Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

NYCLU study examines rise of anti-mosque activities in New York State

Posted on by Bob Pitt

NYCLUThe New York Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday released a white paper examining the rise of anti-mosque activities throughout the state.

As you might guess, the paper devotes significant attention to one project in particular, the proposed Park51 community center in Lower Manhattan. One of its developers, real estate broker Sharif El-Gamal, took part in a conference call on the release, along with NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman, the organization’s Advocacy Director Udi Ofer and Prof. Foroque Ahmad Khan, director of the Islamic Center of Long Island.

“The anti-mosque and anti-Muslim sentiment expressed in the opposition to Park51 was not an isolated incident,” Lieberman said, hastening to add that the civil rights group recognizes the right of the mosque’s opponents to speak out.

The report cites nine examples of anti-mosque activity, ranging from the international furor over Park51 to ugly but rather penny-ante vandalism of a mosque in Hudson – many of them occurring during last year’s election cycle, when Mosque Mania ruled the hustings. The report deals with several incidents in which public officials attempted to block the construction or expansion of mosques out of what Lieberman termed “an undifferentiated fear and distrust of their Muslim neighbors”.

Khan noted that too many Americans have little knowledge of their local Muslim communities, a void currently being filled by anti-Islam pundits and activists. “Some people … have made a cottage industry out of this,” he said.

Khan described what he saw as a “double standard”, noting that the vast majority of terrorist acts in North America are not committed by Muslims. He cited coverage of July’s rampage by Sweden’s Anders Breivik and noted a dearth of analysis on his twisted version of Christianity.

Khan praised Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Rep. Jerrold Nadler for “setting the tone” with their opposition to broad-brush intolerance. He noted that one of the promising aftereffects of 9/11 was a strengthening of interfaith and outreach efforts across the country. “That’s the only way you can break down the stereotypes,” he said.

Albany Times Union blog, 24 August 2011

See also NYCLU press release, 24 August 2011

Download the report here

With CIA help, NYPD built secret effort to monitor mosques, daily life of Muslim neighborhoods

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the New York Police Department has become one of the nation’s most aggressive domestic intelligence agencies, targeting ethnic communities in ways that would run afoul of civil liberties rules if practiced by the federal government, an Associated Press investigation has found.

The operations have benefited from unprecedented help from the CIA, a partnership that has blurred the line between foreign and domestic spying.

The department has dispatched undercover officers, known as “rakers”, into minority neighborhoods as part of a human mapping program, according to officials directly involved in the program. They’ve monitored daily life in bookstores, bars, cafes and nightclubs. Police have also used informants, known as “mosque crawlers”, to monitor sermons, even when there’s no evidence of wrongdoing.

Neither the city council, which finances the department, nor the federal government, which has given NYPD more than $1.6 billion since 9/11, is told exactly what’s going on.

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Rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism in Sweden, study finds

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Antisemitism och islamofobiThe number of xenophobic web sites have almost doubled since 2007 and Jews and Muslims wearing apparent religious symbols are subjected to significant discrimination in Sweden today, according to a new report from the Living History Forum (Forum för levande historia).

“Sweden as a whole is a tolerant country but this report shows that racism is growing and is being professionalized on the internet. There is today a small but growing minority that harbour hatred against Muslims and Jews,” minister for integration, Erik Ullenhag, wrote in a statement on Monday.

The report, which was requested by the government and carried out by the Forum, also shows that an increased number of racist web pages have been created in recent years and that prejudice is being spread through schoolbooks.

According to the report, the number of racist sites in Sweden has almost doubled in two years. In 2009 there were around 8,000 xenophobic Swedish sites whereas today the authors of the report estimate an increase to 15,000. This follows a EU-wide trend where right wing extremist groups are using the internet to spread hate-propaganda.

According to the report, these are characterized by anti-Semitic and Islamophobic views, where conspiracy theories are the most recurring elements. The Jewish group is often cast as world conspirators whereas the Muslim group is seen as physical occupiers, actively are on their way to taking over society through mass-immigration and rising nativity figures.

The Jewish community in Sweden consists of some 20,000 individuals and the Muslim community of 300,000. Fresh crime statistics show that there were 161 reports of crimes with anti-Semitic motives and 272 with Islamophobic motives last year. But according to the Forum it is difficult to get a fair idea of the situation from these statistics as they are based on police reports and the authors believe there may be many more unrecorded cases.

