Author Archives: Bob Pitt
Anti-Muslim bigots freak out when Texas TV station warns of oncoming haboob
Texas television station KCBD kicked up a cloud of anti-Muslim bigotry Tuesday night by sharing an alert from the National Weather Service on its Facebook page. “Haboob northwest of Lubbock as seen from the Science Spectrum,” the NWS warned. “If you must drive west of Lubbock, plan for near-zero visibility in blowing dust and strong winds of 50+ mph.”
Although haboobs are more commonly known as “dust storms,” a NWS meteorologist said the Arabic word refers to a particular weather phenomenon. A haboob refers specifically to a wall of dust created by cool, dense air blowing away from a thunderstorm or along a cold front, said meteorologist Jerome James. But it signaled something even more threatening to some of the station’s Facebook fans.
“Never had a haboob until we got that muslim boob for potus,” said viewer Jeff Bertrand, referring to President Barack Obama, who is believed by some of this critics to secretly be a Muslim.
Hamilton, New Zealand: Man arrested over racial abuse and assault at mosque
Hamilton police are praising worshippers at a city mosque who, despite being subject to alleged physical assault and racial abuse, showed restraint and helped facilitate the arrest of a suspect.
City Area Commander, Inspector Greg Nicholls, says police were called to the mosque on the corner of Heaphy Tce and Boundary Rd shortly before 1am. Members of the Islamic community were at the mosque cleaning it in preparation for morning prayers when they became subject to a tirade of racial abuse, Mr Nicholls says.
He says the victims wisely chose to ignore the abuse, however the intoxicated offender climbed a fence, entered the mosque’s grounds and allegedly assaulted one man and spat and swore at others. Instead of retaliating, the victims phoned 111 and police found the suspect at a park across the street, Mr Nicholls says.
Labour candidate condemns EDL’s campaign against Islamic centre in Clacton-on-Sea
EDL’s Islamic centre protest condemned
By James Dwan
Clacton Gazette, 13 March 2014
THE English Defence League has been accused of trying to hijack the controversy over plans for an Islamic community centre in Clacton.
Tendring Islamic Cultural Association got the green light to convert a former beauty salon in Pier Avenue into an education and prayer centre last week. Clacton EDL members were in the town centre on Saturday and staged a small demonstration outside the empty building.
Parti Quebecois candidate resigns after posting ‘F— Islam’ photo on Facebook
A Parti Quebecois candidate has resigned after it was learned he posted a “F— Islam” photo on Facebook.
Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois said candidate Jean Carrière, 25, offered his resignation this morning and she accepted it after Quebec media reports. The photo shows a topless woman, extending a middle finger with the inscription “F— Islam” and was posted in late January.
Carrière initially told Radio-Canada he shared the photo because its message was “feminist.”
Catholic Church accused of hiding Cordoba Cathedral’s Islamic history
Spanish campaigners accuse the country’s Catholic Church of trying to cover up the Islamic history of Cordoba Cathedral, a world heritage site that was originally a mosque. It is one of the most famous Islamic sites in Europe, but those coming to learn about that are left none the wiser by the information leaflets given out to tourists, critics say.
“For the citizens of Cordoba, what has hurt our feelings is that they have cut off the name and the memory of the monument,” said Antonio Manuel Rodriguez, a law professor at Cordoba University. He is a member of a secular group of local campaigners who have gathered 146,000 signatures on a petition demanding that the common Islamic and Christian heritage of the site be recognised. The acclaimed British architect Norman Foster is among the signatories, as well as many Spanish writers and scientists and moderate Catholics.
Wilders forgets he’s only supposed to be against Islam
PVV-leader Geert Wilders has come under fire from politicians after a comment he made on the campaign trail at a market in The Hague on Wednesday. Wilders said that voters want “a city with less problems and, if possible less Moroccans.”
Geert Wilders was on a market in Loosduinen with frontrunner for the PVV, Leon de Jong, campaigning for municipal council elections which are set for the 19th of March. They were handing out guilders in protest of the euro. During the visit, Wilders was questioned by NOS reporter Michiel Breedveld.
“Most important are the people here on the market, the Hagenaars, Hagenezen and Scheveningers”, Wilders said. “We are doing it for those people. They are voting for a safer and more social city with less problems and, if possible also less Moroccans.”
Michael Piggin bomb plot trial jury shown weapons
The jury in the trial of a teenager accused of planning a “Columbine-style” attack has been shown weapons and a swastika flag found in his bedroom. Michael Piggin, 18, from Loughborough, denies two charges under the Terrorism Act.
Second graffiti attack on Amiens mosque
The Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en France draws our attention to a report that the Mosquée de la Lumière, at Hotoie in Amiens, which was targeted earlier this year by Islamophobes, has suffered a second attack, involving obscene graffiti. It was quickly removed by the City of Amiens anti-graffiti brigade.
The mosque management has called on the authorities to install CCTV cameras as soon as possible, “in view of the acts of vandalism and desecration that have increased in recent years”.
Anti-Muslim speakers still popular in law enforcement training
Omar Sacirbey reports.