Mark Steel: Wife-beating? That's fine – unless you're a Muslim

The Sun newspaper has come over a bit modest. Following a Channel 4 documentary about media reporting of Muslims, the paper accepts some of its stories were "distorted". But they're not doing themselves justice. They weren't distorted – they were entirely made up. For example, a story about a Muslim bus driver who ordered his passengers off the bus so he could pray was pure fabrication.

But if reporters are allowed to make up what they like, that one should be disciplined for displaying a shocking lack of imagination. He could have continued, "The driver has now won a case at the Court of Human Rights that his bus route should be altered so it only goes east. This means the 37A from Sutton Coldfield will no longer stop at Selly Oak library, but go the wrong way up a one-way street and carry on to Mecca. Local depot manager Stan Tubworth said, 'I suggested he only take it as far as Athens but he threatened a Jihad, and a holy war is just the sort of thing that could put a service like the Selly Oak Clipper out of business'."

Then there was a story about "Muslim thugs" in Windsor who attacked a house used by soldiers, except it was another invention. But with this tale the reporter still claims it's true, despite a complete absence of evidence, because, "The police are too politically correct to admit it." This must be the solution to all unsolved crimes. With Jack the Ripper it's obvious – he was facing the East End of London, his victims were infidels and he'd have access to a burqua which would give him vital camouflage in the smog. But do the pro-Muslim police even bother to investigate? Of course not, because it's just "Allah Allah Allah" down at the stations these days.

Maybe Muslim newspapers should retaliate by publishing their own made-up stories. So it will be reported that "Barmy PC teachers in Leicester have banned children from playing Noughts and Crosses, claiming the cross reminds Church of England kiddies of the suffering undertaken by Lord Jesus. A spokesman for the Board of Education said, 'We have to be sensitive. Which is why we've replaced the game with 'Noughts and Hexagons'. We did look into calling it 'Noughts and Crowns of Thorns' but decided Hexagons was more appropriate."

Or, "Doctors have been told that patients are no longer to be referred to as 'stable', as this is offensive to followers of Jesus, who was said to have been born in one. So medical staff have been informed they must use an alternative word, or if they can't think of one just let the patient die."

The most common justification for ridiculing Islam is that the religion is "backward", particularly towards women, as a fundamental part of its beliefs. The Sun's old political editor suggests this as a defence of his newspaper's stance, saying that under Islam, "women are treated as chattels". And it's true that religious scriptures can command this, such as the insistence that, "a man may sell his daughter as a slave, but she will not be freed at the end of six years as men are." Except that comes from the Bible – Exodus, Chapter 21, verse 7.

The Bible is packed with justifications for slavery, including killing your slaves. So presumably the Sun, along with others who regard Islam as a threat to our civilisation, will soon be campaigning against "Sunday Schools of Hate" where children as young as seven are taught to read this grisly book. And next Easter they'll report how, "I saw a small child smile with glee as he opened a Cadbury's egg filled with chocolate buttons. But behind his grin I couldn't help but wonder whether he wanted to turn me into a pillar of salt, then maybe sprinkle me on his menacing confectionary treat."

In his defence of making stuff up, the Sun's ex-political editor spoke about the amount of domestic violence suffered by Muslim women. But there's just as much chance of suffering domestic violence if you're not a Muslim, as one of the 10 million such incidents a year that take place in Britain. Presumably the anti-Islam lobby would say, "Ah yes, but those other ones involve secular wife-beating, which is not founded on archaic religious customs, but rational reasoning such as not letting him watch the snooker."

And finally the Sun's man defends the line of his paper by saying that, after all, these Muslims "are trying to bomb our country". So it's their civic duty to make stuff up – the same as keeping a look-out for spies during the Second World War.

So we should all do our bit, and every day send in something, until the press is full of stories like "Muslims in Darlington have been raising money for semtex by organising panda fights." Or "In Bradford all nurseries have been ordered to convert their dolls' houses into miniature mosques so that Muslim teddies have somewhere to pray."

Independent

Thanks to Anon for the heads-up

BFP links up with Australian far-right racists

Having formalised its alliance with the English Defence League, the British Freedom Party is now keen to reinforce its international links. The BFP has posted an extended interview with Andrew J. Philips, chairman of the Australian Protectionist Party, who claims that the APP is a "sensible, moderate but uncompromising nationalist party". It is in fact a far-right group specialising in anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim propaganda.

The APP's politics can be judged by the fact that their website has reproduced material by the British National Party and featured a video of a speech by South African white supremacist Arthur Kemp, author of March of the Titans: a History of the White Race, at a time when Kemp was a leading figure in the BNP ("Another one of Arthur Kemp's excellent speeches…not to be missed").

You can understand why the BFP and APP might enjoy a warm relationship, because the two organisations certainly have a lot in common. The BFP's new chairman Paul Weston has written an article entitled "The ethnic cleansing of the English", which warns that due to "mass immigration" the "indigenous race" will be reduced to "ethnic minority status in their homeland within twenty years".

Could EDL leader Stephen Lennon have been aware of this article when he told EDL members that Weston "has charisma, can speak well, and is a jolly good bloke"? After all, Lennon recently assured his local paper that the EDL leadership's response to racists is that "we find out who they are and we kick them out". When Lennon joins the BFP next year will he be calling for the expulsion of Paul Weston?