“Above all this study shows that research and follow-ups into preventative actions regarding intolerance against Jews and Muslims is sorely needed,” said head of Forum for Living History, Eskil Franck, in a statement.

The Local, 22 August 2011

Cork councillor calls for veil ban

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Cork councillor has called for a ban on burkas, balaclavas or other any clothing that masks identity, on the grounds of public safety.

Cllr Joe O’Callaghan (FG) said now was the time to deal with the issue as those affected are a “tiny minority”. His comments were rejected by, among others, Ali Selim, of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland, who described the proposal as “unnecessary”.

Mr O’Callaghan proposed a motion to Cork City Council, calling on Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to ban burkas and give gardaí powers to order youths to remove their hoodies.

“I knew this would cause controversy but I live in a free country and if I have an opinion I will express it. I’m doing it now because I feel now is the time to address this issue, not in five years’ time,” he said. The councillor said burkas, along with balaclavas and hoodies, have become unacceptable in public places for reasons of “public safety and common sense” following recent riots in London.

He added the burka had no place in modern Irish society. “Wearing a burka is an affront to women in this day and age and this view has been endorsed by one of our local Muslim leaders in Cork. I fail to accept that anyone with any cop-on would like to wrap themselves in what looks like a curtain all day,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

He endorsed the introduction of an Irish law making it obligatory not to cover one’s identity in public.

Mr Selim said the councillor was placing the burka, which has religious significance, in the same context as the hoodie, which has a criminal context.

“How many women has he talked to? And if some women choose to dress this way, why is he imposing a different way of clothing upon them?” Mr Selim said. “Ireland is a society with a good understanding of religion. There are lots of traditions shared between Irish society and Muslim communities. We should aim to unite on friendly ground, not aim to cause conflict among members of the same society.”

Irish Times, 20 August 2011

Via ENGAGE

Melbourne’s mayor accused of attack on Santa

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Robert Doyle has compared burqa-wearing Muslims to Santa Claus.

Melbourne’s Lord Mayor yesterday said banning the burqa for security reasons could equally apply to people dressed as Santa. “After all, he’s got that red cap with the white band pulled down low over his forehead and then he’s got this false beard that hides most of his face in the lower part. So maybe those guys should be banned because you can’t really identify them,” he joked.

But anti-burqa senator Cory Bernardi said that Santa had no place in the debate. “It surprises me that the thought bubble from Robert Doyle would question one of our great cultural traditions in defence of something that is so alien to most Australians,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are already too many instances when our cultural traditions and celebrations have been abandoned to appease the disease of political correctness.”

A group of Victorian youths held an anti-burqa protest on Monday in response to the case of a Sydney woman who, because of identity issues caused by her wearing a burqua, successfully appealed against a jail sentence for deliberately making a false statement.

Cr Doyle said that calls to ban the burqa were offensive and a sign of prejudice and that there were procedures in place for police and customs staff who needed to properly identify someone wearing a burqua.

Herald Sun, 20 July 2011

See also Helen Szoke, “Burqa rally is about stoking fear not promoting security”, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 July 2011

Tennessee: protestors oppose Wilders film

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Cookeville protestCOOKEVILLE — A crowd of more than 100 peaceful protestors gathered outside the courthouse last night with signs saying “We love Muslims” and “All religions believe in justice,” among many others, showing their opposition to the Tennessee Freedom Coalition’s showing of what they call a highly controversial film about the Islamic religion.

“A Warning to America,” by Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician who has spoken out against Islam, was shown in the county commission chambers last night. DVDs of the film were also available for purchase at the event.

“We’re here to voice another side,” Pat Handlson, minister of Cookeville First Presbyterian Church and event organizer said. “I think it’s sad there’s been such negativity surrounding the Murfreesboro mosque.”

Wilders, according to Rachel Welch, organizer of the film showing and vice-chair of the Putnam County Republican Party, has been under persecution in his country for hate speech and speaking out against Shariah law. “This is certainly not a hate film,” Welch said. “It’s about facts and Islam being a political ideology shrouded in a religion.”

Very few confrontations between the two sides were reported and both Welch and Handlson were pleased with how peaceful it was.

