Latest news with #hatecrimes
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Police slammed over daft hate crimes including trans woman banned from ladies loo & man singing Scots song in England
COPS are still logging bizarre hate incidents — including the singing of anthem Flower of Scotland at an English railway station. An investigation by The Sun reveals how police — under fire for not catching shoplifters and burglars — are wasting vital time on the 'non-crime hate incidents'. 5 5 Former officers and MPs want the 'crackers' cases scrapped. Police stand accused of failing to tackle 'actual crimes' while instead investigating 'hate' complaints — including one about a pub landlord who stopped a transgender woman using his ladies' loo. Cops also logged a case after a caller put on an Indian accent to order a chicken tikka masala from a takeaway. Another force was contacted by a person whose new boss called their designer clothes 'fake' and told them of an intimate Where's Wally tattoo. The bizarre cases were among at least 6,300 non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) recorded in 2024. The true figure would be much higher as 15 of the 44 police forces in England and Wales did not disclose figures under a Freedom of Information request. MPs and top cops led calls to stop wasting time on NCHIs, which are recorded where no criminal offence has been committed but the 'victim' feels it was motivated by hate or prejudice. Shadow Justice Minister Robert Jenrick said: 'We have lost the plot. 'Practically everyone in the country will have at some point said something that would get them reported. 'This is crackers. Moment Met boss dodges question over two-tier policing of riots by grabbing reporters' mic & chucking it to floor 'We need to scrap NCHIs altogether.' Reform UK's Lee Anderson added: 'The majority of these incidents are reported by total snowflakes. 'These are the people who should be charged with wasting police time. 'Officers should be investigating proper crimes not hurt feelings. 'Those who complain should go and live on a remote island with some of our celebrities who make a living out of being offended.' The person in Bedfordshire upset by the Where's Wally tattoo also complained of the supervisor asking about their shoes and requests to remove their durag hair covering. The incident was recorded as 'sex-based and hate-motivated'. The police log obtained by The Sun says: 'The victim felt irritated for the rest of the shift as it was mean and uncalled for.' In Dunstable, Beds, a complainant said they heard a neighbour gossiping on their Ring doorbell, then point at their home and make an insult before walking off. Bedfordshire Police said: 'We record hate related incidents in line with national guidance set out by the College of Policing.' South Wales Police, which dealt with the trans row, recorded 40 NCHIs last year. It said one 'perpetrator' was aged nine, another 11. Humberside Police logged the case where a person put on an Indian accent to order a curry. West Yorkshire Police handled 175 complaints — one from a man who claimed his bins kept being moved because he was gay. Forces that did not provide their figures included London's Met — the UK's biggest — West Midlands, Essex and Devon and Cornwall. Ex-Met detective Peter Bleksley said: 'These examples are ludicrous and a total waste of police time. 'Waste of police time' 'It is not a policing matter if someone is singing Flower of Scotland. 'If it were, the whole of the Met would have to be deployed when Scotland play rugby at Twickenham. 'These are mostly juvenile situations and officers should not lower themselves to getting involved. 'It is a serious problem when a lot of actual crimes are not investigated.' NCHIs were introduced in 2014 and are meant to help forces develop intelligence on situations that could potentially escalate. In some cases, cops speak to those supposedly committing offences. An NCHI can remain on file for six years and, in some cases, be disclosed to a prospective employer. A report this week by think tank Civitas called for NCHIs to be abolished. Author Hardeep Singh said: 'Some activist groups continue to weaponise them against their political opponents. "We've seen the most absurd incidents being recorded over the years, and precious police resources should not be drained by policing online ideological disputes.' 5 5 In 2023, the Home Office issued guidance instructing officers to consider if there was genuine hostility in the incident or whether it could be considered freedom of speech. Earlier this month, Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said the policy of recording NCHIs had 'passed its sell-by date'. Sir Andy Marsh, head of standards body the College of Policing, called on officers to use more 'common sense' and signalled that the recording of NCHIs needs to be scrapped. He said: 'What we've wrapped up that objective in doesn't stand up to scrutiny on many occasions under the common-sense test. 'We need to fix it. 'I don't want to be policing freedom of speech.'
