Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

More hate ads from Geller

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Geller CTA ad

The controversial ads unveiled on the back of 10 CTA buses Wednesday read, “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.” They conclude with the words, “Support Copts. Defeat Jihad,” referring to friction between Muslims and Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Within hours of the buses’ first runs, messages appeared on Facebook and Twitter denouncing the campaign. Many said degrading a spiritual tenet of Islam – one that refers to a Muslim’s personal quest to become a better person – amounts to hate speech.

Chicago Tribune, 14 November 2012

Continue reading →

Fascists to hold another protest against Sunderland mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt
NPF Hartlepool demo

The Northern Patriotic Front demonstrating in Hartlepool last month

A Far Right group is to stage a further demonstration over the proposed opening of a new mosque.

The Northern Patriotic Front, formed in Newcastle by ex-members of the National Front in August, is to stage what it insists will be a peaceful hour-long protest in the Millfield area of Sunderland at noon on Saturday (November 17).

Police say they expect a counter demonstration by anti-fascist groups and have warned that anyone causing trouble will be dealt with.

Continue reading →

ENGAGE launches Islamophobia exhibition

Posted on by Bob Pitt

ENGAGE logo

Muslims in Britain have urged the government to take seriously the threats they face as anti-Muslim hatred is reaching worrying heights in Britain and across Europe.

ENGAGE launched a unique exhibition and a month long campaign “Islamophobia Awareness Month“, highlighting the spread of Islamophobia in the British parliament where speakers included MPs Simon Hughes, Jack Straw, Peter Bottomley and Sadiq Khan.

Continue reading →

‘There are gangs of Muslim men going round and raping white kids’ – Tory MP claims the way to oppose the BNP is to talk like the BNP

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Kris Hopkins MPTory MP Kris Hopkins has sparked a row in the Commons by claiming gangs of Muslim men are raping white “kids”.

The Keighley MP claimed police had felt they needed “permission” to go after abusers due to “political correctness”. He said MPs should not avoid talking about the issue or the BNP and others will hijack it.

But Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi warned about “playing into the hands” of far right groups with such accusations. The Bolton South East MP said senior police officers and judges involved in cases of abuse had said race did not play a part.

Continue reading →

Praise for Norwich following marches: ‘It was great that so many people turned out to show the EDL that it is not welcome in our city’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

We Are Norwich demo (2)People in Norwich have been praised for the way they responded and reacted to the controversial English Defence League march.

The centre of Norwich came to a standstill on Saturday as nearly 2,000 people gathered at the front of City Hall to protest.

A crowd of 1,500 people from community, faith and political groups took to the streets under the collective banner of We Are Norwich in protest at the EDL’s decision to march through the city, setting off from Chapelfield Gardens.

Continue reading →

Why can’t the BNP be prosecuted for distributing hate literature against Muslims?

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Nottingham-based Building For The Future blog has drawn its readers’ attention to this leaflet, which has been distributed by the British National Party in Luton.

As the BFTF writer notes, the flyer “appeared to have come straight out of 1930s Germany (and BFTF does not use that analogy lightly) – with the exception that instead of hate caricatures of Jews, it was Muslims that the BNP were now choosing to portray as the evil menace in our midst”.

The writer wants to know whether “this qualifies as an inciteful document and should not be allowed” and has “asked the local council and MP what (if anything) would happen if the BNP started distributing flyers like this in Nottingham”.

Continue reading →

EDL in Norwich: outnumbered 10-to-1 by counter-demonstrators

Posted on by Bob Pitt
We Are Norwich demonstration

We Are Norwich march against the EDL (photo: Bill Smith)

Police made four arrests during an English Defence League march and counter-protest in Norwich.

Officers from 11 forces were on duty as about 200 EDL supporters and up to 2,000 members of the We Are Norwich coalition marched through the city. Police said the day passed off relatively peacefully, although extra officers remained in the city centre into the evening as a precaution.

Continue reading →

UNESCO fighting against Islamophobia in schools

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Diversity in the classroom is getting bigger in society all over the globe; however, there has been a growing issue of “Islamophobia.” This term is defined by UNESCO as a word to “demote fear, hatred, or prejudice against Islam and Muslims.” In response, UNESCO published a set of guidelines to address this issue and what schools can do to prevent racism among students.

“Through education, we can teach children not to hate from the very young age. Through education, we can raise tolerant leaders. Through education, we may establish a lasting culture of peace,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.

Continue reading →