Category Archives: Anti-Muslim violence

Vandals attack Bournville College building after mistaking it for a mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

ET080911GOLD-4.jpgA controversial new Birmingham college has been targeted by vandals after rumours swept the area that a golden-clad part of the building was in fact a mosque.

The principal of Bournville College which has had a £66 million revamp today angrily spoke out against the “myth” and said he was baffled as to how it had come about. Norman Cave said the gold-clad wing, on the corner of Longbridge Lane and Bristol Road South, in Longbridge, was a conference centre.

He said: “I have heard that there are people within the local community spreading the rumour around that this is in fact a mosque, categorically it never has been a mosque. It has gone through planning and planning clearly identifies it as a conference centre. It doesn’t even look like a mosque so how people are jumping to this conclusion I don’t really know.”

Mr Cave confirmed a window had been broken in the centre. He added the centre was important to the commercial future of the college, which opened this month as part of a £1 billion regeneration of the area. “It’s there to generate an income for the college and also provide a facility for the community as a whole,” he said.

A website run by the Kings Norton parish team referred to the “myth” of the Longbridge mosque. It links to a Facebook post which urges local people to quell the false report.

It said: “Since the rumour appeared, the building has been vandalised on several occasions. Panels have been ripped off and windows have been smashed. This is unlikely to be a coincidence. It is not a mosque. It is a business centre, as the Longbridge development’s publicity clearly shows. If you live locally and are able to combat the rumour with the truth, please do so. Share, recommend or tweet this post. Talk to your neighbours and friends. You may help to prevent thousands of pounds’ worth of mindless damage.”

Birmingham Mail, 16 September 2011

Teenager admits sickening attack on elderly Muslim outside Kilmarnock mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

------Wire Picture Name:sfkst190711mosque-1.jpgA 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.

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”.

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Sign outside Buffalo mosque is smashed on 9/11

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Buffalo mosque sign smashed

BUFFALO, NY — Was the sign at a mosque on the city’s east side intentionally damaged? What makes this incident suspicious is that it happened on Sunday, the 10 year anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks on America.

Police are investigating and have not determined whether it was a was deliberate act, but some residents we talked to believe this was no accident. Geneva’s Auto owner Walter Johnson said, “That was deliberately done and I think it’s awful.”

Buffalo Police Chaplain Bilal Abdullah said, “I guess it was a 9/11. People maybe looked at it as a way to get back at Muslims in general.” Police say a truck drove over the lawn in front of the mosque and smashed the sign, which was found in pieces around the parking lot.

WIVB, 12 September 2011

See also CAIRtv, 14 September 2011

Human rights activist warns of growing Islamophobia in Poland

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Rafal PankowskiA leading Polish human rights activist warned of growing Islamophobia in his country in an exclusive interview with IRNA in Berlin.

“In general Islamophobia has become one of the big issues. I would say it is growing and I am afraid it will grow further. We see more and more talk about the so-called danger of Islam,” said the coordinator of the Warsaw-based anti-racist organization NEVER AGAIN, Rafal Pankowski. He linked the rise of “the relatively new” phenomenon of Islamophobia in his country to the global situation, particularly to Poland’s role in the US-led wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Pankowski said Muslims in Poland have been repeatedly the target of racial assaults, especially since the September 11, 2011 terror attacks. He added Chechen refugees in Poland have also been victimized by anti-Islam hate crime. Pankowski emphasized that the Polish media is not always covering Islamophobic attacks against Muslims. He said “more than 50 people” have died as a result of racial assaults in Poland since the early 90s when hate crimes were monitored and registered.

Pankowski also stressed there were major segments within the Polish Catholic Church who were “quite hostile to Muslims”. “Radio Maria which is a (Catholic) radio station but is also a big social movement, is a xenophobic movement. They strongly spoke out against Islam,” Pankowski pointed out.

The activist said the Polish right-wing is influenced or tries to copy the anti-Islamic rhetoric in some of the other European countries. Pankowski said the issue of Muslim migration to Poland is being exploited politically by the right-wing scene. He added that plans for the construction of a much-needed mosque in Warsaw were used “to mobilize” against Muslims in Poland.

IRNA, 13 September 2011

EDL clash with locals in Edgware Road

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL members have descended onto one of London’s most famous streets and have had clashes with locals, this evening. Around 50-100 EDL members are currently on Edgware Road, a part of London dominated by the Arab community.

Chairs and windows have been smashed and police are trying to separate the two groups. The Edgware Road area is completely gridlocked with traffic tailing back all the way to White City and the Westfield shopping centre in Shepherds Bush

A London Air Ambulance has arrived in nearby Hyde Park, which is at the top of Edgware Road at the Marble Arch crossing. Some people have said that someone has been seriously injured although this is unconfirmed.

Earlier, EDL members clashed with the group Muslims Against the Crusades outside the 9/11 memorial near the US Embassy. 4 arrests were made.

