Islamophobia

Racist murder in Christchurch a product of Morrison and mainstream’s Islamophobia

The shocking murder of 50 Muslims at Friday prayers in Christchurch is the direct product of the Islamophobia that has been stirred up and promoted by the likes of Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott.

Morrison uses Bourke St attack to spread racism and fear

Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton seized on the Bourke Street attack in Melbourne to scapegoat the Muslim community and try to whip up a new terrorism scare.

Morrison uses Bourke Street attack to spread racism and fear

Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton have again blamed the Muslim community and spread fear and racism following the violent attack in Melbourne's Bourke Street last Friday.

Flemington residents stand up to racism and police violence

A fantastic 250-strong crowd, including 60 local residents, faced down police threats to rally against racism and police violence at the Flemington public housing estate in Melbourne on Sunday.

UTS stands up to Islamophobic attacks

Over 150 students and staff gathered at UTS in Sydney on 23 May to protest and condemn a series of targeted Islamophobic attacks.

Liberals’ embrace legitimises Hanson’s racism

The Essential poll showing 49 per cent support for Pauline Hanson’s call to ban Muslim immigration caused widespread shock. Even if it slightly exaggerates the figure, it’s clear there is a pressing need to combat Islamophobia. Hanson is far from solely responsible for this.

Burkini ban deepens Islamophobia in France

Several beach towns in France have banned the burkini, a full-body swimsuit worn by some Muslim women. This comes after years of restrictions on what Muslim women can wear in France.

Islamophobia, secularism and the French left

Nick Riemer writes on how Islamophobia has become shockingly acceptable in France, even on the left, in the wake of efforts to ban Muslim women wearing burkinis from French beaches.

Fighting racism and Islamophobia: How can we stop Pauline Hanson?

Mass protests and campaigning to debunk and expose her racism is key to driving back Pauline Hanson, and the mainstream Islamophobia that feeds her, argues James Supple

Hanson fed off Turnbull’s racism and rage at political elite

There has been widespread shock at the news that Pauline Hanson has won a Senate seat in Queensland. Her racist One Nation party could take up to three seats in the upper house, including in NSW.

Turnbull turns to racism and scapegoating after Brussels bombing

When he took over as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull distanced himself from efforts to encourage Islamophobia. But his response to the terror attack in Brussels in March, that left 32 dead, had him sounding just like Tony Abbott.

Tragedy in Paris fuelled by West’s wars and racism

Western governments have been quick to seize on the tragedy in Paris, using rhetoric about national unity to justify more anti-democratic counter-terrorism measures, more bombing in Syria and more Islamophobic rhetoric.

Broader movement needed to defeat Reclaim’s Islamophobia

On November 22, anti-Muslim racists Reclaim Australia held their third day of national rallies. This time Reclaim focused on two anti-mosque campaigns, in Melton, in outer Melbourne, and in Buchanan, near Cessnock in New South Wales, while the neo-fascist group United Patriots Front mobilised in Perth.

Statement: Defend the Mufti—no to Islamophobia, no to war

The campaign against the Grand Mufti and the National Imams Council following their statement on the Paris terror attacks has shown that some politicians and the Murdoch press are determined to continue to stir up racism against the Muslim community.

Paris tragedy is the bitter fruit of war and racism

The mass killings in Paris were horrendous acts. They will only allow France and other powers to respond with more violence and more anti-Muslim racism.

Letter from Paris—from Charlie Hebdo to Paris killings: France’s ‘war on terror’ and the backlash

Friday night’s horrifying carnage in Paris has caused revulsion around the world. But the response of French political leaders will only fan the flames of violence and retard the possibility of peace, writes Nick Riemer.

Muslim kids and prisoners the new enemy under Turnbull

So much for Malcolm Turnbull’s fresh approach to dealing with the Muslim community. His government is forging ahead with plans to introduce restrictive control orders for people as young as 14.

