August 30, 2009

Salma Yaqoob: Why the EDL must be banned from Birmingham

The English Defence League claimed they only came to protest against Islamic extremism but they actually came to spread hatred and division. One of their ringleaders, Paul Ray, made his intentions very clear when he stated, on TalkSport Radio, ‘his opposition to all Muslims practising their faith in Britain’.

Everyone has a right to their opinions but no one has the right to incite hatred on the basis of faith or race.

I am concerned there is an equivalence being made between these people, who came to provoke trouble, and people who stand against fasicsm and racism. There is no equivalence and it is wrong that people have been allowed to come into the city centre with this intent for trouble.

The fascists wants to see social disorder, especially scenes of violence between Muslim youth and white people, because then they can hold it up as ‘evidence’ of the ‘failure’ of multiculturalism.

Of course, our message is ‘do not be provoked’. We don’t want to see any scenes of violence in our Birmingham city centre; but the reality is they know some of these tactics have worked as in the past in Burnley, Oldham and Stoke where they instigated race riots and since that polarisation, they have benefited in their votes.

I believe the English Defence League’s so-called ‘protests’ are simply a repeat of this formula which they want to bring to Birmingham and other cities across the country.

I call on politicians from all parties, civic leaders and faith representatives to condemn the racist intent behind these so-called demonstrations and also call for the banning of any future such protests in our city.

Luton has also seen protests by the EDL and Casuals United, which have resulted in violence, and the police there have actually responded to a public outcry about this by calling for a ban.

Chief Superintendent Andy Frost, Divisional Commander for Luton police, said:
“The risk the proposed marches pose to public safety has left us with no alternative but to apply for a banning order.”

Alan Johnson, the Home Office Minister, granted this banning order in Luton, because he received over 14,000 letters directly to himself and the Chief Constable there, saying that they wanted a ban.

I urge people in Birmingham to write to Alan Johnson, as well as to the Chief Constable here to urge for a similar ban.

I love being a Brummie, I’m proud that Birmingham is a multicultural and diverse city. Let’s not be divided by the racists.

Salma Yaqoob

To request a ban, please write to:

Alan Johnson MP (Home Secretary): public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Chief Constable Chris Simms (West Midlands Police): contactus@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk

For reasons of transparency, we want to keep track of how many letters are sent. Please ‘CC’ Salma Yaqoob at: salma.yaqoob@hotmail.co.uk

Birmingham Respect

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Done, done, and done.

Brummie said...

Another valid point is that violent racist dickheads with intent on conflict must never be allowed to hijack our national football team which is English multiracial and proud. I was sickened, as I am married to a West Ham fan, to see Carlton Cole getting racially abused during the West Ham v Millwall tie at Upton Park last week. This is exactly the intention of the far right EDL, to start a race war in the streets and then, rather hypocritically blame it on antifascists afterwards!

We cannot afford for the sake of our City another repeat of the scenes that shamed us in front of the world's press earlier this month, and any so-called 'failures' with our multi-racial and multi-faith city/country must be addressed with INTEGRATION and UNITY not segregative and counter-productive Seventies fascist marches.

Salma, you are a star, and you're twice a star for pointing out Paul Ray's comments on BNP-FM (otherwise known as TALKsport)!

Anonymous said...

We cannot afford for the sake of our City another repeat of the scenes that shamed us in front of the world's press earlier this month, and any so-called 'failures' with our multi-racial and multi-faith city/country must be addressed with INTEGRATION and UNITY not segregative and counter-productive Seventies fascist marches.

What kind of planet are you on? How can you have intergration when there are huge enclaves of different racis who don't even speak English? They do not want to intergrate. You are the cause of trouble wherever you go. You just don't get it do you?

Kev Scott loves The Jam said...

Why has she got a picture of Lee Barnes hehind her?

Antifascist said...

'Why has she got a picture of Lee Barnes hehind her?'

LOL FAF

Antifascist said...

'intergration...racis...intergrate...who don't even speak English'

Oh God, the irony.

Brummie said...

What kind of planet are you on? How can you have intergration when there are huge enclaves of different racis who don't even speak English? They do not want to intergrate. You are the cause of trouble wherever you go. You just don't get it do you?

Maybe it is YOU who just doesn't get it! The United Kingdom is a free and liberal society and we are free to speak in whichever language we wish to speak in.

Just because I speak English as my first language with Welsh as my second doesn't mean I an any less or more of a human being or a citizen of the United Kingdom as anybody who speaks Punjabi/English or Urdu/English.

Yes, as I pointed out there are failings, it would be stupid to admit there aren't which is why we need more integration and understanding.

And, OPEN MINDEDNESS. You ought to try it sometime!

Brummie said...

What kind of planet are you on? How can you have intergration when there are huge enclaves of different racis who don't even speak English? They do not want to intergrate. You are the cause of trouble wherever you go. You just don't get it do you?

I'm glad I've riled a BNP supporter today! Might be miserable and dull outside here in the Second City but that's put the icing on my Bank Holiday cake!

Though one never does need to scratch the surface much with the far right, eh!

Eryke said...

Lovely to see the white supremacist trolls back on here, the Lancaster Unity Blog, bullshitting like their lives depended upon it, lol

Brummie said...

Why has she got a picture of Lee Barnes hehind her?

Got to be Barnes alright, That looks like a dick growing out of his head...