Extremism and Integration

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 8 July 2013.

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Photo of Eric Pickles Eric Pickles The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2:30, 8 July 2013

The most important thing that we did was establish a way of recording anti-Muslim attacks. We took on board what had been happening with anti-Semitic attacks and took some of it across. I have to say to the right hon. Gentleman that those statistics include things being said on Twitter as well as actual attacks against individuals, and it is important that we have a degree of grading.

In the aftermath of the tragic and unjustified recent murder of Drummer Rigby, there were a number of attacks on mosques. I talked to the imams of just about every single one, and they wanted to be clear that the attack was not in their name. They condemned it and were looking towards greater integration within society.