of tackling and diminishing anti-Muslim hate in the UK.

However, with Islamophobia being normalised within the political sphere, the Muslim community remains sceptical about the actions being taken to prevent such happenings.

Nevertheless, despite some people claiming online that “they were going to kill Muslims”, Tell MAMA’s research has found that Muslims are more likely now to openly express their identity and continue to peacefully practice their faith with pride.