1. 4 updates

Anti-Muslim hate crimes soar in 2013 after Rigby murder

Hate crimes against Muslims have soared this year, new figures have shown. Hundreds of anti-Muslim offences have been carried out across the country in 2013.

Live updates

CPS 'out of sync' with anti-Muslim hate crimes

Fiyaz Mujhal, director of Faith Matters, which runs the Tell Mama project, said reaction to the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby has caused the number of Islamophobic crimes to "significantly jump".

The far right groups, particularly the EDL (English Defence League) perniciously use the internet and social media to promote vast amounts of online hate.

Now unless there is a direct threat to somebody on Twitter or Facebook, the CPS will not prosecute. The CPS is just plainly out of sync with reality.

We also need more robust sentencing.

– Fiyaz Mujhal, director of Faith Matters

Surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes across the UK

Police forces across the country revealed a surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes this year.

Here are some of the figures:

  • The Metropolitan Police - 500 from January to mid-November this year, compared with 336 offences in 2012
  • Greater Manchester Police (GMP) -130 offences in 2013 compared with 75 in 2012
  • West Yorkshire Police - 37 in 2013 to November, compared with 24 in 2012
  • Kent Police - 17 in 2012 to 54 in 2013
  • Leicestershire Police - 31 from January to mid-November this year, compared with 26 in both 2012 and 2011
  • Thames Valley Police - 39 anti-Muslim crimes to mid-November this year, compared with 20 in 2012 and 31 in 2011
  • West Mercia Police - 393 race or faith-related hates crimes were recorded in 2013
  • Cheshire Police - seven in 2013 - between April and October - compared with two in 2012 and one in 2011
  • Essex Police - 14 offences this year, up from seven last year

Advertisement

Over 250 more cases of anti-Muslim hate crime in 2013

Tell Mama, a group which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, has said it had dealt with some 840 cases of hate crimes since April - with the number expected to rise to more than 1,000 by the end of March.

This compared with 582 anti-Muslim cases it dealt with from March 2012 to March 2013.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has previously said 71 incidents were reported to its national community tension team (NCTT) over five days after Fusilier Rigby was murdered on May 22.

Hate crimes against Muslims soar after Rigby murder

Hate crimes against Muslims have soared this year, new figures have shown.

Hundreds of anti-Muslim offences have been carried out across the country in 2013, with Britain's biggest force, the Metropolitan police, recording 500 Islamophobic crimes alone.

A worshiper listens to dias, an Islamic sermon in the main prayer room at the Baitful Futuh Mosque in South London Credit: PA

Many forces reported a surge in the number of anti-Muslim hate crimes following the murder of soldier Lee Rigby by two Islamic extremists in Woolwich, south-east London.

And it is feared the figures could be much higher after nearly half of the 43 forces in England and Wales did not reveal how many hate crimes had targeted Muslims - with some forces admitting they do not always record the faith of a religious hate crime victim.

Back to top