BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 31
Trend:
Islamophobia has significantly increased and even reached a critical point in Europe, Trend reports on Dec. 30.
This is evidenced by a number of research works prepared by political scientists and experts for international relations.
In general, many researchers unanimously agree that Islamophobia in Europe hasn’t declined, but, on the contrary, manifests itself more and more often, reaching almost a critical state. In recent years France with its President Emmanuel Macron, who established in the country laws on the so-called "fight against terrorism", which directly persecuted the Muslim population of the country, has become the main display of Islamophobia in Europe.
The closure of the French supervisory body Collectif contre l'islamophobie en France (Collective against Islamophobia in France) is an example of "how far the state Islamophobia has gone."
Macron’s policies, which, as the government claims, are meant to strengthen France’s secular system, according to the critics, restrict religious freedom and marginalize Muslims.
The laws have been criticized for targeting France's Muslim community - the largest in Europe with 3.35 million members - and impose restrictions on many aspects of its members' lives.
In Germany as a whole there have been documented more than 31,000 cases of hate crimes, including 901 anti-Muslim hate crimes, while France recorded 1,142 cases of hate crimes, including 235 cases against Muslims.
However, before making a conclusion that hate crimes are more common in Germany than in France, it’s worth considering how seriously French police officers treat documenting of such crimes.