Robert Jenrick has sparked outrage by saying people shouting “Allahu Akbar” on the streets of London should be “immediately arrested”.
“Allahu Akbar” is an Arabic expression meaning “Allah is the greatest” or “God is the greatest” and is frequently used as a prayer and declaration of faith.
Asked if he believed the UK had a “two-tiered policing” system, Mr Jenrick said: Weather: “I have been very critical of the police in the past, particularly regarding the response of some police forces to the protests we have seen since October 7.
“It seems very wrong to me that someone shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ on the streets of London is not immediately arrested. Or that someone shouting genocide slogans at Big Ben is not immediately arrested. That attitude is wrong and I will always call the police.”
In February, pro-Palestinian activists projected the phrase “From the river to the sea” onto the parliament building during a demonstration, drawing the ire of some pro-Israel supporters who argued that the controversial phrase called for the elimination of the state of Israel.
Sharing a video of men in balaclavas shouting “Allahu Akbar” on X, Jenrick later added: “Allahu Akbar is chanted peacefully and spiritually by millions of British Muslims in their daily lives.
“But the offensive chants below are frightening and threatening and an offence under sections 4 and 5 of the Public Order Act.
“Extremists routinely misuse common expressions for their own shameful purposes. All violence must end. All violence must be opposed.”
The Muslim Association of Britain strongly condemned Jenrick’s comments.
“This is pure, unadulterated Islamophobia from Robert Jenrick and exactly what drives Islamophobic far-right extremists,” a statement on X said. “The media and politicians must be held to account for their role in the terror unleashed on the streets of Britain.”
The Muslim Council said the comments showed that “institutional Islamophobia is alive and well in the Conservative Party”.
“Mr Jenrick must show leadership as a potential leader, reassuring our communities at a time when fear is palpable,” a spokesman said. “He must apologise, retract his comments in full and speak to ordinary Muslims to understand why his words were so offensive. He must focus on ways to bring communities together, rather than fanning the flames of tension.”
Among the MPs demanding an apology from the former minister was Labour Party’s Naz Shah.
Posting on social media, he said: “This is pure ignorance and textbook Islamophobia from Robert Jenrick. He is literally equating every Muslim in the world with an extremist.
“Allah Hu Akbar means ‘God is Great’. It is a fundamental Islamic phrase that every Muslim in the world says in prayer. It is significantly the opening line of the call to prayer and the opening line of every prayer.
“Billions of Muslims use it every day in our prayers as part of our faith. It’s a common phrase, like Christians saying ‘Your Lord and Savior is Jesus Christ.’
“Imagine in this climate, he is either that ignorant or deliberately trying to stigmatize all Muslims. He should apologize and talk to Muslim communities and learn more about our faith.”
Afzal Khan, Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme, added: “Another day, another senior Conservative being Islamophobic. Allahu Akbar means God is great – the Muslim equivalent of Hallelujah.
“For Jenrick to go on national television and say that people who say Allahu Akbar should be arrested shows his deep-rooted prejudice against Muslims.”
Conservative Baroness Sayeeda Warsi accused the Conservative leadership candidate of “ugly divisive rhetoric”.
“Every day before parliament begins its work in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, we pray and thank God. At the heart of democracy, we say the words Allah hu Akbar in parliament. Robert Jenrick is part of that process,” he said.
Sir Keir Starmer has faced accusations of “two-tiered policing” in Britain, a far-right claim used to justify the unrest that has gripped the country over the past week. The accusations suggest police are taking a softer approach to left-wing and Islamist protesters than to white, working-class protesters.
The prime minister has categorically denied the allegations, saying they were “not a significant issue” and insisting that police work was carried out “without fear or favour”.
Asked about Mr Jenrick’s previous claim that “we have allowed our streets to be dominated by Islamist extremists”, in relation to the government’s vote on ceasefires in Israel and Gaza in February, the Newark MP said: “I think I am absolutely right.”
“At that time, we had situations where we had Islamist extremists on our streets. I just gave you one example, we had someone literally shouting or yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’ on Oxford Street. We saw people praising the Houthis for firing missiles at British-flagged ships at sea.
“This is completely wrong. This is anti-British, we have to speak out.”