
Project Info
Category
Date
Does muslims in the United Kingdom are “calling for a ban on people eating in public during Ramadan daylight hours.” ?
Claim
A viral post circulating across X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Telegram alleges that Muslims in the United Kingdom are “calling for a ban on people eating in public during Ramadan daylight hours.” The posts feature a side-by-side collage showing radical preacher Anjem Choudary next to an image of a bacon sandwich, suggesting that British Muslims are pushing for restrictions on non-Muslims eating in public during the holy month.
Verification
The claim is entirely false and unsupported by any credible evidence. No official Muslim organisation, community leader, or faith-based council in the UK has issued or endorsed such a demand. The misleading narrative first appeared in May 2025 and resurfaced in October 2025, spreading rapidly on social platforms through pages known for anti-Muslim content.
The image of Anjem Choudary used in the viral post is old and unrelated to the current context. A reverse image search confirms that the photo was taken in 2011 in London, as part of a Getty Images collection. The inclusion of Choudary’s image a figure previously convicted for incitement but unaffiliated with mainstream Muslim groups was a deliberate attempt to give false visual credibility to the narrative.
To verify the authenticity of the claim, CyberPoe cross-referenced statements from two of the UK’s most prominent Muslim representative bodies: the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). Both organisations categorically denied the existence of any such proposal. A spokesperson for the MAB stated, “There is absolutely no truth to the claim that Muslims in the UK are calling for a ban on people eating in public during Ramadan daylight hours. It’s the sort of nonsense that thrives online somewhere between flat earth theories and 5G mind control conspiracies.” Similarly, the MCB clarified that, “No Muslim organisation or leader has ever proposed such a policy. These false stories only fuel prejudice and distract from real community issues.”
Context
The false claim re-emerged just months ahead of Ramadan 2026, which is expected to begin in mid-February 2026. This timing is notable because anti-Muslim misinformation tends to spike around religious observances, exploiting cultural sensitivities to inflame tensions. Fact-checkers at Reuters, BBC Monitoring, and several UK-based media literacy organisations have all confirmed that there is no discussion, proposal, or evidence suggesting such a ban has ever been requested or debated in the United Kingdom.
The narrative fits into a broader pattern of Islamophobic disinformation, where fabricated claims are used to portray Muslims as intolerant or extreme. This misinformation tactic mirrors previous viral hoaxes, such as claims about “Sharia zones” in London or “halal-only schools” both thoroughly debunked in the past.
Conclusion
There is no evidence whatsoever to support the claim that Muslims in the UK are demanding a ban on public eating during Ramadan. The viral post is a fabricated story, built on recycled images and unfounded assumptions designed to provoke religious animosity. It is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and fuel anti-Muslim sentiment online.
CyberPoe’s verification confirms that the content has no factual basis, no official endorsement, and no connection to any legitimate Muslim organisation in Britain. The post exemplifies the dangers of viral misinformation where old photos, emotional imagery, and hate-driven framing can manipulate public perception at scale.
CyberPoe | The Anti-Propaganda Frontline