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Ramia Chaoui does not want to go alone to the demonstration of this International Women’s Day in her city, Barcelona (Spain). But not only because it is more pleasant to attend in good company, but because she knows that she will be exposed to contempt or worse by some non-Muslim women. This happened last year to other Muslims like her who took to the streets to demand equality for women.

This time they have organized themselves in advance to go together and create what Chaoui calls a “safe space”. “Among all the things that affect me as a woman, like the rest, I also want to claim my presence on the streets and my space and my place”, this insurance consultant and Youtuber, better known as Ramia Schannel on social media, explains.

“Feminism is not having one [unique] conception of being a woman but rather granting women the ability to be anything they want and to give them the opportunities to make the choices for themselves”

— Hajar El Jahidi, European Forum of Muslim Women

“Feminism is not having one [unique] conception of being a woman but rather granting women the ability to be anything they want and to give them the opportunities to make the choices for themselves”, says the advocacy coordinator of the European Forum of Muslim Women based in Brussels, Hajar El Jahidi.

This Canadian-Morrocan woman makes clear that the situation described by Ramia Chaoui is not an exception: “There are feminist groups that often forget or exclude minority groups such as women of color or religious minorities.” Jahidi assures that “we are impacted by gender inequality the same way as other women”, in addition to facing discrimination because of their faith.

“The feminist movement in Greece has tried to impose another oppression, telling us what we should do and what not”

— Anna Stamou, Muslim Association of Greece

Anna Stamou is director of an export and import company in Athens. She is also the marketing director of the Muslim Association of Greece. “All women, regardless of their religion or ideology, have been discriminated against the men priority,” she recalls and asks for unity for women.

Stamou does not feel identified with the feminist movement in her country, though, because she says that “they have tried to impose another oppression, telling us what we should do and what not. The feminist movement in my country considers Muslim women oppressed, brainwashed and unable to form their own opinion.” Even so, this 8th of March she will participate in the mobilizations and the strike for the International Women’s Day, to stand up for women’s equality rights.

>>> You may also read: Muslim and feminist? These women show it is possible<<<

Neither submissive nor stupid

It is the demand for equality that Muslim women ask not only towards men, but towards some non-Muslim women who insult them or believe that they can not be feminists. They repeat for the umpteenth time that the veil or hijab is a personal and religious option. They do also condemn those policies in countries where women are forced to wear it.

The recently appointed High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Ángel Moratinos, even highlighted this week on Twitter that in his fight for equality for women he will also include “the perception of Muslim women.”

“I do not accept that other women educate me, because I believe that I have enough tools, knowledge and critical thinking for me to rethink myself the questions of how I choose to lead my life and my spirituality,” explains Chaoui, from Barcelona.

“I do not accept that other women educate me, because I believe that I have enough tools, knowledge and critical thinking for me to rethink myself the questions of how I choose to lead my life and my spirituality”

— Ramia Chaoui, assurance consultant

The chairperson of the Citizen Platform Against Islamophobia and CEO of the Halal Institute in Spain, Isabel Romero, says that “of course” she takes part in the feminist strike and will be demonstrating. She asks “to leave us alone with what we wear or what we do not wear. If there are Muslim women who decide to cover themselves with the hijab, because they think that is part of their religious commitment, they are not hurting anyone.” By the way, she does not wear a headscarf.

Not dressing with a veil, the discrimination suffered by Romero is minor, she admits. But the tables turn when others learn about their faith: “I have been a professional for many years and at the moment in which I identify myself as a Muslim woman, it seems that I can only comment from that axis (and) it seems that I cannot give an opinion on economy, society or anything, just because I am Muslim.”

“I have been a professional for many years and at the moment I identify myself as a Muslim woman, it seems that I cannot give an opinion on economy, society or anything”

— Isabel Romero, Citizen Platform Against Islamophobia

Faced with the image of a submissive woman, Romero emphasizes that different rights of women such as divorce or inheritance have already been established in the Quran. The Islamologist and professor of the University of Barcelona, ​​Dolors Bramon, who is not a Muslim, also considers that the sacred book of Islam was revolutionary for women’s rights. She explains it in her book Ser mujer y musulmana (Being a Woman and Muslim)  (Ed. Bellaterra) and explained it HERE on Salam Plan.

Aurora Ali is secretary general of the Muslim Association for Human Rights, based in Spain. “Muslim women are not clothes”, she answers to those who believe that headscarf and feminism are not compatible. “Wearing the hijab right now is an act of bravery, a feminist claim, because ‘it is my faith and I am going to wear it and I decide on my body’, ” she claims. Like Romero, she recognizes that on the street she has the “privilege” of not being an object of hatred because she is Muslim, since she has chosen not to wear hijab.

