London adopts APPG definition of Islamophobia

By Vakkas Dogantekin</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced Friday that City Hall adopted the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia.</p> <p>Khan encouraged the government and other public bodies to do the same in a bid to tackle &quot;hate crime and the spread of far-right messaging by also signing up to the wording.&quot;</p> <p>City Hall will become the largest public authority to adopt the APPG definition, which is a grouping in the parliament of the United Kingdom that is composed of members from all political parties. </p> <p>“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness,” reads the APPG definition of Islamophobia.</p> <p>&quot;The evil terror attacks in Christchurch last week were attacks on the values that unite us,&quot; said Khan. </p> <p>&quot;By signing up to the APPG definition of Islamophobia we are sending a powerful message of our united determination to end Islamophobia and the spread of far-right rhetoric,&quot; he added.</p> <p>Khan's announcement came after a meeting on Thursday at City Hall with mosque leaders in London in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks by a white supremacist terrorist in New Zealand in which at least 51 people were killed. </p> <p>Sadiq told mosque leaders that it is important for the government to follow his lead in adopting the definition.</p> <p>Khan assured them that municipal authorities have been doing everything for the safety of Muslim worshippers through &quot;increased patrols, engagement and security advice.&quot;</p> <p>The last three years have seen a sharp rise in Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate crimes in the UK, with a record number of attacks in 2017. In 2018 there were over 1,200 reports of Islamophobic attacks, a 26 percent surge from the previous year. </p> <p>Islamophobic incidents have risen significantly due to a number of factors such as Brexit and the proliferation of far-right groups manipulating misconceptions on immigration and faith.