Thousands demand inquiry into 'press racism'

Almost 6,000 people have contacted the newspaper regulator calling for an inquiry into press racism.

Campaign group Global Justice Now are trying to get 10,000 people to write an email of complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

The group complains that: ‘Racism in the UK press is massively contributing to the climate of hostility that migrants, refugees and Muslims are facing. It’s time for everybody to stand up against this.’

So far, 5,852 people have written to IPSO.

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Global Justice Now highlighted one recent headline which has appeared in one tabloid.

‘The Sun recently ran a piece by their political editor that referred to “The Muslim Problem”,’ it wrote.

‘Something is clearly going very wrong when newspapers can demonise entire cross sections of society without worrying about any consequences.’

It said Muslim and Jewish groups have complained to IPSO.

It also calls for the resignation of Trevor Kavanagh, the former Sun polticial editor who wrote the piece headlined the ‘Muslim Problem’, and who sits on the IPSO board.

The call comes just as there has been criticism of press coverage on a story involving the adoption of a ‘white Christian girl’ by a Muslim family.

Several aspects of the story as reported have been criticised as inaccurate, prompting further discussion over the role of the media.

Global Justice describes itself as a ‘social justice organisation working as part of a global movement to challenge the powerful’.