01/11/2023 - Islamophobia Awareness Month - statement by Council Leader, Councillor Hazel Simmons and Deputy Leader, Councillor Javed Hussain

Luton has a large Muslim population which plays a big part in making Luton the great town it is. However, Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred, while perpetrated by a small minority, is very sadly something that many people in our communities still experience or are impacted by. It is something we wholeheartedly reject and are absolutely committed to tackling and eliminating. No form of hate is welcome anywhere in our town.

The campaign comes at a time when more than ever we need to stand against all forms of hate crime. The shocking recent events in the Middle East have worryingly led to increasing numbers of incidents being reported across the UK.

Here in Luton the togetherness of our super-diverse community and many faiths has always been our strength and has made us a cohesive and united community.

An example of this is Discover Islam which was established in Luton over 10 years ago in the face of negative and sustained media misrepresentation of Islam and Muslims, to help connect people from different backgrounds and to educate and inform our community about the reality of Islam as a way of 

Putting authentic and shared values into practice, Discover Islam’s story has been a hugely positive and transformative one in supporting some of Luton’s most vulnerable people, and changing wider perceptions around Muslims.

The unity of our community is needed more than ever now. The events in the Middle East affect us deeply, however, they do not justify any form of discrimination or hatred aimed at anyone here in Luton or elsewhere. We’ve been told that there are local people who have been victims of anti-Muslim hate speech in the last fortnight simply for raising awareness of the current horrific situation in Gaza. No-one whatever their background or faith should ever have to feel afraid because of who they are, how they look or what they believe in.

We all have a responsibility to ensure Luton is no place for hate by calling out behaviour that leads to this harm.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of or witnesses Islamophobia or any hate crime or incident – in person or online – should report it to the police either online, by calling 111 (24/7) or by visiting a police station.

Alternatively there are organisations who can offer support, advice and ways to report the incident without having to talk directly to the police, such as Crimestoppers and Tell MAMA, a national project supporting victims of anti-Muslim hate and monitoring anti-Muslim incidents. You can also get support from Bedfordshire’s CommUNITY Mediation Service which supports victims of Hate Crime across Luton, Bedford and Central Bedfordshire. The service aims to reduce Hate Crime and increase the report rates across these three locations.

 

In Luton we will continue to write the story of strong connections that already exist across our diverse communities. Those connections remain our strength and we will continue to come together to build a stronger town and to reject any form of hatred within our town.