Islamophobia Watch

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

BNP set for £40,000 taxpayer handout to fight Birmingham elections

Far-right party the BNP could be handed £40,068 of taxpayers’ money to contest elections in Birmingham under controversial plans to be announced this week.

A report on funding is set to call for a cap on the money parties can receive from trade unions or businesses – with the cash replaced by a handout from taxpayers. The proposal, to be published by the Committee on Standards in Public Life, would mean parties got £3 for every vote they received.

Cash would be handed to parties to campaign in the next election, likely to be in 2015, based on the number of votes they received in 2010. It means the BNP would get £40,068 after gaining 13,356 votes in Birmingham last year, some of which could be spent on leaflets and other propaganda. Nationally, the BNP would get around £1.69 million, having gained 563,743 votes last time.

The party stood only in about half of the UK’s constituencies at the 2010 General Election and state funding could help them field candidates in every constituency across the country. It claims to be a party representing “indigenous British people”, meaning white people. In the 2010 election the BNP manifesto included a promise to introduce a system of “voluntary resettlement” in which “immigrants and their descendants are afforded the opportunity to return to their lands of ethnic origin”.

Liberal Democrats have been pushing for state funding of political parties, arguing that it would reduce the ability of big business and trade unions to influence Government policy by making donations. Around £100 million would be allocated to parties under the plans to be published each week, with the Tories and Labour Party gaining the most. But the proposals are set to be highly controversial.

Stourbridge MP Margot James (Con) said: “I’m absolutely opposed to any suggestion that funding for parties should be taken out of the public purse in the current economic climate.”

Birmingham Mail

David Miliband warns against complacency over rightwing extremism

Former foreign secretary praises Demos report into rise of far right in Europe

David Miliband has joined those warning about the rise of a new wave of far-right nationalist parties across Europe, saying that it is important to keep track of their ascent.

In a rare foray into international politics since his defeat for the Labour party leadership 14 months ago, the former foreign secretary praised a report by the thinktank Demos which revealed a mass of mainly young, male Facebook-based supporters of such groups, who often held vehemently antagonistic views about immigrants and, in particular, Muslims.

"This report is an important antidote to any complacency about rightwing extremism," Miliband told the Guardian. "It shows that discontent with globalisation can fuel the politics of the right as well as the left. The Occupy protests have captured media attention but away from the public eye the hard right is also organising. The only way to defend the gains of globalisation is to understand its most dangerous critics, and this report helps us to do so."

The rise of such parties, which now hold significant parliamentary blocs in well over half a dozen western European countries, from Italy to the Netherlands to Scandinavia, has a particularly personal element for Miliband, whose Jewish immigrant parents fled Nazi Europe.

The Demos report sampled the views of more than 10,000 people who support such parties and street movements on Facebook pages, which for the 24 groups had a combined total of almost 450,000 mainly young fans. The breadth of such hard-right views means they are in danger of "becoming mainstream", warned Emine Bozkurt, a Dutch MEP of Turkish descent who heads the European parliament's anti-racism forum.

She said: "In some countries, for example the Netherlands, it even becomes the majority because mainstream right or centre-right parties are adopting the rhetoric of nationalist-populist parties in an attempt to attract their voters."

Observer

Poll jolt for Swiss anti-immigration People's Party

The Swiss People's Party has called for an end to mass immigration

Switzerland's right-wing People's Party has seen its share of the vote fall at parliamentary elections, defying forecasts of a historic result.

It had campaigned on a tough anti-immigration platform, and had predicted it would receive an unprecedented 30% of the vote on Sunday. But with the count nearly complete, it was set to get less than 27%.

Its calls to limit immigration strictly are now likely to be quietly ignored, a BBC correspondent says.

The party lost votes, in part, to a more moderate breakaway party, the Conservative Democrats, and a new Green Party also did well. Both these parties focussed on issues which have worried voters this year, like the strong Swiss franc and its effect on the economy, or future energy policy now that Switzerland has decided to phase out nuclear power, the BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.

The People's Party had been buoyed by recent successes in campaigns to ban minarets, and to automatically deport foreign criminals. But voters gave the party something of a slap in the face - fewer votes and the loss of seven parliamentary seats, our correspondent notes.

The party's single campaign theme - restricting immigration - did not seem to find favour. Switzerland's foreign population may be almost 25% but its unemployment rate is less than 3%. Voters know many Swiss businesses, and their health service, depend on foreign workers, our correspondent says.

While the People's Party remains the largest party, its chances of negotiating more power in Switzerland's coalition government are now greatly reduced, our correspondent adds.

BBC

Thanks to Zaahid for the heads-up

EDL Notts turn their attention on Boy Scouts Group

The English Defence League's Nottingham Division have now focused their hate on a boy scouts group after a blog appeared on their website claiming that local Muslims had demanded a Muslim only group. This is the blog which was posted in order to rile up their division into causing trouble for the group by harrasment.