Turnbull stirs Islamophobia over raids and radicalisation

The Turnbull led-Coalition claims to be “resetting” the relationship between the government and the Muslim community. Turnbull has junked reference to “Team Australia”, as well as Abbott’s favoured term for Islamic State, “death cult”. But changing the rhetoric hasn’t changed the substance.

Reclaim Australia on the nose—time to unite against Islamophobia

Far right protest group Reclaim Australia has been humiliated, after their second round of anti-Muslim protests on 18 and 19 July flopped spectacularly.

Counter-rallies outnumber racist Reclaim Australia

Reclaim Australia has been humiliated, with its second round of racist anti-Muslim protests a flop. Practically everywhere they were outnumbered by anti-racist counter-rallies, and could only draw one or two hundred people.

Q&A debate: The real scandal is Abbott’s citizenship laws

Tony Abbott has dragged out his unhinged attack on the ABC’s Q&A. He is aiming to bolster the case for the government’s attack on citizenship rights and push Islamophobia—and it all comes with the added benefit of maligning a traditional enemy, the ABC.

The real Zaky Mallah

Mallah is a victim of a society that encourages Islamophobia and the isolation of young Muslims.

Marxism, Islam and religion

Islamophobes treat religion as a uniquely backward set of ideas, but religion can also be a reaction to oppression and a way of fighting back, writes Erima Dall

Editorial: Labor’s silence lets Abbott’s fear campaign run rampant

Abbott is determined to use racism and Islamophobia to revive his electoral support. The results can be seen in the opinion polls over the last few months. Although Labor would still win an election, Abbott has crept up in the leadership satisfaction ratings.

Abbott stokes anti-Muslim fear with plans to strip citizenship

Abbott has escalated his campaign to sow fear of terror with his extreme plan to strip the citizenship of “terrorists”. It is the latest episode in the government’s attempts to revive their fortunes by spreading the idea that Muslims are a threat.

Monis—not your usual extremist

The inquest into the Martin Place siege has shown a man who was mentally ill with a history of bizarre, attention-seeking acts.

How governments treat Muslims as the enemy within

The obsession with radicalisation and the programs to supposedly combat extremism treat wide swathes of the Muslim community as suspect, writes James Supple

Counter-rallies confront anti-Muslim “Reclaim Australia”

The racist, anti-Islam “Reclaim Australia” rallies managed to attract a few hundred people on Easter Saturday—but they are a dangerous sign that months of Abbott’s official racism and dog-whistling is giving encouragement to the far right.

Abbott ramps up attack on Muslims in desperate search for support

Tony Abbott made his most explicit attack on the Muslim community yet in a “national security statement” in late February, surrounded by Australian flags.

Muslims pay the price of Abbott’s desperation

After narrowly surviving a leadership spill on the first day of parliament for 2015, Tony Abbott reached for one of his most trusted political cards: racist fear-mongering in the name of the war on terror.

Anti-racists in Germany push back Islamophobic Pegida

Anti-racist campaigners in Germany have pushed the Islamophobic Pegida movement into crisis.

Don’t let Islamophobes exploit Charlie Hebdo killings

The attacks in Paris that left 17 people dead have caused shock all around the world. The actions of the three men who carried out the attacks are deplorable. But we can’t let this be an excuse to further whip up racism against Muslims.

Abbott and world leaders are hypocrites on free speech

Following the attacks in Paris Tony Abbott and other leaders pledged to stand up in defence of freedom of speech. This is gross hypocrisy.

Sweeping new terror laws add to climate of fear

As the government considers escalating troop numbers in Iraq, it has pushed on with its anti-terror crusade at home. The second of three counter-terrorism bills—the Foreign Fighters Bill—was waved...

Sydney meeting builds opposition to Islamophobia

Around 80 people attended a public meeting in Sydney to oppose the wave of Islamophobia following the government’s theatrical anti-terror raids and its military deployment to Iraq. Lydia Shelly, a...

