Statement from Manchester City Council:
A message to our Muslim communities
As we approach Islamophobia Awareness Month, it is more important than ever to stand united as a city against all hatred, whether it is based on someone’s race, gender, religion, sexuality, or any part of their identity.
We are proud to be a vibrant, diverse and welcoming city made up of people from different faiths and backgrounds. We see this as our strength.
Our communities make us the brilliant city we are – a city for all where everyone is valued and our diversity is celebrated. This very much includes our Muslim communities which make up a significant proportion of our population and contribute enormously to city life.
We want to remind all our communities in Manchester that we unequivocally condemn the racist and Islamophobic violence and disorder that we saw across the UK earlier this year. We stand firmly with our Muslim communities who were targeted and stand against racism and any other form of hatred in our city.
We recognise and understand that for many people in our communities the pain is far from over. We must redouble our efforts and work to listen, learn and respond. You have our firm commitment that we are doing everything in our power to make sure Manchester remains a safe and welcoming place. We continue to work with GMP to monitor and respond to local concerns, but if you see anything that could amount to hate crime, please report it.
We recognise that Islamophobia is not for Muslim communities to solve alone; it is the responsibility of all of us to stand up and unite in solidarity against discrimination in all its forms.
We have a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and are committed to working alongside our partners, including GMP, voluntary and faith groups, and listening to the issues of Manchester residents so we can help strengthen and foster mutual understanding and respect. As a city, we have always united and supported one another in the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms, and we will continue to work together to overcome those who want to divide us.
Reporting hate crime
Anyone can report hate crime by using an online form, calling 101, or visiting their local police station. Further details can be found on the GMP website.
Tell MAMA is a national project supporting victims of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate; it also monitors anti-Muslim incidents.
True Vision is a national website that allows you to report hate crime online without needing to visit a police station.