VIENNA: Muslims in Europe are facing “ever more racism and discrimination,” the EU rights agency said Thursday, noting a “sharp rise” even before the Hamas attack against Israel caused “a spike in anti-Muslim hatred.”
Several EU nations have reported a rise in anti-Muslim, as well as anti-Semitic acts since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, which then launched a retaliatory offensive on Gaza, according to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
“We are aware of reports from several EU countries, highlighting a spike in anti-Muslim hatred — as well as anti-Semitism — after the Hamas attacks,” FRA spokeswoman Nicole Romain said.
But even before then, a new FRA report shows “it was getting more difficult to be a Muslim in the EU.”
Nearly one in two Muslims in the EU face racism and discrimination in their daily life, “a sharp rise” from 39 percent FRA found in the last edition of its survey in 2016.
The highest rates were recorded in Austria, Germany and Finland.
“We are witnessing a worrying surge in racism and discrimination against Muslims in Europe,” FRA director Sirpa Rautio said.
“This is fueled by conflicts in the Middle East and made worse by the dehumanizing anti-Muslim rhetoric we see across the continent,” Rautio added.
More than 9,600 Muslims in 13 EU countries were surveyed between October 2021 and October 2022.
“Muslim women, men and children are targeted not just because of their religion, but also because of their skin color and ethnic or immigrant background,” FRA noted.
Young Muslims born in the EU and women wearing religious clothing are especially affected, it added.
The survey noted a surge in anti-Muslim racism most notably in the job market with a “knock-on effect on other areas of life, such as housing, education or health care.”
Two in five, or 41 percent, are overqualified for their job compared to 22 of people generally, FRA said.
A third of Muslim respondents’ households struggle to make ends meet compared to 19 percent of households generally, and they are twice as likely to live in overcrowded housing, FRA added.
About 26 million Muslims live in the EU, making up about five percent of the total EU population, FRA said, citing the most up-to-date estimates available for 2016 from the Pew Research Center.
Most live in France and Germany.
The number of Muslims in the EU has increased “significantly in recent years due to people fleeing conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria,” FRA added.
In July, FRA said in a report that Europe’s Jewish community was facing a “rising tide of anti-Semitism,” with the conflict in the Middle East “eroding” progress made in the fight against it.
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‘Sharp rise’ in anti-Muslim discrimination: EU rights agency
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‘Sharp rise’ in anti-Muslim discrimination: EU rights agency
- Several EU nations have reported a rise in anti-Muslim, as well as anti-Semitic acts since Oct. 7, 2023
- Nearly one in two Muslims in the EU face racism and discrimination in their daily life
France bans 10 British far-right, anti-migration activists from entering
PARIS: France’s interior ministry said on Wednesday it has banned 10 British far-right activists from entering or staying in the country, after they carried out actions deemed to incite violence and seriously disturb public order on French territory.
The activists, identified as members of a group called “Raise the Colors” that was involved in a national flag-raising campaign, seek to find and destroy boats used to carry migrants and spread propaganda on France’s northern coast calling on the British public to join the movement to stop migration, according to the French interior ministry.
“Our rule of law is non-negotiable, violent or hate-inciting actions have no place on our territory,” French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday.
The ministry said in a statement it had been informed of the group’s activities in December last year and that it had referred the matter to the relevant authorities, as the actions were likely to cause “serious disturbances” to public order.
“Raise the Colors” describes itself as a grassroots movement that began in the central English city of Birmingham, when a small group started tying national flags to lampposts in a show of national pride. It says the effort has since spread across the UK.
The widespread display of the red-and-white St. George’s Cross for England and the Union Jack for Britain has prompted concern among some migrant communities as a reflection of rising anti-immigration sentiment in the country, coinciding with a wave of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers last year.
Neither the group nor the British Foreign Office immediately responded to Reuters requests for comment.
Immigration and the crossings of small boats carrying migrants from France have become a focal point for British voters and has helped propel Nigel Farage’s right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party, into a commanding opinion poll lead.
Farage last year in London met the leader of French far-right National Rally (RN) party, Jordan Bardella, who has accused France of being too soft on immigration.
The activists, identified as members of a group called “Raise the Colors” that was involved in a national flag-raising campaign, seek to find and destroy boats used to carry migrants and spread propaganda on France’s northern coast calling on the British public to join the movement to stop migration, according to the French interior ministry.
“Our rule of law is non-negotiable, violent or hate-inciting actions have no place on our territory,” French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday.
The ministry said in a statement it had been informed of the group’s activities in December last year and that it had referred the matter to the relevant authorities, as the actions were likely to cause “serious disturbances” to public order.
“Raise the Colors” describes itself as a grassroots movement that began in the central English city of Birmingham, when a small group started tying national flags to lampposts in a show of national pride. It says the effort has since spread across the UK.
The widespread display of the red-and-white St. George’s Cross for England and the Union Jack for Britain has prompted concern among some migrant communities as a reflection of rising anti-immigration sentiment in the country, coinciding with a wave of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers last year.
Neither the group nor the British Foreign Office immediately responded to Reuters requests for comment.
Immigration and the crossings of small boats carrying migrants from France have become a focal point for British voters and has helped propel Nigel Farage’s right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party, into a commanding opinion poll lead.
Farage last year in London met the leader of French far-right National Rally (RN) party, Jordan Bardella, who has accused France of being too soft on immigration.
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