Terrorist attacks are the main drivers of Islamophobia, anti-immigration sentiments and rise of the right all over the world. A series of IS attacks in the West has resulted in a spate in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant hatred. Last week’s devastating IS suicide attacks on Brussels airport and the metro, the death toll in which has reached 35, too have triggered a fresh wave of anti-immigrant hatred. Belgian riot police fired water cannons on Sunday to disperse far-right football hooligans who disrupted mourners at a shrine for victims of the attacks. Black-clad protesters shouting anti-immigrant slogans zeroed in on the makeshift memorial at where hundreds of people had gathered in a show of solidarity. The clashes between the far-right supporters and cops show the rising tensions in the country after Tuesday’s attacks.
Such protests and rise of the right are expected after terrorist attacks as some sections of the society will feel infuriated more than others and will be tempted to express their anger on the streets. But generally, Europeans have been sympathetic to immigrants and have resisted the temptation to become victims of xenophobia. The government in Brussels too has acted with judiciously and with caution in their reaction to the attacks. While there have been several raids after the attacks, the authorities and the police have refrained from actions that will be interpreted as an excessive reaction and targeting of Muslim community. Police carried out 13 raids on Sunday across the country, questioning nine people and holding four for further inquiries. While the social media has been abuzz about the threat of Islamic extremism, there have also been voices of support and calls for restraint. The media too adopted a cautious approach in general without trying to stigmatise the entire Muslim community.
But one lesson of the Brussels blasts has been the need for heightened security. Though it’s true that all terrorist attacks can’t be prevented even with the use of the best intelligence machinery, there have been questions about the security preparedness and preparations of the Belgium government. Some believe the authorities could and should have done more to prevent the massacre, as the links to the November Paris attacks by IS grow clearer by the day. Turkey too had said that the Belgian government failed to act on the tips provided by it to Brussels about potential terrorists.
The IS militants are on the run after the setbacks they suffered in Iraq and Syria and they are likely to launch more attacks in Europe and other countries. The governments must increase security and act more diligently on the information collected.
Terrorist attacks are the main drivers of Islamophobia, anti-immigration sentiments and rise of the right all over the world. A series of IS attacks in the West has resulted in a spate in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant hatred. Last week’s devastating IS suicide attacks on Brussels airport and the metro, the death toll in which has reached 35, too have triggered a fresh wave of anti-immigrant hatred. Belgian riot police fired water cannons on Sunday to disperse far-right football hooligans who disrupted mourners at a shrine for victims of the attacks. Black-clad protesters shouting anti-immigrant slogans zeroed in on the makeshift memorial at where hundreds of people had gathered in a show of solidarity. The clashes between the far-right supporters and cops show the rising tensions in the country after Tuesday’s attacks.
Such protests and rise of the right are expected after terrorist attacks as some sections of the society will feel infuriated more than others and will be tempted to express their anger on the streets. But generally, Europeans have been sympathetic to immigrants and have resisted the temptation to become victims of xenophobia. The government in Brussels too has acted with judiciously and with caution in their reaction to the attacks. While there have been several raids after the attacks, the authorities and the police have refrained from actions that will be interpreted as an excessive reaction and targeting of Muslim community. Police carried out 13 raids on Sunday across the country, questioning nine people and holding four for further inquiries. While the social media has been abuzz about the threat of Islamic extremism, there have also been voices of support and calls for restraint. The media too adopted a cautious approach in general without trying to stigmatise the entire Muslim community.
But one lesson of the Brussels blasts has been the need for heightened security. Though it’s true that all terrorist attacks can’t be prevented even with the use of the best intelligence machinery, there have been questions about the security preparedness and preparations of the Belgium government. Some believe the authorities could and should have done more to prevent the massacre, as the links to the November Paris attacks by IS grow clearer by the day. Turkey too had said that the Belgian government failed to act on the tips provided by it to Brussels about potential terrorists.
The IS militants are on the run after the setbacks they suffered in Iraq and Syria and they are likely to launch more attacks in Europe and other countries. The governments must increase security and act more diligently on the information collected.
