Third of Muslims say Islamophobia is an ‘everyday’ issue in Scotland

Anas Sarwar says the figures "shame us all"

The findings were branded "shameful" by the head of the Holyrood committee driving the probe.

Almost four-fifths of Muslims say the problem is getting worse with verbal abuse, at work and on social media, a particular problem.

 The public inquiry into Islamophobia in Scotland was launched last June by Holyrood's cross-party group (CPG) on Tackling Islamaphobia, in conjunction with Newcastle University.

 It sought written submissions and the initial analysis of the findings show that 35.5% of Muslim respondents say Islamophobia is an "everyday" issue, while 41.3% say they had experienced it.

 More than a third (36.6%) say they have been abused at work, while 32.6% reported being abused at work.

 Anas Sarwar, Labour MSP and chair of the Cross-Party Group on Tackling Islamophobia, said: “The early findings following the launch of this public inquiry make for sobering reading.

 “We pride ourselves on being a welcome and tolerant country, but this demonstrates how much more work we have to do.

 “There are people in Scotland who feel scared to leave their homes for fear of verbal of physical attack; are withdrawing from public services with devastating knock-on consequences on their health and education; and feel they are outsiders in their own country. This should shame us all."