Outgoing MCB Chief Warns of Rising Islamophobia in the UK

Zara Mohammed, the outgoing general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), has highlighted a “tidal wave of Islamophobia” affecting the UK, Arab News reported.

During her four-year tenure, she faced challenges including nationwide riots, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a lack of government engagement.

In an interview with the BBC, Mohammed referred to the Southport riots last year, which were fueled by false rumors about a stabbing suspect. She expressed concern over the normalization of Islamophobic rhetoric that goes unchallenged.

According to monitoring group Tell Mama UK, there were 4,971 recorded instances of Islamophobic hate in Britain in the past year, the highest in 14 years. Mohammed noted that despite efforts in community building and advocacy, mainstream narratives about British Muslims remain largely unchanged. She pointed to the abuse faced by Muslim politicians like former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf and London Mayor Sadiq Khan as indicative of the broader trend of rising Islamophobia in the UK.