Peterborough City Council leader condemns racist abuse aimed at colleague
In a meeting, she called the threats “totally unacceptable” and urged councillors to stand united against hate.
Peterborough City Council leader Shabina Qayyum has spoken out in support of her colleague who received racist and Islamophobic abuse.
At a full council meeting on Wednesday (15 October), Cllr Qayyum gave an impassioned speech in which she referred to incidents of online abuse that made direct threats to the safety of the council’s cabinet member for finance and corporate governance Cllr Mohammed Jamil.
She told councillors: “Last Thursday a multi-faith vigil took place in the city to remember the victims of the synagogue attack in Manchester and arson attacks at mosques in our country and for community leaders to stand in unity against all forms of hate.
“Everyone should feel free to practise their faith without fear and we must continue to take a stand against all forms of hate and prejudice.
“My deputy in the Labour Group and cabinet member, Cllr Mohammed Jamil has been subjected to a number of racist, Islamophobic comments online and via email over one of our potential asset sales.
“I want to call out such comments as totally unacceptable. Whilst we are the subject of public scrutiny, no elected official should have to face a hate crime such as racism calling their safety into question for simply doing their job.
“I hope that you will all join me in standing with Cllr Jamil and rejecting the normalisation of such online hate which has no place in our city.
“Today marks four years since Sir David Amess was killed. I will not compromise on the safety of our members to do their job safely in this city.”
Other group leaders also spoke out in support of Cllr Jamil and condemned the abuse.
Conservative group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald said: “Nobody should tolerate any disrespect or racism and it’s abhorrent and we stand by you on that.”
Cllr Nicola Day, deputy leader of the Green Party, added: “As Greens, we welcome community leaders coming together in unity against all forms of hate.
“We must show allyship to all faiths, residents and community groups whether they be mosques, churches, synagogues, mandirs, or migrants living here.
“We echo the leader’s sentiment that we must stand against all forms of hate and prejudice.”
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Qayyum said she was “incredibly saddened and upset” by the abuse Cllr Jamil received following an article in the press regarding the sale of a public asset.
“The language and threat to safety are totally unacceptable,” she said.
“We have a zero tolerance approach to such behaviour in our city towards our members and comments which we feel have crossed the line from free speech into acts of hate or are inciting violence have been reported to the police.”