Crimes against Muslims increased by 70% in London

Baku. 7 September. REPORT.AZ/ The number of hate crimes against Muslims in London has risen by almost three quarters in a year, according to police figures, with women who wear veils particularly vulnerable. Report informs citing the BBC.

There were 816 Islamophobic offences recorded across the city in the 12 months up to July this year, compared with 478 for the previous 12 months.

The overall rise was just over 70%, some boroughs reported figures more than double those of last year.

In Merton, the figure rose by 262%, from eight to 29, while in Richmond-upon-Thames nine crimes were reported, compared with just one for the previous year.

Fiyaz Mughal, from Tell Mama, an organisation that monitors Islamophobic incidents, said about 60% of victims were women who wear a headscarf or hijab.

He told the BBC: “We also realised quite early on that women who wear niqab, the face veil, suffered more aggressive incidents,  there was something about the face veil that in a way brought out the worst in the perpetrator.”