Britain witnessed an unprecedented rise in anti-Muslim hate incidents in 2024, according to data compiled by the monitoring organization Tell MAMA. The group attributed the surge to the
ongoing war in Gaza, which it said had “super-fueled” online hostility.
Tell MAMA recorded 5,837 verified cases of anti-Muslim hate last year, a sharp increase from 3,767 cases in 2023 and 2,201 in 2022. The organization, which has been tracking such incidents since 2012, compiles its data through collaborations with police forces in England and Wales.
“The conflict in the Middle East significantly amplified online anti-Muslim hate,” Tell MAMA stated, emphasizing that “the Israel-Gaza war, along with the Southport murders and subsequent riots, contributed to a spike in reported anti-Muslim hate cases from 2023 to 2024.”
Iman Atta, the organization’s director, condemned the rising hostility, calling it both “unacceptable and deeply concerning for the future.”
Tell MAMA, an independent non-governmental group focused on combating anti-Muslim discrimination, highlighted that anti-Semitic incidents have also surged to record levels following Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza.
The rise in Islamophobic incidents was further linked to the killing of three young girls in Southport, northern England, in the summer of 2023. Misinformation spread on social media falsely suggested that the perpetrator—now serving a minimum 52-year prison sentence—was a radical Islamist migrant. These false claims incited racist riots, involving far-right and anti-immigration groups across the country.
Atta urged the public to stand together against hatred and extremism and called on government officials and public figures to be mindful of language that could reinforce stereotypes. “We need a coordinated government response to effectively combat anti-Muslim hate,” she added. Photo by EDL Protest in Newcastle, Wikimedia commons.