Punish a Muslim Day: UK cities stand together in the face of Islamophobic threat.
▻https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/punish-a-muslim-day-uk-cities-stand-together-in-the-face-of-islamophobic
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Communities across the UK are bracing themselves for Punish a Muslim Day after letters were sent out calling for violence against Muslims on April 3.
Last month, letters were circulated by post in major cities and on social media suggesting ways to hurt people and awarding points for certain “punishments”.
The letters, which are being investigated by British counter-terrorism police, appear to be in response to ISIL-inspired attacks, four of which took place in the UK in 2017.
“They have hurt you. They have made your loved ones suffer. They have caused you pain and heartache. What are you going to about it?” read one of the letters which was circulated online.
The Saudi Embassy in London said it had been in contact with the British authorities about the contents of the letter and advised its citizens in the UK to exercise caution and vigilance.
In the city of Leicester, where Muslims make up 20 per cent of the population, fears of attacks are high. Last week, Paul Moore, 21, was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for attempted murder after he attacked a woman and a 12-year-old girl wearing Islamic clothing.
Leicestershire Police have said they will be ready to take action on April 3 if Muslims feel threatened.
“We have operational plans in place should anything happen on what will hopefully be an ordinary day,” Chief Constable Simon Cole said last week.
“It is particularly distasteful and unpleasant and I almost don’t want to talk about it in case of dignifying it and making it something it isn’t.”
“We take hate crime seriously, and I hope the conviction and sentence of Paul Moore yesterday proves that.”
