“Living in Fear”: Muslims face record levels of hate and violence in the UK

In its annual report, the Home Office stated that the total number of recorded hate crimes in the year ending March 2025 rose by 2 percent compared to the previous year, reaching more than 115,990 incidents. Among these, religious hate crimes—excluding data from London’s Metropolitan Police—hit a record 7,164 cases, the highest since records began.

According to the report, anti-Muslim offenses increased from 2,690 cases last year to 3,199, representing a 19 percent rise. The Home Office noted a sharp spike in anti-Islamic incidents in August last year, coinciding with the Southport riots and subsequent unrest.

Meanwhile, anti-Jewish hate crimes outside London fell by 18 percent, from 2,093 cases to 1,715.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood responded to the report, saying: “No one should live in fear because of their faith or background.”

She pledged to increase security measures around mosques and other religious sites, adding: “We will confront hate speech with full force and ensure no Briton is targeted for their religion or identity.”

However, civil society organizations and Muslim groups argue that official statistics only reveal part of the picture. They say many victims of Islamophobic crimes do not report incidents due to distrust of the police, past negative experiences, or fear of social repercussions.

Aqila Ahmed, head of the Muslim Foundation UK, said: “These worrying figures are just the tip of the iceberg. Islamophobia has become normalized in some areas, and tackling it requires genuine political will.”

Qari Asim, chair of the British Muslim Network, also condemned recent attacks on mosques and places of worship, saying: “Whether it’s Islamophobia, antisemitism, or any other form of hate, we must stand united against it—not remain silent.”

Official data also shows that alongside the rise in religious hate crimes, race-related hate crimes increased by 6 percent, from 77,901 cases last year to 82,490 this year.

Social analysts say that the rise in Islamophobia cannot be attributed solely to isolated incidents but reflects deeper cultural and racial divisions in a society grappling with the economic and social aftermath of Brexit, the cost-of-living crisis, and increased migration. They warn that this trend could erode social cohesion, fuel extremism, and undermine minority communities’ trust in public institutions.

Observers believe the government must adopt a broader approach beyond policing—one that focuses on education, dialogue, and countering hate speech in politics and the media, to protect the values of coexistence and mutual respect that underpin Britain’s multicultural society.