Islamophobia in the UK: post 7/7 London bombing. An irrational panic - Literature review Example

Download file to see previous pages... Of the bombs that were detonated, one went off on Piccadilly train number 331, which was plying the King’s Cross- Russell Square route. The bomb had been set up by a suicide bomber, who was later identified as 19 year old Germaine Lindsay adjacent to the rear doors of the train’s front carriage (BBC News, n.d.). At least 26 people died in the blast and another 340 were reported injured. Almost simultaneously, the second bomb was detonated minutes later on Circle line train number 204. The train was heading towards Aldgate from the Liverpool Street Station. Just like the first bomb, it had been set up within one of the train’s carriages by the bomber, who was identified as Shehzad Tanweer, a 24 year old man from Leeds (BBC News, n.d.). This attack resulted in the death of at least 7 people, while more than 171 were left nursing injuries. A third bomb was detonated on Circle train number 216 killing 6 people and leaving 163 other people injured. The bomb had been set up by a bomber identified as Mohammad Sidique Khan, a 30 year old man (BBC News, n.d.). The train had just departed for Paddington from the Edgware Road Station when the explosive went off from the second carriage of the train. The fourth of the bombs went off approximately one hour after the first three sets of explosions. Set up by a bomber identified as 18 year old Hasib Hussain, the bomb shattered a number 30 double-decker bus, which was heading towards Hackney from Marble Arch (BBC News, n.d.). It went off at the Tavistock Square- Upper Worburn place junction. This final blast left 13 people dead and over 110 others badly wounded. The attacks seemed to have been well executed and coordinated. The effects of the attacks were devastating to British citizens, but one particular group suffered a more adverse social consequence; the British Muslims. As a result of the attackers having been Muslims and having justified their actions by using teachings and principles of the religion of Islam, the entire Islamic community in the UK was seemingly victimized. The media played the characterization of Islam that the attackers alluded to against the British Muslims. This perspective served to marginalize Muslims living in Britain, as they turned into victims of not only the indiscriminate terrorist attacks in London that morning, but also the ardent sections of the media that heedlessly forced this skewed outlook of Muslim communities (Shibli, 2010). Islamophobia in the UK after the 7/7 Bombings As stated by Cole, islamophobia is a term that can be used to refer to a deplorable form of racism; usually directed towards Muslims (2011). When the term was first coined in 1991 following the Gulf War, it was accompanied by anti-Muslim racism and a spate of hate crimes towards the Islamic community in many parts of the world (Cole, 2011). Similar to other forms of racism that are not colour-coded, islamophobia is not only pegged on the skin colour of the targeted individuals. It is however based more commonly on prejudicial perspectives about symbols that seemingly represent the Islamic religion. The reference of the British Muslims after the 77/7 bombings as “the terrorists within”, is an example of this discriminatory and derogatory attitude about Muslims. Their disposition in this case is judged not by the colour of their skins, but rather the large beards and characteristic scarves that are emblems of their culture (Cole, 2011). ...Download file to see next pagesRead More