Robert Jenrick, a British Member of Parliament and former Minister of State for Immigration, has ignited a storm of controversy by suggesting that police should “immediately arrest” protesters who chant “Allahu Akbar.”
The phrase, which means “God is great,” is widely used in Islamic prayers.
Jenrick’s remarks came after pro-Palestinian protesters chanted the phrase during demonstrations. He criticized the police for not taking action against these protesters, claiming it showed undue leniency towards certain groups.
Tory MP Robert Jenrick says British Police should arrest people who say Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest).
His comments have been met with strong backlash from Muslim communities and prominent Muslim parliamentarians, including Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi and Labour MP Naz Shah. They accused Jenrick of engaging in “textbook Islamophobia.”
Warsi noted that parliamentary prayers also include praises to God, describing Jenrick’s remarks as “nasty, divisive rhetoric.”
Shah added that Jenrick’s statements unfairly associate all Muslims with extremism and called on him to apologize and engage in dialogue with Muslim communities.
In response to the criticism, Jenrick clarified on social media that while “Allahu Akbar” is a peaceful phrase for many, its use aggressively during protests can be “intimidating and threatening,” and could constitute a public order offense.
He stressed the importance of unbiased law enforcement and criticized the approach of community-led policing.
Jenrick also took aim at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing him of being hesitant to address retaliatory protests. He described these protests as “disgraceful” and called for stronger law enforcement measures.
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