UK Muslim leaders report surge in hate crime: 'Unprecedented situation'
Muslim leaders across the UK describe a growing sense of fear as hate crime rises, with attacks including attempted firebombings and physical assaults. The government faces criticism for a perceived lack of coordinated response.
Muslim communities in the United Kingdom are facing an escalating wave of anti-Muslim hatred, with leaders describing the situation as unprecedented since the 2024 Southport riots. Akeela Ahmed, head of the British Muslim Trust (BMT), said the scale of violence reminds her of the racism her parents faced in the 1970s and 1980s, but at an even higher level. During the May local elections in Barking and Dagenham, a canvasser was told by a resident that she should be hanged after revealing she was Muslim.
Official figures show anti-Muslim hate crime in England and Wales rose by 19% in the 12 months to March 2025. In Scotland, Muslims were the target of nearly a third of all religious hate crimes. Over three months last year, Ahmed’s team documented 27 attacks on 25 mosques across 23 different areas. Recent incidents include attempted firebombings, vandalism, and violent attacks on mosques in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Blackburn, Manchester, Liverpool, Shrewsbury, and east London. A pig’s head was left outside a Muslim family’s home in Stockport, and an imam’s family home in Bolton was allegedly firebombed.
Muslim women are bearing the brunt of the hostility, with reports of hijabs being torn off, abuse on public transport, and harassment in public. A BMT survey found that 56% of Muslims had experienced religious prejudice in the past year.
Campaigners have criticized the government’s response. Lady Shaista Gohir of the Muslim Women’s Network said ministers lacked courage and became hesitant as Reform UK’s popularity grew. She noted that the hate crime strategy has not been renewed since 2020 and laws have not been strengthened. A government spokesperson pointed to actions including adopting a definition of anti-Muslim hatred, £40 million for protective security at places of worship, and £4 million for programs tackling anti-Muslim hatred.
In Northern Ireland, fear persists after recent riots in Belfast. Naomi Green of the Muslim Council of Britain recalled receiving messages from people saying, “Our house is on fire. Nobody’s coming.” She said politicians have conflated Muslim communities with illegal migration, regardless of citizenship. Green’s 12-year-old son was told at school, “Foreigners like you are going to go home.”
Despite the fear, Ahmed rejects the idea of retreating from public life. “The majority of people in this country are good people,” she said. “We need to come together as allies and draw boundaries around what we will not tolerate.”