Nottingham Muslims show how “integrated” they are by demanding their own Scout group

By Nottm_Patriot – October 18, 2011 Posted in: News

A SCOUT group has been set up following requests from Muslim parents.

The new group, called the 92nd Nottingham, was due to meet for the first time in the Karima Institute, in Berridge Road West, Hyson Green, yesterday evening.

There are currently 25 young people taking part, being supported by ten adult volunteers.

Matt Rooney, County Commissioner for Nottinghamshire Scouts, said: “The opening of the 92nd Nottingham group is down to the hard work of volunteers from the local Muslim community and scouting working together to ensure that scouting is reflective of the communities in which we live.

“We are proud that more and more young people and adults are joining Scouting and I am proud to be the head of a movement in Nottinghamshire that celebrates and reflects the diversity of our communities.”

If you are from the local area and would like to volunteer to support the new group, or have young people interested in joining the 92nd or any other group, please contact Jayne in the County Scout Office on

What the EDL fail to point out is that the group is open to any child of any faith but the EDL try to spin it as though it is being 'demanded by Muslims' when in fact it has been set up by the hard work of Muslims who wish to integrate, proving once again that is Muslims do try to integrate with British society, the EDL will go out of their way to make sure they cannot, or at least, make it as difficult as possible for them.

This is how This is Nottingham reported the story:

A NEW scout group has been set up following a demand from Muslim parents.

The new group, called the 92nd Nottingham, will meet tonight between 6pm and 7pm in the Karima Institute, on Berridge Road West, in Hyson Green.

The group is open to anyone who wants to join any faith or race, but it was initially set up following a demand by Muslim parents who live in the area.

There are currently 25 young people, being supported by ten adult volunteers.

Matt Rooney, Head of the Notts Scouts, said, "The opening of the 92nd Nottingham group is down to the hard work of volunteers from the local Muslim community and scouting working together to ensure that scouting is reflective of the communities in which we live.

“We are proud that more and more young people and adults are joining Scouting and I am proud to be the head of a movement in Nottinghamshire that celebrates and reflects the diversity of our communities.”

Worldwide there are 32 Million Scouts from almost every county in the world and there are more Muslim Scouts than Christian Scouts.

If you are from the local area and would like to volunteer to support the new group or have young people interested in joining this, or any other group please contact Jayne in the County Scout Office on

EDL News

Mindless EDL thugs storm Muslim exhibition in Cradley Heath market

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

Aylesbury woman reprimanded for racist attacks

A woman from Aylesbury has been given a 12 week suspended sentence for a year and 200 hours unpaid work, for her part in racist attacks against a mosque in Hartlepool and Asian-run businesses near Sunderland.

Nineteen year old Charlotte Christina Davies admitted conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage, after her text messages to her boyfriend - Easington Colliery man, Anthony Donald Smith - offered encouragement for his intention to vandalise Asian property.

Twenty four year old Smith, of Rydale Court, Trimdon, was a member of right-wing group, The English Defence League at the time. He carried out the attacks last November, with fellow EDL member, Darlington man, 32 year old Steven James Vasey, of Eden Crescent.

The crimes were committed by the pair on the eve of Muslim festival, Eid, in response to an incident on Armistice Day in Luton where poppies were set alight by extreme Islamic groups.

Vasey , Smith and an accomplice were masked as they scaled a fence at the Nasir mosque in Hartlepool. They spray-painted the letters 'EDL' and 'NEI' (North East Infidels) along with the phrase, 'no surrender' and images of poppies and the St. George flag.

In Shotton Colliery two Asian-owned businesses suffered vandalism. A store had a window smashed with a brick and a nearby guest house was sprayed with graffiti similar to that of the mosque in Hartleypool.

Smith - a taxi driver - was arrested the following day after his vehicle was linked to the scenes of crime. Text messages on his phone between him and his then girlfriend Aylesbury woman Charlotte Christina Davies referenced going 'Muzzy bashing' and giving the mosque a 'makeover'.

Davies, Smith and Vasey all admitted conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage. Smith and Vasey have been given a one year custodial sentence.

The trio claim they have severed their ties with the EDL.

mix96

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Debate invite to BNP chief prompts major row at TCD society

A planned debate at Trinity College’s Philosophical Society has divided its committee and been thrown into disarray following a decision to invite British National Party MEP Nick Griffin to take part.

The debate, on the motion that This House Believes Immigration Has Gone Too Far , is scheduled for October 20th next. Mr Griffin has agreed to speak in favour of the motion. Another speaker who had agreed to oppose the motion withdrew at the weekend on discovering that Nick Griffin was to take part.

John Palmer, who is on the governing board of the European Policy Centre and deputy chairman of its Political Europe programme, told The Irish Times last night he found it “totally unacceptable” that Mr Griffin should take part in such a debate, and had told the organisers he would not take part if Mr Griffin’s invitation was not withdrawn.

Former European correspondent at the Guardian , Mr Palmer said: “The BNP’s roots are in Nazism, and it is very clear those roots remain strongly Nazi.” He had “no problem taking part in debates with people who had racist or reactionary views on immigration”, but he would not do so “with a party rooted in support for the Holocaust and all that represents”. The BNP also had “extreme anti-Muslim policies”, he said.

