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PA MediaConservative MP Robert Jenrick has defended himself after being accused of Islamophobia for saying police ought to have “immediately arrested” any protesters shouting Allahu Akbar throughout final yr’s Gaza ceasefire protests.
Speaking on Sky News, the Tory management candidate accused police of treating far-right marches and violence extra harshly than the pro-Palestinian demonstrations that started after the Israel-Hamas conflict started in October final yr.
Several Muslim MPs have argued Mr Jenrick’s declare linked all Muslims to extremism and fuelled violent teams.
But Mr Jenrick mentioned the Arabic phrase – that means God is nice – had been “abused” by “extremists” to intimidate individuals.
He advised Sky News he had been angered by the way in which pro-Palestinian demonstrations had been policed.
“I have been very critical of police in the past, particularly around the attitude of some police forces to the protests we saw since 7 October.
“I thought it was quite wrong that somebody could shout Allahu Akbar on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested, project genocidal chants on to Big Ben and not be immediately arrested.
“That attitude is wrong and I’ll always call out the police for it.”
Mr Jenrick said he stood by earlier comments that “our streets to be dominated by Islamist extremists”.
Pressed additional, he mentioned: “There had been situations again then the place we noticed Islamist extremists on our streets.
“I’ve just given you one example where you literally had somebody chanting or shouting Allahu Akbar off Oxford Street.”
Mr Jenrick, a former residence workplace minister, was criticised by former Conservative get together chair Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and Labour MPs Naz Shah and Afzal Khan, amongst others.
In a social media put up, Baroness Warsi mentioned: “Every day before we start parliamentary business in the Commons and Lords we say a prayer and praise God – we say our parliamentary version of Allahu Akbars at the heart of democracy – a process Robert Jenrick is a part of.
“This language from Jenrick is extra of his ordinary nasty divisive rhetoric – he’s such a instrument.”
Ms Shah, the MP for Bradford West, called Mr Jenrick’s comments “textbook Islamophobia”.
His feedback “actually equates each Muslim on the planet with extremism” she argued.
In a social media post she said: “Imagine in this climate, either being that ignorant or deliberately trying to stigmatise all Muslims. He should apologise and speak to Muslim communities and learn more about our faith.”
Afzal Khan, one other Labour MP, mentioned: “Another day, another senior Tory being Islamophobic.
“Allahu Akbar means God is great – the Muslim equivalent of hallelujah. Jenrick’s confidence in going on national TV to say people should be arrested for saying Allahu Akbar exposes his deep-seated prejudice against Muslims.”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner mentioned: “People like Robert Jenrick have been stirring up some of the problems that we’ve seen in our communities.
“Actually, what we want to see is communities come together, and the vast majority of the community want to see that.”
Mr Jenrick stood by his comments in a later social media post.
He said: “Allahu Akbar is spoken peacefully and spiritually by hundreds of thousands of British Muslims of their each day lives”.
But “aggressive chanting” of the phrase as seen by gangs of males in balaclavas in Birmingham was “an offence under Section 4 and 5 of the Public Order Act”.
A spokesperson for Mr Jenrick mentioned: “Robert has called out all disorder in the strongest possible terms, whether from the far-right or retaliatory violence from sectarian mobs.
“We are but to see one Labour politician do the identical. The nation wants sturdy management, not squeamishness.”
But Baroness Warsi accused Mr Jenrick of being dishonest and called on him to apologise.
“You don’t get to go on nationwide broadcasters and say one factor and try to fake you mentioned one thing else after,” she said.
Mr Jenrick is one of six candidates vying to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party. He is facing:
- Kemi Badenoch
- James Cleverly
- Priti Patel
- Mel Stride
- Tom Tugendhat
A winner shall be introduced on 2 November.
