Akeela Ahmed, head of the UK government’s anti-Islamophobia partner, says she was denied service in a shop amid rising reports of anti-Muslim hostility.
Akeela Ahmed, chief executive of the British Muslim Trust (BMT), the UK government’s official partner in tackling Islamophobia, has revealed she was refused service in a shop because she is Muslim. Ahmed said the experience reflects a wider rise in anti-Muslim “microaggressions” across the country.
The BMT, which recently received government funding to combat hate against Muslims, is launching a new telephone and online reporting service for hate crimes. Ahmed noted that “the gap is closing” between online hate and real-life hostility, saying much of it remains “underreported and underrecognised.”
During outreach visits to cities including Bradford and Greater Manchester, she said many Muslims reported being ignored or refused service in public places. “People like me who wear a hijab … described feeling like they were experiencing levels of hate that their parents had in the 70s and 80s,” Ahmed said.
From October 30, BMT will begin receiving reports of Islamophobic incidents via its official website.