New report highlights surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes across Europe and UK

New report highlights surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes across Europe and UK
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A sharp rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes across Europe and the UK has been revealed in the latest European Islamophobia Report, discussed in the British Parliament on Tuesday. Labour MP Afzal Khan, vice chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims, stated that Islamophobic assaults in the UK rose by 73% in 2024. Over the past five years, Muslims have accounted for around half of all religious hate crime victims in the UK.

The report links the surge in hate crimes across Europe to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, which began in October 2023. In Germany, hate crimes against Muslims have increased by 140% since the conflict began. The report criticizes restrictive policies in France, particularly those affecting Muslim women, and highlights institutional bias in countries like France and Denmark.

It also noted that most European governments, except Spain, failed to recognize the UN’s Day to Combat Islamophobia. The panel called for stronger legislation, public education, and stricter enforcement to address Islamophobia, along with improved tracking of hate crimes and accountability for media promoting anti-Muslim narratives.