London murder highlights rise of Islamophobia

The brutal murder of a woman in the UK capital has highlighted the increasing level of Islamophobia that has crept into British society after a backlash against Muslims followed the incident, even though the murderer was not a Muslim.

82-year-old Silva was beheaded in her garden in Edmonton, north London on Thursday by 25-year-old Nicholas Salvador. The murder triggered a local manhunt with police ordering residents out of their homes while the assailant jumped over fences behind people’s houses.

The nature of the murder led many to believe it was a copycat attack after the beheading of two American journalists in Iraq last week, with many quick to blame the attack on Muslims even before any details were made available.