TCD’s Socialist Party Society has also opposed the invitation to Mr Griffin, as has the Union of Jewish Students in Britain. They called on the Philosophical Society to withdraw its invitation to Mr Griffin, pointing out that “as was witnessed at Durham and Oxford universities, publicity stunts such as these tear apart student communities and contribute to a hostile environment for Jewish students on campus”.

In a brief statement last night, the Philosophical Society said: “The Phil is a neutral forum for discussion. We do not endorse the views of any of our speakers. Nick Griffin has been invited to speak solely on immigration. He is a prominent speaker on this issue. The debate will be balanced, with two guest speakers on each side of the motion.”

When asked who those guest speakers would be, society president Eoin Ó Liatháin said he did not wish to comment further.

According to Trinity News, the story about Nick Griffin’s participation in the debate first leaked on the blog of the BNP’s press officer, Simon Darby.

Mr Palmer said last night he had been first contacted by the Trinity society about taking part in a debate “some months ago, and had agreed in principle”. He was presented with the motion “a couple of weeks ago, but no further information”.

He believes he was sent another message in the middle of last week indicating Mr Griffin would be taking part, but as he was abroad at the time he did not receive it until Saturday evening last. He then contacted the society to say that “unless the invitation to Nick Griffin was withdrawn I would not participate”.

He also believed the debate had divided the Phil committee, some of whom had told him they “strongly opposed” the Griffin invitation.

Irish Times

Teenager admits sickening mosque attack

A teenager shouted racial abuse as he kicked and stamped on a 71-year-old grandfather’s head for 10 minutes. And he later sent a sickening text boasting about his horrifying actions.

At Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday, the 16-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – pleaded guilty to carrying out the vicious attack outside the Ayrshire Central Mosque in July. His victim, who had already suffered a stroke, sustained severe facial injuries in the unprovoked attack which took place in the early hours of the morning.

Nancy Beresford, prosecuting, said that the former Crosshouse shopkeeper had gone to the mosque, in Hill Street, Kilmarnock, to prepare for Friday prayers at around 1.40am. As he approached the door, clad in white robes, he noticed a male and two females, along with young children, standing in the street, with another group of females nearby.

The 16-year-old then came towards him shouting abuse, including “Paki bastard”. He punched the pensioner in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground. The teenager continued the assault, while still shouting abuse.

Said Mrs Beresford: “He became unconscious as a result of the attack. He was not aware of anything further until he woke up later in hospital.”

The assault was, however, witnessed, by two people watching from a flat in Hill Street.

“Their attention was attracted by shouting,” said Mrs Beresford. “They saw a figure lying on the ground and noticed the male attacker was kicking and stamping on the prostrate man’s head. This continued for what they thought was about 10 minutes.”

The attacker ran off into Witch Road.

The assault victim – described as a pillar of the community and well-known in the Kilmarnock area for 40 years by the chairman of the mosque – was found lying in a pool of blood by two other members of the mosque. He was taken by ambulance to Crosshouse Hospital. He was found to have a number of severe facial fractures and swelling. Fortunately, however, he had no fractures to his skull.

Mrs Beresford said that, as a result of media reports, police received a number of anonymous calls naming the attacker. CCTV evidence also established that he had been in the area at the time of the assault. And footage from cameras at the Diageo plant in Hill Street showed a male matching his description walking towards the mosque with two girls.

Mrs Beresford said that police were able to identify and trace one of the females. She named the accused.

Said Mrs Beresford: “She described him punching him, knocking him to the ground and kicking and stamping on him several times. A further witness had received a text message from him in the early hours stating: ‘I have just left a Paki in a puddle of blood’.”

Police swooped on the teenager’s home where they failed to find him, but seized a number of items. He was later discovered hiding in the loft of a Kilmarnock house. Interviewed, he denied the assault and racial abuse.

The 16-year-old told police that he couldn’t understand “why somebody was praying at that time in the morning”.

Allan Kerr, defending, told Sheriff Iona McDonald that she would require to obtain reports before sentencing the teenager as he was 16 and subject to the supervision of the Children’s Panel.

“He is presently at a place of safety,” said the solicitor.

Sheriff McDonald deferred sentence until next month for a social work report and the advice of the Children’s Panel. She told the teen: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious assault. It is nothing short of appalling.”

Kilmarnock Standard

Thanks to Zaahid for the heads-up

Asbo for racist protest at world music festival

A protester with a far-right group hurled racist abuse at hundreds of people who had gathered for a world music festival.

Tony Thomsen wrapped an English flag around his head and shouted during the festival in Queens Gardens, city centre. He was part of an English Defence League (EDL) rally, a far-right group which opposes what it terms as "Muslim extremism".

Thomsen, 40, of Rosedale Avenue, east Hull, has now been given an antisocial behaviour order (Asbo) after being convicted of being drunk and disorderly at the event on June 25.

The world music festival had been organised as part of Hull Refugee Week, which aims to challenge negative stereotypes, and attracted crowds of up to 2,000. Ben Butler, project co-ordinator at the Asylum Seekers and Refugees Kingston Upon Hull (ARKH) group, said: "It was quite intimidating. The event was all about community cohesion and families and it was intimidating for the people who were present.

