Tower Hamlets moves Islamophobia conference off Remembrance Day

Tower Hamlets Council has moved an Islamophobia Awareness Month conference after criticism that it was scheduled for 11am on Remembrance Day. The event had been advertised for 11 November from 11am to 12.30pm, with a light lunch provided. That timing coincided with the national two-minute silence.

The council's tweet said November is Islamophobia Awareness Month and that the conference would bring together the community and key partners to discuss Islamophobia. Critics said holding it at 11am on Remembrance Day showed a lack of awareness of an important date in the British calendar.

In coverage of the row, it was reported that the council had decided to move the event to Tuesday 10 November at 10.30am. A request for comment was made to Tower Hamlets Council.

The discussion also examined whether the clash was deliberate or an oversight. One speaker argued the council probably did not realise the significance, while another said the timing was wrong at every level and questioned why the date had not been checked. Speakers noted that Muslims fought across the empire with Britain and that offices and schools often hold meetings on 11 November but pause for the silence.

The broadcast described Tower Hamlets as a diverse borough with a large Muslim population. It also raised wider objections to Islamophobia Awareness Month and separate claims about local councillors in Tower Hamlets running for parliamentary office in Bangladesh. Those points were not directly connected to the conference scheduling.