Rotherham Muslims call for boycott of South Yorkshire Police over ‘demonization’ since Jay report

From the Independent and local paper The Star. Muslims were not the victims here; the victims were 1400 little girls raped and tortured.

A Muslim group in Yorkshire has called on a town’s Islamic groups and institutions to boycott South Yorkshire Police over claims the force have “scapegoated” them.

The call to boycott, issued by the Muslim Community of Rotherham, claims that since the publication of the Alexis Jay report last year, South Yorkshire Police has “deflected their own failures” by targetting Muslims in the area.

The group has also said that any Muslim institution that doesn’t abide by the boycott will in turn by boycotted. 

The statement read: “It is against this backdrop that: we, the Muslim community of Rotherham, have voted for all Muslim organisations and institutions (whether religious or secular), which claim to represent Muslims in Rotherham, to cut all lines of engagement and communication with South Yorkshire Police. This policy will be in effect until and unless South Yorkshire Police can treat our community with respect and fairness, just as we have done with the police force going back many decades.”

“Any Muslim groups or institutions in Rotherham that do not adhere to this policy of disengagement will also be boycotted by the Muslim community.”

The Muslim Community of Rotherham say Muslims have been demonised since the report’s finding were made public, adding “the entire Muslim community has been tarred with the same brush.” There is a perception in the minds of many ordinary people that all Muslims are now potential child abusers, or that they have been involved in some sort of cover-up,” say the group. The abuse was well known around town and was covered up. 

The Muslim Community of Rotherham add that Islamaphobia in the town has reached “unprecedented levels”, citing figures collated by Tell MAMA, (if you believe them you will believe anything) a service measuring anti-Muslim attacks, who have received reports of 27 attacks in the last 12 months.

“South Yorkshire Police must listen to our concerns and treat us as equal partners pursuing shared goals,” said the group. They have to own up to their failures, before they cause irreparable damage. This must happen immediately without further delay.”