Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

Anti-Muslim extremists plan Scots protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL2Anti-Muslim extremists linked with serious unrest in England are planning a major demonstration in Glasgow, it has emerged. The English Defence League aims to take to the streets of Scotland’s biggest city on Saturday, 14 November, sparking major safety concerns among police and council insiders.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council yesterday said “any application would be considered”. However, senior officials at the authority, which has the power to ban marches on police safety advice, would be keen to block any demonstration that is deemed likely to lead to violence.

The Glasgow demonstration was announced on the Facebook website this week. Some 132 people have already said they will attend. The time and place of the rally have still to be settled. Any attempt to approach sensitive areas, such as Glasgow Central Mosque, would present serious public safety problems, city insiders confirmed to The Scotsman.

The Scottish Islamic Foundation yesterday said it would be organising a public meeting within the next seven days to work out how it should respond to extreme anti-Islamic groups crossing the border. The group’s chairman, Asif Ahmed, said:

“This is time for Scotland to once again show we will not be divided by extremists. We have faced worse and come through it. The last time Glasgow was tested was at the 2007 airport attack. What we saw then was all strands of society coming together for a remarkable show of solidarity in George Square. We’ll be working again to make sure that the numbers peacefully opposing extremism will far outstrip that of the haters.”

The Scotsman, 18 September 2009

See also SIF news report, 17 September 2009

‘Flying While Muslim’ website launched

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Flying imams passenger's note

A Web site, called “Flying While Muslim,” has been launched to seek support for the six American imams (Islamic religious leaders) who say their rights were violated in 2006 when they were removed from a US Airways flight in Minnesota and arrested.

The “Flying While Muslim” site offers background information and updates about the six imams case and about racial and religious profiling of airline travelers. It also seeks donations to support the legal challenge to the airline.

“As this case goes forward, it is important that the six imams have the full support of the community and of all people of conscience who value civil rights and respect the Constitution,” said Omar T. Mohammedi, one of the imams’ attorneys.

In July, a judge in Minnesota sided with the imams on key issues in their lawsuit against those involved in their removal from the plane. U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery cleared the way for a trial by denying several motions to dismiss the case and ruling that a law passed by Congress after the incident does not grant protection from lawsuits to those sued by the imams.

Judge Montgomery also ruled that the actions of the imams prior to their flight did not justify their detention. She noted that the imams were subjected to “extreme fear and humiliation of being falsely identified as dangerous terrorists.”

CAIR press release, 18 September 2009

Council fails to ban EDL provocation in Manchester

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL in BirminghamCouncil chiefs have failed to get the government to ban a demonstration in Manchester by a right-wing group which claims to oppose Islamic extremism.

The English Defence League (EDL) plans to host a protest in the city next month. Manchester City Council, religious leaders and city traders asked the Home Office to stop the event after a similar recent protest turned violent. But the Home Office said it had no power to ban “static demonstrations”.

The council said it was concerned that shoppers and residents could become caught up in possible trouble caused by the EDL event. Councillor Jim Battle, deputy council leader, said: “Wherever the so-called English Defence League have gone there has been violence and disruption to ordinary people who just want to go about their business. It certainly is not welcome in Manchester.”

The Dean of Manchester Cathedral, Reverend Roger Govender, and Cityco, which represents city traders, backed the council’s opposition to the event.

According to the Home Office, police must make a decision locally on how to patrol peaceful protests. A Home Office spokesman added:

“They must take into consideration responsibilities such as public safety, public order, the prevention of crime and the protection of the rights of others to go about their lawful business. Violent activity and incitement to religious and racial hatred are totally unacceptable and the police have powers to deal robustly with any such activities.”

BBC news, 16 September 2009

See also Bartholomew’s Notes on Religion, 16 September 2009

Update:  And see “The tabloids and right wing extremism” at Five Chinese Crackers, which analyses the use made in the EDL video of anti-Muslim articles in the mainstream right-wing press.

