In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has announced a new definition of “anti-Muslim hatred”. This includes things like violence, harassment, and prejudiced stereotypes, while assuring that the measure will not restrict freedom of expression.
In February last year, the government appointed a working group to develop a definition of anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia. In October, however, the term “Islamophobia” was dropped in favor of “anti-Muslim hostility.” Discrimination against someone because of their religion or belief is already illegal, but now there is clarification of what constitutes so-called anti-Muslim hatred. A special representative will also be appointed to facilitate the understanding and implementation of the definition.
Reported hate crimes against Muslims received by police in England and Wales are said to have increased by almost a fifth during the period ending in March 2025. However, Jews were the group affected by the highest proportion of hate crimes, with 106 incidents per 10,000 inhabitants. For Muslims, the figure was twelve per 10,000 inhabitants.
Politicians claim to have developed an effective definition and a “tool for governments and organizations to better understand, measure, prevent, and address anti-Muslim hostility.” The definition, however, is not enshrined in law, and is only advisory with no legal force.
Welcomed by Muslim Organization
According to Communities Minister Steve Reed, there is an obligation to act against record levels of hate crimes against Muslims, but “you can’t address a problem if you can’t describe it.” At the same time, he denies that the definition would interfere with freedom of expression or introduce “blasphemy laws by the back door.”
The British Muslim Trust organization welcomes the measure, which according to Chairman Shabir Randeree will “help to guide institutions that have too often been too slow or too weak in their responses to incidents that a tolerant and respectful country like ours can never accept.”
The new definition
Anti-Muslim hostility is the deliberate participation in, assistance with, or encouragement of criminal acts – including acts of violence, vandalism, harassment, or threats, whether physical, verbal, written, or electronically communicated – directed at Muslims because of their religion or at those perceived to be Muslims, including when that perception is based on assumptions about ethnicity, race, or appearance.
It also covers prejudiced stereotypes of Muslims, or persons perceived as Muslims, including because of their ethnic or racial background or their appearance, and treating them as a collective group defined by fixed and negative characteristics, with the intent to incite hatred against them, regardless of their actual opinions, beliefs, or actions as individuals.
It constitutes unlawful discrimination when the relevant behavior – including the creation or use of practices and prejudices within institutions – is intended to disadvantage Muslims in public and economic life.
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