Met Police chief condemns abuse of PC Fiona Shaik Umar

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has spoken out against the "vile" racist and misogynistic abuse aimed at PC Fiona Shaik Umar. The officer, who is the first hijab-wearing officer in her policing area, had recently received an award for her dedication to supporting female officers and enhancing representation within the force.

The award, presented at the Police Federation Annual Conference, was intended to recognise PC Umar's "exceptional commitment". However, Sir Mark revealed that the positive announcement triggered a wave of online hostility. This included an AI-generated image that depicted the officer with a suicide bomb, an act Sir Mark described as "horrific" and "vile."

Targeting minority officers

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Sir Mark noted that officers from minority ethnic backgrounds and female officers are disproportionately targeted with online abuse. He stated that the hateful comments directed at PC Umar were based on prejudice rather than any knowledge of her work. "These people haven’t met Fiona. They know nothing of her important work. They just saw that she is a female Muslim officer who wears a hijab and decided she wasn’t deserving as a result," he said in a statement.

PC Umar was commended by the Metropolitan Police Federation for her leadership in developing the Hijab Project. This initiative introduced new uniform options to better accommodate Muslim women officers. She has also provided individual support to Muslim officers and staff, fostering stronger connections between the police and Muslim communities.

In a video shared by the Metropolitan Police Federation, PC Umar expressed her humility at receiving the award. She shared that her motivation stems from a personal experience: her daughter once questioned if women who looked like her could become police officers. This prompted PC Umar to dedicate herself to creating a more inclusive environment for women within policing across the United Kingdom.