Islamophobia: Key Adviser Under Fire for Past Accusations

The ongoing debate surrounding the UK government's efforts to define Islamophobia has been thrust into the spotlight again due to controversies involving Baroness Shaista Gohir, a key member of the advisory working group. Her past public statements about police actions have led to calls for her removal from the group, highlighting the tensions between protecting communities and upholding free speech.

The controversy centers on two separate incidents where Baroness Gohir, a non-party-political peer and CEO of the Muslim Women's Network UK, publicly commented on police conduct. In both cases, her initial accusations of excessive force or Islamophobia were later contradicted by official findings.

The West Midlands Police Incident

In 2019, Baroness Gohir shared a video on social media and accused Humberside Police of "racism" and "Islamophobia" for using "unnecessary use of excessive violence" against a Muslim man. She claimed the man was not resisting arrest. However, it was later confirmed that the officers were from West Midlands Police, not Humberside. A subsequent investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) cleared the officers of wrongdoing, finding their use of force to be "necessary and proportionate." The IOPC also concluded that the video was "not wholly representative of the incident" and found no evidence of racial discrimination.

The Manchester Airport Altercation

More recently, Baroness Gohir was criticized for her comments on a viral video from a 2024 altercation at Manchester Airport. Following the incident, she compared the police's actions to the murder of George Floyd and condemned them as "police brutality." The individual involved, Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, was subsequently convicted of assaulting two female police officers, Pc Lydia Ward and Pc Ellie Cook, and an earlier assault on a member of the public. Amaaz and his brother, who was also involved, have been granted a retrial regarding the alleged assault of a male police officer, Pc Zachary Marsden. Baroness Gohir has since clarified that she never defended Amaaz's criminal actions and welcomed his conviction. She stated that her concern was focused on the officer's conduct after the situation was under control. The male officer, Pc Marsden, and another officer are currently under investigation for potential gross misconduct regarding their use of force during the arrest.

Response and Fallout

Baroness Gohir's critics, including former Tory Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, have demanded her removal from the government's working group. Jenrick argued that her "kneejerk reaction is to smear others as Islamophobic without knowing the full details."

In her defense, Baroness Gohir has framed the criticism as a "smear campaign" and "misinformation" intended to "stop the vital task" of defining anti-Muslim hatred. She asserts that her work is essential to protecting Muslims in the UK from rising hatred and is committed to developing a definition that upholds free speech while protecting individuals from hatred.

The government's working group, appointed in early 2025 by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, was given a six-month mandate to provide a new, non-statutory definition of "anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia." The group's findings are expected to be published soon, with a recommendation anticipated in September 2025. The aim is to create a definition that is "reflective of a wide range of perspectives and priorities for British Muslims." The process has been met with concern from some, who fear a definition could have a "chilling effect" on free speech and criticism of religion. This complex situation highlights the difficulty of balancing freedom of expression with the need to protect communities from prejudice and hatred.