Category Archives: Anti-Muslim violence

EDL thugs hurled racist abuse, attacked Plymouth kebab shop

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Istanbul Kebab Shop PlymouthA terrified Kurdish family were forced to barricade themselves inside a kebab shop as a mob allegedly shouted racist abuse outside.

One person threw a glass into the Istanbul Kebab shop in Exeter Street as violence spread from a nearby pub yesterday afternoon. The family said the glass, which smashed on a counter, could have hit a baby in a car seat in the shop.

Four or five members of the family say they had to push against their shop door to stop a similar number of people, including women, forcing their way in. One woman family member, who did not want to be identified, said: “I was extremely frightened. They grabbed my mother’s arm and tried to pull her out of the door.”

The family said the group, thought to have been in the nearby Wild Coyote pub, were shouting “EDL, EDL” and vile racist abuse. The far-right English Defence League (EDL) set off from the same pub for a march through the city centre three weeks ago.

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Murfeesboro Muslim mom: Road rage incident ‘a hate crime’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

It was a scary night for a Murfreesboro mother and son after a road rage incident took an ugly turn. The mother told DNJ news partner WSMV-TV that not only did the driver threaten to kill them, he started yelling racial slurs because of the way she was dressed.

Converted Muslim Lisa Sallaj, 43 of Murfreesboro said she hasn’t slept a wink since road rage incident. “I’ve been sick to my stomach. I’ve been shaking, nervous, lying in bed tossing and turning,” Sallaj told WSMV reporter Larry Flowers.

It all started on Medical Center Parkway near Interstate 24 around 8:30 Tuesday night. “He had just received his driver’s license. I was in the car with him,” the mother said.

Sallaj’s 18-year-old son was in a left turn lane, but needed to go straight. He pulled out right out in front of a black Mustang. “The guy went ballistic,” said Sallaj. “He went nuts.”

It got much worse. “He started yelling and cussing saying you (expletive) need to learn how to drive,” Sallaj told Flowers. “Then I look over and he has a knife out shaking at me saying, ‘I’ll kill you.'”

Sallaj told her son to pull over so she could get the tag number, she said. She started driving, but ended up right next to the black Mustang at a traffic light where the driver revved up his engine.

She said he then started using anti-Islamic slurs, mocking an Islamic prayer chant and making “racial slurs.” The mother said she really got scared when the man began yelling at her son. “He said he would put a red bullet dot in the center of his eyes,” Sallaj said.

The mother said the man followed them onto Broad Street. It was only after she shouted she was heading to the police station that he decided to leave them alone.

“I’m already under a lot of stress from all the discrimination and everything that’s been going on in Murfreesboro lately with everybody giving me dirty looks,” Sallaj said.

Murfreesboro police are investigating. “It’s something we’re not going to tolerate especially with the current situation with the mosque,” said Murfreesboro Police spokesman Kyle Evans, referring to vandalism at the site of the proposed Veals Road Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. “We’re not going to let that situation get out of hand.”

Sallaj said there is no doubt in her mind she was targeted because of her Muslim head dress. “This was definitely, definitely a hate crime,” Sallaj told WSMV.

Daily News Journal, 28 July 2011

Belgian mosque vandalised

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Vandals broke into the Alaadin mosque at Marchienne-au-Pont on Monday evening. They pulled down two Belgian and Turkish flags and tore them, before destroying some movable objects. According to several witnesses who saw the youth running away, an ambulance siren must have frightened these unwanted visitors.

“We have complained to the local police in Charleroi who assured us that an investigation would be carried out”, said Coskun Beyazgül, spokesperson for the Diyanet of Belgium, which includes 67 of the country’s mosques. “At the time of the tragic events in Norway and given the Islamophobic tendencies of the perpetrator, this attack on the Alaaddin mosque worries and saddens us. We therefore firmly condemn this act, hoping that the economic crisis in Europe does not degenerate into a social crisis. We therefore expect the authorities to take the necessary preventive measures to preserve social cohesion.”

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York: police call for extra security measures to defend mosque from attack

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police have called for extra security measures to be included within plans for a new £2 million mosque in York because of concerns it could be a magnet for yobs.

The York Mosque and Islamic Centre is aiming to replace its current building in Bull Lane, which has been in use for more than 25 years, with a new structure to allow it to cater for the growing demands of the city’s Muslim community.

The building would include two minarets either side of a central dome, as well as a prayer hall, library, classroom and indoor community hall. City of York Council is expected to make a decision in October.

But North Yorkshire Police, which has been consulted on the scheme, says the mosque would have a “high risk factor” and the applicants should look at shielding its windows through grilles or sheeting, as well as considering raising the height of a fence at the front of the site and installing better lighting in its parking area.