CBC
8 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Republicans, X accused of spreading racism, Islamophobia in posts about NYC's Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani's Democratic primary upset this week in New York City has sparked anti-Muslim posts that have included death threats and comments comparing his candidacy to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. There were at least 127 violent hate-related reports mentioning the mayoral candidate or his campaign in the day after polls closed, said CAIR Action, an arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations advocacy group, which logs such incidents. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress including Andy Ogles, Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene have been accused of spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric both by advocates and Democrats. "We call on public officials of every party — including those whose allies are amplifying these smears — to unequivocally condemn Islamophobia," said Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR Action. Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if he wins the November general election. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018. The New York City Police Department said earlier this month its hate crime unit was probing anti-Muslim threats against Mamdani. X the biggest offender, advocacy group says Overall, CAIR noted about 6,200 online posts that mentioned some form of Islamophobic slur or hostility in a daylong time frame, which the organizations said was a five-fold increase from a typical day. The advocacy group said its hate-monitoring system includes its own scraping and analysis of posts, online submissions by the public and notifications from law enforcement. About 62 per cent of the anti-Muslim posts against Mamdani originated on X, CAIR Action said. People close to Republican President Donald Trump, including one of his sons, are among those spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric, advocates said. Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, wrote on X on Wednesday that "New York City has fallen," while sharing a post that said New Yorkers had "voted for" Sept. 11. Mace, a Republican House member from Carolina, opined in similar fashion, posting a picture of Mamdani in a type of robe often worn by Muslim men in traditional Islamic ceremonies, with the text: "After 9/11 we said 'Never Forget.' I think we sadly have forgotten." In fact, then-president George W. Bush visited the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., on Sept. 17, 2001, to emphasize that the attackers were violent zealots who didn't represent the "true faith of Islam." "Women who cover their heads in this country must feel comfortable going outside their homes," he said. "Moms who wear cover must be not intimidated in America. That's not the America I know. That's not the America I value." Democrats slam Tennessee lawmaker Tennessee's Ogles arguably went the furthest, raising an accusation that Mamdani lied on his citizenship forms while attaching a letter he wrote to Pam Bondi, asking the U.S. attorney general to investigate the matter. "He needs to be DEPORTED. Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalization proceedings," said Ogles, who referred to Mamdani as "little Muhammad." Mamdani enjoyed rapping in earlier years, and Ogles, in his letter to Bondi, cited one rap he alleged expressed support for individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences. "The unhinged racism and xenophobia from my Republican colleagues truly knows no bounds," said House Democrat Nydia Velazquez of New York on X, referring to the Ogles post. Ritchie Torres, also a House Democrat from New York said it was "profoundly unAmerican" to demand the deportation of an American citizen "simply because he is Muslim." "It is no secret that I have profound disagreements with Zohran Mamdani. But every Democrat — and every decent person — should speak out with moral clarity against the despicable Islamophobic attacks that have been directed at him," Torres said in a post from his personal account. House Democrats condemn Andy Ogles: The White House, which did not respond to a request for comment, has denied claims of discrimination against Muslims. Trump and his allies have said they oppose Mamdani and others due to what they call the Democrats' "radical left" ideology. The U.S. president has pursued domestic policies that rights advocates have described as anti-Muslim, including banning travel from some predominantly Muslim or Arab countries in his first term and attempting to deport pro-Palestinian students in his current term. He began commenting on national politics in earnest with the rise of social media, and was the prime driver of a conspiracy theory suggesting former president Barack Obama was not born in the United States and that Hawaiian documents regarding Obama's birth were forgeries. Trump has not commented on Mamdani's religion or ethnicity but characterized him as a "100 per cent