PA MediaConservative MP Robert Jenrick has defended himself after being accused of Islamophobia for saying police should have “immediately arrested” any protesters shouting Allahu Akbar during last year’s Gaza ceasefire protests.
Speaking on Sky News, the Tory leadership candidate accused police of treating far-right marches and violence more harshly than the pro-Palestinian demonstrations that began after the Israel-Hamas war began in October last year.
Several Muslim MPs have argued Mr Jenrick’s claim linked all Muslims to extremism and fuelled violent groups.
But Mr Jenrick said the Arabic phrase – meaning God is great – had been “abused” by “extremists” to intimidate people.
He told Sky News he had been angered by the way pro-Palestinian demonstrations had been policed.
“I have been very critical of police in the past, particularly around the attitude of some police forces to the protests we saw since 7 October.
“I thought it was quite wrong that somebody could shout Allahu Akbar on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested, project genocidal chants on to Big Ben and not be immediately arrested.
“That attitude is wrong and I’ll always call out the police for it.”
Mr Jenrick said he stood by earlier comments that “our streets to be dominated by Islamist extremists”.
Pressed further, he said: “There were instances back then where we saw Islamist extremists on our streets.
“I’ve just given you one example where you literally had somebody chanting or shouting Allahu Akbar off Oxford Street.”
Mr Jenrick, a former home office minister, was criticised by former Conservative party chair Baroness Sayeeda Warsi and Labour MPs Naz Shah and Afzal Khan, among others.
In a social media post, Baroness Warsi said: “Every day before we start parliamentary business in the Commons and Lords we say a prayer and praise God – we say our parliamentary version of Allahu Akbars at the heart of democracy – a process Robert Jenrick is a part of.
“This language from Jenrick is more of his usual nasty divisive rhetoric – he is such a tool.”
Ms Shah, the MP for Bradford West, called Mr Jenrick’s comments “textbook Islamophobia”.
His comments “literally equates every Muslim in the world with extremism” she argued.
In a social media post she said: “Imagine in this climate, either being that ignorant or deliberately trying to stigmatise all Muslims. He should apologise and speak to Muslim communities and learn more about our faith.”
Afzal Khan, another Labour MP, said: “Another day, another senior Tory being Islamophobic.
“Allahu Akbar means God is great – the Muslim equivalent of hallelujah. Jenrick’s confidence in going on national TV to say people should be arrested for saying Allahu Akbar exposes his deep-seated prejudice against Muslims.”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “People like Robert Jenrick have been stirring up some of the problems that we’ve seen in our communities.
“Actually, what we want to see is communities come together, and the vast majority of the community want to see that.”
Mr Jenrick stood by his comments in a later social media post.
He said: “Allahu Akbar is spoken peacefully and spiritually by millions of British Muslims in their daily lives”.
But “aggressive chanting” of the phrase as seen by gangs of men in balaclavas in Birmingham was “an offence under Section 4 and 5 of the Public Order Act”.
But Baroness Warsi accused Mr Jenrick of being dishonest and called on him to apologise.
“You do not get to go on national broadcasters and say one thing and try and pretend you said something else after,” she said.
Mr Jenrick is one of six candidates vying to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party. He is facing:
- Kemi Badenoch
- James Cleverly
- Priti Patel
- Mel Stride
- Tom Tugendhat
A winner will be announced on 2 November.