Reporting Islamophobia

Asalamualaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakathu

As Muslims we should not be shy of expressing our faith, however unfortunately when attending football matches fans can often be subject to racial or religion-based abuse. Whilst policing of these issues is becoming stricter, it is still not done well and prevention of these issues is a big issue.

To protect our brothers and sisters and offer them support in the case that this may arise, MUMSC have put together some guidance on what to do in the case that anybody is subject to Islamophobia whilst attending a United game.

#1: Keep your cool

As difficult as it can be in an emotionally charged situation such as this one, it is important to remain calm and not attack another person or act in a way that does not fit our principles as Muslims. Defend yourself however necessary but remember that Islam teaches us to be better, and do not do anything that would make you subject to trouble.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 6029]

#2: Report it to a relevant officer

Whether it is a steward, police officer, or security guard, it is important that you report the issue. If you have a friend - or multiple - with you then they can support this but if not then ask somebody who witnessed the incident if they would be willing to report it with you to offer support.

#3: Get in touch with a charity or hotline who deal with Islamophobic incidents

Getting in touch with a charity or hotline allows these groups to make more noise about Islamophobia as a critical issue in this country and puts more pressure on the authorities to prevent and deal with it better. Below are some charities and hotlines with contact details:

Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks), www.tellmamauk.org, 020 7406 2993, info@tellmamauk.org

Unite Against Islamophobia, www.uniteagainstislamophobia.org.uk, info@uniteagainstislamophobia.org.uk

MEND, www.mend.org.uk, 020 3865 1147, info@mend.org.uk