World Bulletin / News Desk

Passengers on a train watched on as a helpless Muslim woman was showered in alcohol in a violent Islamophobic attack, Birmingham researchers have revealed reports the Birmingham mail.

This incident and numerous other attacks on Muslims will be unveiled in a full report, in the British parliament today.  The report, the first of its kind, has been comissioned by Tell Mama an organisation set up for the reporting of attacks against Muslims.

The woman who was doused in said: “People were watching but they ignored it. No-one wanted to help,”

The study also revealed that many Muslims were reluctant to report incidents of abuse and often received little support from onlookers.

Another participant told researchers: “A man shouted to me and my Muslim friends, ‘You are terrorists, I’m gonna come to the back of the bus and stab you’.

“I told the bus driver and asked him to stop and call the police but he refused.”

As a direct result of attacks, Muslim women have said they are removing their headscarves and men are shaving their beards in a bid to disguise their Islamic beliefs through fear of being targeted in religious hate attacks.

The study, which looked at attacks on Muslims both online and “in real life”, also uncovered evidence that men are especially unwilling to report attacks through fear of being seen as weak.

Birmingham City University criminologist Imran Awan said: “This research reveals worrying levels of fear and intimidation experienced by many Muslims, compounded by a lack of support from the wider public when facing physical threats in the real world and an absence of tough action from social media platforms at the abuse people are receiving online.

“Participants argued that anti-Muslim hate must be challenged from within Muslim communities – too often reluctant to report abuse or attacks – and that the public should intervene and assist victims of anti-Muslim hate where possible.”