Communities fear Islamophobic backlash, while conflict and recent Islamist attacks empower the far right
People participate at a banned demonstration in support of the Palestinian people on Republic Square in Paris, France, on October 12th. Photograph: Teresa Suarez/EPAGhassan Abu Sitta, a British-Palestinian surgeon treating injured survivors of bombings in Gaza, received an alarming call from London this week: counter-terrorism officers had visited his home.
“Muslims are really afraid of being stigmatised and blamed, and lumped together with Hamas supporters,” said Lamya Kaddor, a German MP with Syrian roots. “They worry about becoming strangers in their own country.” In France – home to the biggest Jewish and Muslim populations in Europe – such frustrations only grew when authorities imposed a nationwide ban on all pro-Palestinian demonstrations, a move they said was designed to “protect public order”.
A woman lays flowers next to a banner reading"Courage to the Swedish people" following Monday's terrorist attack against Swedish soccer supporters in Brussels. Photograph: Benoit Doppagne/Getty/AFP Although there are few official statistics, Muslim organisations are reporting an alarming uptick in racist rhetoric, both online and off. In the UK, Tell Mama, a charity that records cases of Islamophobia, said on Monday it had catalogued 200 incidents nationally since the Hamas attack on Israel, a fivefold increase over the same period in 2022.
Others complained of police harassment. “In areas of Berlin with big Arab populations . . . we’re seeing an increase in police checks carried out on people perceived to be Muslim, without any reasonable suspicion,” said Rima Hanano of CLAIM, a group that campaigns against anti-Muslim racism. “That clearly constitutes racial profiling.”
In France, tensions are particularly high because previous flare-ups of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were followed by anti-Semitic incidents domestically.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Israel-Hamas war: Joe Biden flies to Israel, hundreds feared dead after Gaza hospital strikeHamas and Israel trade blame over missile strike which hit the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital on Tuesday night
Read more »
Israel-Hamas conflict a result of 'diplomatic failure'President Michael D Higgins has said the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas is a 'consequence of diplomatic failure' and that is a 'dangerous position' for the world to be in.
Read more »
Hamas and Israel trade blame as Gaza hospital blast kills hundredsHamas blamed an Israeli air strike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants
Read more »
Hamas and Israel trade blame over air strike on Gaza hospital that killed hundredsMany feared trapped under rubble following strike on Al-Ahli Baptist hospital that Israel claims was caused by Islamic Jihad projectile
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war: Hundreds dead after Gaza hospital strike as conflict continues to escalateIsrael says military intelligence suggests Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital hit by failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad military group
Read more »
Israel-Hamas conflict: EU vows to be ‘consistent’ in defending international lawLeaders hold extraordinary meeting to discuss crisis following chaotic week for EU foreign policy, amid reports of 500 dead in strike on hospital in Gaza
Read more »