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Racist attack on Luton mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Madina Mosque Luton

Racist thugs vandalised a Luton mosque during the early hours of Friday morning. They spray painted “EDL” and a swastika – the symbol of Nazi Germany – on the walls, and smashed windows.

Imaam Shahid Ahmed from the Madina Mosque in Luton spoke toSocialist Worker about the attack.

“We locked up the mosque at 11.30pm on Thursday night, everything was fine. When I returned at 4am for morning prayers I found the windows smashed. The words ‘EDL’ were painted on both sides of the mosque and a symbol [swastika] was also painted on one wall.”

Bedfordshire police attended the scene and the council immediately removed the racist graffiti.

Shahid said that the racists who attacked the mosque are ignorant. “They have no understanding or respect for any religion,” he told Socialist Worker. “This is a place of worship. We live in a multicultural society. We have to respect each other.”

Dave Barnes from Unite Against Fascism in Luton went to the mosque to offer solidarity.

“The attack on the Madina mosque was exactly the same form ofattack we saw on homes in Bury Park the night after the EDL protest in February – windows smashed and EDL painted on the walls. It is clear who is behind the attack.

“We have to stand united against racism. This attack has made us even more determined to organise to get as many people as possible to Tower Hamlets on 3 September to take part in the national protest to stop the EDL marching through the heart of London’s Muslim community.”

Socialist Worker, 23 July 2011

50 racist incidents in Plymouth a day as hate crime increases 60 per cent

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Plymouth has seen an increase of 60 per cent in “hate crime” in the past five years and now suffers an estimated 50 racist or religiously aggravated incidents every day, a new report claims.

The city is one of three areas identified as experiencing particularly high levels of racist attacks which were analysed for the study, The New Geographies of Racism. Official figure show that the number of racist incidents reported to police rose from 224 to 359 between 2005 and 2010. However, according to experts working with people from black, minority and ethnic (BME) groups, under-reporting of offences means the actual number is much higher.

Author John Burnett, from the Institute of Race Relations, said: “Some of these incidents have left people seriously injured, permanently scarred and in need of continuous medical treatment. Others have involved burning or attacking people’s homes, work, or places of worship and others still have been part of concerted attempts to force people to flee the city.”

The research was conducted via interviews with a cross-section of people working with racism and racial equality in Plymouth. It draws on experience with asylum seekers, refugees, migrant workers, gypsies and travellers, students and victims of racial violence.

Ann Wilkinson, co-director of the Plymouth and Devon Racial Equality Council, said the issues were “complex and difficult”, adding that racism was “more overt” in Plymouth than places like London. “It is a very good report and I hope that institutions in the South West will read it and take notice of some the difficulties faced by people who live here,” she added. “Racism is more overt here – that’s not a personal view but one from victims of hate crime – and there has been a rise in Islamophobia, which is a worrying trend we need to keep an eye on.”

Western Morning News, 21 July 2011

Southern California mosque vandalised

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The vandalism of a La Mirada Muslim place of worship is being investigated as a hate crime, mosque officials said Tuesday.

According to Dr. Rezaur Rahman, Muslim Community Services Inc. president, between the hours of 2 to 6 p.m. Monday a rock was thrown through the mosque’s newly installed rear doors.

The congregation finished prayer at 2 p.m. Monday and Rahman did not return until later in the evening prior to the evening’s prayer session.

“Everything was fine before I left the mosque yesterday afternoon and when I returned later that evening, I noticed shattered glass on the floor near our newly installed doors,” Rahman said. “I found a rock lying among the shattered glass and was very surprised that it could have broken through our very strong, double-layered doors,” he said.

The mosque opened on Feb. 16 after an eight-month renovation that began in July 2010.

“This is something that motivates me to create a peace rally,” Rahman said. Rahman said he contacted Rabbi Mark Goldfarb of Temple Beth Ohr and the Rev. Bill Miller of United Methodist Church, relaying the news regarding the incident and his interest in organizing a community peace rally.

A similar incident took place on March 19, one month after the mosque opened.

“Luckily no one was here when the incident took place because someone could have been hurt,” Rahman said. Police are investigating the incident.

Whittier Daily News, 19 July 2011

EDL discusses Tower Hamlets demonstration

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Expose draws our attention to a post on the EDL’s Facebook page yesterday under the title “EDL MASSIVE GOING TOWER HAMLETS”.

The comments feature the usual vile anti-Muslim abuse:

EDL comments on Tower Hamlets

At one point in the “discussion” a Muslim provoked the EDL supporters by posting a comment (which was immediately deleted). Note how the EDL admin intervenes to defend the threat of violence:

EDL comments on Tower Hamlets2