United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday there was a “disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry” around the world while urging online tech platforms to curb hate speech and harassment.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Guterres’ video message came ahead of the International Day to combat Islamophobia. Rights groups around the world and the United Nations have noted a rise in Islamophobia, anti-Arab bias and antisemitism since the start of Israel’s devastating military assault on Gaza following Palestinian Hamas militants’ deadly October 7, 2023, attack.

KEY QUOTES

“We are witnessing a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim bigotry. From racial profiling and discriminatory policies that violate human rights and dignity, to outright violence against individuals and places of worship,” the UN chief said, without mentioning any specific country or government.

“Online platforms must curb hate speech and harassment. And we must all speak out against bigotry, xenophobia and discrimination.”

CONTEXT

Rights advocates have for years raised concerns about stigma faced by Muslims and Arabs because of how some people conflate those communities with Islamist militant groups.

At present, many pro-Palestinian activists, including in Western nations such as the United States, have complained and say that their advocacy for Palestinian rights is wrongly labeled by their critics as support for Hamas.

In recent weeks, rights watchdogs have published data noting record levels of anti-Muslim hate incidents and hate speeches in countries such as the UK, US and India, among others. The governments of those countries say they aim to combat all forms of discrimination.