Last month, several people from various cities across the United Kingdom received "Punish a Muslim Day" letters, which dedicated April 3 to the spreading of hate towards Muslims.
The letters promised people rewards for committing certain acts of violence against Muslims, ranging from verbal to physical abuse.
For example, removing a woman's hijab is worth 25 points, murdering a Muslim is valued at 500 points, and bombing a mosque 1,000 points.
However, as the day approached, several communities around the world united in an effort to combat the hate ... with love.
People turned the Islamophobic sentiments into a #LoveAMuslim campaign instead, which saw hundreds of thousands of people share their love towards the Muslim community.
"April 3rd is not 'Punish A Muslim' day. There should not and will be no such day. EVER," one Twitter user wrote.
#LoveAMuslim
People started listing "reasons why you should love a Muslim"
It's not just coffee you should be thankful for:
"As someone who gets a lot of hate online, seeing 'Love A Muslim' restores my hope"
"We've got their back"
"Reject hate and Islamophobia today and every day"
"No one needs to tell me to love a Muslim, I already do"
Others used humor to fight the violence
"Thank you for making my sides hurt with laughter, like, all the time"
"Denounce hate"
"I'll always take the love if you have the capacity for it"
Even some sheikhs joined the conversation
"Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" - Martin Luther King, Jr
"We will love and protect each other"
"Love a Muslim ... is a worldview"
#LoveAMuslim wins the internet!
The rise of Islamophobia in the UK
In 2017, a series of horrific acid attacks in East London left many of the city's Muslim residents in a state of panic.
"I've lived here for over ten years and I've never felt this unsafe. With the recent attacks outside mosques and everything circulating on social media, there's an obvious state of panic spreading among many in our community and it's just heartbreaking to see that," a 34-year-old medical resident and Londoner told StepFeed at the time.
In March 2017, a van driver struck Muslim worshippers who were leaving a mosque in north London. The assault left one man dead and injured at least 10 other pedestrians near the Finsbury Park Mosque - one of the country's biggest place of worship.
