UN chief says there is disturbing rise in Islamophobia

A Muslim woman prepares to attend the Friday prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Jamia Mosque in downtown Nairobi, Kenya March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi
United Nations Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres said on Friday there was a "disturbing rise in
anti-Muslim bigotry" around the world while urging online tech platforms
to curb hate speech and harassment.
Guterres' video message came
ahead of the International Day to combat Islamophobia. Rights groups around the
world and the United Nations have noted a rise
in Islamophobia, anti-Arab bias and antisemitism since
the start of Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza following
Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 7, 2023, attack.
"We are witnessing a
disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry. From racial profiling and
discriminatory policies that violate human rights and dignity, to outright
violence against individuals and places of worship," the UN chief said,
without mentioning any specific country or government.
"Online platforms must curb
hate speech and harassment. And we must all speak out against bigotry,
xenophobia and discrimination."
Rights advocates have for years
raised concerns about stigma faced by Muslims and Arabs because of how some
people conflate those communities with Islamist militant groups.
At present, many pro-Palestinian
activists, including in Western nations such as the United States, have
complained and say that their advocacy for Palestinian rights is wrongly
labeled by their critics as support for Hamas.
In recent weeks, rights watchdogs
have published data noting record levels of anti-Muslim hate incidents and hate
speeches in countries such as the UK, U.S. and India, among
others. The governments of those countries say they aim to combat all forms of
discrimination.
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