"What confuses me is the EDL claims to be a single-issue group, against Islamic fundamentalism. I can't understand why members would turn up at a family event celebrating world music that had no religious connections and start shouting racist abuse. I get the feeling the EDL focus on Islamic fundamentalism as a bit of a smokescreen for general hatred. Most of the bands were members of the international community living in Hull and there were some English bands who do world music. It was a really cross-cultural event."

PC Russell Moore, antisocial behaviour officer for Hull, said everyone had the right to peaceful demonstrations.

"But equally, everybody has the right to go about their business without being harangued, abused or insulted," he said. "He seems to think he can do that and it is totally unacceptable. We can't stop people demonstrating, but if they behave like this, getting drunk and racially abusing people, they will be dealt with."

Thomsen, who recently changed his name from Tony Handley, was convicted in 2003 of daubing racist abuse on a private property in Spring Bank, city centre.

Under the Asbo, which lasts for two years, Thomsen is banned from drinking alcohol in a public place and causing harassment, alarm or distress to others. If he breaches the order, he could be jailed for up to five years. Thomsen was also fined £100 and made to pay £250 court costs after being sentenced at Hull Magistrates' Court.

This is Hull and East Riding

The EDL Notts Division Coach Fiasco

A bizarre fiasco occured on the Nottingham Division Coach at Saturday's Tower Hamlets demo.

After they were contained in Aldgate East (which a fair distance from Tower Hamlets), Notts Division's coach was diverted and allegedly came under attack on Whitechapel Road. Video evidence suggests there was a fracas on the bus and the window went through. EDL 'Angel' Joanne Dickens was dragged off the bus toilet, through the emergency exit and violently assaulted by Asians outside the bus.

Video evidence does not show this happening and it was thought she opened the door, shouted racist abuse at some locals and fell off the bus, only to be helped to safety by a local Asian man.

In the aftermath of these events, police arrested all 44 members of the EDL coach and bailed them on suspicion of an earlier incident. Dickens is a violent thug who has been to prison several time and boasted of 'ripping part of a girl's chest off' in a recent post she made bragging on Facebook.

Dickens contacted us on Facebook this morning to reaffirm her story and claimed she had a broken jaw.

We are not sure if this video was taken before or after the alleged incident.


After contacting us Dickens vanished after screenshots of vile racist abuse were produced.

The EDL Leadership were quick to support her and claim she would not use racist language but these screenshots suggest that Dickens is a proven hard core racist , massive nazi and possibly has a white nationalist tattoo on her left breast.

This screenshot shows Dickens mocking an Asian woman who died on a fun fair ride

Click on image for full-size

and this screenshot shows the following Facebook status update

'fuck all you dirty imagrant, muslim, paki, foreign cunts, get out of my country (england)'

Click on image for full-size

It didn't stop there, click on the image to read on.

EDL News asked the EDL support group whether step will be taken to stop her attending the next demo but we did not get any reply. Notts Division have since released this awesome comedy 'Statment'. Click here to read it.

EDL News

Thanks to Greg for the heads-up

Note from LU: According to the EDL 'Statment', the coach was at one point surrounded by 'a estimated 1000 strong muslim group'. Not according to the film we've seen, it wasn't. Take a look at the screenshot below for the truth.

Click on image for full-size

English Defense League - who are they?

Interview with Suzette Bronkhorst, General Manager of the Internet Center for Anti-Racism in Europe

Last time we talked we discussed the tactics used by neo-Nazi groups. One of them was provocation. Can you tell our listeners about the choice of the location for the demonstration by the English Defense League (EDL) in Britain?

They went to Tower Hamlets. There is a big mosque there. Actually, the Ministry for the Interior [?] forbade marches for 30 days, so they organized what is called a “static” demonstration – they were standing still. It couldn’t be forbidden. But a thousand people turned up and 3,000 policemen at the other side, opposing demonstrations, that stood near the mosque to protect it. They were with 1,500 people. And a riot broke out between the police and EDL. The funny thing that happened in England is that Scotland Yard have been accused of underestimating the threat from EDL, because the head of the unit monitoring hate groups declared it’s not an extremist organization, because he looked at their website and said it was not extreme. But they did after all deem it necessary to invite 3,000 policemen to keep a group of a thousand people down. That’s strange. But Breivik shouldn’t work in favour of EDL.

I think after the Breivik tragedy they got a lot of press attention. They wouldn’t have got otherwise.

Yes, but if you get attention like being involved into a huge terrorist attack, that wouldn’t be in your favor, would it?

No, it wouldn’t. And I think maybe their activities had quieted down a little bit. So, I was surprised to hear that they were still holding big demonstration.

I’m sorry to say but this is a kind of vermin and they never quiet down.

Was there a special reason why they chose this day, in particular? Neo-Nazi groups love to play with numbers, dates and stuff.

No, not that I can see. They just want to keep their momentum of demonstrations going, I guess. In Britain, they have a lot of opposition from the state that tries to stop demonstrations because of public order, or to be precise disorder. Then, of course, they started to talk about freedom of speech.

Was there any connection between the last time we talked and now when there were huge riots in Great Britain? Was EDL involved in those extensively, with football fans etc?

