Yearly Archives: 2013

Melbourne: Councillors approve mosque, call opponents ‘un-Australian’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Monash councillors last night questioned residents’ hysteria regarding the Muslim faith as they approved a mosque in a Clayton street. Several councillors said they were disappointed a proposal for a one-storey mosque in Beddoe Ave, Clayton, had been drawn into the public eye.

The plans were brought before the council by Mulgrave ward Cr Robert Davies, who said the mosque would be built in an inappropriate location and impact adversely on residents. But the city’s other ten councillors disagreed, voting to approve the plans in front of a packed council chambers.

Glen Waverley ward Cr Geoff Lake said anyone who shared Cr Davies’ view that the mosque was inappropriate were “20 years too late”. He said those with the view the mosque should be refused on religious grounds were “misinformed, prejudicial and un-Australian”.

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How to spot a (Muslim) terrorist

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Tony MoleIn an interview with the Guardian, DCS Tony Mole, who has just taken over as head of the North West Counter Terrorism Unit, appeals to members of the public to report any suspicious activity. This includes the following behaviour:

“People going off to training camps and getting very fit and becoming very insular. People who were previously quite outward forming very small groups, not letting anyone else in, doing a lot of fitness training, disappearing, travelling and being very vague about it. You might think: ‘That’s strange.’ Now, there might be a legitimate reason for that. They might have decided to form their own fitness club. We’ll assess that. But it could be that they have been exposed to some kind of rhetoric.”

It seems clear that Mole is referring here primarily to Muslims, as this is not generally the sort of activity associated with far-right terrorism. What signs you should look out for that could identify a potential non-Muslim terrorist, so you can report them to the police, he doesn’t explain. Becoming an active member of the English Defence League or one of its offshoots, perhaps? Regularly visiting the Atlas Shrugs or Jihad Watch websites? We’re not told.

Mole refers to the “self-radicalisation” of Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Breivik – which is the part of the interview that the Guardian highlights – but as to how you might spot a budding British Breivik, he really has nothing to say.

If you’re a Muslim, however, you would be well advised to avoid travelling widely or setting up a fitness club.

Islam takes another step to German recognition

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Bremen is the third German state to recognize Islamic organizations as official religious bodies. Holidays, funerals and pastoral care will be regulated by state contracts. Other states will likely follow suit.

For Erol Pürlü, spokesman for the German Muslim coordination council, the signing of the contract with the city-state of Bremen marked a “day of joy”. Three Muslim associations were officially recognized as religious bodies. “That sends a clear signal that Islam belongs to Germany,” said Pürlü.

Bremen is the third German state to confer this status on Islamic organizations. Hamburg made a similar agreement last November, while Hesse officially recognized two Islamic organizations and allowed them to offer their own religious classes in schools in December.

Deutsche Welle, 29 January 2013

EDL to stage rally but not march through Cambridge

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The English Defence League (EDL) will not be marching through Cambridge, but will be kept to one place in the city, police said.

The Cambridgeshire force is planning its strategy to deal with the demonstration by the right- wing group which has protested against the building of a new mosque off Mill Road.

But almost 700 protesters have signed up to march against the group under the banner of Cambridge Unite Against Fascism (CUAF). Muslim leaders and politicians have signed a list opposing the EDL’s planned march on February 23.

Richard Rose, of CUAF, said: “I think it is a clear sign of the weakness of EDL that they are now having a static protest rather than a march.

“We are delighted they will not be marching through Cambridge and we want them to have their little gathering in an out-of-the-way place such as an out-of-town car park and not in the city centre which would cause disruption.

“We are also pleased with the amount of support we’ve had including from the three mosques in Cambridge and from more councillors. We want to send a clear message that the EDL is not wanted here and they have no support.”

Cambridge News, 29 January 2013

Update:  See “Keep protest in our multicultural city peaceful, EDL told”, Cambridge News, 30 January 2013

‘I am living in a place where I am a stranger’, claims ‘reluctant racist’ at Torygraph

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jane Kelly“The streets around Acton, which has been my home since 1996, have taken on a new identity. Most of the shops are now owned by Muslims and even the fish and chip shop and Indian takeaway are Halal. It seems that almost overnight it’s changed from Acton Vale into Acton Veil.”

