Anti-Muslim racism surges across UK as hate crimes rise
Anti-Muslim racism is rising sharply across the United Kingdom, with official figures and community reports pointing to a deepening crisis
LONDON, United Kingdom (MNTV) — Anti-Muslim racism is rising sharply across the United Kingdom, with official figures and community reports pointing to a deepening crisis affecting Muslims in towns, cities and schools nationwide.
U.K. Home Office data released recently showed that hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales had risen for the first time in three years, with increases in both racially and religiously motivated offences.
Religious hate crimes against Muslims rose by 19 percent, with a pronounced spike following the Southport murders and subsequent riots in mid-2025.
School suspension data from the U.K. Department for Education shows that exclusions for racist incidents have more than doubled in recent years, with children as young as four being sent home for racist behaviour.
In one of the most serious recent incidents, a man entered Manchester Central Mosque carrying an axe and other weapons while approximately 2,000 worshippers were inside for Ramadan evening prayers. The man was arrested.
Race equality think tank Runnymede Trust has warned that mainstream political and media discourse has contributed to the normalisation of racist narratives targeting migrants, asylum seekers and Muslims.
The organisation’s report, How Racism Affects Health, found that the constant hypervigilance required of people of colour causes long-term physiological damage, affecting both life expectancy and mental health outcomes.
The rise in anti-Muslim sentiment has coincided with growing support for hard-right political figures.
Recent YouGov polling shows Reform UK leading with 24 percent support, ahead of any other party, were a general election held today.
The surge in support for Reform — a party whose leader Nigel Farage has repeatedly linked immigration and Islam to social instability in Britain — is seen by many analysts as both a reflection of and a contributor to the hostile climate facing Muslim communities across the country.
In areas where Muslim and ethnic minority communities are smaller and more geographically dispersed, campaigners warn that heightened visibility increases vulnerability to targeted abuse and attack.
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