A TORY leadership contender has said people who shout “Allahu Akbar” should be “immediately arrested” by police.
Robert Jenrick, who is among those vying to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader, has come in for criticism for his comments.
Speaking on Sky News on Wednesday morning, the former immigration minister said: “I have been very critical of the police in the past, particularly around the attitude of some police forces to the protests that we saw since October 7.
“I thought it was quite wrong that somebody could shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested.”
Robert Jenrick believes that somebody shouting #AllahhuAkbar on the streets of #London should be immediately arrested. No push back from Wilfred Frost on @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/AaSdtYXlWs
— Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM) (@cfmmuk) August 7, 2024
Allahu Akbar is an Arabic phrase usually translated as “God is greater” and is an exclamation in the language indicating a range of emotions from joy to distress.
Jenrick was commenting on right-wing claims police in England are operating a “two-tier” system policing far-right riots versus pro-Palestine protests.
The Government has rejected claims that far-right riots over the last week have been dealt with more harshly than other recent unrest and protests.
US social media boss Elon Musk (below) has intervened in the spat by dubbing the Prime Minister “two-tier Keir”.
Keir Starmer has denied the accusations as a “non-issue” and insisted policing was carried out “without fear or favour,” while the former chief inspector of constabulary Sir Thomas Winsor said the claims were unfounded and contribute to “a perception of unfairness which is not correct”.
Zarah Sultana (below), who currently sits as an independent MP after her suspension from Labour over her two-child cap vote rebellion, called out Jenrick for his comments.
She tweeted: “When we say Islamophobia and racism is normalised and goes unchallenged, this is literally what we’re talking about.”
During the interview, the Sky News interviewer does not challenge Jenrick’s call for people saying “Allahu Akbar” to be arrested.
Tory peer Sayeeda Warsi, who has long been vocal about Islamophobia in her party, also criticised Jenrick.
In tweet, Baroness Warsi responded to a post made by Jenrick in which he appeared to attempt to partially walk back his comments.
She said: "No Robert you do not get to go on national broadcasters and say one thing and try and pretend you said something else after!
"If you genuinely feel your comments on [Sky News] were inappropriate, offensive, incendiary and anti Muslim ( which they were) then start by apologising. Then you can go back to pretending you are a responsible candidate for the leadership of our party.
"Not prepared to let you and other colleagues get away with this gaslighting and playing these games anymore- too much damage has already been done to our country and it deserves better than this populist nonsense."
