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In one week, the Finsbury area in London and Fairfax, Virginia were shaken by two horrible incidents. As reported by British and international media, a 47-year-old man in a van drove over pedestrians on their way out of Finsbury Park mosque in north London. The attack considered as terrorist left one dead and 11 injured. Identified as Darren Osborne, the alleged assailant shouted after being arrested : «I want to kill all Muslims – I did my bit».
In another corner of the world, and most precisely in Fairfax county, Virginia, a 17-year-old Muslim girl was murdered last night by a driver called Darwin Martinez Torres. According to the New York Times, although the killing was described as a «road rage incident» and not a hate crime, the Muslim community in the county in the Commonwealth of Virginia has denounced it.
From Portland to Sterling, it's disturbing to see men terrorizing Muslim American woman for their faith. Do better America. #Nabra
— Simar (@sahluwal) 19 juin 2017
Islamophobia is a form of extremism
The two incidents are prime examples of the danger following the rise of islamophobia in Western societies. According to the Guardian, even Theresa May, the British Prime Minister has spoken about the matter addressing in her speech on Monday the public in a sorrowful language. May stated after the Finsbury Park terrorist attack that the incident was as «sickening» as the Manchester and London Bridge attacks. She denounced islamophobia and called it another form of «extremism».
«As I said here two weeks ago, there has been far too much tolerance of extremism in our country over many years and that means extremism or any kind including islamophobia», the Prime Minister declared.
Theresa May denounced the islamophobic act that was based on hatred directed against the Muslim community in the UK. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has pointed the same matter stating following the Finsbury attack that : «While this appears to be an attack on a particular community, like the terrible attacks in Manchester, Westminster and London Bridge it is also an assault on all our shared values of tolerance, freedom and respect.»
«Muslims have endured many incidents of islamophobia»
While London has still not recovered from its wounds, several human rights associations draw the public’s attention to the rise of bigotry and hatred in the world. Harun Khan, the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain declared in a statement published on the association’s website that «over the past weeks and months, Muslims have endured many incidents of islamophobia, and this is the most violent manifestation to date».
«Muslim communities have been calling for increased action to tackle the growth in hate crime for many years and transformative action must now be taken to tackle not only this incident but the hugely worrying growth in islamophobia», Khan stated.
Look at this beautiful girl. Now imagine her last moments. Is this the America you want? #IMourn #Nabra #ShelterYourNeighbors https://t.co/T71Xk6G44K
— Sherry Frost (@frostnhstaterep) 19 juin 2017
In the USA, and after the anti-Shariah marches that took place on Saturday the 10th of June in several cities across the country, the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a civil rights and advocatory group headquartered in Washington D.C., denounced the marches maintained by the right-wing group. Contacted by Yabiladi, Ibrahim Hooper, the National Communications Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) stated that «the marches were against Islam» adding that the protesters «covered up against their hate». Hooper pointed out that the Council has seen the «rise of hate crimes against Muslims and minorities» in the USA.
On the Fairfax murder, Raymond F. Morrogh, the Commonwealth’s attorney for Fairfax County in charge of the case told the New York Times that hate crime charges could still be filed as the investigation progresses however, he announced on Monday that he «wouldn’t rule it out until (he) sees all of the evidence».
