——————————————————————————————

Islamic Human Rights Commission

——————————————————————————————

21 June 2017

PRESS RELEASE – UK: IHRC demands apology from London mayor over treatment of Al-Quds Day rally

IHRC has written to the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, expressing its indignation at his treatment of the annual pro-Palestinian Al Quds Day march in the light of racist and Islamophobic attacks against the organisers.

The letter highlights the intensive media campaign waged against the annual rally by the Zionist press led by the Jewish News and Jewish Chronicle, and right wing media such as Breitbart.com and The Spectator. It now appears that the demonisation of Al-Quds Day could have been a factor in the radicalisation of the suspect believed to have carried out Monday’s terrorist attack on worshippers outside mosques in Finsbury Park, London.

The letter references the alleged Finsbury Park attacker who was heard in a pub last Saturday railing against Muslims and the Al Quds Day march in London which took place the following day. Police are investigating if his initial target was the march itself.

Failure to recognise the damage that this type of extensive demonisation can cause has led to this behaviour. It has undermined the real multi-faith and multicultural traditions of London of which the annual march is a part. In the lead up the march, organisers saw an increase in anti-Muslim hate spewed on popular and social media.

The event is family-orientated and anti-racist. It is unacceptable that instead of protecting the event which has happened annually for many years now without incident the mayor of London instead appeared to be responding to pressure from specific media and campaign groups.

As it seems that the demonisation of Al Quds day was a factor in the radicalisation of the alleged Finsbury Park attacker, IHRC is demanding that Sadiq Khan makes a clear break from activities associated with the demonisation of the Al-Quds day rally and apologises to those from all and no faith who attended the event.

The full letter can be viewed here

For media enquiries please email media@ihrc.org or call 020 8904 4222 or 07958 522196[Ends]

——————————————————————————————

IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Email: info@ihrc.org
Web: www.ihrc.org
Twitter @ihrc