It’s too easy to dismiss Donald Trump as a buffoon – to point and laugh at a man whose worldview is as ridiculous as his hairdo. But to do so is to make light of a very serious threat.
Trump is just the latest public figure to articulate a growing wave of Islamophobia across the western world. His shocking views justify the actions of those who commit hate crimes and worse, play into the hands of terrorists such as Daesh (Islamic State) – making Britain less safe.
Islamophobia is on the rise. The number of Islamophobic incidents recorded by the Metropolitan police increased by 70% over the past year alone. Every time there is a terrorist incident involving evil fanatics who abuse the name of Islam ordinary, law-abiding Muslims pay a heavy price.
Tell Mama, the organisation that monitors Islamophobia, revealed there were 115 attacks in the week after the terrorist attack on Paris – a spike of more than 300%. I know from my own experience that at times like this people who look like me are more likely to be verbally abused, and spat on or even assaulted in the street. I don’t just empathise with the victims of Islamophobia; I worry about my own friends and family.
The vast majority of British people think that Islamophobia is abhorrent. We saw the outcry when Hanane Yakoubi was abused on a London bus earlier this year and it was caught on camera. It was an awful incident, and the perpetrator was rightly arrested and sentenced, but the most striking thing was the outpouring of anger from the British people and press – saying loudly and clearly that we will not tolerate Islamophobia in this country. Yet the views articulated by Trump encourage and legitimise those who commit hate crimes.
And worse – they play straight into the hands of terrorists such as Daesh and make us less safe. Young British Muslims become more susceptible to radicalisation and extremism when we don’t give mainstream Muslims the confidence to challenge the extremists, and because British society is too segregated.
The growing wave of Islamophobia that will be fuelled by Trump’s comments makes these problems worse. Being subjected to Islamophobic abuse makes integration less likely, and amplifies the views of the extremists rather than the mainstream. It’s divisive and dangerous and puts British lives at risk.
We must do more to challenge Islamophobia. As mayor of London, I’ll make tackling hate crimes – including Islamophobia, antisemitism and homophobia – a top priority for the Metropolitan police and ensure they get the resources they needs to make a real difference. I’ll work with the police and community organisations to improve the way we report and record Islamophobic crimes – so we have the best possible information to act on.
I’ll act to tackle social segregation too. I’ll bring together schools and youth charities to ensure young people mix in meaningful ways, such as working with the Football Association, the England and Wales Cricket Board and others to set up community sports leagues bringing together kids from different communities. And I’ll promote and support organisations that aim to bring people from different backgrounds together – like the brilliant Big Iftar and Mitzvah Day initiatives.
Few people in Britain take Trump’s words seriously, but they must not be ignored or laughed off. We must take Islamophobia seriously, because it’s not just Muslims that are at risk – it’s all of our safety.