How to support and be allies to your Muslim loved ones, now and beyond

how to support Muslims during the riots

Credit: Getty

Politics


How to support and be allies to your Muslim loved ones, now and beyond

By Shahed Ezaydi

6 months ago

5 min read

Allyship is long-term, continuous and often uncomfortable, and that’s the only way we can work to dismantle Islamophobia and all forms of racism. These are just some of the things you can do.


In the last week, I’ve spent most of my time glued to my phone, making sure that my family and friends are OK and keeping an eye on where far-right violence might erupt next. The race riots and violence we’ve seen has been truly terrifying for so many Muslims, racialised people and migrants. Many Muslims, myself among them, have had to change our behaviour to ensure we’re being as safe as possible. If that’s working from home to avoid getting public transport, avoiding speaking Arabic in public, sharing locations with friends or learning what to do in the event of an acid attack, it’s caused so much fear, sadness and anger.

These riots have shown that Islamophobia has very real consequences. But it’s still so normalised. The fact I’m still having conversations with people, both online and offline, about whether Islamophobia is a ‘real’ form of racism is evidence enough of how deep the issue goes in our society. But there are tangible actions that allies can take to support their Muslim friends and colleagues to ensure that they’re not navigating this violence alone. Allyship is long-term, continuous and often uncomfortable, and that’s the only way we can work to dismantle Islamophobia and all forms of racism.


Check in on your friends

This might be an obvious one but it’s still so important. Seeing so much violence that specifically targets your faith is completely isolating and alienating. It makes me feel as though I’m not welcome in this country, that I don’t belong, and ultimately, that I’m not ‘really’ British. To white people, it may seem basic or pointless to send a message to your Muslim loved ones, but having people check in on you and your wellbeing is vital for collective solidarity and making us feel less alone. Providing that love and emotional support plays a huge role in all of us being able to stand up and fight another day.

Write to your local MP

It can be easy to forget that our MPs represent and serve us and that we can shape the narrative by letting them know what issues are important to the public. Writing to your MP and letting them know how you’re feeling about the far-right violence could lead to more discussions in parliament and conversations on a national level about Islamophobia. And the more people who write and send letters to their local MPs, the bigger the impact.

how to support Muslims during the race riots

Credit: Getty

Join anti-racist protests and rallies

As we’ve seen with yesterday’s counter-protests, physically showing up and taking to the streets is hugely important. Not only are these rallies protecting communities and their spaces but to see thousands of people come together and stand against the far-right provides a small bit of hope in a horrifying time. But you should only attend these counter-protests if you’re able to do so and if they’re properly organised by anti-racist groups and activists. Safety always comes first. It’s OK if you don’t feel comfortable going to a protest, and you can help in other ways. For example, if you know someone who does want to attend, you could offer to pay for their travel, childcare or other costs.

If you’re sharing information, make sure it’s come from a verified source

A significant part of how far-right violence erupted last week is due to the spreading of misinformation about the Southport suspect on social media platforms. Sharing information and resources online (and offline) is important, but when some of this information comes from unknown or questionable sources, it starts to become a problem. Misinformation about far-right riots only serves to spread even more fear and dread among communities and hampers efforts to effectively stand against the far-right. So, before you share anything, make sure you’ve checked where this information is coming from.

Help with the clean-up and aftermath of riots

As we saw in Southport after far-right groups damaged and vandalised a mosque, local communities came out first thing in the morning to start cleaning up the aftermath of the violence – with kids sweeping up debris and people even laying bricks down to start rebuilding one of the mosque walls that had been torn down. Supporting people and their businesses in the aftermath is not only a practical way to help but also a show of solidarity with racialised communities feeling fearful in their own neighbourhoods.

how to support Muslims during the race riots

Credit: Getty

Read and educate yourself on Islamophobia

Educating yourself on Islamophobia is a vital form of support, especially when there are still so many who don’t know its origins and history. For Muslims, this far-right violence may have been an initial shock, but it’s certainly not surprising given how the narrative around our communities has been shaped over the past couple of decades. I will caveat this by saying that reading a book or two is part of the work and can’t be the only thing you set out to do as your allyship.

Donate to charities and campaign groups

Another tangible way to offer your support is through donating to campaigns and charities that are doing the work in these areas all year round. In the last week or so, there have been funds set up for a local library in Liverpool that was burned down that raised £50,000 in one day for books or a carer in Middlesbrough who had his car set alight that has now raised more than £37,000 for a new car. Below are just some of the charities you can support and donate to so they can continue their work in anti-racism and migrant rights:


Images: Getty

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