Perpetrators of Hate Crime in and Around the Space of the Mosque

The following chapter discusses and critically analyses the author’s ethnographic findings in and around two mosques based in Birmingham, England, which came from a study that aimed to understand the lived experiences of Muslim communities in that city. Following the Brexit referendum of 2016 and localised controversies such as the 2014 Trojan Horse scandal in Birmingham, it is argued that the city’s Muslim communities and religious spaces are vulnerable. However, there was an absence of research that examined the experiences of Muslims by applying an ethnographic methodology, a gap which this research fills. A theme which emerged from interviews and observation was a perception of exclusion, that Muslim communities are not welcome in the immediate space around mosques and indeed in the country more broadly. The actions from perpetrators that cause these feelings are often dismissed as ‘low-level’ due to a perception that they are not important as victims do not usually report them. This chapter will provide insight into the rationale behind the perpetrators’ attacks by analysing their chosen vocabulary and physical actions. As a result, this chapter will be beneficial as it will bring awareness to the everyday, prevalent harm caused by perpetrators of hate crimes. This chapter contains excerpts from conversations, observations, and interviews, which include individuals expressing pejorative, offensive language directed towards Muslim communities. The decision has been made to include these expressions as they provide valuable insight into the expressions used to harm Muslim communities.