This is patently ridiculous. Apparently Muslims on social media got their beards in knots over a realistic terror drill where a fake Muslim shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’, just before a very small explosion was simulated. Thus the Manchester police apologized profusely:
Via Fox News Insider:
Police in Manchester, England, have apologized for a counter-terror training drill in which a fake suicide bomber shouted “Allahu Akbar.”
The simulated attack took place Monday night at the city’s Trafford Centre. A man dressed in black walked into the building’s food court and shouted the Arabic phrase, which means “God is great,” at the crowd.
Seconds later, an explosion went off, following by simulated gunshots, as hundreds of volunteers, wearing safety glasses and hearing protection headgear, dropped to the floor and took cover.
Critics quickly used social media to complain that the depiction of the terrorist stereotyped Muslims.
From the Telegraph:
Dr Erinma Bell, who describes herself as a “Community Activist in Peace & Conflict Resolution” blasted on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/ErinmaBell/status/729941325311774720Manchester University’s diversity officer Ilyas Nagdee posted:
Stupid decision by @gmpolice to decide attackers should be seen as Muslim. Maybe that's why Islamophobias gone up 300% in the UK #CTexercise
— Ilyas Nagdee (@ilyas_nagdee) May 10, 2016
The CommunitySafetyForum said:
This sort of thing panders to stereotypes and further divides us. It will increase anti-Muslim hate crime. https://t.co/DHeTiU1oVT
— CommunitySafetyForum (@CSFUK) May 10, 2016
So then guess what happened:
Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan of Greater Manchester then said sorry after receiving several critical tweets about the exercise.
He said:
A statement from @gmpolice will be released shortly but this was unacceptable and I apologise for the offence caused https://t.co/gUewV68H2p
— ACC Garry Shewan (@ACCGarryShewan) May 10, 2016
This is political correctness run amok! These are not stereotypes when they’ve actually happened, and happened a lot!