Has the event finally changed the Media’s tune?
Many of you will be aware of the horrific attack directed at the worshipers of Finsbury Park Mosque shortly before 00:20 BST on Monday. Conducted by Darren Osbourne, a 47 year old from Cardiff, it involved ploughing into a group of people congregating just up the road at the Muslim Welfare House, using a rented van. Points to anyone who figures out where this style of attack has been seen before.
It seems Mr Osbourne has copied the style of attack that has been deployed by Islamic State idolisers and followers. Given the heightened alertness of police to terrorism in recent years, this method is being used since it is far harder to be detected by intelligence services who may be searching for more traditional-style attacks, such as suicide and car bombings.
Seeing as the attack was flagrantly carried out as a revenge attack targeted at the wider Muslim population, and was seemingly inspired by recent “terrorism” attacks in London and France, surely it should also be labelled as such? What struck me as surprising is that it finally is.
Theresa May, speaking yesterday, expressed her anger that it is “every bit as sickening” as other recent attacks, and a “reminder that terrorism, extremism and hatred take many forms”.
terrorism
noun: the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
All major newspapers in the UK are also referring to the attack as terrorism, and going by the very definition of terrorism it would seem to be a no-brainer. Unlawful violence was struck against civilians at their seemingly safe place of worship in the pursuit of as-of-yet unknown political aims, although his remarks that he wanted to “kill all Muslims” do not leave a lot to the imagination.
Having just passed the anniversary of MP Jo Cox’s death last year, it would seem appropriate to draw parallels between the media’s coverage of both. Both attacks were carried out by white, unquestionably British men, although only one was explicitly called out by politicians and the media for being “terrorism”. As a year has gone on since the Jo Cox attack, tensions regarding terrorism have escalated as the number of attacks this year have grown exponentially, with four terror attacks in the last three months alone. People are now very desperate to get to the root of the problem, and I feel that the media is now leading the charge on changing views on “terrorism” and who the finger is constantly pointed at.
In recent years “terrorism” has come with immediate connotations of extremist Islamic jihadism, exclusively being a word to describe an attack where the assailant is of the Muslim faith. I feel that using the word to describe attacks of any other religion or creed will be the very first step to easing tensions between communities, and leveling the playing field to aid talks seeking to quell the violence. We need to assure the Muslim population that attacks against them will be tarred with the exact same brush.