Stop Islamophobia Week
Encyclopedia
Stop Islamophobia Week is a project intended to raise awareness and mobilise both Muslims and non-Muslims to combat Islamophobia
. It was initiated by the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
in 2011 and coincides with the anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre
in the second week of July.
causing particular concern to British Muslims. The manifestations of Islamophobia in British society range from physical attacks on identifiable Muslims, mosques and Muslim graveyards, to verbal abuse of Muslim women wearing Islamic dress, to workplace discrimination, to the negative portrayal of Islam in sections of the mainstream media.
For many young British Muslims the genocide committed against Muslims in Bosnia represents the ultimate warning of the terrible consequences that can result if Islamophobia is allowed to take root. When launching the first Stop Islamophobia Week (8 to 14 July 2011) this rationale was cited in a statement by Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK: Now is the time to learn the lessons from Srebrenica. Thousands were murdered and tens of thousands forced from their homes for the simple reason that they were Muslims, while the world stood by and watched. Now is the time to say, “Never again” …and to put those words into action.
, George Galloway
, the rapper ‘Lowkey
’, activists Ken O'Keefe
, Jody McIntyre, and comedian ‘Badman’ Humza Arshad.
Islamophobia
Islamophobia describes prejudice against, hatred or irrational fear of Islam or MuslimsThe term dates back to the late 1980s or early 1990s, but came into common usage after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
. It was initiated by the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
The Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK is a not-for-profit British Muslim organization set up to address a perceived under-representation of Muslims in British politics...
in 2011 and coincides with the anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre
Srebrenica massacre
The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, refers to the July 1995 killing, during the Bosnian War, of more than 8,000 Bosniaks , mainly men and boys, in and around the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska under the command of...
in the second week of July.
Background
A rise in Islamophobia in the UK and across Europe has been widely documented especially since the September 11th attacks, with the advent of new movements such as the English Defence LeagueEnglish Defence League
The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK. The EDL uses street marches to protest against Islamic extremism...
causing particular concern to British Muslims. The manifestations of Islamophobia in British society range from physical attacks on identifiable Muslims, mosques and Muslim graveyards, to verbal abuse of Muslim women wearing Islamic dress, to workplace discrimination, to the negative portrayal of Islam in sections of the mainstream media.
For many young British Muslims the genocide committed against Muslims in Bosnia represents the ultimate warning of the terrible consequences that can result if Islamophobia is allowed to take root. When launching the first Stop Islamophobia Week (8 to 14 July 2011) this rationale was cited in a statement by Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK: Now is the time to learn the lessons from Srebrenica. Thousands were murdered and tens of thousands forced from their homes for the simple reason that they were Muslims, while the world stood by and watched. Now is the time to say, “Never again” …and to put those words into action.
Activities and Events
Actions as part of Stop Islamophobia Week include:- A petition to MPs, local councillors and the police urging them to take steps to tackle Islamophobia.
- A facebook event where members of the public can register their support for Stop Islamophobia Week.
- An online awareness campaign
Supporters
Stop Islamophobia Week has been publicly endorsed by a range of public figures, including Yvonne RidleyYvonne Ridley
Yvonne Ridley is a British journalist, war correspondent and Respect Party activist best known for her capture by the Taliban and subsequent conversion to Islam after release, her outspoken opposition to Zionism, and her criticism of Western media portrayals of the War on Terror...
, George Galloway
George Galloway
George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
, the rapper ‘Lowkey
Lowkey
Kareem Dennis is a musician and political activist of English and Iraqi descent, better known by his stage name Lowkey. He first became known through a series of mixtapes he released before he was 18, before taking a hiatus from the music business...
’, activists Ken O'Keefe
Kenneth O'Keefe
Kenneth Nichols O'Keefe is an Irish-American activist and former US Marine. He led the human shield action to Iraq and was a passenger on the MV Mavi Marmara during the Gaza flotilla raid...
, Jody McIntyre, and comedian ‘Badman’ Humza Arshad.