communist lunatic" in a social media post this week. Fends off antisemitism allegations Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and a 33-year-old state lawmaker, declared victory in Tuesday's primary after former New York governor Andrew Cuomo conceded defeat. Cuomo could conceivably still run in November's citywide election; candidates have until Friday to request removal from the ballot. Republicans have called Mamdani antisemitic, citing his pro-Palestinian advocacy and his criticism of Israel's ongoing military assault on Gaza after an attack by Hamas militants in October 2023. Mamdani has condemned antisemitism and has the backing of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is Jewish. Lander also ran in the Democratic primary and the two candidates implored their supporters in the ranked-choice voting to look to the other as a second choice rather than Cuomo. Human rights advocates have noted rising antisemitism and Islamophobia since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, including the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington and the stabbing of a Muslim child in Illinois. Mamdani and other pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, said their criticism of Israel's military action is wrongly conflated with antisemitism.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Mamdani's NYC primary win sparks surge in anti-Muslim posts, advocates say
There were at least 127 violent hate-related reports mentioning Mamdani or his campaign in the day after polls closedOverall, it noted about 6,200 online posts that mentioned some form of Islamophobic slurWASHINGTON: Anti-Muslim online posts targeting New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani have surged since his Democratic primary upset this week, including death threats and comments comparing his candidacy to the September 11, 2001 attacks, advocates said on were at least 127 violent hate-related reports mentioning Mamdani or his campaign in the day after polls closed, said CAIR Action, an arm of the Council on American Islamic Relations advocacy group, which logs such marks a five-fold increase over a daily average of such reports tracked earlier this month, CAIR Action said in a it noted about 6,200 online posts that mentioned some form of Islamophobic slur or hostility in that day long a self-described democratic socialist and a 33-year-old state lawmaker, declared victory in Tuesday's primary after former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo conceded in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if he wins the November general election.'We call on public officials of every party — including those whose allies are amplifying these smears — to unequivocally condemn Islamophobia,' said Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR advocacy group said its hate monitoring system includes its own scraping and analysis of posts, online submissions by the public and notifications from law enforcement. About 62 percent of the anti-Muslim posts against Mamdani originated on X, CAIR Action close to Republican President Donald Trump, including one of his sons, are among those spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric, advocates Trump Jr, the president's son, wrote on X on Wednesday that 'New York City has fallen' while sharing a post that said New Yorkers had 'voted for' 9/11. Also on Wednesday, Republican US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted an AI-generated picture of the Statue of Liberty draped in a Trump has pursued domestic policies that rights advocates have described as anti-Muslim, including banning travel from some predominantly Muslim or Arab countries in his first term and attempting to deport pro-Palestinian students in his current White House, which did not respond to a request for comment, has denied claims of discrimination against Muslims. Trump and his allies have said they oppose Mamdani and others due to what they call the Democrats' 'radical left' New York City Police Department said earlier this month its hate crime unit was probing anti-Muslim threats against Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, which documents hate against Asian Americans, and CAIR said attacks against Mamdani mirrored those endured by other South Asian and Muslim political figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida have called Mamdani antisemitic, citing his pro-Palestinian advocacy and his criticism of Israel's military assault on Gaza after an attack by Hamas militants in October has condemned antisemitism and has the backing of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is Jewish. Lander also ran in the Democratic advocates have noted rising antisemitism and Islamophobia since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, with fatal US incidents including the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington and the stabbing of a Muslim child in and other Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, said their criticism of Israel is wrongly conflated with antisemitism.
