Celebs call out biased media coverage of London mosque attack
DAMMAM: Muslim celebrtities around the world are calling out the double standard in the reporting of an incident in London on Monday, in which one man died and 10 people were injured after a van drove into a crowd of Muslim worshippers near a mosque.
British singer Sami Yusuf wrote on Twitter: “1/2 Thoughts prayers with all the victims of this terror attack. The reporting and use of language is truly shameful! #FinsburyPark“
“2/2 clear the word ‘terrorist’ is only reserved for Muslims. Call it what it is: A terror incident. Not just a ‘terrible incident,” he added.
Many local Muslim worshippers complained that police did not immediately treat it as a terrorist attack, saying they would have treated the incident differently if it had been an assault by a Muslim man.
Witnesses said the man was white and was shouting: “I want to kill all Muslims.”
The incident has been linked to a rise in Islamophobic crime in the aftermath of the London Bridge attack.
Arab singer Elissa also questioned the apparent bias against Muslims.
She wrote: “The attack next to the mosque in London is outrageous. It’s a sick world really! #PrayForLondon.”
“Another attack, another bloody day and all the victims are Muslim. And u still accuse Islam of terrorism? These are freaks with no religion.”
British author J.K. Rowling posted a Daily Mail report, writing: “The Mail has misspelled ‘terrorist’ as ‘white van driver.’ Now let’s discuss how he was radicalized.”
“Those who dehumanize & stereotype Muslims have no moral high ground from which to deplore demonization of secular westerners by Islamists,” she added.