The uprisings are in England and Northern Ireland, not Scotland
Published in The Herald on 6th August and The Scotsman on 7th August.
UK and foreign media reports refer to ‘UK uprisings.’ But one nation isn’t experiencing these uprisings - Scotland.
Why not?
First, is identity. A 2011 survey found that Muslims in Scotland are more likely to identify as Scottish than Muslims in England are to identify as English. A 2005 study noted:
“it was widely acknowledged and appreciated that compared with other parts of the country, especially England, Scotland was a tolerant place.”
Second, Scots have consistently demonstrated support for the Palestinian people against whom Israel is committing a genocide. In 2016, the ‘Green Brigade’, known for their Irish Republicanism and support for Palestinians, along with Celtic fans, raised £175k for a football team in Aida refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The money was raised to defy a UEFA fine on the Celtic club when Palestinian flags were waved at a game against the Israeli club Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
Third, mosques in Scotland don’t have radical preachers. One reason is Scotland’s Muslim community come from more middle class and educated backgrounds than their UK counterparts. 38% of Muslims in Scotland are educated to degree level or above compared to a UK average of 27%.
This is also reflected in the Scottish prison population where 1.8% is Muslim, consistent with the 1.45% of Scotland’s Muslim population, whereas 13% of England’s prison population is Muslim, double the 6.5% English Muslim population.
Finally, national governance matters. In 2015 a young Scottish Muslim wrote:
“… political grievances at home are a major factor in radicalising young people, from perceived western imperialism and bias towards Israel. While these issues are not exclusive to England, the Scottish government seems more supportive of the Muslim perspective. During the bombing of Gaza last year [2014], Holyrood was quick to condemn Israel, whereas Cameron came to Israel’s defence.”
Isn’t Scotland tired of being tarred with the UK brush?
A follow up. The use of 'UK' and 'Britain' as synonyms for England reveals the elite mindset of Scotland as an annexed dependency, like NI or Wales. The very different response to the murderous Southport rampage shows how, as with the Brexit vote, Scotland retains a distinct and separate identity despite 300 years of attempted assimilation.
Leah asks: "Isn’t Scotland tired of being tarred with the UK brush?" Yes indeed (although Channel 4's presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy apologised for conflating England and UK after Scottish viewers had complained). Let's be clear that conflation is a long-standing colonialist tactic: it doesn't just wrongly spread the blame to its subject nations, it also infers that such subject nations have no identity or separate culture. It is a clear example of English nationalism and presumed superiority. It's something we Scots have to call out as it pervades every aspect of our lives from weather forecasts to the media and news broadcasts.