LONDON: Tory leadership contender and former UK immigration minister Robert Jenrick is facing backlash for suggesting that protesters in Britain shouting “Allahu Akbar” should be “immediately arrested”.

His comments have been condemned by Muslim politicians and organisations, who accused him of “textbook Islamophobia”.

Jenrick made these remarks while discussing the response to recent far-right riots, contrasting it with the policing of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London.

“I have been very critical of the police in the past, particularly around their attitude to the protests we saw since October 7 [raids in Israel]. It was quite wrong that someone could shout `Allahu Akbar’ on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested,” Jenrick told Sky News.

Conservative peer Baroness Sayeeda Warsi criticised Jenrick’s statements, highlighting the irony of his stance. “Every day before parliamentary business, we say a prayer and praise God — our parliamentary version of Allahu Akbar. This language from Jenrick is more of his usual nasty divisive rhetoric — he is such a tool,” Warsi wrote on X.

Labour MP Naz Shah echoed Warsi’s sentiments, calling Jenrick’s comments “complete ignorance and textbook Islamophobia”. Shah emphasised that Allahu Akbar is a fundamental phrase in Islamic prayer, used by Muslims globally.

“Imagine, in this climate, either being that ignorant or deliberately trying to stigmatise all Muslims. He (Jenrick) should apologise and engage with Muslim communities to learn more about our faith.”

The Muslim Council of Britain also criticised Jenrick, asserting that his rhetoric only fuels division and emboldens far-right extremists. “Mr Jenrick’s claim that politicians should choose their words wisely during this crisis rings hollow as he reaches for Islamophobic rhetoric. It only goes to show that institutional Islamophobia is alive and well in the Conservative Party,” it stated.

The Muslim Association of Britain accused Jenrick of “pure unadulterated Islamophobia”, arguing that such comments drive Islamophobic sentiments among far-right extremists.

In response to the criticism, Jenrick posted a video on X showing demonstrators in Bolton shouting “Allahu Akbar,” captioning it:“ ‘Allahu Akbar’ is spoken peacefully by millions of British Muslims. But the aggressive chanting is intimidatory and threatening. And it’s an offence under Section 4 and 5 of the Public Order Act. Extremists routinely abuse common expressions for their own shameful ends.“

Baroness Warsi countered Jenrick’s post, urging him to apologise for his remarks. “No Robert, you do not get to go on national broadcasters and say one thing and then pretend you said something else! If you genuinely feel your comments on Sky News were inappropriate, offensive, incendiary, and anti-Muslim (which they were), then start by apologising.”

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2024