Anti-Islamic demonstrators mark 9/11 with march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Dove protest

The Dove World Outreach Center, a Gainesville church known for its anti-Islamic message, staged a march and demonstration in front of the Oaks Mall on Friday afternoon.

About 30 participants weaved their way through the mall parking lot and went out on the sidewalk on Newberry Road shortly after 5 p.m. They were wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Islam is of the devil” on the back and carrying signs saying such things as “Jesus is not a liberal,” “Islam Kills” and “Jesus is the only way.”

Senior Pastor Terry Jones said they wanted to memorialize Sept. 11, the people who died that day and the military, and to spread the church’s message.

He said they had planned on going into the mall but the Gainesville police told them earlier in the week that they would be arrested for trespassing if they did.

The demonstrators sang Christian hymns, the national anthem and the Lee Greenwood song “God Bless the USA.”

Some motorists honked horns. One man, who did not wish to be identified, stopped to debate the demonstrators, asking why they were so confrontational.

Meanwhile, on the Bo Diddley Community Plaza in downtown Gainesville, members of the Muslim Association of North Central Florida wore shirts with the message “Muslims Serving Society” as they served meals to about 60 to 100 homeless people.

“Helping the poor and serving the needy is one of the principles of Islam so we try to do it,” said Farouk Dey, a member of the Muslim Association of North Central Florida.

“Helping the poor and serving the needy is one of the principles of Islam so we try to do it,” said Farouk Dey, a member of the Muslim Association of North Central Florida. The organization, along with the local chapter of the national Muslim organization Project Downtown, serves the meals each Saturday but decided this week to move the meals to Friday to commemorate the Sept. 11th anniversary.

“As a Muslim community in America we are trying to send a message to our American brothers and sisters that (Sept. 11th) does not define us,” Dey said. “We are a peaceful religion.”

, along with the local chapter of the national Muslim organization Project Downtown, serves the meals each Saturday but decided this week to move the meals to Friday to commemorate the Sept. 11th anniversary.

“As a Muslim community in America we are trying to send a message to our American brothers and sisters that (Sept. 11th) does not define us,” Dey said. “We are a peaceful religion.”

Gainesville Sun, 11 September 2009

Dove protest (2)

Chaotic alliance of far right groups stirs up trouble on streets

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL fascist salute BirminghamThe rise of the English Defence League, whose protests against Islamism have sparked violent city centre clashes, has been chaotic but rapid.

Three months ago, no one had heard of the EDL. But the organisation has risen to prominence in a spate of civil unrest in which far-right activists, football hooligans and known racists have fought running battles with Asian youths. The leadership insists they are not racist and just want to “peacefully protest against militant Islam”.

Yet at EDL events, skinheads have raised Nazi salutes and other EDL supporters have chanted racist slogans such as “I hate Pakis more than you”. One protest in Luton in May ended with scores of people attacking Asian businesses, smashing cars and threatening passersby.

Insiders have talked of plans to enlist football fans to march for the cause on the basis that “you need an army for a war”.

Guardian, 12 September 2009

See also “Minister warns of 1930s-style fascists on Britain’s streets”, Guardian, 12 September 2009

English Defence League humiliated in Harrow

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Harrow anti-EDL protest“This is the story that the news should be telling you, but probably isn’t. I was there, so I will tell you. I have rarely been so heartened in my political life.

“The English Defence League, whose marches have been wreaking chaos in Luton and Birmingham, attempted to target a mosque in Harrow today. Their official aim was to demonstrate outside the mosque in opposition to ‘Islamic extremism’.

“That this mosque has no connection with Islamic extremism tells you that any mosque would have sufficed for their purposes. As their organisers have explained, they believe that Islam itself is inherently extreme.

“I believe only few dozen of their activists actually made it to Harrow, but I can’t say for certain, because I never laid eyes on a single one. Where these fascist provocateurs intended to ‘protest’ were thousands of antifascists attending the UAF’s counter-demonstration.”

Lenin’s Tomb, 11 September 2009

See also “SIOE demo called off!”, SIOE website, 11 September 2009

Update:  See UAF statement, 12 September 2009

And pictures of the Harrow events here.