As far as I can see, the rioting that went on was a strange mix of things because there were a lot of just ordinary looters. But it started, of course, at a black man getting shot by the police. So, there were a lot of things at the same time. And it’s not in particular EDL. What they did do is they started these neighborhood watch patrols.

The EDL did?

Yes, although they didn’t announce it like that. If you would see those neighborhood watch groups walking through the streets and what they were saying – they were definitely part of it.

They tried to pretend to be like Citizens Vigilante group or something?

Yes, to protect the streets.

Strange.

Not so strange. It’s actually quite smart, if you can control the people that are in these Vigilante groups.

It’s just strange that this group would be allowed to do that.

Well, they are not allowed – they do it, so what are you going to do.

Do the events in London have any relationship to the events that happened a few hours ago in Dortmund, Germany?

No, the rioting in Dortmund has no connection to the demonstration in London. The problem was that Dortmund police tried to keep the opposing demonstration, the counter-demonstration and the neo-Nazi apart, and that didn’t work out.

How accurate do you think are reports that anti-Nazi demonstrators attacked the police?

The anti-Nazi? They didn’t. Actually, the neo-Nazi did. As it’s called in the media, the left-wing protesters. I don’t know why anti-racism or anti-fascism has to be left-wing.

They broke through the barriers?

That was separating the two groups. Then a scuffle broke out, in which a police officer was seriously injured, because they stood in between the two groups.

I was alarmed to see that the two events happened so closely together in two different European cities. Have you picked up anything on your radar about any further activities or protests like this in Europe in the near future?

No. EDL is planning more marching in Great Britain. But there is a lot of going on in Europe, which is very concerning, I think.

Could you give us some examples?

With the whole atmosphere of groups standing opposite each other, the extreme right wing that moves up in politics, the intolerance – it’s very extreme, very worrisome.

It’s growing?

Oh, yes. And they are getting into political power now more and more in several countries.

Is there anything people can do to prevent it?

These groups and political parties just come out with what is wrong with the country but they never come with solutions. And therefore it’s like “it’s a war against Islam!” or “a war against the Roma,” war guns writing non-democratic measures.

But they have no intelligent solution to anything, right?

They have no solution. Period.

So, you don’t see anything happening in Europe in the near future. What about the upcoming anniversary of September 11 events in the US? Are neo-Nazi groups in Europe or anywhere that you know planning events for that date?

Yes, in the US, a lot. Probably, in Europe, you will have some activity, because it’s always a good opportunity to bash some more Muslims.

Voice of Russia

Thanks to I-CARE for the heads-up

Anonymous hackers take down EDL web site

English defenceless

Right-wing Muslim-baiting nut-jobs the English Defence League have come in for a bit of a poking with a sharp stick wielded by hackers with a conscience.

#TeamPrinc3ss is credited with a part in the hack, though to be honest we don't really know what that means. Twitterer froobze, has something to do with it, describing him/herself as a 'Social engineer of Team Princess and media representative', as he twits from his 'secret bunker' somewhere.

The hack may have something to do with Anonymous, orTeamprinc3ss is a splinter group, or a separate gang with similar aims or something else entirely.

What we do know is that the website http://englishdefenceleague.org/ is currently offline in what is claimed as a take-down by someone or other.

We're guessing this is a UK-based initiative - who else has heard of the EDL? The group seems to have emerged from Luton and is proud to claim a selection of different races amongst their number. The outfit claims not to be racist - it just wants to get rid of the Muslims.

Some hope.

thinq

Thinktanks must drop this cold war approach to Islamism

Fear of Islamism at an EDL march in Telford on 13 August 2011.
Photograph: Mirrorimage Photos/Demotix

Encouraging counter-subversion policies condemns peaceful Muslims while turning a blind eye to the threat of Islamophobia

Conservative thinktanks are in a bit of a bind when it comes to responding to the rise of Islamophobia. On the one hand they want to condemn the BNP and the English Defence League for their racism and violence, but on the other they want to downplay the extent and existence of anti-Muslim racism because it might deflect attention from "Islamism" – the catch-all term for politically active Muslims, which they see as the main problem facing the UK. The difficulty with their position is that they end up condemning the peaceful political activism of Muslim groups, while downplaying and even excusing the violent modus operandi of racist and Islamophobic groups such as the EDL.

In our report we examine two of the most prominent British thinktanks engaged in work on the role of Islam in UK politics. The Centre for Social Cohesion (CSC) is the smaller of the two, focusing mainly on Islam, while Policy Exchange has a wider remit. Nevertheless, their work has followed quite similar lines. They have both rejected counter-terrorism policies based on public safety and have instead sought to revive discredited counter-subversion policies from the cold war era – policies that targeted a generation of trade union leaders and peace activists, including future Labour ministers.

The counter-subversion thinking of this earlier period undermined civil liberties and had a problematic influence on counter-terrorism policy; they risked repressing those engaged in legitimate political activity, while misunderstanding those who present a genuine threat of violence. As a result of following this highly ideological approach, both thinktanks have regularly attacked politically active Muslims, Muslim organisations and traditional liberal institutions such as churches, universities, schools and libraries. In one report, The Hijacking of British Islam, Policy Exchange famously attacked mosques alleging that they were selling extremist literature. The report was subsequently removed from the thinktank's website after the BBC discovered evidence suggesting that the report's findings had been fabricated.

