We are appalled at the recent reports that Britain First visited and filmed a disinformation video outside of the construction site of the new Islamic Community Centre being built in Dalton near Ulverston.
Britain First is a far-right political group born out of the, now banned, British National Party.
We have viewed the video which includes them holding up banners reading “no mosque here” and footage featuring disinformation about the project, and about Muslims as a group.
Britain First have managed to get 70,000+ signatures for their petition demanding planning permission be revoked, and there are reports that local building suppliers have been ‘hesitant’ to be involved in the project.
We’re not surprised by this news, as there has been a marked uplift in far-right attention on the planned Islamic Community Centre. This messaging is taking a hold in our area as Cumbria continues to be a far-right target thanks to the normalised racism and Islamophobia across our communities which has been left unrecognised and unchallenged for too long.
The project has also recently been reported on by GB News, The Daily Mail and The Daily Express, and is gaining traction in spaces like this.
We are not only concerned for the safety of those involved in the project, but for all Muslim people living, working in, and visiting our county. Last summer’s racist, Islamophobic, anti-Black and anti-migrant riots are still fresh in our minds, and we continue to hear reports of overt racist incidents and hate crimes happening in our communities and schools.
We are all too aware that this story will continue to escalate as the story gets picked up by more news outlets, and further spread of disinformation will be inevitable unless it is challenged. The Guardian, for example have already reached out to us.
We have issued clear statements to the press to clarify and correct the messages the far-right have been peddling.
Below we explore and dispel some of the main false narratives and myths attached to the project, which will be helpful when you hear Islamophobic and racist views when this news story is discussed locally.
1. It’s a ‘Mega Mosque’
This is the lie which has spread the most. The far-right have branded the project a ‘mega mosque’ being build in the heart of the Lake District, but in reality what’s planned is a privately funded Islamic Community Centre with prayer rooms being built outside of the National Park.
2. This is a ‘white British area’ and ‘no one wants it’
The far-right continue to argue that the local area is ‘white British’, will not benefit from the project, and that no one in the local area wants the plans to go ahead.
This is factually incorrect. Although Cumbria does have a predominantly white community, it is not 100% ‘white British’ and there are already many Muslim, Black and Brown people living here. For those that are Muslim, they currently have to travel hours to get to a mosque or Islamic centre where they can connect with their faith and with others who share it.
Even if you are not Muslim yourself, you still benefit from this project as many Muslim people in the local area work in essential sectors such as our local NHS services. This includes those spear-heading the project. It’s a well-known fact that our local NHS services struggle to recruit and retain staff – even more so than in other parts of the country. For healthcare professionals who are Muslim, it is just not appealing to move to an area where you will not be able to practice your faith, and where you are likely to be met with Islamophobia and racism in your local community.
ARC have received enquiries from people who need to move to Cumbria for work or study who are worried about the level of racism they might face when they get here. This gives you just a tiny insight into how much unchecked racism is harming us as a county.
Another well-known fact is that tourism is one of our biggest sectors. An increasingly diverse mix of people are coming to Cumbria as tourists, and it only benefits our tourism economy if more Muslim people are encouraged to visit in the knowledge that they will be able to go to the Islamic Community Centre during their visit.
Finally, it’s worth stating that the planning permission went ahead because the majority of people in the community DID support the plans, and even put in letters of support. This is how planning permission works.
3. Funding
It is implied throughout the lies being spread that the local and wider community are paying for the centre to be built. In fact, funding for the building has been raised and paid for independently.
4. This area has been ‘ear-marked for mass Islamic immigration’
This is a direct quote from Britain First footage put out about their visit to the construction site, and it really exposes just how extreme and racist they really are.
This statement is directly linked to the well-documented, fascist conspiracy ‘The Great Replacement Theory’. It was first popularised in France by the far-right and is a theory that there is a ‘plot’ to make Muslims the majority in Britain.
We should be aware of fascist conspiracy theories such as this, and call them out as such when we see them.
The far-right have an Islamophobic, racist agenda and aim to create discord in our communities. We need to stay aware of this, prevent their disinformation and manipulation from taking a further hold, and actively come together to stand against this.
