At the Haringey Council AGM held on Monday 20^th May, Haringey Council became the latest council to adopt the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) definition of Islamophobia, in a bid to push the government to change the law and deem Islamophobia a hate crime.

The Motion was a cross party imitative, being proposed by The Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Ejiofor and Morris, Respectively, and was seconded by Cllr Chenot and Moyeed.

Cllr Joseph Ejiofor, proposer of the motion said,

“I am pleased that I have the honour of jointly proposing the definition of Islamophobia put forward by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. This definition describes Islamophobia as a form of racism for the first time in the UK.

“Far right groups are intimidating and harassing Muslims in our streets, and have up until now got away by claiming that they were criticising Islam and therefore cannot be racist. It’s clear that the law needs to change to provide better protection to Muslims against racism. “

Cllr Khaled Moyeed seconder of the motion said,

“In Haringey, we have a proud tradition of standing up to racists. 

“42 years ago, at the Battle of Wood Green, Haringey Cllrs from across the political divide including a certain Jeremy Corbyn and the wider community came together and resisted the National Front who had threatened to march in our area. 

“Adopting the APPG Definition is an important milestone in our fight against Islamophobia by recognising it as a form of racism against Muslims and those who might appear to be Muslim. For example, Sikhs have in the past been mistaken for Muslims and attacked. This definition would include such attacks as a form of Islamophobia. 

“However, this definition is only the start of a process. We will need to campaign for it written into law, because the law as it stands does not protect Muslims adequately.”