“As soon as they see that you are a Muslim woman the hate speech is directly the typical one of: ‘your country’, ‘in Saudi Arabia’, ‘in Iran’ … Then the attacks follow and then the terrorist insult, after [calling you] ‘submissive'”

— Aurora Ali, Muslim Association for Human Rights

She says that she has suffered the so-called “gender Islamophobia” on social media. “As soon as they see that you are a woman, you are a Muslim, then the hate speech is directly the typical one of: ‘your country’, ‘in Saudi Arabia’, ‘in Iran’ … Tatata, tatata”, she lists with glut. And she adds: “They start with this, then the attacks follow and then the terrorist insult usually comes, after [calling you] ‘submissive’. And this happens to virtually every woman who is visibly Muslim in their social networks. ”

She confesses that it is precisely that comparison of Muslims to terrorists the insult that has hurt her most, but not when getting it on Twitter or Facebook, but from the Administration in training courses against violent radicalization and terrorism. She cannot go into detail on this, due to a confidentiality clause she signed.

Double glass ceiling

Equality, equality, equality. It is the concept cited by all these women when asked about their claim this International Women’s Day. They also fight for the empowerment of women, the end of the so-called “patriarchy“, against glass ceilings to reach high positions or the discrimination in the labor market, in society … struggles equal to those of other feminists which for Muslim women sometimes become double as difficult, though.

The most common discrimination that visibly Muslim women -meaning the ones who wear a headscarf- face twofold is found in the labor market, according to several interviewees of this article and data which confirm that.

“The real fight for social justice exists when we fight for another human’s rights even if we don’t agree with or understand them”

— Hajar El Jahidi, European Forum of Muslim Women

Women wearing a headscart in the photo of their CV only received an invitation to a job interview in 3% of cases in Germany, according to a study on “Forgotten women” carried out in 2016 in eight European countries by the European Network Against Racism (ENAR). In Belgium, 44% of employers admitted that wearing a hijab could negatively influence the candidate’s selection.

Faced with incomprehension or rejection of Islamic feminism, the spokesperson of the European Forum of Muslim Women Hajar El Jahidi asks not to be marginalized: “The real fight for social justice exists when we fight for another human’s rights even if we don’t agree with or understand them.”

“It’s time for women especially to come together a lot more, to stand together in solidarity against all of these issues and not just speak but to act together and stand up for each other,” executive director of the Islamic Society of Britain, Julie Siddiqi, has asked on a video released by the British NGO Tell Mama. European Muslim women also want equality… and inclusion in the feminism movement.

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“There is a desirability of criticism, debate and free discussion of Islam as a religion by Muslims and non-Muslim participants in the inquiry”

Throughout that time, the group has consulted academics from at least 15 universities -including Oxford or Sussex-, Muslim organisations – like Tell Mama or Runnymede Trust– and local Muslim communities, lawyers and police about their experiences of Islamophobia and how it should be defined. The reason? To be able to address and better tackle a type of hate crime with a common “working” ground after “twenty years of debate” on anti-Muslim hatred.

“For too many members of our Muslim community Islamophobia is an everyday experience. Let’s get this definition agreed and then let’s eradicate Islamophobia,” Conservative MP Anna Soubry, cochair of the APPG, tweeted on Tuesday, when the report was launched. “Islamophobia isn’t just anti-Muslim hatred. It’s about everyday discrimination that takes place (…). It can be deliberate or unconscious bias,” Labour MP and also cochair of the APPG, Wes Streeting, wrote.

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Islamophobia is not always an accepted concept as some people argue it does limit freedom of speech and does impede criticism against Islam and Muslim people. “Let us be clear,”the report says on this respect, “the aim of establishing a working definition of Islamophobia has neither been motivated by nor is intended to curtail free speech or criticism of Islam as a religion”. It goes on stating there is a “desirability of criticism, debate and free discussion of Islam as a religion by Muslims and non-Muslim participants in the inquiry” and it establishes the limits when it “den(ies) or impair(s) their fundamental freedoms and human rights”.

Besides, the document argues “the explanatory notes provided under the IHRA [International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance] definition of anti-Semitism could, in all fairness, be adopted in their entirety to Islamophobia”.

“The explanatory notes provided under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism could, in all fairness, be adopted in their entirety to Islamophobia”

The report gives various examples of Islamophobia which have been on the news in the UK, ranging from violent attacks to the promotion of them or taking discriminatory measures:

• a man who tried to kill a Muslim woman and a 12-year-old Muslim girl because he considered them responsible for terror attacks;
• the “Punish a Muslim day” letters which were sent out to promote attacks on Muslims;
• motorists having to pay £1,000 more to insure their vehicles “if their name is Mohammed”.

