A Muslim book stall in Cradley Heath market was stormed by over 25 thugs from the English Defence League this weekend.The shocking attack occurred in front of shoppers, many of which were women and children, at the market at 2.30pm on Saturday. The local Ahmadiyya Muslim book stall and Qur’an exhibition was attacked and volunteers were manhandled and abused by members of the Far Right organisation.
Shocked Ahmadiyya outreach worker Toby Ephram described the scene in the market. He said: “About 25 of the EDL group stormed our stall in Cradley Heath pushing, shoving and threatening our members. We have the book stall to raise awareness of our work in Britain and in the local community we are proud to be British Muslims and this incident saddened us. Our motto is ‘Love for All - Hatred for None’ and we do not meet violence with violence so we just stood there and did not respond to the provocation.”
He added: “I’d like to thank the police for responding to the problem so quickly and controlling the situation and we will be back as usual at the market on Saturday.”
Last week the News reported the Muslim group was setting up the stall and exhibition in a bid to ‘increase understanding and improve community cohesion’.
Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris condemned the incident and branded it an ignorant and mindless attack. He said: “The people storming the stall may claim that they are defending their English identity, but tolerance for other people’s views and beliefs has long been a key part of what it means to be English. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Cradley Heath actively works to help different sections of our society to live peacefully alongside each other, whatever their religion.”
He added: “This mindless attack is absolutely deplorable and can only have been caused by ignorance of the views and action of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community locally.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We were called at 1.40pm with reports of people causing a disturbance in the Market Square area of Cradley Heath. “Officers attended the scene and the groups dispersed.”
On Boxing Day 2009 Cradley Heath Mosque and Islamic Centre in Plant Street was burnt to the ground by arsonists.
Halesowen News
This is absolutely pathetic. The Ahmadiyya community are shunned by hard-line and extremist Muslims, are often targeted for Al-Qaeda style suicide bombings and murders etc, and have poured enormous resources into campaigning AGAINST Muslim extremism... I also have several Ahmadiyya friends. If the EDL were really opposed to Islamic extremism they'd be suporting the Ahmadiyya community not attacking them.
ReplyDeleteThis totally gives the lie to the EDL's claims to only oppose Islamic extremism. The Ahmadiyya Muslim community are amongst the most moderate and peaceful Muslim organisations around. I have attended many of their events and nobody could be more detached from extremism than they are.
ReplyDeleteThe EDL revealed in their true racist colours.
Interesting that in the story linked to, there's a few comments from a Mr R Weale supporting the EDL before revealing himself to be a BNP activist.
ReplyDeletewe do not meet violence with violence so we just stood there and did not respond to the provocation
ReplyDeletePeacefully stand your ground and don't be intimidated. The Muslims will get public sympathy and the EDL will be left looking like the bullies that they are.
I keep telling you YOU F*CKED this oountry up and now your going to pay for it!Yes I HAVE COME FOR THE HEARTS OF BRITISH ANd IRISH PATRIOTS.I'M Glad I Don't need your lot,you would stink the place out ketlan and that old spade bennett.I Played this game for real and now you will see who's laughing.I'm glad you are not following me i'm keeping true people away from scum like YOU
ReplyDeleteInteresting the EDL's Union Jack banner (which is the flag of the UK not England) talks of 'educating our children' when 99.9999% of the EDL aren't educated!!!
ReplyDeleteDefending English values is at the bottom of the list. Racism is near the top but violence and destruction of anything they oppose using brutal tactics is right at the top. And the more we see of the EDL the stronger our case is and the stronger we become, as antifascists.
Yes, it IS fascism. Yes the EDL model themselves on the National Socialist German Workers Party, or Nazis. One thing's for sure, they make me ASHAMED to be an Englishman, and even more ashamed to be from the Black Country.
It raises the question, what are the connections between the EDL 'combat units' and Nick Griffin, how much of Griffin and Brons' European cash have gone to bankrolling the EDL and their thug armies? after all, it was the BNP fuhrer that said towns are controlled from their streets not their council chambers, and of 'organisations' using well-directed boots and fists to defend (rights for whites).
ReplyDeleteMaybe all of us West Mids antifascists should toodle over to Cradley Heath market and show the Ahmadiyya crew our support, they promote peace and anyone that does that should be encouraged as it seems so out of bloody fashion in 2011.
ukf, what would you expect from a 'League' that doesn't know the difference between islam and sikhism?? the EDL are against almost every single community in Britain except themselves and the BNP/National Front.
ReplyDeleteAnd will the right-wing mainstream media report this? Will they fuck.
ReplyDelete'I keep telling you YOU F*CKED this oountry up and now your going to pay for it!Yes I HAVE COME FOR THE HEARTS OF BRITISH ANd IRISH PATRIOTS.I'M Glad I Don't need your lot,you would stink the place out ketlan and that old spade bennett.I Played this game for real and now you will see who's laughing.I'm glad you are not following me i'm keeping true people away from scum like YOU'
ReplyDeleteI let this one through because it's just one comment out of about thirty that are similar and increasingly insane. I assume they're all from some loony like Simon Bennett but whether they are or not, they're hitting the spam bin in future.
Isn't the combined ex forces something to do with the EDL?
ReplyDeleteUk homes for heroes pride and passion has now joined forces with them.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/116701048344489/?ref=ts
"Jimmy Jukes
UK Homes 4 Heroes would like to welcome Paul Cxf Grogan our facebook friend,
in becoming the official charity fundraiser for Dudley in the West midlands.
Thank you Paul for showing your support for our homeless heroes
and TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
in the coming weeks Paul will be around the area,collecting on behalf of the charity. if you come across him. please say hello and maybe you might make a new friend."
scumbag racist trying to make money out of our troops.
"I HAVE COME FOR THE HEARTS OF BRITISH ANd IRISH PATRIOTS."
ReplyDeleteThe last person on earth any self-respecting Irish patriot worthy of the name would want to be mentioned in the same breath as, never mind stand shoulder to shoulder with, is a self-declared British patriot. We've had 800 years of shit from your lot.
I HAVE COME FOR THE HEARTS OF BRITISH ANd IRISH PATRIOTS.
ReplyDeleteAre you involved in illegal organ trafficking ?
I let this one through because it's just one comment out of about thirty that are similar
ReplyDeleteThe Fash love Lancaster UAF !!!
What Is Spade Bennett/Simon Bennett, or whatever he wants to call himself, going on about?
ReplyDeleteThe last person on earth any self-respecting Irish patriot worthy of the name would want to be mentioned in the same breath as, never mind stand shoulder to shoulder with, is a self-declared British patriot. We've had 800 years of shit from your lot.
ReplyDeleteBigotry comes in many guises.
Why aren't the cops arresting people there?
ReplyDeleteNazi sympathies, eh?
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThe last person on earth any self-respecting Irish patriot worthy of the name would want to be mentioned in the same breath as, never mind stand shoulder to shoulder with, is a self-declared British patriot. We've had 800 years of shit from your lot
Never fight bigotry with bigotry. Is is our jorb to stand together and fight all racism and bigotry.
Do'nt be a fool
The Fash love Lancaster UAF !!!
ReplyDeleteDo they? First I've heard about it.
Mr R Weale is Robert Weale, a BNP activist who stood as a candidate in Dudley in the May elections. Perhaps the same Robert Weale who is a Welsh international bowls player who lives in the English Midlands, supports Wolves and works for a housing association.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the same Robert Weale who is a Welsh international bowls player
ReplyDeleteI think they are different people. There is a picture of the BNP's Robert Weale on zimbio.com (google it). He looks very different from the bowls player.
It's not that rare a name.