“Punish A Muslim Day” A Symptom of a Larger Enemy

A series of contemptuous events across the UK have sparked concerns over the rampant presence of Islamophobia growing in its borders.

This past weekend people in towns ranging from London to Bradford reported receiving letters inviting the public to participate in “Punish a Muslim” Day. The note declared April 3 a day of intolerance where participants would engage in hateful acts against Muslims to gain points. The list of suggestions ranged from tearing off a woman’s hijab to the murdering of a Muslim, listed at 500 points.

The letter also contained hurtful and violent speech blaming Muslims for current affairs. One section read, "They have hurt you, they have made your loved ones suffer. They have caused you pain and heartache. What are you going to do about it?"

This week the acts were carried out even further with four Muslim MPs receiving the letter at their Westminster offices. The letters, which arrived as packages, led to some being taken to the hospital for precautionary inspection. The parcels were reported to contain a low-level noxious in addition to a copy of the letter.

The notes paired with the suspicious packages have sparked fear amongst Muslim communities across the country. The police have promised to make investigating the issue a priority, but for parents wondering whether or not it is safe for their children to play outdoors, words are not enough.

These attacks, although horrific, are not isolated incidents of the increasingly common hatred shown towards minority groups. In fact, these appalling events only fuel an already existent flame raging across Europe- a sharp uprising of Islamophobia. The alarming increase in Islamophobia staunchly correlates with an increase in far-right populist ideology, a symptom of a larger issue.

The rhetoric of these groups often scapegoats Muslim and minority groups for the world’s current socioeconomic problems, blaming them for our world of disarray. These movements feed off of existent threads of xenophobia and prejudice, aggravating the disenfranchised to rally for their cause. Through their growing popularity there has consequently been a normalization of hate speech and therefore an increase in its occurrence.

This subtle normalization of hate speech and violence is what makes everyday a punishment for Muslims, making their persecution in society gradually accepted as a reality. When this occurs, the world becomes desensitized to the legitimate everyday prejudice and suffering a community faces.

Populism made hate speech mainstream; it has invited intolerable rhetoric to the main stage and provided it a platform to flourish. And unfortunately no country can claim immunity from its grip.

The prevalence of this speech is increasingly being used to instil fear into its targeted victims, but more importantly it is being utilized as a catalyst for division. Labour MP Naz Shah addressed this concern by stating, "We stand shoulder by shoulder, and stand side by side, because nothing will divide us."

Police are currently investigating the events and invite any knowledge regarding the perpetuator or the letters to step forward.

Cameron de Matteis