British Muslims should be given a new way of reporting hate crimes that bypasses the police, because the Government’s controversial Prevent anti-extremism strategy has ruined trust between the two parties, Andy Burnham has suggested.
The shadow Home Secretary called for a “root and branch review” of Prevent and said the true scale of Islamophobic hate crimes was being hidden because Muslims were reticent to report such crimes to an institution involved in monitoring them.
Mr Burnham, who is Labour’s candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester, compared Prevent to the French ban on the burkini swimming costume and said it “singles out one community for different treatment”. He said such an approach risked legitimising or inspiring Islamophobic hate crime.
[TOP RATED COMMENT] Report straight to the Sharia Court. Good one.
Muslims do not believe in the Primacy of the UK Courts, why continue to dance around the problem.
How low can you go to get a Vote.....almost there Andy
[ANOTHER] Can the rest of us bypass the police when it comes to reporting Islamic inspired hatred directed at non-Muslims or even other Muslims who aren't 'Muslim enough'?
[ANOTHER] For the most part "hate crimes" especial when Islam is involved are a symptom. The people who commit these crimes are individuals that have seen friendly areas becomes super intolerant because of Islam or understand that when you have an Islamic population of over about 3% there are problems that start coming with it.
So instead of trying to close debate on the issue by having strict laws if you decide to speak up against Islam the politicians should go after the problem - Islamists, a rising Islamic population and the problems that come with it.
[ANOTHER] Burnham is a total nut case. No one should be allowed to bypass the police - they are our law enforcing agency. Why should a (currently) minority religion be given such a right
[ANOTHER] So, Mr Burnham, should Slovakian Roma in Page Hall be given a special way to report attacks on them when they are being plotted by British Muslims?
Why make one group so special that they are untouchable? Won't this just fuel the anti-muslim sentiment arising from the refusal of many of them to integrate fully?
Why should just muslims get special treatment? Why not Hindus, West Indians, Blacks, the Jewish community being targeted by Labour supporters and muslims, and what about the sects within Islam being targeted by muslims such as the shopkeeper and imam recently murdered?
Why oh why, Mr Burnham, would you want to divide Britain further? Is there a large muslim community in Manchester you need the support of to become Mayor and to use it as a base to oppose Corbyn.
No, Andy, your approach is totally wrong and divisive. One rule of law for all. [The Independent] Read more
