Rise in Islamophobic Abuse Against Sadiq Khan: Analysis Reveals Alarming Trends
Analysis shows a staggering rise in Islamophobic posts targeting London Mayor Sadiq Khan, reflecting an increasing trend of online abuse.
Recent analysis indicates that the number of Islamophobic posts targeting Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has more than doubled over the past year, highlighting a troubling surge in racist abuse directed towards him.
In the year 2022, there were nearly 28,000 social media posts that included Islamophobic phrases in reference to Khan, a significant increase from approximately 12,000 in 2021, marking an eight-fold rise from 2022 statistics.
The analysis was commissioned by the Greater London Authority (GLA).
As of this year, Khan has been mentioned alongside Islamophobic keywords in 2,180 posts.
The vast majority of these posts originated from the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which accounted for 89% of the Islamophobic messages directed at Khan since 2015. The past year has seen a record incidence of such posts, particularly from the UK.
Khan has emerged as a prominent advocate against online abuse, cautioning that the West faces a significant challenge due to a resurgence of far-right sentiments.
He criticized the platform's owner, Elon Musk, suggesting that changes made under Musk's leadership have exacerbated issues related to online harassment.
Following Musk's tenure, accounts of notable far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson, have been reinstated.
In addition to calling for stronger regulations on harmful online content, Khan has emphasized that the UK’s recently enacted Online Safety Act should represent a foundational step rather than a limitation in combating online abuse.
The act currently focuses on content considered illegal, but Khan's comments suggest a desire for broader protections against hate speech.
The peak in Islamophobic messages targeting Khan occurred in 2019, when close to 42,000 posts were recorded.
This spike was largely attributed to social media activity related to protests at the Indian High Commission in London and the dissemination of misinformation pertaining to Kashmir.
Patrik Hermansson, a senior researcher at Hope Not Hate, noted that Khan's identity as a Muslim public figure places him at the center of various Islamophobic narratives.
He stated that there exists a broader anti-migrant sentiment, accompanied by conspiracy theories suggesting that London is transitioning into a Muslim-majority city, a narrative that some individuals ascribe to Khan's administration.
Since Khan's election as London Mayor in 2016, he has endured hundreds of thousands of racist and derogatory messages on social media platforms, including criticisms from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Notably, in 2017, Trump labeled Khan a "national disgrace" and claimed that Khan's leadership was detrimental to the city.
In the following year, Trump connected Khan with rising immigration rates and crime, claiming that Khan's governance had contributed negatively to these issues.
David Lammy, the current Foreign Secretary, labeled Trump a “racist” following these comments, arguing at the time that Trump’s remarks reflected an animosity towards London’s diverse leadership.
Recently, Lammy has softened his previous stance, suggesting a willingness to foster diplomatic relations.
In a separate incident, a notable donor to the political party Reform faced backlash after making threatening comments regarding Khan.
Charlie Mullins, the founder of Pimlico Plumbers and a previous Conservative supporter, was criticized by the honours forfeiture committee for making statements deemed to bring disrepute to the honours system.
Mullins was suspended from X after publicly suggesting that “someone should kill” Khan in the context of discussions around Khan's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) scheme.
Following the expansion of Ulez into outer London boroughs, recent studies revealed a significant reduction in levels of harmful pollutants linked to various health problems.
After pledging to undergo "gender sensitivity and diversity training," Mullins was informed that no disciplinary action would be taken against him, though he was cautioned that further inquiry could ensue if problematic behavior continued.
In the year 2022, there were nearly 28,000 social media posts that included Islamophobic phrases in reference to Khan, a significant increase from approximately 12,000 in 2021, marking an eight-fold rise from 2022 statistics.
The analysis was commissioned by the Greater London Authority (GLA).
As of this year, Khan has been mentioned alongside Islamophobic keywords in 2,180 posts.
The vast majority of these posts originated from the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, which accounted for 89% of the Islamophobic messages directed at Khan since 2015. The past year has seen a record incidence of such posts, particularly from the UK.
Khan has emerged as a prominent advocate against online abuse, cautioning that the West faces a significant challenge due to a resurgence of far-right sentiments.
He criticized the platform's owner, Elon Musk, suggesting that changes made under Musk's leadership have exacerbated issues related to online harassment.
Following Musk's tenure, accounts of notable far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson, have been reinstated.
In addition to calling for stronger regulations on harmful online content, Khan has emphasized that the UK’s recently enacted Online Safety Act should represent a foundational step rather than a limitation in combating online abuse.
The act currently focuses on content considered illegal, but Khan's comments suggest a desire for broader protections against hate speech.
The peak in Islamophobic messages targeting Khan occurred in 2019, when close to 42,000 posts were recorded.
This spike was largely attributed to social media activity related to protests at the Indian High Commission in London and the dissemination of misinformation pertaining to Kashmir.
Patrik Hermansson, a senior researcher at Hope Not Hate, noted that Khan's identity as a Muslim public figure places him at the center of various Islamophobic narratives.
He stated that there exists a broader anti-migrant sentiment, accompanied by conspiracy theories suggesting that London is transitioning into a Muslim-majority city, a narrative that some individuals ascribe to Khan's administration.
Since Khan's election as London Mayor in 2016, he has endured hundreds of thousands of racist and derogatory messages on social media platforms, including criticisms from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Notably, in 2017, Trump labeled Khan a "national disgrace" and claimed that Khan's leadership was detrimental to the city.
In the following year, Trump connected Khan with rising immigration rates and crime, claiming that Khan's governance had contributed negatively to these issues.
David Lammy, the current Foreign Secretary, labeled Trump a “racist” following these comments, arguing at the time that Trump’s remarks reflected an animosity towards London’s diverse leadership.
Recently, Lammy has softened his previous stance, suggesting a willingness to foster diplomatic relations.
In a separate incident, a notable donor to the political party Reform faced backlash after making threatening comments regarding Khan.
Charlie Mullins, the founder of Pimlico Plumbers and a previous Conservative supporter, was criticized by the honours forfeiture committee for making statements deemed to bring disrepute to the honours system.
Mullins was suspended from X after publicly suggesting that “someone should kill” Khan in the context of discussions around Khan's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) scheme.
Following the expansion of Ulez into outer London boroughs, recent studies revealed a significant reduction in levels of harmful pollutants linked to various health problems.
After pledging to undergo "gender sensitivity and diversity training," Mullins was informed that no disciplinary action would be taken against him, though he was cautioned that further inquiry could ensue if problematic behavior continued.
