Anti-Muslim hate reports in UK reach record high in 2024, charity says

A UK group that tracks anti-Muslim hate said on Wednesday that it received the highest number of reports in 2024, attributing the rise to online platforms and artificial intelligence.

Tell MAMA’s director, Iman Atta, described the increase as "unacceptable" and "deeply concerning for the future."

"We have had the largest volume of cases reported to us... since we started our work in 2012," Atta said.

Tell MAMA recorded 6,313 cases of anti-Muslim hate in 2024, with most occurring online. The group verified 5,837 of them. In comparison, there were 4,406 reports in 2023, of which 3,767 were confirmed.

Assault cases increased by 73 per cent, rising from 99 in 2023 to 171 in 2024. The group also documented 2,197 cases of abusive behaviour taking place offline.

The increase in reports followed key events, including the Gaza conflict that began in October 2023 and the murders of three young girls in Southport in July 2024.

False claims that a Muslim immigrant was responsible for the Southport killings spread widely on social media in the days after the attacks.

The misinformation contributed to the UK's worst riots in decades, with mobs targeting mosques and immigrant shelters.

Axel Rudakubana, a UK citizen born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, is serving 13 life sentences for the murders.

"Significant national and international events spiked online reports of anti-Muslim hate into Tell MAMA," the report stated.

The group also raised concerns about artificial intelligence-generated images spreading anti-Muslim hate online.

Atta urged the government to take coordinated action and called on the public "to stand together against hatred and extremism."

Tell MAMA described X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, as "the most toxic online platform in the dissemination of anti-Muslim hate."

It pointed to "aggressive language and the targeted nature of anti-Muslim hate towards other users" on the platform.

Tell MAMA called on the government and social media companies to address the issue, stating that online spaces must uphold "the fundamental rights of all."