Anti-Muslim prejudice and racism are becoming increasingly institutionalized across Europe, according to a major new study. The report warns that Muslim women, visibly religious Muslims, and Muslim communities more broadly are facing growing discrimination in the name of security, national identity, and social cohesion.
The 2025 report, published by the Brussels-based Collectif for Countering Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE), documented 876 incidents of anti-Muslim hate crimes across 11 countries. Researchers say the actual number is likely far higher, as many incidents go unreported.
According to the report, Europe is moving beyond isolated acts of hate toward policies and public narratives that portray Muslims as a group requiring special scrutiny. Women accounted for 80% of reported victims, with discrimination related to wearing the hijab among the most common complaints.
Researchers also raised concerns about a sharp increase in online hate speech. An analysis of nearly 15 million social media posts found spikes in religious hate speech and violent rhetoric during elections, terrorist attacks, and major global political crises.
In the United Kingdom, the report was particularly critical of the government’s counterterrorism program, Prevent. It argued that the policy disproportionately targets Muslims, with religious identity and political views often treated as indicators of potential risk.
The report also pointed to increased surveillance, restrictions on religious expression, and the conditional treatment of Muslim rights in countries such as Denmark and Sweden as part of broader political trends across Europe.
Researchers warned that if anti-Muslim hate becomes normalized, it could create dangerous social conditions in the future.
You can read the full report by the Collectif for Countering Islamophobia in Europe here:
CCIE ANNUAL REPORT ON FOR THE YEAR ISLAMOPHOBIA IN EUROPE 2025