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Mamdani's NYC primary win sparks surge in anti-Muslim posts, advocates say
WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Anti-Muslim online posts targeting New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani have surged since his Democratic primary upset this week, including death threats and comments comparing his candidacy to the September 11, 2001 attacks, advocates said on Friday. There were at least 127 violent hate-related reports mentioning Mamdani or his campaign in the day after polls closed, said CAIR Action, an arm of the Council on American Islamic Relations advocacy group, which logs such incidents. That marks a five-fold increase over a daily average of such reports tracked earlier this month, CAIR Action said in a statement. Overall, it noted about 6,200 online posts that mentioned some form of Islamophobic slur or hostility in that day long time-frame. Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and a 33-year-old state lawmaker, declared victory in Tuesday's primary after former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo conceded defeat. Born in Uganda to Indian parents, Mamdani would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if he wins the November general election. "We call on public officials of every party - including those whose allies are amplifying these smears - to unequivocally condemn Islamophobia," said Basim Elkarra, executive director of CAIR Action. The advocacy group said its hate monitoring system includes its own scraping and analysis of posts, online submissions by the public and notifications from law enforcement. About 62% of the anti-Muslim posts against Mamdani originated on X, CAIR Action said. People close to Republican President Donald Trump, including one of his sons, are among those spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric, advocates said. Donald Trump Jr, the president's son, wrote on X on Wednesday that "New York City has fallen" while sharing a post that said New Yorkers had "voted for" 9/11. Also on Wednesday, Republican U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene posted an AI-generated picture of the Statue of Liberty draped in a burqa. President Trump has pursued domestic policies that rights advocates have described as anti-Muslim, including banning travel from some predominantly Muslim or Arab countries in his first term and attempting to deport pro-Palestinian students in his current term. The White House, which did not respond to a request for comment, has denied claims of discrimination against Muslims. Trump and his allies have said they oppose Mamdani and others due to what they call the Democrats' "radical left" ideology. The New York City Police Department said earlier this month its hate crime unit was probing anti-Muslim threats against Mamdani. Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, which documents hate against Asian Americans, and CAIR said attacks against Mamdani mirrored those endured by other South Asian and Muslim political figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and Representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Republicans have called Mamdani antisemitic, citing his pro-Palestinian advocacy and his criticism of Israel's military assault on Gaza after an attack by Hamas militants in October 2023. Mamdani has condemned antisemitism and has the backing of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is Jewish. Lander also ran in the Democratic primary. Rights advocates have noted rising antisemitism and Islamophobia since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, with fatal U.S. incidents including the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington and the stabbing of a Muslim child in Illinois. Mamdani and other Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, said their criticism of Israel is wrongly conflated with antisemitism.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Czech authorities detain 5 teens over online radicalization by Daesh and charge 2 with terror plot
PRAGUE: Czech authorities have detained five teenagers for being radicalized online by the militant Daesh group and charged two of them with terror-related crimes over an attempt to set fire to a synagogue, officials said Wednesday. Břetislav Brejcha, the director of the Czech counterterrorism, extremism and cybercrime department, said most of the suspects are under 18 years old. They were detained between February and June as a result of an international investigation that started last year. The five were promoting hate content on social media against minorities, certain communities and Jews, Brejcha said. During seven raids in the Czech Republic and Austria, police seized some weapons, such as knives, machetes, axes and gas pistols. On Jan. 29, 2024, two of the five tried to set a synagogue in the second largest Czech city of Brno on fire, Brejcha said without offering details. The following month, Czech media reported an arson attempt and said police were looking for witnesses. The reports said two suspects placed a firebomb in front of the synagogue but it did not explode and no damage was reported. The charges against them include hate-related crimes, promotion and support of terrorism and a terror attack attempt. The suspects were also involved in online groups recruiting fighters for Daesh militants in Syria, Brejcha said. The Czech authorities cooperated with their counterparts in Austria, Britain, Slovakia and with the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol in this case, he added. Michal Koudelka, the head of the Czech counterintelligence agency known as BIS, said the five shared a fascination with violence and hatred against Jews, and others. They were approached online by Daesh members and became radicalized, Koudelka said. 'We consider online radicalization of the youth a very dangerous trend,' Koudelka said, adding that the suspects had not been in touch with the local Muslim community.
