Fears far right will exploit UK riots to attack Muslims

Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has expressed deep concern over the potential of and reported opportunism of far-right groups to attack Muslims in the wake of the UK riots. Three Muslims were killed in a hit-and-run incident by unknown assailants during rioting in Birmingham, central England on Tuesday. A Malaysian student was also attacked and robbed in London. Separate messages on the social media have suggested that some groups of far-right sympathisers want to use the riots as cover for burning down mosques. Others have spoken of the riots in terms of a race war and suggested taking action against ‘Blacks’ and ‘Asians’ and ‘Coloureds’. IHRC said that of even more concern was the actual appearance of the extremist English Defence League (EDL) in Eltham, south London and reports that there may have been EDL members or supporters amongst vigilantes in Enfield, in the north of the capital. “Whilst we know police took action to disperse the EDL from Eltham as well as a group of men in Enfield, we are deeply concerned that the threat of far-right violence in these days is not being taken seriously,” said IHRC chair IHRC, Massoud Shadjareh. “The demonising rhetoric in the media in particular and from government and its institutions is being capitalised upon by far-right actors,” Shadjareh said. “The government needs to publicly condemn this opportunism and make clear it will deal with this threat,” he warned.