From the continuing genocide in Gaza to the fall of dictators in Syria and Bangladesh, 2024 has been a tumultuous year for Muslims. Here are the top ten stories from the UK and abroad over the last 12 months.
ISRAEL PURSUES WAR AGAINST GAZA, LEBANON WITH GENOCIDAL BRUTALITY, GAINS ASCENDANCY IN CONFLICT
In 2024, Israel conducted a massive military operation in Gaza, aiming to dismantle Hamas and punish ordinary Palestinians. By early December 2024, over 44,000 Palestinians were reported dead (almost certainly an underestimate), with widespread destruction in Gaza. Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar were also assassinated.
The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel saw significant escalation. Hezbollah launched numerous attacks on Israel, while Israel responded with extensive airstrikes, including the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in September. This led to a ground invasion by Israel into Lebanon. In November, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon was mediated by the U.S. and France.
Israel also conducted strikes in Syria targeting Hezbollah and Iranian logistics networks. The Syrian government, while not directly engaging, allowed Iran to use its territory to support Hezbollah.
The Houthis increased their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and launched missiles toward Israel, aiming to support the Palestinian cause and Hezbollah. However, these actions were met with international military responses, including from the U.S.
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Iran launched ballistic missile attacks targeting Israel, with significant military engagements in January and October. But by the year’s end the Resistance Axis had effectively been neutralised.
BASHAR AL ASSAD FALLS IN SYRIA, HTS TAKE OVER
In December, a coalition of opposition fighters, primarily led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), managed to storm and take control of Damascus, leading to the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. This event was marked by widespread celebrations across Syria and among the Syrian diaspora. In the aftermath, Assad fled to Moscow and tens of thousands were released from Assad’s notorious prisons.
Israel capitalised on the situation by launching extensive airstrikes in Syria, particularly targeting areas near Damascus and around the Golan Heights, further complicating the regional dynamics.
Clashes have been reported among various rebel factions, including those backed by the U.S. and Turkey, with HTS attempting to consolidate power in areas like Dara’a and Damascus. This has led to a chaotic situation where different groups vie for control.
HTS has promised to form an inclusive government, though the actual implementation and acceptance by various factions remain uncertain.
SHEIKH HASINA FALLS IN BANGLADESH AFTER MASS STUDENT-LED PROTESTS
In August, widespread protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years. The protests were part of a broader movement against her government, culminating in violent clashes and the storming of her residence.
Following Hasina’s resignation, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed to head an interim government, aiming to restore order and prepare for new elections.
Protests initially focused on government accountability and electoral reforms but escalated into a broader civil disinvestment movement. This unrest was particularly intense in July, leading to what was termed the “July massacre” due to the violent suppression by government forces.
A significant student-led movement against the quota system in government jobs merged with broader anti-government protests, leading to the overthrow of Hasina’s government.
The political changes in Bangladesh raised concerns in India, affecting bilateral relations.
TRUMP RETURNS TO WHITE HOUSE, MUSLIMS ABANDON DEMOCRATS OVER GAZA
The voting patterns of Muslim Americans in the 2024 U.S. elections showed a significant shift from previous elections, particularly influenced by the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
According to an exit poll conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), 53.2% of Muslim voters supported Green Party candidate Jill Stein, 21.4% voted for Donald Trump, and 20.3% supported Kamala Harris.
In Michigan, where there is a significant Muslim population, Stein received 59% of the Muslim vote, with Trump at 22% and Harris at 14%.
This voting pattern marked a historic shift from the traditional Democratic support among Muslim voters. In 2020, an estimated 65% to 70% of Muslim voters supported Joe Biden. The 2024 results indicated a substantial drop for the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, to around 20%.
The primary reason cited for this shift was dissatisfaction with U.S. policy towards the Israel-Gaza conflict. Many Muslim voters felt alienated by the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, leading to a protest vote or support for third-party candidates who aligned more with their views on ending the conflict.
IMRAN KHAN JAILED IN PAKISTAN
In January 2024, Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison alongside his wife, Bushra Bibi, for corruption related to the illegal selling of state gifts. The case involved gifts Khan allegedly sold for personal gain during his tenure as PM from 2018 to 2022.
Khan was also sentenced to 10 years in jail for allegedly leaking official secrets. This conviction was related to him making public the contents of a secret diplomatic cable from Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington, which Khan claimed proved a conspiracy to remove him from power in 2022.
Khan’s convictions barred him from contesting the February 2024 general election. Despite this, candidates backed by his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), managed to win a significant number of seats, although they were forced to run as independents due to the party losing its election symbol.
Throughout his imprisonment, there were several legal battles. For instance, in April 2024, an appeal led to the suspension of his 14-year sentence in the Toshakhana case, although he remained in jail due to other charges. Khan also received bail or acquittal in various cases, but new charges were continually brought against him.
Concerns were raised about Khan’s health and treatment in prison, with reports indicating he was kept in solitary confinement and had limited access to family, lawyers and medical care.
Khan’s jailing polarised public opinion in Pakistan, with his supporters organising protests and his detractors seeing it as justice being served. Internationally, there were calls from human rights organizations and some foreign governments for fair treatment and due process, highlighting concerns over the rule of law and political freedom in Pakistan.