Blottr, 11 September 2011

Update:  See also the Evening Standard which reports an eyewitness as saying that the clash took place at the Tyburn pub: “There was a group of EDL guys drinking outside the pub when a large group of Muslims walked past. The EDL started hurling racist abuse at the Muslims who took offence. They got angry and were yelling back. Then the EDL guys picked up pub furniture and started throwing glasses and chairs and tables at the group in the street.”

Another West Bank mosque targeted by Israeli settlers

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Vandals sprayed graffiti on the walls of a mosque and a university in the West Bank town of Birzeit near Ramallah on Friday in attacks by suspected Israeli settlers.

Palestinian security officials told AFP that “Death to the Arabs” and slogans insulting the Prophet Mohammed were painted in Hebrew and that they suspected settlers were to blame.

It was the third mosque to be daubed with graffiti Hebrew since Monday, when Israeli troops demolished three homes in the settlement outpost of Migron.

Hardline settlers have adopted what they call a “price tag” policy under which they attack Palestinians and their property in response to Israeli government measures against settlements.

AFP, 9 September 2011

See also “US condemns ‘dangerous’ West Bank mosque attacks”, AFP, 10 September 2011

Two more in court over EDL attack on Plymouth kebab shop

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Michael Rafferty and Ricky BurleyTwo men have appeared before Plymouth magistrates accused of resisting police officers. Ricky Burley, aged 43, and 33-year-old Michael Rafferty appeared together charged with offences in Exeter Street on August 31.

Burley, of High Street, Stonehouse, denied threatening behaviour and resisting or obstructing a police officer. Rafferty, of Queen Street, Devonport, denied obstructing or resisting a second officer. Plymouth magistrates were told the incident happened outside the Wild Coyote pub, now called the East End bar.

They were released on bail on the same condition until their trial before magistrates on a date to be set in the next few months.

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French police stop Facebook call to cut Muslims’ throats

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Egorger les musulmans Facebook page

French police are trying to track down the instigator of a Facebook page that called on people to cut the throats of Muslims on the Eid Al-Adha holiday. The page has been closed down but its author is being sought for breaking anti-racist laws.

Spotted by the Collective against Islamophobia, the page, reproduced on the collective’s website, was headlined “Cut Muslims’ throats, not sheep’s”. It called on people all over the world to turn to Islamophobic murder on 6 November, the date of Eid Al-Adha which marks the end of the Haj, the piligrimage to Mecca which is one of the obligations of a good Muslim.

During the festivities Muslims sacrifice sheep in honour of Abraham, regarded as a prophet by Islam, Judaism and Christianity, to mark the biblical story of his willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and the Angel Gabriel’s offer of a sheep as a substitute. “At last we will be able to celebrate for a good reason,” the page declared.

The police have declared the page’s message “despicable words which are actionable under law”.

RFI, 9 December 2011

Two in court over EDL attack on Plymouth kebab shop

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Hayley Wells & Kelly WattersonTwo women have appeared in court accused of a racially-aggravated attack at a city kebab shop. Hayley Wells, aged 27, and Kelly Watterson, aged 29, faced Plymouth magistrates charged with racially-aggravated assault during an incident in Exeter St.

Plymouth magistrates were told there was a Kurdish family inside the Istanbul Kebab Shop at the time of the incident on the afternoon of Sunday August 31.

Wells, of Shell Close, Leigham, and Watterson, of St Peter’s Road, Manadon, both denied a joint charge of racially aggravated common assault against a woman in the kebab shop. Watterson also denied a further charge of affray.

Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said members of a group were drinking in the Wild Coyote pub near the kebab shop. Mr Warden said a group shouted “vile abuse” at a woman in the shop. He added that Wells and Watterson are then alleged to have assaulted the woman. Mr Warden said: “Kelly Watterson is alleged to have then thrown a glass into the shop which shattered. A baby and a 14-year-old were in the shop at the time.”

Jane Wills, for the pair, said the allegations were “strongly contested”.

Magistrates ruled that the charge was so serious the pair must be tried at Plymouth Crown Court. They were released on bail on condition they do not go within 100 metres of the takeaway while papers are prepared for a judge. Watterson and Wells must return to face magistrates on November 1.

Plymouth Herald, 8 September 2011

Another West Bank mosque attacked

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Vandals graffitied a West Bank mosque, torched two Palestinian cars and uprooted olive trees overnight in attacks which locals on Thursday blamed on Jewish settlers.

The mosque in Yatma village some 10 kilometres (six miles) south of Nablus was spray-painted with Hebrew graffiti reading “price tag” and “Migron” in reference to a settlement outpost where Israeli troops demolished three homes on Monday.

Hardline settlers have adopted what they call a “price tag” policy under which they attack Palestinians and their property in response to Israeli government measures against settlements.

It was the second time in three days that vandals, believed to be settlers, had attacked a mosque and daubed the word “Migron” on the walls. In Monday’s attack, they also tried to set light to the building, causing fire damage.

AFP, 8 September 2011