Tower Hamlets defends Kobi Nazrul school from Tommy Robinson following inflammatory Daily Mail article

Safety of children a concern at Kobi Nazrul Primary School after far-right activist Tommy Robinson criticised pupils not having English as a first language. 

Kobi Nazrul Primary School in Whitechapel has been subject to racist national attention, after a Daily Mail article highlighted the school as having no pupils who speak English as a first language. 

The article, sensationally entitled ‘The school where NONE of the pupils speak English as first language’ explained that the first language for the majority of the students is Bengali. 

This was described as a ‘language barrier,’ despite one parent quoted explaining that most of the students speak English fluently as well. 

Kobi Nazrul recently received a glowing Ofsted report, including a ‘good’ rating (the second-highest score) and was described as ‘friendly and welcoming.’ 

The Daily Mail piece published on 21 June was picked up by far-right and anti-Islam campaigner Tommy Robinson, who co-founded the English Defence League (EDL).

On June 21, Robinson rephrased a quote from the article on X, saying, ‘The school sits in a quiet side street off the busy Commercial Road in Whitechapel – a district once synonymous with Jack the Ripper and the Kray twins and home to the nation’s true Cockneys, now this.’ 

Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman responded to Robinson on X on June 24, saying, ‘This is racist nonsense being peddled by the far right. These kids speak English as well as other languages.    

‘Kobi Nazrul is an outstanding local school, recently recognised with a glowing report from Ofsted, and the incredibly dedicated staff work tirelessly to support all pupils to thrive in education.

‘It’s despicable to attack a school and the children who attend it, making many teachers, parents and pupils feel under threat and we are supporting them regarding safeguarding risks.

‘Our community is proud of our diversity and our history of anti-racism. […] And invoking Jack the Ripper isn’t the flex he seems to think it is.. and shows how little he knows about our history!’ 

Tower Hamlets has been a frequent target of racial scapegoating and was infamously dubbed a ‘no-go’ zone by Tory MP Paul Scully. 

The Daily Mail article comes shortly after racist riots broke out in Northern Ireland at the beginning of this month. Last summer, anti-immigrant violence spread across the UK after three young girls were stabbed to death in Southport. 

In a rare show of agreement between Tower Hamlets Labour and Rahman’s independent party, Aspire, Labour leader Councillor Sirajul Islam also condemned the Daily Mail article. 

‘The Daily Mail’s attack on Kobi Nazrul Primary School is nothing more than fearmongering dressed up as news,’ said Islam, ‘The article seeks to divide our community by focusing on the fact that pupils learn English as an additional language. 

Islam continued, ‘When you demonise people, you risk inciting violence.

‘We stand firmly behind Kobi Nazrul Primary, its students, staff and families. We reject any attempt to belittle our schools or our borough.’

Tower Hamlets is often the epicentre of racist fearmongering about immigration and diversity in London. A recent Standard headline asks, ‘If immigration continues at current levels, what will happen to London?’ 

The Standard continues,  ‘Demographic transformation inevitably takes its toll. Unless you are either pretty affluent, recently arrived from somewhere much poorer or live in an ethnic core (like Bangladeshis in Tower Hamlets), London’s quality of life leaves much to be desired.’ 

The Daily Mail article on Kobi Nazrul chooses to overlook its history and its current happy students. Instead, the narrative is of nationalist nostalgia. ‘Gone are the traditional East End pubs and pie and mash shops and in their place are Islamic cafes and shops selling Muslim robes and sarees,’ one line reads. 

The Slice has previously written about Kobi Nazrul as part of a series on the changing cultures of first, second and third generation British Bengalis. 

For first-generation Bengali immigrants in the East End, education was a lifeline that symbolised hope in the face of adversity. Today, these schools have been gateways to further education for several generations of Bengali immigrants. 

Kobi Nazrul is named for the memory of Bengali poet and author Kazi Nazrul Islam. The local Bangabandhu and Osmani primary schools are also named for important figures in Bangladeshi history. 

If you liked this, read Once an escape from poverty, education for second-generation British-Bangladeshis is now a fight for representation