The record of these thinktanks is that their publications at best exaggerate the threat posed by "Islamists" and the supposed Islamisation of public institutions. Their concern is not over the threat of terrorism or even of any illegality. Rather it is based on their counter-subversion analysis. This leads them into suggesting – as Policy Exchange has in a report titled Living Apart Together – that experiences of Islamophobia and discrimination faced by Muslims in Britain are simply "myths" attributable to a "victim mentality".

This downplaying of Islamophobia is also seen in the thinktanks' analysis of the far right. The CSC has produced two reports on the British far right. One, on the BNP, in particular underplays the extent to which it has been influenced by other Islamophobic currents. The BNP's alliance with the counterjihad movement and the subsequent emergence of the EDL were among the most significant developments on the British far right in recent years. Yet neither of the CSC's reports on the far right adequately addressed them. This is, perhaps, not surprising in the light of the CSC's own contacts with members of the counterjihad movement, such as the US-based Robert Spencer. In marked contrast to the CSC's analysis of other forms of political extremism, its director, Douglas Murray, has characterised the EDL as a predictable response to political failure and has recently described the EDL as a "grassroots response from non-Muslims to Islamism".

Events in Norway have now directed attention to the violence of the far right and in particular serve to highlight the danger presented by the spread of Islamophobic ideas. It would be a mistake to replace an exaggerated fear of Islam with a mirror image fear of the far right. However, the double standards at the heart of the approach taken by Policy Exchange and the CSC suggests that any policymaker or politician genuinely interested in public safety and the health of the democratic system should recognise that Islamophobic ideas are not just a product of violent far right groups, but equally can be fostered even by apparently respectable thinktanks.

Comment is free

Thanks to Zaahid for the heads-up

Telford: community, unions, football fans unite against EDL

Around 400 people demonstrated in the Wellington area of Telford today against the racists and fascists of the English Defence League.

The turnout of people, overwhelmingly from the town itself, included trade unionists, members of the local Muslim community, lots of young people and fans of football club AFC Telford.
Division

The EDL was banned from marching by the home secretary but staged a static demo anyway in a bid to stir up anti-Muslim racism, hatred and division. They mustered up to 300 racists and fascists, despite mobilising from as far afield as London, Berkshire, Essex and Yorkshire.

There was a lively mood and a great feeling of community solidarity at the anti-racist demo, with flags and banners from the local branch of Unite, Telford Unison, Telford and Shropshire Trades Council, the civil servants’ PCS and the teachers’ NUT union.

The antiracist crowd heard speakers from local union branches, faith group leaders and activists, before marching through the town past the local mosque, with chants of “EDL, go to hell!” A speaker from the trades council told the crowd that the EDL were “not welcome here” and never had been. The antiracist demo showed the true feelinng of the community, he said.

The chair of the local mosque said:

'Islamophobia is a blight on our society. Racism is what the EDL edl is using to try and divide communities.'

UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett told the demo:

'We have to oppose the EDL wherever we are, with multiracial, multicultural demonstrations that fight racism and the Nazis, because banning them doesn’t stop them. Only mass opposition is an effective way to break the EDL.'

He urged people from Telford to join the national demonstration against the EDL in Tower Hamlets, east London, on Saturday 3 September.

The antiracist demo also included a group of football fans, angry that the EDL’s racist event had forced the cancellation of AFC Telford’s home game against Luton Town. They brought a banner with the slogan “Bucks aginst racism”, making reference to the club’s nickname.

One fan, Olly, explained that the fixture would have been Telford’s first in the football conference after being re-established as a supporter-led club. He said:

'We’re gutted that our game was cancelled today. We’ve been waiting seven years for this game. Our goal all that time has been to be back in the conference. The EDL have really alienated themselves from Telford fans – everyone blames them for game being cancelled.'

Local UAF activists collected a list of names of people wanting to go to the national demo.

UAF

Thanks to La Di Da Gunner Graham for the heads-up

Extremism in the UK

Following the massacre in Norway and amid concerns over contacts between the killer and supporters of the English Defence League, the Government is reviewing its policing of right-wing terrorism.

James Silver examines far right extremism in the UK and reports from some areas with large Muslim populations where fears of 'Islamisation' are fuelling tensions between communities. We hear of the targeting of gay men in East London, as well as attacks on a mosque in Luton.

Is there a disenfranchised minority who feel they have no political voice and are now looking to networks like the English Defence League? And are the EDL right to suggest that the threat of anti-Muslim terrorism in the UK could grow?

Listen now (Radio 4)

BBC

Ban the march of hate

On Saturday 3 September the English Defence League plan to march through the streets of Tower Hamlets. They want to peddle their racism and hatred through the heart of one of Britain’s biggest Muslim communities. I would like your help to stop them.

The EDL want to whip up racism and terrorise the local Muslim community. There can be no other explanation for their provocative march. They are coming to East London looking for a confrontation and trying to provoke a violent reaction. This is the last thing the people of Tower Hamlets want or need.

