Hamza Yusuf: I don't feel safe in Britain | News

Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has expressed his concern about the current situation in Britain, following the recent escalation of racist incidents against Muslims. He pointed out that the events witnessed in the country last July, including attacks by far-right groups, made him question whether Britain was a “safe country” for him and his family.

Anadolu Agency quoted Yusuf, a Muslim of Pakistani origin, as saying that he was shocked by the attacks on mosques and Islamic centers, describing them as the “most heinous level of violence” he had witnessed in his entire life in the country.

Recently, Muslims and Islamic institutions in Britain have been subjected to attacks and have become targets due to events sparked by the far right since last July.

This came after a tragic incident in which 3 children were killed and 10 others, including 8 children, were injured, with far-right social media accounts and news sites spreading misinformation that the suspect was a Muslim refugee who arrived in the country last year.

Although police said the suspect was a 17-year-old Rwandan man born in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, far-right groups have staged demonstrations across the country against Muslims and immigrants. These events have led to increased tensions and violence against Muslim communities in Britain.

Britain is no longer safe for Muslims?

The former First Minister of Scotland criticised controversial comments by political figures such as Nigel Farage, leader of the British Brexit Party, stressing that politicians are the main factor behind violence in Britain due to their anti-Islam political rhetoric, as they used Islamophobia and anti-Muslim stereotypes, including the former British Home Affairs Minister Suella Braverman.

Youssef pointed out that anti-Muslim sentiment has become an ingrained phenomenon in British society, stressing that he does not feel that Britain is a safe country for him and his family, despite his love for Scotland. He raised a fundamental question about whether Britain is a safe place for Muslims, indicating that he personally does not feel that way.

In the same context, the Scottish politician expressed his optimism about British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's statements regarding the government's intolerance of attacks against Muslims. He stressed the importance of taking effective legal steps, emphasizing that arrests alone are not enough, but racist organizations affiliated with the far-right and white supremacists must be banned to ensure the protection of society.

Youssef stressed the importance of the British government regulating social media companies better, to stop the spread of hatred and violence, referring to Elon Musk's statements about the possibility of a civil war in Britain, as Youssef believes that Musk may seek to promote such ideas.

The Scottish politician expressed his hope that a civil war would not occur, stressing that the conspiracy theories promoted by Musk, especially those related to white supremacy, are not true.