While an Ipsos Mori survey “found that the majority of Muslims believe Islam is compatible with the British way of life, a separate survey of the wider population by polling firm YouGov, found that 46% thought there was a ‘fundamental clash between Islam and the values of British society’,” The Independent reported.

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Three people have “minor injuries”, police said. One of them remains in hospital: a man in his fifties who is being treated for a serious leg injury.

The victims had been attending an evening programme at the islamic Hussaini Association in Cricklewood (North West London) last night. The car “mounted the pavement” and hit a “crowd of Muslims” while shouting “islamophobic insults“, the Association and Muslim Council of Britain have explained in different press releases. They were “indiscriminately mown down”, the Hussaini Association stated while adding it was “premeditated Islamophobic attack”.

“Promoting dialogue and understanding between the different communities and faiths in the UK” is precisely the “mission statement” of this non-profit organization. “We are in deep shock at such an attack taking place on our community but remain proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society and, as such, we remain unintimidated,” spokespersons for the Hussaini Association said.

The car -a red Nissan Juke, according to eyewitnesses cited by the Hussaini Association- and its occupants are being sought by police. No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information concerning the car involved or the occupants is requested to call Brent CID on 07747 476 161 or 101 quoting CAD 150/29 Sept or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, police has asked. You can also tweet police via @MetCC.

How it happened and why it is not treated as terrorism

“This incident is not being treated as terror related but the hate crime aspect of the collision is being looked at by detectives as an aggravating factor,” police explained in a statement. DS Kelly Schonhage from Brent CID said: “We are treating this incident very seriously and a number of enquiries are underway to trace the car and those involved. Enquiries into the full circumstances of the collision are ongoing.”

These are the circumstances investigators have established for now:

“Approximately at 00:20hrs security at the community centre were informed of occupants in a car behaving anti-socially, drinking and allegedly using drugs. The occupants of the car – three males and a woman all aged in their mid-twenties – were asked to leave the private car park.

>>> You may also read: The Swedish Christian activist who stands up for Muslims: “We share a lot of things and the same God”<<<

The car then drove near the centre and the occupants were involved in a confrontation with a large group of people visiting the centre. Words were exchanged and comments of an Islamophobic nature were allegedly made by the group in the car.

The car then reportedly sustained minor damage by some of those outside the centre. It proceeded to make off at speed colliding with three individuals as it left. The car and its occupants who failed to stop and injured three people are being sought by police”.

The Hussaini Association claims the consequences could have been much worse as a number of “volunteers bravely stood between the speeding vehicle and patrons heading home.” The Association thinks this “potentially saved the lives of dozens of innocent people”.

Tell Mama organization which works against islamophobia in the UK has tweeted: “Rest assured that we are monitoring this situation closely and working with the relevant agencies. We will provide updates in due course.”

The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said in a statement the “anti Muslim hit and run attack highlights police indifference”. IHRC is calling on the police “to do more to protect Muslims from Islamophobic attacks outside their places of worship”.

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The British organization registered at least 1,201 anti- Muslim reports in the UK in 2017. Together with another 129 reports which could not be verified as being of islamophobic nature, this is the highest annual number of incidents recorded by Tell Mama since its launch in 2012.

“We are in deeply worrying times,” director of Tell Mama, Iman Atta Obe, has said. “We are seeing more aggressive street-based incidents, younger perpetrators, increased vandalism and international interference by well organised social media accounts,” he added.

Obe indicated that “the younger perpetrator base seems to indicate that online anti- Muslim hate may be bleeding out into wider society and into a younger demographic. More than ever, we need to come together and redouble our efforts against those who seek to divide and play communities off against each other”.

“The younger perpetrator base seems to indicate that online anti- Muslim hate may be bleeding out into wider society and into a younger demographic”

70% of the verified incidents occurred offline, or on a street-level (839), which represents a 30% rise in offline reports when compared to 2016 (643). Over the last three years, Tell Mama has recorded 3,005 verified islamophobic incidents across the UK. While the number of online incidents has remained relatively constant, it has recorded a steady increase in offline anti- Muslim incidents year-on-year.

The most common age for victims (a total of 978) was 26 to 35 last year, while the most common age for perpetrators (a total of 1,161) was 13 to 18 (where the data was available). But there are also victims and perpetrators under 12, with a much higher proportion of victims (15%) than abusers (4%).

