Minister Fires Islamophobia Adviser for Backing UK Cinema Protests

UK Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities Michael Gove at the Science Museum in London, on Oct. 19, 2021. Rob Pinney/Getty Images

A government adviser on Islamophobia who encouraged Muslims to protest against a cinema company to cancel the showing of a movie about the Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, has been sacked by Michael Gove for encouraging “communal tensions” and “limiting free expression.”

On Friday, it was reported that Imam Qari Asim, an independent adviser on Islamophobia to the British government, had backed protests to pull the film “The Lady of Heaven” that has been accused of “blasphemy.”

Despite Cineworld, which owns Vue Cinemas, telling The Epoch Times on June 7 that it had dropped the screenings of the film nationwide to “ensure the safety of our staff and customers,” protests were still ongoing last week.

‘Actions Are Incompatible’

In a letter published on Sunday (pdf), Gove said that the Leeds Makkah Mosque imam’s “actions are incompatible with the role of a government adviser on anti-Muslim hatred. This country is proud of its democratic values and freedoms, which include tolerance, freedom of expression, and community.”

The $15 million film was written by the Muslim Sheikh Yasser al-Habib and depicts a tale of the “heart-wrenching journey of Lady Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad,” according to its website.

The depiction of some of the characters angered some Sunni Muslims. Sunnis make up the vast majority of Muslims worldwide. Protests by Muslim men have taken place outside cinemas in Bradford, Bolton, Birmingham, and Sheffield since June 5.

“We write now because we have no option but to withdraw the appointment and end your roles with Government with immediate effect,” Gove wrote. “Your recent support for a campaign to limit free expression—a campaign which has itself encouraged communal tensions—means it is no longer appropriate for you to continue your work with Government in roles designed to promote community harmony.”

“You have encouraged an ongoing campaign to prevent cinemas screening the film ‘Lady of Heaven,’ a clear effort to restrict artistic expression, and the campaign you have supported has led to street protests which have fomented religious hatred,” he added.

Campaign to Limit Free Expression

“This clear involvement in a campaign to limit free expression is incompatible with the role of a government adviser,” wrote Gove.

“You will have no doubt seen reports of the scenes outside different cinema venues. These included deeply disturbing videos of sectarian chanting and anti-Shia hatred. As you know, anti-Shia hatred is a long-standing and very serious issue, which must be challenged at every opportunity as part of a wider effort to combat anti-Muslim hatred. We were disappointed to see that you failed to condemn some of the protests complicit in these behaviours,” he said.

On Sunday, Asim released a statement in response, saying that the UK government had not contacted him before making its decision and there had been “no opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings.” He added that he did not attend or organise any of the protests.

Asim was appointed an independent adviser in 2019 to provide expert advice on a definition of Islamophobia to the government.

He said that he fully understood and supported the values of free speech, but “there is a nuanced and complex debate around when free speech has boundaries and limits.”