When a crisis breaks out, blame is quickly apportioned – either rightly or wrongly
The spread of COVID-19 throughout the United Kingdom has seen blame spread in a number of directions. While the government has been rightly criticised for its sluggish response to the pandemic, one of the most peculiar avenues has been to blame 5G technology and masts erected to improve internet in the UK for spreading it.
This of course is nonsense, but it points at a desire among people to find a scapegoat beyond those who are actually in charge of preventing such crises from happening.
Another dangerous untruth which has been spread, particularly by the far-right in the UK, is that the country’s Muslim community is hurting attempts to contain the disease by flouting social distancing measures.
Beginning with false claims that mosques would not be closing when churches did, to lies about plans for the upcoming month of Ramadan, the claims are damaging to the Muslim community here.
We spoke to Miqdaad Versi of the Muslim Council of Britain about the desire of some among us to blame Muslims for the spread of coronavirus, and why it is so damaging.
I spoke to @BeardedGenius about how some right wing bigots are trying desperately to make the coronavirus story about Muslims: first they tried falsely saying mosques weren't closing, now they are making things up about the upcoming month of Ramadan. https://t.co/RoUzCVpNg4
— Miqdaad Versi (@miqdaad) April 15, 2020
