By: Iryna Hnatiuk
March 22 2024
An Islamic message at King’s Cross Station doesn’t mean the U.K. has been taken over by immigrants
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Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts
Fact-Check
The Verdict False
The message at King's Cross Station reflects a policy of cultural celebration rather than evidence of the U.K. being taken over by immigrants.
Claim ID 70bc9b73
A message displayed on an information board at King’s Cross Station in London has reignited discussions about immigration and cultural integration in the U.K. Social media users have used the display of an Islamic message during Ramadan to claim (archived here) that immigrants are taking over the U.K. However, a closer examination of the facts dispels these unfounded claims.
Context
During Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, which lasts from March 10 to April 9, 2024, King's Cross station in London featured a "Hadith of the day” on its information board. Hadiths are collections of traditions containing sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, which constitute the primary source of guidance for Muslims apart from the Quran.
On March 20, the practice raised attention after the following message appeared on display: “The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) [Peace Be Upon Him] said: All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of the sinners are those who repent often.”
It sparked debate about whether public information boards should display religious messages.
A closer look
The decision to display messages from various cultures and religions at King’s Cross Station appears to be a part of an initiative to reflect the multicultural makeup of the U.K. and its public services.
A Network Rail spokesman told BBC London: “King’s Cross station is made up of a diverse and multi-cultural workforce, and at times of religious significance, messages such as these are displayed to celebrate the station's diversity and inclusivity.
Throughout the year, messaging at the station also celebrates festivals from other religions, including Easter, Christmas, Passover, and Diwali, to mark the beliefs of our colleagues and passengers.
If significant disruption occurs on the network, the boards are changed to display relevant passenger information to help passengers complete their journeys.”
The Telegraph reported they had asked for examples of departure board messages displayed to mark other religious festivals, and the spokesman suggested none were available because staff had taken no pictures of them.
Although Network Rail declined to provide examples of these, South West Trains, which also uses Network Rail’s boards, has previously participated in Christmas celebrations by changing station names to Christmas puns.
Later that day, the message had been removed from the display. A Network Rail spokesperson commented to BBC: “Our main departure board should be reserved for train information, and our general Ramadan celebratory messages weren't used for some reason, which we're looking into. All has now been corrected.”
Logically Facts has contacted Network Rail for comment.
Some took to social media and complained about the message, calling it inappropriate, while others applauded it.
The U.K.'s demographic data indicates that immigrants and their descendants are part of British society. Still, no evidence exists that any group has "taken over" the country.
The narrative is a part of The Great Replacement and The Great Reset conspiracy theories, which suggest white people are being replaced by non-white immigrants to achieve a new world order. The theories are not supported by factual evidence or demographic studies.
The U.K., like many countries, is experiencing shifts in its demographic makeup due to globalization, migration, and changing birth rates, but these changes do not equate to a takeover by any means.
The latest census results for England and Wales, from 2021, state that Muslims make up approximately 6.5 percent of the population.
The verdict
The message at King’s Cross Station reflects a policy of inclusivity and cultural celebration rather than evidence of the U.K. being overtaken by immigrants. After media and social media discussions, the station removed the message from the display. The theory of the U.K. being taken over by immigrants has no basis. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.