We are calling on the authorities to ban this hate march.

We have shown before that we can force the authorities to act. We stopped the EDL from marching through a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of Bradford last year. More recently we forced the Home Secretary to ban the controversial US preacher, Pastor Jones, from entering Britain.

Now we need to stop the EDL from marching in Tower Hamlets in September.

Tower Hamlets has a long and proud history of immigration and resistance to racism and fascism and so we must stand up against the EDL now. We’ve made a difference before and I know we can be successful again. Please sign our petition.

We will be handing in the petition to the police in Tower Hamlets in early August.

"We, the undersigned, call on the authorities to ban the proposed march by the English Defence League (EDL) in Tower Hamlets on Saturday 3 September. The EDL is a violent racist organisation that seeks to vilify Muslim communities and damage community relations. Its planned march is designed to whip up fear and incite violence. We reject entirely the EDL and its anti-Muslim racism and we don’t see why the people of Tower Hamlets should pay for its march of hate. We are proud of Tower Hamlets, a vibrant multiracial area, which has a long and proud history of immigration and resistance to racism. From Cable Street in the 1930s, to Brick Lane in the 1970s and to Millwall in the 1990s, the people of Tower Hamlets have come together to see off racism and fascism before. We will now stand united against the racist and anti-Muslim EDL. We believe that everyone has the right to live in peace and without the fear of abuse or violence. We stand against all prejudice, whether it’s racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, sexism or homophobia. We oppose all extremism – from whatever quarter – and we recognise that extremism breeds extremism. We condemn the extremist EDL just as we condemn Islamist extremism. We say a plague on both their houses. We believe that the people of Tower Hamlets should be allowed to live without the threat of violence and fear. This is why we are standing together with the Muslim community against the hatred of the EDL and Islamophobia more generally. We believe in HOPE not hate. That is why we are calling on the authorities to ban the EDL march of hate."

Hope not hate

MEP's Ribble Valley home targeted by EDL protesters

A Conservative North West Euro MP said he was left fearing for his safety after a large group of English Defence League protesters descended on his family home.

Sajjad Karim said he felt intimidated and threatened when 35 protesters from the far-right extremist group turned up outside his house in Simonstone in the Ribble Valley on Saturday afternoon. The group of men and women carrying placards went into Mr Karim’s garden and began shouting abuse at him, before peering through his windows and filming his house at around 12.45pm.

Mr Karim, who was in the house with his wife, Zahida, and two children, 10-year-old Bilal, and Rabia, eight, at the time of the protest, said: “They were incredibly intimidating and they were all over my driveway and looking into my house. I had my family in the house and it is just disgusting that they were able to do this. My daughter has been left petrified.”

The protesters remained outside Mr Karim’s house for more than 20 minutes before they were escorted off the premises by police.

“I am being repeatedly targeted by these people and I am worried about my safety and that of my family when I am away from home. They know where I live and they now have video footage of my house which could end up on the internet,” he said.

Last year, Mr Karim said he was forced to hire a private security firm to guard his home 24 hours a day because of threats from members of far-right groups. He has also been bombarded with offensive emails over his stance on halal and kosher meat. And in the past his Ribble Valley home has also had ‘BNP’ daubed on it in graffiti.

Lancashire Police said they were investigating the incident.

Mr Karim, who represents the North West in the European Parliament, said there had been an ‘orchestrated’ campaign against him. He said: “These incidents are escalating and now they have the gall to turn up outside my house. I am being specifically targeted and the police need to take these threats seriously.”

Police confirmed that the protesters moved on to the Brierfield area after leaving Mr Karim’s house. Four people were arrested in Brierfield on suspicion of violent public disorder offences.

A post on the Blackburn Division EDL facebook page on Saturday described four ‘flash demos’ in the North West area, including one in Lancashire.

Lancashire Telegraph

Edmonton mosque among targets of 'hate mail campaign'

An Edmonton mosque was the target of hate mail and a package of suspect powder sent through the post.

The Edmonton Islamic Centre was among a host of mosques across the UK targeted in a suspected hate mail campaign over the last few weeks.

Tariq Chaudhri, secretary of the trust which runs the centre, called in police after opening a package on Tuesday, June 14. He told the Enfield Independent: “The envelope seemed a bit heavier than usual, and when I opened it some powder came out. I washed my hands and put the letter to one side, and called police.”

Officers evacuated the centre, in Raynham Road, as a precaution, just after 1pm, until specialist officers had determined the powder was harmless.

An accompanying letter included, according to Mr Chaudhri, insults to the Prophet Mohammed and offensive drawings. He added: “We haven't had any problems here before, we've got a good relationship with the community and don't have problems with extremist views. It seems someone is going round [the] whole of London, it has happened in quite a few places.”

The Met confirmed it is investigating a series of suspicious packages being sent to mosques around London, Dorset, Merseyside, Sussex, and Gloucestershire. The North London Central Mosque in Finsbury Park was among those targeted, and police have sent a letter to all mosques in the capital warning them to be cautious when opening mail.

No one has been arrested, and detectives are looking at whether the incidents are linked.

This is Local London

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up