https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ban-rhetoric-that-dehumanises-muslims-says-leading-cleric-1.3828960

Ban rhetoric that dehumanises Muslims, says leading cleric

Community in Ireland fearful after New Zealand massacre because Islamophobia ‘ignored’

A leading Muslim cleric has called for legislation banning commentary that “dehumanises” his community or appears to justify the murder of Muslims.

Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, said Irish politicians and media did not engage in Islamophobic rhetoric. However, they did ignore it when espoused by online activists, and this was “hugely problematic”, he said.

Speaking on RTÉ radio on Saturday, on the issue of Friday’s massacre in the New Zealand city of Christchurch of 49 people at two mosques, Dr Al-Qadri said the Muslim community in Ireland “felt what happened in New Zealand and we are still feeling it”. He said the community’s leaders were meeting gardaí to assess security at mosques here.