CAIRO – Manchester police chief apologized on Tuesday, May 10, for staging a mock attack featuring a bomber shouting “Allahu Akbar”, an exercise criticized for racial stereotyping of Muslims.
“The scenario for this exercise is based on a suicide attack by extremist Daesh style organization and the scenario writers have centered the circumstances around previous similar attacks of this nature, mirroring details of past events to make the situation as real life as possible for all of those involved,” Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan of Greater Manchester said in a statement cited by The Telegraph.
“However, on reflection we acknowledge that it was unacceptable to use this religious phrase immediately before the mock suicide bombing, which so vocally linked this exercise to Islam. We recognize and apologize for the offence this has caused.”
The exercise was carried out at the Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester overnight to test the emergency response.
It had depicted a suicide bomber detonating explosives and opening fire in the middle of a busy shopping mall.
Eight hundred volunteers took part in the overnight drill to make it as realistic as possible.
Manchester peace activist Dr Erinma Bell criticized the use of a “Muslim terrorist”.
She said “a terrorist can be anyone” and “we need to move away from stereotypes”.
Similar criticism was expressed by Manchester University’s diversity officer Ilyas Nagdee who said that the drill’s depiction of the terrorist “stereotyped” Muslims.
“Stupid decision by @gmpolice to decide attackers should be seen as Muslim. Maybe that’s why Islamophobi has gone up 300% in the UK #CTexercise,” he posted on Twitter.
“This sort of thing panders to stereotypes and further divides us. It will increase anti-Muslim hate crime…,” the CommunitySafetyForum said.
Britain is home to a sizable Muslim minority of nearly 2.8 million, according to last census published in 2011.
They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.