LONDON – A day after the spread of hateful “Punish a Muslim Day” letters, a new hashtag #LoveAMuslimDay is now trending in the UK with an objective of countering hate with love.
“Instead of “Punish a Muslim Day”, we will have #LoveAMuslimDay ?because we believe in spreading love and not hatred,” Dobir Miah wrote on Twitter.
Instead of “Punish a Muslim Day”, we will have #LoveAMuslimDay ?because we believe in spreading love and not hatred ??#SpreadLoveNotHate pic.twitter.com/k3fYvmJrsU
— Dobir Miah (@dobirmiah) March 11, 2018
The new initiative was launched one day after the hate letters were sent to random UK homes asking the recipients to join a national day of violence against Muslims in April.
The letter asked people to carry out violent acts including verbal abuse, removing a woman’s hijab or head-scarf, physical assault and using acid as a weapon.
In a swift reaction, several Muslims have taken to Twitter to counter hate with love.
Combat hate with love. #LoveAMuslim #LoveAMuslimDay #WeDontHate #LoveEveryone #NoSpaceForHate #SpreadPositivity #RT #Like #Share #Muslim #DefeatTheBigots pic.twitter.com/EPODZm9eVC
— ? (@Ali_LFC) March 12, 2018
As lovely as #LoveAMuslimDay might be it shouldnt detract from the fact that there has, I feel, been a hate crime committed. It encourages bombing, acid attacks, torture and violence . It incites religious hatred. What is being done about it? @metpoliceuk @WestYorksPolice ? pic.twitter.com/FLKQY5Hjgh
— Siema Iqbal (@siemaiqbal) March 12, 2018
Nice response for that hateful letter. As a Muslim I only wish we are just treated like the rest but if you want to gain extra 3000 points buy a 50mm 1.4 lens and send it my way lol #LoveAMuslimDay pic.twitter.com/Eux11dXjq2
— Nader Elgadi (@Tajourian) March 11, 2018
Love a Muslim day 03/04/2018
Start collecting your points now #loveamuslimday pic.twitter.com/M6FlOuKF9d— B Lloyd (@IDLrossy) March 11, 2018
This is what we should be celebrating rather than spreading the vileness that’s being propagating by a few narrow minded nasty, bigoted individuals.
So lets get #LoveAMuslimDay? trending ?? #SpreadLoveNotHate pic.twitter.com/9859fl3IxN
— Shahid M.Sardar ? (@Shahid_MoSardar) March 11, 2018
Some non-Muslims were already thinking of how to collect points on the love day.
How can I celebrate #LoveAMuslimDay on bedrest? By being a good friend to my Muslim friends? Signing helpful petitions? What else?
— (((Erin Summers Norman))) (@ErinSummersN) March 11, 2018
How utterly, utterly terrifying. Can we make 3rd April #LoveAMuslimDay instead? With suggestions for acts of kindness. (No points – being nice should be natural, not a competition). Something needs to balance out this kind of hatred. https://t.co/zR6QGzu16E
— #hellomynameisKate (@katy_mama) March 11, 2018