Hate crimes against British Muslims have doubled in the past decade, according to a new report.

Tell MAMA - a charity for victims of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate - drew from the experiences of over 20,000 people who used its services between 2012 and 2022. 

The organisation has worked on over 16,000 cases of reported anti-Muslim hate.

The rising numbers of reports were linked to far right agitation, anti-Muslim attacks globally, political discourse, Brexit, and the activities of terrorist or extremist groups like Islamic state.

Other perceived causes include grooming scandals, targeted anti-Muslim campaigns, and agitations from foreign state actors such as Russian based social media accounts. 

Covid-19 led to the highest online recorded cases of anti-Muslim hate reported into Tell MAMA, the report found. 

There was a significant over-representation of neighbour disputes during the Covid lockdowns that led to anti-Muslim hate between parties.

In 2021, the Israel and Palestine conflict once again spilled over into reports with an increase of anti-Muslim cases to Tell MAMA. 

Tell MAMA said cricketer Azeem Rafiq’s accounts of racist abuse and attacks against asylum seekers and centres also led to increased reports.

Director of Tell MAMA, Iman Atta OBE, said: “We have produced one of the most detailed studies in the U.K. with actual case numbers and classifications of anti-Muslim hate cases covering a decade.

“This is a decade worth of data from assisting, supporting and ensuring that British Muslims get access to justice.

“We hope that this data inspires others to focus on this area of work and to bring to the awareness of many, that anti-Muslim hate needs to be peacefully challenged, monitored and countered wherever it manifests itself.

“If we are to ensure a society where social cohesion is strengthened, then tackling anti-Muslim hatred is an important area of work that needs our collective effort.”