UK pledges extra cash for Muslims' security

LONDON, Mar 11 (Reuters): The British government on Monday pledged 117 million pounds ($150 million) towards protecting Muslim communities amid a rise in Islamophobia as it promises more action to tackle extremism.
The new funding, announced just over a week after extra cash was promised to enhance security for Jewish groups amid soaring anti-Semitism, will be used to protect mosques, Muslim faith schools and other community centres, the government said.
Tell Mama, a group which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, said last month there had been a 335 percent increase in cases since the Oct 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
"Anti-Muslim hatred has absolutely no place in our society. We will not let events in the Middle East be used as an excuse to justify abuse against British Muslims," Home Secretary (interior minister) James Cleverly said.
However, the announcement comes amid repeated accusations of Islamophobia among Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's own governing Conservatives who last month suspended one lawmaker after he said the Muslim mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was under the control of Islamists.