The UK has witnessed a record surge in anti-Muslim hate incidents in 2024, with reports reaching their highest levels since tracking began in 2012.
According to Tell MAMA, a leading organisation monitoring anti-Muslim hate crimes, online platforms and artificial intelligence-driven misinformation have played a major role in the alarming increase.
Tell MAMA recorded 6,313 cases of anti-Muslim hate in 2024, verifying 5,837 incidents. This marks a significant rise from 2023, when 4,406 cases were reported, of which 3,767 were confirmed.
The most concerning statistic is the 73% increase in physical assaults, with 171 cases reported in 2024, compared to 99 the previous year.
Additionally, 2,197 cases of offline abusive behaviour were documented, indicating that Islamophobia is not only increasing online but also spilling into public spaces.
The surge in reports correlates with major national and international events, particularly the Gaza conflict that began in October 2023 and the Southport murders of three young girls in July 2024.
Following the Southport killings, false claims blaming a Muslim immigrant spread rapidly across social media, fuelling one of the worst outbreaks of civil unrest in the UK in decades.
Mosques and immigrant shelters were targeted in violent riots, despite the eventual conviction of UK-born citizen Axel Rudakubana for the murders.
Tell MAMA’s report emphasises that misinformation linked to high-profile incidents has significantly contributed to the rise in hate crimes, underscoring the dangerous impact of online disinformation.
The report raises serious concerns about social media platforms failing to curb hate speech, with X (formerly Twitter) singled out as the most toxic platform for anti-Muslim rhetoric.
The charity highlighted the aggressive language, targeted abuse, and unchecked spread of hate-driven narratives on the platform, which continue to exacerbate Islamophobia.
In addition, the report warns that artificial intelligence-generated content is being used to spread false narratives and inflammatory images, making it harder to distinguish between real and fake information online.
