Sud-Ouest reports that a Muslim prayer room in Lesparre-Médoc which was the target of an arson attempt and Nazi graffiti only a few days ago has suffered a second graffiti attack.
Two more swastikas have been sprayed on the front of the building. The cars of two local Muslims, including the president of the prayer room Mohammed Boukourat, were also defaced with fascist symbols. Three further swastikas were sprayed on the wall of another building.
Sud-Ouest reports that a Muslim prayer room at Lesparre-Médoc in southwestern France has been victim both of an arson attack and of fascist graffiti.
Petrol was poured on the floor in front of the door in the early hours of Wednesday morning and a piece of burning paper was inserted into the letterbox, but the fire was extinguished before it could cause any serious damage.
When the police arrived they found a swastika had been sprayed on the front of the building.
That’s the headline to another Muslim-bashing article in the Daily Mail. Over at Zelo Street Tim Fenton expresses scepticism about the whole story, noting that the Mail has overlooked the far-right links of the individuals involved.
Plans for a far right march through the borough this weekend have caused outrage.
The North West Infidels – a splinter group from the controversial and violent English Defence League – have announced that they are to parade through Leigh town centre on Saturday. Organisers say around 200 members of the shadowy group will march in what they are calling an “anti immigration” rally outside the town hall.
Anti-fascist groups across the borough are now planning a counter-demonstration, leaving traders fearful of disorder and unrest that could well hit takings during difficult times.
A letter calling for the home secretary to ban far right group the English Defence League from marching through Tower Hamlets has been circulated to trade unions, faith and community groups. The borough’s mayor, Lutfur Rahman, is calling on interested parties to sign the letter to Theresa May to stop the EDL from going ahead with a planned demonstration on September 7.
Mr Rahman expresses fears that the group intends to bring a “message of hate” to Tower Hamlets in the wake of the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich in May. “Their protests invariably result in violence against property, the police, or local communities,” Mayor Rahman wrote. “We have real fears that the EDL presence will act as a catalyst for further violence, disorder and destruction of property. There must be no place for hatred in our communities. The home secretary must act, and act now, to ensure the EDL is not able to bring its tour of hate to the streets of east London on September 7,” the letter concludes.
A family man involved in riots that followed the murder of soldier Lee Rigby has been given a suspended jail term.
Paul Lloyd was singled out from a group of men who clashed with police when a supposed peace walk turned violent, Bristol Crown Court heard. The court was told members of the English Defence League, as well as supporters of United Against Fascists, converged in Kingswood for the social-media-sparked event. Police arrested Lloyd in a melee that resulted and spotted him mouthing “EDL” during a stand-off in a pub in St George, the court heard. Lloyd, 39, of Farley Close in Little Stoke, pleaded guilty to threatening unlawful violence.
Edinburgh’s Jews will not stand by while fascists threaten their Muslim neighbours, a leading figure in the capital’s faith community said today. Sukkat Shalom chairman Norman Crane offered words of support today after the city’s council said it would let the far-right Scottish Defence League march down the Royal Mile next month.
The SDL, known for taunting nazi salutes and racist attacks, plans a provocative march through the heart of the international Fringe Festival on August 17 – and councillors have approved the demonstration, saying police had reported “no significant public order issues” in recent years. Mr Crane said he could not understand why the march had been allowed – “freedom of speech, I suppose.” But he had attended an emergency meeting with anti-racist activists on Monday evening and would “strongly support” any counter-demonstration.
The Scottish Defence League’s (SDL) threats to march on multi-cultural Pollokshields, Glasgow, proved pathetic on Saturday as over 300 anti-fascists outnumbered the racists ten-to-one. The EDL didn’t turn up to support their pals north of the border and the SDL were promptly marched to the police station.
The anti-fascist, counter-demonstration was as diverse as Pollockshields itself. Numerous speakers from the trade union movement, faith groups, community organisations, and politicians stated that the SDL were not welcome in any community in Scotland. Speakers, including Humza Yousaf, MSP, as well as Glasgow Central MP and deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Anas Sarwar, stressed the need to stand against the SDL when they did appear.
The SDL is now threatening to march in Edinburgh on Saturday 17 August (during the Edinburgh Festival). The local council has announced it does not intend to ban them and anti-fascists in Scotland are planning to build on the successes of Pollokshields in organising a counter-demonstration on the day.
A man who revealed a tattoo of a mosque being blown up during an EDL rally has been arrested after he was exposed by Sky Tyne and Wear.
Shaun Reah, 39, has been arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred after he was pictured lifting up his T-shirt to reveal an image of a Muslim place of worship with “BOOM!” emblazoned across it.