Hate attacks in UK 'target' Muslim men more than women

An organisation monitoring anti-Muslim hate in the UK had a record high number of reports last year, with men targeted more than women in 2024 for the first time since it was founded.

A total of 6,313 reports were made to Tell Mama (measuring anti-Muslim attacks), up from 4,406 in 2023 and 2,651 in 2022.

After reports were checked by Tell Mama and verified as being “anti-Muslim” in nature, the figures were 5,837 for last year, compared with 3,767 in 2023 and 2,201 in 2022.

The shift towards Muslim men being targeted more than women reflects the deepening impact of harmful stereotypes that fuel societal divisions and reinforces false notions about Muslim identities.

Tell Mama report

Of last year’s total, 3,680 reports were of offline or in-person hate, up by almost three quarters (72%) since 2022, the organisation said.

Its latest report noted that “for the first time since Tell Mama’s inception, offline cases of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia in 2024 have targeted men more than women”.

The organisation said there had been a “surge in rhetoric that falsely portrays Muslims as terrorists or terrorist sympathisers” since both the October 7 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and the 2024 summer unrest in parts of the UK, sparked after the Southport murders.

Harmful stereotypes

The report added: “The shift towards Muslim men being targeted more than women reflects the deepening impact of harmful stereotypes that fuel societal divisions and reinforces false notions about Muslim identities.”

Tell Mama said more than 51,000 British Muslims and others have used its services since it was set up in 2012.

In terms of types of hate, abusive behaviour remained the most common form of offline hate, accounting for just over six in 10 (62%) of cases in 2024.

Other forms included assault, which made up 171 cases last year; discrimination which accounted for 183 cases, and vandalism which formed 209 cases.

Threatening behaviour increased more than any other incident, up from 121 cases in 2023 to 518 in 2024.

The most common locations for offline hate last year were public areas such as streets or parks, making up four in 10 of all incidents, while one in 10 were reported as having occurred in workplaces.

There were 2,307 online cases of anti-Muslim hate last year, more than half of which (57%) took place after the Southport murders in July.

X, formerly Twitter, was the main social media platform where anti-Muslim hate was reported to have taken place, with 991 cases verified by Tell Mama.

This was followed by TikTok (317), Facebook (201), Instagram (131), Snapchat (57), WhatsApp (41), and Telegram (10).

Iman Atta, the organisation’s director, said: “We have had the largest volume of cases reported to us in Tell Mama in 2024 and since we started our work in 2012.

“As anti-Muslim hate continues to be felt by a greater number of British Muslims, both at a street and online level, our work and support for victims of anti-Muslim hate is needed now more than ever.

“We are at a nexus point where it is clear that anti-Muslim hate needs a coordinated action by His Majesty’s Government.”

She added that the public must “stand together against hatred and extremism” and urged “those in positions of influence and public authority to consider how their language risks stereotyping communities and how it unduly influences discussions online and offline”.

A Government spokesperson said: “These findings are extremely concerning. Attacks on and hatred against Muslim communities are completely unacceptable and have no place in our society. We will seek to stamp out anti-Muslim hatred and racism wherever it occurs.

“We are absolutely determined to bridge divisions between communities and are working closely with community groups, charities, and public sector partners to tackle hatred in all its forms.”

The Independent