AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A Muslim community leader in the English city of Peterborough, pointing to a noticeable increase in hate crimes, has urged the UK government to take stronger steps to ensure a sense of safety among members of the Muslim community.
Abdul Choudhury, Chairman of the Peterborough Joint Mosques Council, said hate-motivated offences against Muslims have “increased significantly,” and called on ministers to pass an official definition of “Islamophobia” in Parliament.
The remarks came as Sarah Jones, the UK Minister for Policing and Crime, visited a mosque and a Sikh gurdwara in Peterborough. During the visit, she said the concerns of local communities are being heard and that the government is determined to tackle hate-motivated crime.
Jones stated, “We are determined to do everything we can to encourage people to report crime, to deal with these offences, and to send the message that this kind of behavior is completely unacceptable.”
In December, 57-year-old Alexander Hooper of Dogsthorpe Road was given a 27-week suspended prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after admitting to committing a religiously and racially aggravated offence at Darussalam Mosque. The court said he had made “highly offensive and obscene” remarks about the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h) in front of children at the Alma Road mosque and had also told worshippers, “Your white people will destroy you.”
Referring to the incident, Choudhury said it had caused “widespread concern and distress,” especially among women and children. He added, “At present, the British Parliament does not have an official definition of Islamophobia, and we are asking the minister to make a serious effort to have one adopted, just as there is a clear definition for antisemitism.”
He stressed that reporting hate crimes must be made easier and that, without a clear legal definition, police will not be able to respond effectively to such cases.
During her visit to Faizan-e-Madina Mosque on Gladstone Street, Jones said, “We know that levels of hate crime, particularly because of people’s religion, have risen significantly. Many people feel less safe and are forced to live more restricted lives.”
She added that the government is launching a mechanism allowing people to report crimes directly in mosques, where they feel greater trust in doing so. According to Jones, around £39 million has been allocated to enhance mosque security, including the installation of CCTV systems.
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