The Sun newspaper’s Trevor Kavanagh quoted a message manifesting hate towards Muslim community. The press and the media have a huge responsibility as a source of information for millions of people. ‘The Sun’ persuaded the Muslim community into a negative category inducing fear and insecurity in blaming them to be held accountable for violence and hate that comes after.
“I’m A Muslim and I’m A Problem” read ‘The Sun’s’ message.
Young Muslim’s are now worried for their community and their dressing style which includes a cap and a full-length beard, hijab and everything which follows in.
Islamic institutions too are facing brunt of hate. Just two months ago a horrific incident took place at Muslim Welfare House in Islington, due to the hate exacerbated by the press, wherein, a man decided that it was ok to run over Muslims congregating after taraweeh prayers leading to the death of one man and severe injuries of others.
It’s not just the Muslim community that feels the impact of ignorant and ill-mannered articles written irresponsibly by ‘The Sun’ and other papers, concerned parents of primary school children from eastern European backgrounds too recall stories of how their kids are told by other kids to ‘go home’ and ‘go back to where you came from’. One campaign leader of ‘Stand Up, Stand Out’ organization, Arjun, a young Sikh man got harassed and racially abused on public transport. Arjun recalls stories of how he was called ‘Taliban’ on the train by other passengers for wearing a Turban.
It doesn’t stop here. The issue of hate is crossing borders and the newspapers do a good job at catalyzing it.
Despite the hate Muslim communities receive they are doing an amazing job at showing solidarity and demanding a more accountable press. Immediately after the attack at Muslim Welfare House, Citizens UK members across London came together every night during the last week of Ramadan delivering dates and protecting those entering the mosque to break their fast. These members were Churches, Synagogues, schools and other local mosques.
Stand Up, Stand Out is a campaign group led by young people from migrant backgrounds which works to ensure that the press’s are held accountable for what they write.
The campaign started after its founder, Keren had heard that some of her family members were on one of the boats that Katie Hopkins wrote the infamous ‘rescue boats? I’d use gunships to stop migrants’ article about. Keren’s family members died that day. Since then SUSO, all of who have tales similar to Keren and Arjun have been working to get big advertisers like Body Shop and Vodafone stop paying money out to papers like the Sun.
With the help of our friends Stop Funding Hate SUSO managed to convince Body Shop to stop advertising with the Daily Mail through our action and campaigning.
‘Stop Funding Hate’ are today launching their phone campaign encouraging phone companies to stop advertising with such papers. Any Muslim and loyal EE customer find it very disappointing to see them advertising next to an article that calls Muslim community a ‘problem.’
‘Stand Up, Stand Out’ and ‘Stop Funding Hate’ encourage customers of phone companies such as EE, Three and Vodafone to stop advertising next to such hateful articles.
“We as all communities and backgrounds need to stand together against hate just like those that showed solidarity to Muslim Welfare House” –
Stand Up, Stand Out, Spread Love, Stop Hate