UK ELECTIONS: BRITISH MUSLIMS ABANDON LABOUR
In July, five independent candidates on pro-Palestine tickets were propelled into Parliament on the back of the Muslim vote.
They were Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, optometrist Shockat Adam in Leicester South, engineer Iqbal Mohamed in Dewsbury and Batley, solicitor Adnan Hussain in Blackburn, and former Liberal Democrat councillor Ayoub Khan in Birmingham Perry Barr.
Several other pro-Palestine independents came a close second to Labour in their constituencies.
The Muslim Vote organisation said the mass Muslim mobilisation around the General Election had been a huge success.
“The goal from the very start has been to empower the Muslim vote and send the main political parties a message: Muslims are united, in Muslim-heavy areas your majorities will be under threat, and there may even be an upset. Tonight we did that in spades.”
The Muslim Vote added that huge Labour majorities had been slashed, including for Wes Streeting, Rushanara Ali, Jess Philips and Keir Starmer.
On the other hand, split votes cost Muslims seats and the Muslim community turnout was low. Moreover, many Muslims still decided to vote Labour despite the shadow of Gaza hanging over us.
ANTI-MUSLIM, ANTI-IMMIGRANT RIOTS IN UK
In August, the United Kingdom experienced a series of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant riots that were sparked by misinformation after a mass stabbing in Southport on July 29, 2024, where three children were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga workshop.
False information spread rapidly on social media claiming the perpetrator, Axel Rudakubana, was a Muslim immigrant. In reality, Rudakubana was a British-born teenager from a Rwandan family, not a Muslim or an immigrant.
Protests erupted in various cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Hull, Blackpool, Nottingham, Leeds, Belfast, and Sunderland. These protests quickly turned violent, with rioters attacking mosques, hotels housing asylum seekers, and clashing with police. The violence included arson, looting, and physical assaults, with slogans like “get them out” and “stop the boats” being chanted.
Over 1,280 arrests were made, with nearly 800 charges by September 1, 2024. The riots led to injuries among police officers, with at least 56 reported in one incident in Rotherham. Property damage was extensive, with businesses and community centers targeted.
Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram were instrumental in spreading false narratives about the Southport attack, fueling the protests. High-profile figures like Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson were accused of stoking tensions through misinformation.
While the riots were powered by hate speech and misinformation, there were also significant counter-protests by anti-racist and anti-fascist groups, demonstrating solidarity with Muslims and immigrants.
TOMMY ROBINSON JAILED
The Islamophobe Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed in October 2024 for contempt of court. He was one of the main instigators of the summer anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant riots but his jailing was unrelated to this.
Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he admitted to breaching a High Court order from 2021. This order stemmed from a libel case where he was found to have made false allegations against a Syrian refugee named Jamal Hijazi. Despite the injunction that prohibited him from repeating these allegations, Robinson did so multiple times.
Despite being jailed, thousands of his supporters rallied in central London, demanding his release. His supporters viewed the sentencing as an example of political persecution, while others saw it as a necessary enforcement of legal accountability.
Robinson has a history of legal troubles, including previous convictions for contempt of court, assault, fraud, and entering the United States illegally.
HIZB UT-TAHRIR BANNED IN BRITAIN
Hizb ut-Tahrir was proscribed in the United Kingdom as a terrorist organisation on January 19, 2024.
The UK government accused Hizb ut-Tahrir of being an antisemitic organisation that actively promotes and encourages terrorism. This was particularly highlighted by the group’s response to the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel. Hizb ut-Tahrir’s alleged celebration of these attacks and their description of Hamas as “heroes” on their website were cited as evidence of promoting and encouraging terrorism.
The decision came after significant right-wing, pro-Israel political pressure.
Hizb ut-Tahrir criticised the ban, arguing it was an attack on free speech and association. The group promised to challenge the proscription through legal means, asserting that they have never resorted to violence in their political activism aimed at establishing an Islamic Caliphate.
There was a sentiment in the Muslim community that the ban was part of a broader pattern of Islamophobia and racialised security policies in the UK, where Muslim activism, especially when it involves criticism of Israel or Western foreign policy, is disproportionately scrutinised or criminalised.
NOT GUILTY: COCONUT PLACARD PROTESTOR CLEARED BY LONDON COURT
In September, pro-Palestine teacher Marieha Hussain, who carried a satirical placard depicting Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman as coconuts, was found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence.
Hussain, 37, of High Wycombe, was photographed at a pro-Palestine protest in November 2023 holding a placard depicting then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman as “coconuts” under a palm tree. The term “coconut” is sometimes used to imply that someone of non-white descent has adopted white cultural norms or politics (“brown on the outside, white on the inside”).
Hussain was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence for this depiction. Her trial took place at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in September 2024, where the prosecution argued that “coconut” was a racial slur, implying racial betrayal or “race traitor.”
The defence argued that the placard was satirical political criticism, not racially abusive, supported by expert testimony from academics like Professors Gus John and Gargi Bhattacharyya who discussed the term’s use in political critique.
On September 13, 2024, Hussain was acquitted. District Judge Vanessa Lloyd ruled that the placard was “part of the genre of political satire,” and the prosecution did not prove to the criminal standard that it was abusive.
Post-acquittal, Hussain filed complaints with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), alleging the case was unjustly pursued despite lacking solid evidence and potentially infringing on free speech rights.
