Surge in racist abuse against Muslim NHS workers amid UK far-right riots
A person holds white roses as people take part in a cross-faith peace march attempting to bridge divisions over the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which is causing rising levels of Islamophobia and antisemitism, in London, Britain, January 21, 2024 (Reuters Photo)
The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) has recorded a significant rise in “racist abuse” against Muslim National Health Service (NHS) workers following the onset of far-right riots across the U.K., leaving many health care professionals in fear, local media reported on Friday.
Dr. Salman Waqar, the president of BIMA, which represents around 7,000 Muslim health care staff, told The Guardian that NHS workers have been deeply affected both personally and professionally by the escalating intimidation.
He mentioned having seen alarming messages, particularly from Belfast and Greater Manchester, where health care workers were forced to close their practices early or refrain from home visits due to safety concerns, according to the media outlet.
He also stressed the unprecedented fear among members, noting that some international colleagues are now questioning their future in the U.K.
In addition, the British Egyptian Medical Association (BEMA), representing approximately 11,000 health care professionals, also echoed similar concerns, noting a “troubling” rise in “racist abuse and discrimination,” according to The Guardian.
It reported that the “hostile” environment has disrupted health care delivery, leading to “increased absenteeism and reduced morale” among medical professionals.
Both associations have stressed the need for urgent action to protect health care workers and ensure their safety amid these rising tensions, the media outlet added.
Besides medical professionals, students from African and Asian countries studying in the U.K. have also taken extra precautions owing to their skin colors, which can easily be identified by far-right rioters, limiting themselves to their apartments and hostels with barely stored groceries.
The U.K. has been rocked by turmoil for days, with violent far-right rioters spewing racist and Islamophobic vitriol targeting Muslims, minority groups and migrants.
The riots were fueled by false claims spread online that a suspect arrested for the July 29 fatal stabbings of three children in the seaside town of Southport was a Muslim asylum-seeker. This misinformation has triggered a dangerous wave of violence and heightened tensions across the U.K.
Authorities have since identified the attacker as Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old born in Cardiff, Wales to Rwandan parents, but this has done little to deter the far-right mobs.
