Islamophobia

The growth of Islamophobia, or anti-Muslim racism, has been dramatic throughout Europe and North America in recent years. There have been increased attacks on Muslims, on their mosques and community centres, and a series of laws that restrict what Muslim women wear have been passed. The War on Terror, launched in 2001, boosted Islamophobia. Although at first governments were keen to stress this was not about Muslims, that rapidly changed as first Afghanistan then Iraq were invaded and occupied.

Theories espousing a ‘clash of civilisations’ have become more widespread, and Muslims have become synonymous in the eyes of some politicians and the press with ‘extremists’ and ‘terrorists’. As the war has spread to countries such as Libya and Mali, this attitude has become more widespread. Now, Muslims are expected to apologise for any act of terrorism or wrongdoing carried out by other Muslims, regardless of how unrepresentative of Muslims such actions are.

Stop the War Coalition argued in 2001, when we were founded, that the war would have these consequences. Waging war on mainly Muslim countries means demonising the populations of those countries, claiming that they subscribe to different values. After the killing of Lee Rigby in Woolwich, attacks on Muslims grew and the racist EDL organised demonstrations whose main theme was anti-Muslim. The wars waged by the US and EU governments have helped to create this racism. The threat of Islamophobia is very real from far right groups. But it also comes from mainstream politics.

As long as western governments wage war in the Middle East, south Asia and parts of Africa, Islamophobia will be a key part of their ideological defence. Anyone who opposes war should also oppose the growth in this last ‘respectable’ racism in Europe.

Stop the War campaigns with the Enough Coalition, anti-racist and anti-fascist groups and others to fight the racist backlash the War on Terror has brought about.