Religious Discrimination Continues to Affect Muslim Communities

Religious Discrimination Continues to Affect Muslim Communities
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Growing concerns over religious discrimination have emerged this week following two separate incidents on opposite sides of the Atlantic—one involving a constitutional ruling in Portugal and the other an intimidation episode targeting Muslim students in Florida, according to reports by IQNA.

In Portugal, the Constitutional Affairs Committee ruled on Thursday that a proposed amendment by the far-right Chega party—aimed at preventing state funds from being used to build mosques—was unconstitutional. The committee met during discussions on the 2026 State Budget and adopted an opinion drafted by Francisco José Martins of the Social Democratic Party (PSD).

According to The Portugal News, the document concluded that the amendment violated constitutional protections on equality and freedom of religion, constituting “explicit discrimination based on religious affiliation” and creating “arbitrary and unreasonable inequality.” Members of the PS, PSD, PCP, Livre and JPP backed the opinion, while Chega opposed it and the CDS-PP abstained. Islam is one of Portugal’s officially recognized religions, with an estimated 60,000–65,000 Muslims living mainly in Lisbon and smaller communities in Porto, Faro and Madeira.

The heightened sensitivity around anti-Muslim sentiment aligns with a disturbing incident reported in the United States. At the University of South Florida, Muslim students participating in their monthly dawn prayer on the rooftop of the Collins Parking Garage on November 18 said they were confronted by three unidentified men who shouted profanities, mocked their faith, and behaved aggressively during the prayer.

Witnesses told Tampa Bay 28 that the men stomped around them, pointed cameras at their faces, displayed a cardboard box meant to resemble the Kaaba, and attempted to provoke them with bacon. Some students reported racist remarks, accusations aimed at students of color, and even a lunge toward one participant after the prayer. The Muslim Student Association noted that the community had never previously faced such hostility during campus activities, leaving many feeling unsafe in a space where they once felt welcome. USF Police confirmed an investigation is underway and said the university is reviewing video footage to determine whether campus policies or state laws were violated.