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| Rotherham police to increase patrols over Islamophobic attack fears | Rotherham police to increase patrols over Islamophobic attack fears |
| (6 months later) | |
| Police are to increase patrols in Rotherham over fears of a rise in Islamophobic attacks, following the conviction of a powerful child-grooming ring in the South Yorkshire town. | Police are to increase patrols in Rotherham over fears of a rise in Islamophobic attacks, following the conviction of a powerful child-grooming ring in the South Yorkshire town. |
| British Muslim Youth, a Rotherham-based group launched in 2011, said it had heard of “countless attacks” on Muslim men and was concerned that publicity surrounding the guilty verdicts on Thursday would spark further tension. | British Muslim Youth, a Rotherham-based group launched in 2011, said it had heard of “countless attacks” on Muslim men and was concerned that publicity surrounding the guilty verdicts on Thursday would spark further tension. |
| Muhbeen Hussain, the group’s founder, said there had been 18 far-right demonstrations in the two years since a damning report revealed the sexual exploitation of 1,400 children in the town. | Muhbeen Hussain, the group’s founder, said there had been 18 far-right demonstrations in the two years since a damning report revealed the sexual exploitation of 1,400 children in the town. |
| “We’ve got hate crimes throughout the whole town,” Hussain said. “Individuals are being vilified and being made out to look like it’s the community hiding something, and that is stirring up hatred and dividing communities.” | “We’ve got hate crimes throughout the whole town,” Hussain said. “Individuals are being vilified and being made out to look like it’s the community hiding something, and that is stirring up hatred and dividing communities.” |
| Chf Supt Jason Harwin, the commander of Rotherham’s local policing unit, said officers were alert to the possibility that the verdicts could increase community tensions. He added that there would be increased patrols across the town. | Chf Supt Jason Harwin, the commander of Rotherham’s local policing unit, said officers were alert to the possibility that the verdicts could increase community tensions. He added that there would be increased patrols across the town. |
| Hussain pointed to the murder of Rotherham pensioner Mushin Ahmed, who was racially abused and called a “groomer” before being kicked and punched to death last August. The Yemen-born 81-year-old was on his way to prayers at a mosque in the town when he was attacked. | Hussain pointed to the murder of Rotherham pensioner Mushin Ahmed, who was racially abused and called a “groomer” before being kicked and punched to death last August. The Yemen-born 81-year-old was on his way to prayers at a mosque in the town when he was attacked. |
| Hussain said the Muslim community in Rotherham refused to be cast as responsible for the criminal actions of six men and women in the ring, who were found guilty of 55 serious child sex exploitation offences in Sheffield crown court. | Hussain said the Muslim community in Rotherham refused to be cast as responsible for the criminal actions of six men and women in the ring, who were found guilty of 55 serious child sex exploitation offences in Sheffield crown court. |
| “We are completely clear that these individuals are criminals and must be given the highest punishment for their crime. What we’re not saying is that we as a community are guilty, because we’re not. If the individuals are guilty, they are guilty; the jury hasn’t held the community guilty and the community will not be guilty.” | “We are completely clear that these individuals are criminals and must be given the highest punishment for their crime. What we’re not saying is that we as a community are guilty, because we’re not. If the individuals are guilty, they are guilty; the jury hasn’t held the community guilty and the community will not be guilty.” |
| He called for more investigations into suspects and into the police who failed to disrupt the abuse of the 15 victims who triggered the Rotherham grooming trial. | He called for more investigations into suspects and into the police who failed to disrupt the abuse of the 15 victims who triggered the Rotherham grooming trial. |
| The men were of Pakistani heritage and all of the victims were white English girls. But Hussain said he did not believe the much-voiced theory that police were afraid to arrest the perpetrators amid fears of being seen as racist. | The men were of Pakistani heritage and all of the victims were white English girls. But Hussain said he did not believe the much-voiced theory that police were afraid to arrest the perpetrators amid fears of being seen as racist. |
| “The real reason they did not arrest them is because they did not believe the girls. Allegations have been made against 102 unidentified officers and yet people blame the Pakistani community. These officers have to be investigated,” he said. | “The real reason they did not arrest them is because they did not believe the girls. Allegations have been made against 102 unidentified officers and yet people blame the Pakistani community. These officers have to be investigated,” he said. |
| British Muslim Youth last year led a “boycott of engagement” with South Yorkshire police, such was the distrust among prominent members of the local Muslim community towards the authorities. They accused the police of not taking hate crimes seriously and of deflecting blame on to the Muslim community for not taking action against child sexual exploitation. | British Muslim Youth last year led a “boycott of engagement” with South Yorkshire police, such was the distrust among prominent members of the local Muslim community towards the authorities. They accused the police of not taking hate crimes seriously and of deflecting blame on to the Muslim community for not taking action against child sexual exploitation. |
| Hussain said the day after the Jay report was published he was abused while giving a television interview. “I was across from the police station in Rotherham giving an interview to the BBC and somebody drove past and called me a groomer. I faced all kinds of Islamophobia in the first week after the report came out,” he said. | Hussain said the day after the Jay report was published he was abused while giving a television interview. “I was across from the police station in Rotherham giving an interview to the BBC and somebody drove past and called me a groomer. I faced all kinds of Islamophobia in the first week after the report came out,” he said. |
| Ch Supt Harwin said anyone found committing a hate crime would be brought to justice. “While racially motivated recorded crimes in Rotherham are lower than this time last year, we are aware that this is an under-reported issue. This is something we are addressing by working closely with third-party reporting centres and exploring how we can improve our response to this crime,” he said. | Ch Supt Harwin said anyone found committing a hate crime would be brought to justice. “While racially motivated recorded crimes in Rotherham are lower than this time last year, we are aware that this is an under-reported issue. This is something we are addressing by working closely with third-party reporting centres and exploring how we can improve our response to this crime,” he said. |
| “We really want victims of hate crime to feel confident in coming forward so if you have been a victim, or know someone who is a victim, please do tell someone, whether that is the police or another agency. We can deal with reports and information in confidence.” | “We really want victims of hate crime to feel confident in coming forward so if you have been a victim, or know someone who is a victim, please do tell someone, whether that is the police or another agency. We can deal with reports and information in confidence.” |