“I just wanted everyone here to be a witness to this event,” Handlson continued. “To be a witness to love your God and love your neighbor. We all can co-exist.” Handlson is concerned about this film being shown locally because Cookeville is home to a large group of Saudi Muslims.

Herald-Citizen, 20 August 2011

See also Cookeville Times, 20 August 2011

Police flood Kingston as EDL prepare to gather on streets

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police are out in force after the English Defence League said it would hold a “meet and greet”. The event, which will also include leafleting, is due to start at 1.30pm in Kingston town centre.

A group of about 15 anti-fascist campaigners from Kingston and south-west London are handing out leaflets of their own.

Last November about 60 people marched from Hampton Wick to Kingston in a protest against poppy burning. A small group of men attacked Kingston mosque later the same day.

Surrey Comet, 20 August 2011

Lutfur Rahman threatens legal action if Met doesn’t apply for ban on EDL march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lutfur at press conferenceThe Mayor of Tower Hamlets has given the Metropolitan Police Commissioner until Monday to seek a Home Office ban on the English Defence League marching through London’s East End on September 3. Lutfur Rahman has thrown the gauntlet down and told the commissioner he will go to court unless an application is made.

“I will instruct lawyers on Monday to go to the High Court and seek injunctive relief if the Met Police fail to act,” he told a Town Hall news conference this-afternoon. “We will not let the EDL or any other bunch of extremists divide our community. The EDL just wants images of our young people fighting on the streets to show that multi-cultural Britain doesn’t work – but we stand united in the East End against hatred and Racism. The authorities must act to ban the EDL.”

He is challenging Home Secretary Theresa May to use her powers to stop the EDL coming to Whitechapel on September 3 on the grounds of public safety. He was backed at the news conference in his call for a ban by community and religious leaders who have come together under the United East End alliance.

“Fear and anxiety grows every day that passes without action from the police of Home Secretary,” the mayor added. “If no action is taken, we have no option but to protect our residents and take the police and Home Secretary to court.”

Tower Hamlets council’s legal department has written to the Acting Commissioner to demand they apply to the Home Secretary to ban the march under the Public Order Act, in the light of last week’s London riots. Legal proceedings will begin, they warn, if there is no response by Monday or if the response is not in favour of a ban.

East London Advertiser, 19 August 2011

Mosque plan goes forward despite opposition

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Plymouth, Minn. — A proposal to house a mosque in a soon-to-be-closed suburban post office is now heading to the Plymouth City Council, after being reviewed by the city’s planning commission Wednesday night.

About 200 people attended the hearing, which commissioners tried to limit to a discussion about logistics such as parking spaces, access and building use. But of the 16 or so people who spoke before the commission, two raised objections to the mosque on religious grounds, and the atmosphere sometimes grew heated.

“The center of Plymouth is not the appropriate place for this,” said resident Connie Sambor, who invoked the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and said the community was forgetting the attacks too soon. She was interrupted by commission chair Jim Davis. “Ma’am, I’m going to have to cut you off. We’re here to talk about the building and the land use issues, not to talk about political opinions,” he said.

Jeff Baumann, of Coon Rapids, went a step further. “Aiding the enemy is treason,” he said.

“These are not my enemies, sir,” Davis replied. “Will you please sit down?”

“They are the enemy – they are saying they are the enemy,” Baumann insisted before finally yielding the floor.

Some commissioners also reported they received anti-Islamic e‑mails in the run-up to the meeting.

Many of the people who spoke at the public hearing were local Muslims such as Tamim Saidi, who told the commission his family is glad to belong to the Plymouth community, enjoyed living there, and wanted a place near home to worship. “This is our home. This is our country, and we love this country,” he said. “We have been here for a long time, and it’s time for us to have a place where we can worship.”

Non-Muslims, including Plymouth resident Steven Miller, also expressed support for the mosque. “I want the community to know that I not only approve of this facility but I do plan on going there and visiting and learning from the people who are there. I hope that you approve this,” he said as meeting attendees clapped.

The proposal goes to the Plymouth City Council next week for approval.

Minnesota Public Radio, 18 August 2011 

See also KARE who spoke to Ms Sabor after the meeting. “What’s it going to take for Americans to wake up to the Islamic agenda in this country?” she demanded.