Crimes or incidents occurred online on social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter account for a third of reports in 2017, a 16% more than in 2016. The ‘online hate’ figure is part of a wider trend in Tell Mama’s datasets where there has been a marked shift towards more serious offline incidents, such as physical attacks, threatening behaviour and abuse more generally, the NGO indicated in a press release. It may also be due to a growing awareness of this organization resulting in a greater willingness amongst victims and witnesses to report.

Russian Twitter bots

The annual report of Tell Mama has listed examples of Twitter bots which actively promoted islamophobic hatred. One such Twitter account was @DavidJo52951945. Responses to the rhetoric on this account, called for violent action against islamic institutions and on August 30^th 2017, the Times reported that this bot originated from Russia.

Another Twitter account called @SouthLoneStar (now suspended) was responsible in starting a global trend after the Westminster terrorist attack, Tell Mama assures. After the attack on Westminster Bridge it shared a photo of a Muslim woman walking across the bridge on a mobile phone apparently ignoring one victim.

‘The Guardian’ reported that the @SouthLoneStar account was the “creation of the Internet Research Agency, a Russian “troll army” based in St. Petersburg although the bio of the Twitter account said its owner was a “proud TEXAN and AMERICAN patriot”. This army would be where, “in rooms of about 20 people working 12-hour shifts for pay of between 45,000 and 65,000 rubles a month (£575-£830), a disinformation campaign is crafted”, the newspaper explained.

“We need to maintain vigilance against foreign interference, in these cases, emanating from Russia, which seek to promote division and intolerance in the UK”

“We need to maintain vigilance against foreign interference, in these cases, emanating from Russia, which seek to promote division and intolerance in the UK,” Tell Mama says.

52% of the islamophobic incidents reported to Tell Mama in 2017 happened on Twitter (37% on Facebook). The British organization accused the social media platform of “inactivity in removing anti- Muslim hate material”, an attitude it considered not only “deeply worrying” but “a wanton lack of desire to understand this hatred on its platform”.

Its annual report strongly criticizes Twitter’s “inability to stop individuals opening up new accounts repeatedly, when they have been banned from using the platform”. In one case, a victim had to report in eleven separate accounts for harassment, Tell Mama exemplified.

Most common hate incidents

The most widely reported anti- Muslim hate incident was classified as ‘abusive behaviour’ followed by ‘physical attack’ as the second most reported incident.

Vandalism replaced threatening behaviour as the third most common islamophobic incident.

Discrimination was the fourth most common incident. This category included mistreatment, denial of opportunities or denial of services based on “Islamophobic prejudice, some of which was institutional in nature”, according to Tell Mama.

These incidents often happen in busy public spaces, such as shopping areas or transport networks. This may make perpetrators “feel they can act with impunity”, the report says.

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Whoever wanted to make a nightmare of the yesterday, April 3rd, did not manage to accomplish this goal. While authorities are still investigating who the author(s) of the letter was which appealed to hurt a Muslim in various ways this Tuesday, the hate campaign itself has had little support. Police has not registered any attack related to it. On Twitter, the hashtag #PunishAMuslimDay found followers, though: 64,000 tweets with that concept were registered at the website Trendsmap, not only across the United Kingdom, but also in the US, Middle East and South East Asia.

Nevertheless, authorities and different NGOs as well as mosques themselves mobilized to counter the hate campaign with a pacific ‘Love a Muslim Day’. London Police, for example, went out and about to inform the public and promoted the idea of standing together, also on social media. About 100 people formed a human chain around a mosque in Newscastle against Islamophobia, Metro UK informed, among other activities organized throughout the country.

“Muslim communities have reached out to others and have made this day more about the need to collectively challenge hatred, intolerance and prejudice”

As for the loving campaign which emerged as a response to the hate later it did win as well on Twitter, but not with a big difference. #LoveAMuslim was trending topic and was tweeted 74,000 times, mainly in the UK and US. #LoveAMuslimDay obtained another 13,000 tweets, according to Trendsmap. Although the total of these tweets make 87,000 we might note that some users may have used both hashtags at the same time.

Actress Alyssa Milano also joined the #LoveAMuslim topic on Twitter proudly showing that a good friend of hers is Muslim. She got more than 13,000 likes:

The NGO Jews for Racial & Economic Justice in the US publicly showed their support as well:

The British NGO which measures anti-Muslim attacks called Tell Mama has shown its satisfaction with yesterday’s result and has called for a collective work on countering hate: “The ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ has caused fear and disquiet amongst Muslims, though many Muslim communities have risen to this with dignity, discipline and care for others. They have reached out to other communities and have made this day less about them, and more about the need to collectively challenge hatred, intolerance and prejudice,” Iman Atta, director of Tell Mama, said.

“We are proud of the values that bind us in this nation of ours”, he added.

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