Wave of Islamophobia stirred up from above

Tony Abbott’s terror scare has led to a vicious wave of racism against the Muslim community. Abbott has taken every opportunity to stoke division.

New terror laws will let ASIO off the leash

The government is using hysteria about terrorism to deliver a major boost to ASIO and police powers. They’ve devised an enormous number of new and modified anti-terror laws to make it easier to conduct surveillance and charge people with terrorism-related offences.

Unpopular Abbott opts for war and terror scare

Abbott seized on the anti-terror raids on 18 September to declare that Australia was at “serious risk from a terrorist attack”. The government is trying to find a way out of its budget nightmare by beating up a terrorism scare campaign.

Terror raids fuel Abbott’s Islamophobia

Raids by 870 Australian Federal Police (AFP) and state police smashed their way into properties across Sydney and Brisbane yesterday, executing 28 search warrants in pre-dawn raids, billed as “the biggest counter-terrorism operation in Australia’s history”.

Bendigo stands up to Islamophobia

Islamophobes are trying to stir up anti-Muslim hatred in Bendigo, but local anti-racists won’t have it.

Wave of anti-Muslim hate follows attack in Woolwich

British politicians and the media have been singing from the same Islamophobic song sheet following the murder of British soldier, Lee Rigby, in Woolwich. This has fed a wave...

Protests ruined Geert Wilders’ Islamophobic tour

Dutch far-right politician and arch Islamophobe Geert Wilders hoped his Australian tour would further the spread of his racist anti-Muslim politics. But after he was dogged by protests and...

Islamophobia, hypocrisy and Sydney’s Muslim ‘riot’

Police, politicians and the media unleashed a wave of Islamophobia in response to the protest in Sydney against the film The Innocence of Muslims. In words designed to stoke...

Anger at imperialism cuts across Muslim world

The protest in Sydney was one of many. In Pakistan protesters set fire to buildings and at least 20 people died in clashes with police. The anger at US...

Free speech no defence for hate

Muslims protesting have been accused of wanting to deny freedom of speech. Proposals for restrictions on vilifying Islam brought to the UN General Assembly meeting in September were dismissed...

Morsi wins President, but SCAF wants to rule in Egypt

Mohamed Morsi, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood, has taken office in Egypt’s Presidential elections. But he hasn’t taken power. Egyptians celebrated the defeat of Ahmed Shafiq, the last Prime...

Sweet end to Sarkozy as France rejects austerity, but fascists are on the rise

The long-awaited fall of Nicolas Sarkozy and the election of Socialist (Labor) candidate Francois Hollande in France has created much anxiety and uncertainty amongst the European ruling class. France is...

French election: austerity, Islamophobia, and Mélenchon’s “insurrection”

French President Nicholas Sarkozy will hopefully be thrown out in the approaching elections, in a vote against austerity.  Islamophobia following the shooting of seven people by a French Algerian gunman in...

The changing face of racism

Racism based on crude biological arguments may be increasingly unacceptable, argues James Supple, but racism based on notions of "culture" has become an insidious feature of mainstream politics in...

Norway massacre: the ugly face of Islamophobia

The anti-Muslim ideas behind Anders Behring Breivik’s mass murder in Norway start with the political mainstream, argues Amy Thomas THE MEDIA and the political establishment tied themselves in knots to...

Islam, imperialism and resistance

Political Islam is regularly derided by establishment commentators in the West. Tony Bozdagci takes a closer look at the role of Islamic groups inside resistance movements in the Arab...

New York: Ground Zero for racist backlash

Anti-Muslim has reached new heights in the United States, on the back of a frenzied right-wing campaign against plans for a new Islamic centre in New York. The far right...

French burqa ban sows division

A BILL to ban Muslim women from wearing the burqa and niqab in public went through the lower house of French parliament last month. The French government dressed up the...

Swiss minaret ban a victory for the right

In a referendum held in November, 57.5 per cent of Swiss voters supported a ban to prohibit the building of new minarets. Minarets are tall structures that rise from Islamic...

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