British lawmaker faces backlash after calling for arrest of protesters chanting 'Allahu Akbar'

LONDON

A senior British Conservative member of parliament has come under intense criticism after suggesting that police should arrest protesters chanting “Allahu Akbar,” an Arabic phrase used by Muslims meaning "God is great.”

Robert Jenrick made the remarks this week while being interviewed by Sky News, claiming the police have been more severe in their handling of far-right violent riots than other protests.

He expressed discontent with their handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

“I have been very critical of police in the past, particularly around the attitude of some police forces to the protests we saw since 7 October," referring to the deadly attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.

"I thought it was quite wrong that somebody could shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested; project genocidal chants on to Big Ben and not be immediately arrested. That attitude is wrong, and I’ll always call out the police for it," he said.

Jenrick's comments drew sharp reactions from politicians and civil society representatives.

Mel Stride, former secretary of state for work and pensions, said the "suggestion of wholesale criminalization of the words Allahu Akbar is unwise and insensitive."

"Any threat in the use of these words can only ever be implied in the very rarest of circumstances," he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: "People like Robert Jenrick have been stirring up some of the problems that we’ve seen in our communities."

"Actually, what we want to see is communities coming together, and the vast majority of the public want to see that," she added.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, a Conservative Member of the House of Lords, also condemned Jenrick's comments.

"Every day before we start parliamentary business in the Commons and Lords we say a prayer and praise God – we say our parliamentary version of Allahu Akbars at the heart of democracy – a process Robert Jenrick is a part of," she wrote on X.

"This language from Jenrick is more of his usual nasty divisive rhetoric – he is such a tool," she added.

Lawmaker Naz Shah labeled Jenrick's comments as "complete ignorance and textbook Islamophobia," accusing him of equating all Muslims with extremism.

Shah urged Jenrick to apologize, engage with Muslim communities and educate himself about the faith.

The Muslim Council of Britain also criticized Jenrick on X, noting that "as a prospective leader, Mr. Jenrick should be showing leadership, reassuring our communities when fear is palpable."

"Instead, calling for a well-worn religious phrase to warrant arrest is the kind of divisive language we would come to expect by sections of the media and politicians," it stressed.

"This divisive rhetoric has emboldened the far-right thugs we see on our streets today," it added.

*Alperen Aktas contributed to this story from Istanbul