#MuslimLivesMatter: Media Accused of Silence over Attacks on Muslims

The demonstration, organised by groups Stand Up To Racism and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) is drawing attention to the mainstream media's initial coverage of the shooting of three young Muslim people, who were shot dead in their North Carolina home, claiming it was inadequate given the crime.

A white man, Craig Hicks has been arrested over the deaths, with claims that it was a hate crime.

Organisers say the BBC, as a public broadcaster, has a particular responsibility to report on such issues, saying that the lack of coverage of the incident in Britain was contrasted to the overwhelming media reporting on the Charlie Hebdo and Paris kosher shop shootings.

Perpetrators, Not Victims: Muslims in the Media's Eyes

Sabby Dhalu, from Stand Up to Racism says there is a worrying trend in society whereby the whole Islamic community is often targeted and blamed for the actions of a few individuals.

"Muslim people are consistently portrayed as the perpetrators but not the victims of terrorism and hatred. We are saddened by the lack of media coverage in this case, which stands in stark contrast to the wall to wall top story coverage that the Paris shootings rightfully received."

"Politicians and influential figures lined up to blame the entire Muslim community for those horrific actions and 'kill all Muslims' trended worldwide on Twitter without an international outcry. We are concerned that attacks against the Muslim community are taking place in a heightened climate of Islamophobia and hatred."

There is concern that these aggressive social media attacks, inciting hatred against Muslims are going unreported, while attempts to support the victims and their families aren't getting the same media coverage as other trends.

Following the shooting in North Carolina, the hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter was trending on Twitter, with people protesting against the lack of media coverage, aiming to raise awareness of the perceived abuse and discrimination against Muslim people.

The hashtag follows the similar #BlackLivesMatter campaign, which aimed to draw attention to the alleged aggressive stance taken against black people by police in the US, following the death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson last year.

Climate of Islamophobia

Denis Fernando, event organiser from Stand Up To Racism told Sputnik News he is concerned over what he believes is an increasing tide of anti-Islamic sentiment in Western society, and is worried that tragedies such as the recent shooting in the US aren't treated with the same media attention as attacks committed against members of other community groups.

"What we don't understand is why this isn't being done for the Muslim community consistently. For example, [British pensioner] Mohammad Saleem was murdered by Ukrainian fascists as he left a Mosque in Birmingham a couple of years ago. Those Ukrainian fascists went on to plant bombs at three Mosques in Birmingham. Where is the national outcry about this terrorist attack on the Muslim community? I've noticed that there isn't the same level of pinning the blame on other demographics compared to what happens with the Muslim community."

Mr. Fernando believes that instead of being a concerted effort from the media to downplay attacks on Muslims, the media coverage of such atrocities is a "symptom" of a growing sense of anti-Islamic sentiment in Western society.

"We are very concerned about the climate of Islamophobia and how that impacts on the Muslim community. The dialogue seems to be that Muslims are the perpetrators for terrorism, extremism and violence — not the victims."

"I think there's been a singling out of the Muslim community. For example, the banning of the veil for Muslim people, while there are other people from other religions, such as nuns, who can wear the veil. There's also been a banning of religious symbols, and a banning of halal meat in some areas. There seems to be a stereotype that the whole Muslim community is tarnished with, which is unfair, disproportionate and Islamophobic," says Mr. Fernando.

The protestors gathering by BBC HQ say they don't want this stereotype to become a filter through which the media cover Muslims.