Birmingham laughs off Fox News "totally Muslim" claim

Birmingham has responded with a mixture of anger and laughter after a commentator on the American television channel Fox News claimed that the city was "totally Muslim" and a place where non-Muslims "simply don't go in".

The claim was made on 11 January by Steven Emerson, who was introduced as a terrorism expert, during coverage of the attacks in Paris. He has since apologised, saying he made a "terrible error".

"A complete idiot"

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, was among those who hit back. Asked about the comments, he said: "When I heard this, frankly, I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fool's Day. This guy is clearly a complete idiot."

Local MPs and councillors were quick to point out that Birmingham is one of the most diverse cities in Europe, where people of all faiths and none live, work and study side by side.

#FoxNewsFacts

Brummies responded in their own way. Within hours, thousands of people had joined in on social media under the hashtag #FoxNewsFacts, posting mock "facts" about the city and its landmarks to show how absurd the claim was.

Many of the posts poked fun at the idea of "no-go zones" by pointing to everyday life in the city, from shopping in the Bullring to watching football at Villa Park and St Andrew's.

The apology

In a statement, Mr Emerson said: "I have clearly made a terrible error for which I am deeply sorry. My comments about Birmingham were totally in error." He said he would make a donation to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Fox News has also apologised on air for the claim, and for other remarks made on the channel about so-called no-go zones in European cities.

What the figures say

At the last census in 2011, around a fifth of Birmingham's population described themselves as Muslim, making the city home to one of the largest Muslim communities in Britain. Almost half described themselves as Christian, and many people follow other faiths or none.

Birmingham's Muslim communities are concentrated in some inner-city areas, such as Sparkbrook, Small Heath, Alum Rock and Lozells, but there is no part of the city that people of other faiths cannot visit freely.

A proud city

For many residents, the episode was a chance to show off the city's sense of humour and its pride in its diversity. Birmingham has welcomed people from around the world for generations, from Irish workers in the nineteenth century to families from the Caribbean, South Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe in more recent decades.

Community leaders said the best answer to such claims was for people to come and see the city for themselves, and find a welcoming place where people of every background live and work together.