Over at the Telegraph, Jane Kelly protests against the Islamification of west London. At least she doesn’t bother trotting out the usual excuse that her dislike of Muslims is based solely on cultural differences and has nothing to do with race. She writes that “many white people in London and the Home Counties now move house on the basis of ethnicity” and justifies this on the grounds that “mass immigration is making reluctant racists of us all”.

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Norway’s problem with immigration

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Terrorist Ander Behring Breivik expressed political motives for his atrocities on July 22 2011, claiming they were acts of “self-defense” against an “Islamic colonisation” of Europe. He elaborates on his world view in a 1500 page, largely plagiarised manifesto. Breivik is now in prison.

The man’s sanity was a pivotal topic in the public debate which followed, but so were possible influences on his extreme right-wing ideology. Breivik was a member of the anti-immigrant and politically populist Progress Party in his young adulthood, but quit in 2007.

A recent study suggests that xenophobia is strong in Norway.

In 2011 Norwegian politicians became acutely concerned about how they might have influenced the terrorist and agreed to tone down the rhetoric in debates on immigration, but as the 2013 general election is fast approaching, it is politics as usual.

“They didn’t do as promised,” says Mette Wiggen, Teaching Fellow at the University of Leeds. Her study of xenophobia is based on careful reading of academic literature, mainstream media and online discussions in blogs and on news sites, before and after July 22, 2011.

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Women charged over racist graffiti in Woking

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Two women have been charged after graffiti was sprayed near a mosque in Woking.

The two 19-year-olds, from Woking and Addlestone, are accused of five counts of racially aggravated criminal damage and four offences of criminal damage.

It follows incidents last November when graffiti was sprayed in a shop, on a wall outside the Shah Jahan Mosque and outside residential properties.

Surrey Police said the pair were due to appear before magistrates in February.

BBC News, 26 January 2013

See also “Two charged with racially aggravated criminal damage”, Surrey Police news report, 25 January 2013

Via ENGAGE

Posted in UK

Man sentenced for throwing missiles on EDL march in Bristol

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL in Bristol (3)

A businessman who hurled missiles as he marched through Bristol with the English Defence League handed himself into the authorities when he realised he was a wanted man.

Barry Johnson was one of hundreds of marchers who took part in the high-profile demonstration through the city centre in July last year.

Bristol Crown Court heard how he was caught on film by a cameraman and images were later posted online by Avon and Somerset police in a bid to track him down. When he saw the images Johnson travelled from his home in Peterborough to admit his involvement in the incident.

The 29-year-old from Poplar Avenue, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to affray when he appeared in court.

Judge Martin Picton told him: “Throwing missiles is clearly dangerous. Someone could have been hurt.”

The judge handed Johnson a three-month prison sentence which was suspended for a year. He also fined him £250 and ordered him to pay £85 towards court costs.

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Brighton: call for unity against racist march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Brighton Organisations and Leading Figures Launch Unity Statement Ahead of Far Right March

People of Brighton should show unity against a racist march according to leading local politicians, unions and other individuals and group who are supporting a Unity Statement, that is now online for members of the public to sign.

Supporters include Brighton Trades Council, the Brighton University branch of the UCU union, Brighton and Hove NUT,  University of Sussex Students Union, Brighton Unite Against Fascism, Brighton Love Music Hate Racism, and Sussex Labour Representation Committee. Individuals who are supporting it include Caroline Lucas MP, and ten Green and Labour members of the council; as well as Simon Burgess, the former Labour leader of the council, James Ledward, the editor of Gscene magazine and Itch, the lead singer of the band King Blues, who is a Brighton Resident.

The March for England march, organised by members and supporters of the racist organisation the English Defence League, has met growing opposition when it has attempted to parade through Brighton in the past few years. It has stated it will return in April 2013.

The march’s opponents are now calling on residents of the city to add their support for the statement which concludes by saying: “In Brighton we all stand together. And when someone tries to threaten our community we must stand together even more firmly.”

The full statement can be read at brightonuaf.org, where there is also a link to sign it.

Roland Ravenhill of Brighton Love Music Hate Racism said: “The diversity and unity of Brighton is something worth supporting, and racist marches do not sit well here. We encourage people to read and sign the statement.”

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