A video circulating showing an elderly man abusing a black woman on a RyanAir flight has caused a social media backlash and rightly so. There are many such cases where Asians face hate crimes on daily basis – physically as well as on social media. Many times such crimes are not reported, but in this national hate crime awareness week, the police and authorities are coming forward urging the community to raise alarm, and report such crimes. Tell Mama at a press conference in the New Scotland Yard said there is a considerable increase in hate crime, where 66% of the perpetrators are men. 54% are recorded physical abuses especially in public transport and crowded areas, and over 22% of the street level attacks are by 13-18 year olds, and when that is added to 19-25 year old attackers, it makes 50% of perpetrators between that age group. Contributing factors to such crimes include Brexit and terror attacks like that in London and Manchester. Many of these victims are Muslims and Sikhs, especially as they are visibly dressed differently.
The latest Home Office data on recorded hate incidents for the year to March 2018 showed a rise of 17% to more than 94,000 incidents, with hate crime having doubled over the past five years. Within this figure, religious hate crime represents 9% of incidents but it has been growing at the fastest rate, rising by 40% in the past year and more than fivefold over five years.
Prime Minister Theresa May and Home Secretary introduced the specific recording of anti-Muslim hate crime, and said it was set up so that “we can better tackle the issue.” Many events were held across the UK to raise awareness about hate crimes in the community, including one in St. Paul's Cathedral that hosted a service of 'Hope and Remembrance' for hate crime victims.
Recently the government updated the hate crime action plan (2016-2020), to deal with these heinous crimes in the England and Wales. Their four-year hate crime action plan, will ‘address specific concerns across all 5 monitored strands of hate crime.’ New measures like a Law Commission review into whether additional protected characteristics like misogyny and age should be legislated for, and ministerial round tables to specifically address Muslim and Jewish concerns have been headlined. However, despite being subject to serious violence and hostility since 9/11, the ‘refresh’ has managed to marginalise British Sikhs yet again.
Sikhs excluded in 'refreshed' report of Action Against Hate (2016)
The Network of Sikh Organisations have issued a statement, where they have categorically mentioned that although Sikh groups like the NSO, The Sikh Council, The Sikh Federation UK and City Sikhs have all expressed concerns about Action Against Hate (2016) when it was first published, the ‘refresh’ makes it clear the government is unwilling to address the wider ramifications of Islamophobia on Sikhs, or the ‘Muslim looking other’.
“A simple acknowledgment that Sikhs face Islamophobia would have allayed concerns. Like us, many will be right to ask the government why ministerial ‘round tables’ are the preserve of Jews and Muslims, and why the True Vision project announced in 2017 has still not been implemented.”
Lord Inderjeet Singh, taking part in a debate that coincided with this refresheD plan expressed his disappointment at the continued marginalisation of non-Abrahamic faiths, including Sikhs. He highlighted the continued backlash Sikhs have faced since 9/11 with personal anecdotes, whilst referring to the government’s inordinate focus on Jews and Muslims said, ‘Why the disparity? To echo Shakespeare: if we are cut, do we not bleed?’
Debating at the Parliament he added, “Many of the hate crimes described as Islamophobic are directed against Sikhs out of ignorance or mistaken identity. In the States, a Sikh was the first person murdered in reprisal after 9/11, and six worshippers in a gurdwara there were shot by a white supremacist in another mistaken-identity killing.
“The day after 9/11, I was going to a meeting with the then CRE at Victoria. As I came out of the station, two workmen digging the road looked at me in a hostile way. Fortunately, their lack of religious literacy saved the day. The elder turned to the younger and said: “He’s not a Muslim; he’s a Hindu.” I did not argue the point.
“Few Sikhs have been called 'bin Laden' at some time or other, and some have been violently attacked. We heard about the Gurdwara in Leeds being defaced and partly burned and, only a couple of months ago, a Gurdwara in Edinburgh that I had recently visited was firebombed.
“I do not in any way begrudge the protection that Jews and Muslims receive against hate crime. The Jewish community has suffered grievously from anti-Semitism, and Muslims are suffering hate crime today. I have always had a warm working relationship with both communities. All I ask is that the Government are a little more even-handed to non-Abrahamic faiths in both policies and resourcing.”
Lord Jitesh Gadhia debates religious tolerance and prejudices in Britain
Lord Jitesh Gadhia, speaking at the Lords, debating religious tolerance and prejudices in Britain, spoke about how Hindus could provide a role model and how a community can integrate successfully embracing British values, while retaining its cultural heritage and identity. He also touched upon different forms of discriminations, including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and caste Legislation among Hindus.
Speaking about Hindus, Lord Gandhia said, “Hindus provide a role model for how a community can integrate successfully and embrace British values, while retaining its cultural heritage and identity. As we speak, thousands of Hindus up and down the country are packed into school and community halls, participating in a colourful, nine-day festival called Navaratri. At the same time, they will be thinking of others less fortunate, and have organised initiatives such as the Navaratri food bank, providing meals to those of all faiths and none throughout the country. This is a live illustration of what the noble Lord, Lord Sacks, describes as The Dignity of Difference in his powerful book, which argues that we must do more than search for common human values; we must learn to make a space for difference. With that important background, I want to make the following four observations relevant for our present times.”
Speaking about anti-Semitism he said, “If the British Jewish community is going through such an ordeal, we all need to take heed. It is even more distressing that individuals who have spoken out on this issue, such as my noble friend Lord Popat, who led an excellent debate in this House on 13 September, are now subject to smear campaigns. I say to those who believe that intimidation and innuendo will scare us off: you are mistaken. It will not. In fact, it will strengthen our resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community until anti-Semitism is eradicated in all its forms.”
He then moved on to speak about Islamophobia- something the party Lord Gadhia represent has been accused of. “Islamophobia is as unacceptable as anti-Semitism or any other form of religious intolerance,” he added. “Although others are more knowledgeable about Islamophobia and have more first-hand experience of it than me—especially my noble friend Lady Warsi, who spoke so eloquently—I will share one observation from the Hindu experience of integration in the spirit of speaking for, and helping, the other. It is evident from the work of the Casey review that the Muslim community requires greater support in various aspects of integration, and that sections of the British Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities have struggled on this front and too often lead a segregated existence. It must be the case that elements of Islamophobia have their roots in ignorance about Islam, which better integration could address. The experience of British Hindus demonstrates that it is possible to integrate and still preserve your traditions, values and identity. A diverse society does not mean a divided society...We must work in collaboration with Muslim communities to break down barriers and thus reduce the frequency with which they are subjected to unacceptable prejudice.”
Speaking about the recent caste legislation report, he concluded by saying, “The Government’s consultation on the subject was published in July, with more than 16,000 responses. Based on the evidence, the Government have concluded that established case law provides sufficient, appropriate and proportionate legal protection against caste discrimination. The Government therefore intend to legislate to repeal the duty for a specific reference to caste to be included in the Equality Act.”
