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UK Allocates More than 1 Million Sterling to Confront Islamophobia | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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British Muslim demonstrators hold placards during a protest against the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed, in central London February 8, 2015. Reuters


London- A report issued by the British government has revealed that it has come up with a clear and firm work-plan to confront Islamophobia and has allocated more than one million British Sterling (USD 1.25 million) to reinforce a specialized service that monitors incidents of hatred against Muslims.

The report showed that the British Interior Ministry launched in 2016 a work-plan to confront crimes of hatred, including those against Muslims, and supporting victims. In 2014, 3,179 incidents of hate crimes were reported while the year after there were 2,622 cases, knowing that around 2.7 million Muslims reside in Britain.

For its part, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said that notifications were made of more than one million hate crimes during the week that followed Brexit which raided concerns over immigration.

Edwin Samuel, the UK government’s Arabic Spokesperson in the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Expressing concerns over Islamophobia is insufficient that’s why the government took practical, clear and strict procedures in facing religious intolerance.”

He added that British Muslims are a basic part of the UK social fabric — they occupy high positions and play a role in representing Islam and presenting it as the religion of peace and coexistence.

Samuel stressed that the speech of hatred will never be acceptable.

The report mentioned that for years the British government has launched practical steps in facing hate crimes. It has also allocated 2.4 British Sterling to support the security guards in places of worship such as mosques.