Ham allegedly placed on Muslim councillor Akef Akbar's car in 'targeted' hate incident in Wakefield

Akef Akbar, who represents the Conservatives on Wakefield Council, said he'd been inundated with racist abuse since becoming an elected member nine months ago.

Vile taunts from bigots have included 'terrorist', while he has also been sent abuse on social media and to his emails.

Coun Akbar, who represents Wakefield East, linked the incident involving his car with the Islamophobic letters that were sent to four local Labour councillors last year.

Police said last month a probe into who sent those letters remains ongoing.

Speaking movingly about Islamophobia at a council meeting on Wednesday, Coun Akbar said Muslims across the district were facing abuse for their faith on a daily basis.

He told the chamber: "I never believed people would use my religion to abuse me or cause offence to me.

"As Muslim children you're taught to turn the other cheek and be somewhat immune to it. I'm sorry, but how can you be immune to Islamophobia?

"I've been called a 'terrorist' and that's not uncommon. Many Muslims face that kind of comment."

He added: "One of my particular experiences was that ham was left on my vehicle.

"Anyone who's in touch with Islam will know that consuming pig is forbidden for us.

"It was wedged on my number plate, which has my name on. I believe it was a targeted Islamophobic act which was in direct correlation to those letters.

"It was around the same those letters were sent."

Councillors across the political spectrum united to condemn Islamophobia and those behind the attacks on Coun Akbar.

Labour Cabinet member Michael Graham, who was one of the four recipients of the racist letters, said: "What they (the writer) tried to do was pit one community against another community, which I think is disgusting.

"Islamophobia is a disgrace.

"I've visited every mosque in Wakefield, and every time I've come out of one I've felt on top of the world because of how friendly the people there are.

"One of the reasons we brought back the fireworks in Thornes Park this year was because it's something that Muslim people celebrate and come together.

"We don't all celebrate the same events and festivals, but some of them we do, and I think us as a council have a really important part to play,across every service, in bringing people together."

Local Democracy Reporting Service