I was there at the Trafalgar Square Iftar. Don’t let social media shape your view of it |
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I was there at the Trafalgar Square Iftar. Don’t let social media shape your view of it
It was twisted into an act of 'Muslim domination' of the public space. Commenters were quick to speculate that this was a show of force.
I was once invited to see a Bollywood set, and I wish I hadn’t gone. The movie magic doesn’t quite hit the same when you’ve seen the green screen backgrounds, the half built frames, the taped marks where the actors have to stand. The illusion was shattered for me in much the same way—this time by accident—when it came to the latest Muslim row in the UK. A social media spectacle many seem all too eager to mistake for reality.
For those unfamiliar with London, Trafalgar Square is one of the most iconic open spaces in the UK capital. It hosts London’s yearly Christmas tree and Easter Passion Play, a Menorah for Hanukkah, Chinese New Year celebrations, Vaisakhi, Diwali—and, most recently, an Open Iftar event.
I was there myself that evening. The organisers were sharing a free dinner—with Muslims and others alike. There were speeches about coexistence, about belonging, about the values the country takes pride in. Even the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was there, participating like anyone else. I was struck by how ordinary it all felt—people simply coming together to share a meal. It turned the idea of a city where all can feel at home into a lived reality—the same feeling I felt attending the many festivals of India growing up.
But it turns out my impressions were wrong, and I had unknowingly been at ground zero of the most dangerous Islamic attack of late on the very culture and identity of Britain—or so you’d think based on the social media reactions.
It started only a few hours later with a blurry image from the event, of people praying in the square. It was twisted into an act of “Muslim domination” of the public........