The head of the UK government’s new partner in tackling Islamophobia has revealed being refused service in a shop because she is Muslim, as the organisation launches a new reporting service to address rising anti-Muslim hate.
The chief executive of the British Muslim Trust (BMT), Akeela Ahmed, said the experience reflected the growing problem of insidious micro-aggressions and open hostility faced by Muslims across the country.
The BMT was chosen in July as a key partner under the government’s Combating Hate Against Muslims Fund and will run a telephone and online helpline for victims of anti-Muslim hate crimes from 30 October.
Ahmed said the gap between online hate and real-world abuse appeared to be narrowing, with social media vitriol increasingly spilling into public life. “We’re not talking only about offensive content,” she said, “but material that incites violence and breaks the law.”
She added that during outreach visits to communities in Bradford, East Sussex, Greater Manchester, and London, many Muslims reported feeling ignored or mistreated in public spaces, including shops where staff refused to serve them. “Muslims are an easy target because they are visible,” Ahmed said.
Ahmed shared that she herself had been bypassed in a store while others around her were served. “First you feel helpless, then you second-guess yourself,” she said.
The new helpline aims to build trust and collect detailed data on anti-Muslim incidents, similar to the model used by the Community Security Trust, which records antisemitic hate crimes.
Ahmed said the findings from BMT’s data and community outreach will be presented to government to push for stronger accountability and action against Islamophobia.
