Hate crimes against Muslims in Britain spike after militant attacks, study finds

Study says children as young as 10 have been involved in incidents; victims mostly women

LONDON: Muslims in Britain are being targeted for hate crimes in retaliation for terrorist attacks around the world, a new report based on anti-Muslim attacks reveals.

A study by Teesside University stated that even children as young as 10 have been involved in crimes and incidents. Most of the criminals were above the age of 40.

The latest data from the Tell Mama project revealed that was a noticeable spike in the immediate impact of the terrorist attacks in Paris, Sydney and Copenhagen in the past year. Figures also showed that there were 548 incidents reported from March 2014 to February 2015. The crimes included online abuse and threats, street assaults and violence.

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The study, by Teesside University’s Centre For Fascist, Anti-Fascist And Post-Fascist Studies, says that fewer than half of the 548 recorded incidents were reported to the police by victims. Most incidents – 402 – took place online, while most physical attacks were against women, and in a large number of cases, the victim was wearing distinctively Muslim clothing.

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The article originally appeared on The Guardian