Far-right group the English Defence League (EDL) is planning a demonstration in Slough early in the New Year. A website, aiming to expose and counter the EDL, says the group is planning four marches – in Slough, Cambridge, Manchester and Newcastle. The anonymous website founder claims the information was leaked to him by an EDL member.
Category Archives: UK
We have nothing to fear from our Muslim citizens
New census figures showing an increase in the UK’s Muslim population are no excuse for scaremongering, argues Ian Birrell.
Another fascist protest against Sunderland mosque
Protestors again gathered at the site of a planned mosque in Millfield.
A proposal to convert a former council depot into a mosque has caused controversy since the decision was accepted in January. And on Saturday members from the National Patriotic Front turned up to the site with signs, including some that read “no more mosques.”
Treasurer Paul Stephenson said: “We are a Christian country, we don’t want to bring their ideas and practices into our country.” Chairman Robert Patten added: “We come here every month and we are going to keep coming back until there is something done about this. We want to stop the spread of Islam as much as we can.”
Bradford EDL men face jail
It is no surprise that where the EDL go racist violence follows soon after.
Two Bradford EDL activists have admitted taking part in violence following a protest in West Yorkshire earlier this year.
Nottinghamshire Muslim family suffers further harassment
Offensive graffiti attacking Allah and Islam has been painted outside a Muslim family’s home weeks after a cross wrapped in ham was left by their door.
The 31-year-old mother and two sons, eight and 10, say they have suffered five or six racist incidents since they moved to Bingham, Notts, in October.
The graffiti was painted on their path on Saturday morning.
Warning to Teesside teachers as BNP leaflet campaign targets schools
Headteachers on Teesside are being warned about a leaflet campaign by the British National Party targeting schools.
Cleveland Police has branded the content of the BNP leaflets as “provocative and detrimental to good community relations”. The force has consulted with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding any potential offences and is awaiting their advice.
Teachers on Teesside are being called on to be vigilant about any possible BNP political activity seeking to engage young people.
Parliamentary report exposes employment discrimination against Muslim women
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Race and Community has expressed concern regarding high levels of Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi female unemployment in its new report on the issue. The report follows a five month inquiry.
The report and inquiry was written and undertaken in partnership with the Runnymede Trust, which acts a secretariat for the group.
It argues that discrimination is present at every level of the recruitment process, and cites examples of women changing their names or removing religious dress, such as the hijab, for job interviews.
Newham Council rejects Riverine Centre plans
A plan to build the UK’s biggest mosque in Stratford, east London, has been rejected by councillors.
Thousands of supporters gathered outside Newham Council’s town hall ahead of the decision.
The Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat has been trying for 10 years to build a mosque in Newham.
Supporters outside the town hall, some of whom had come from Birmingham and Bradford, held signs reading: “15 years of waiting. Not a day more. Vote yes to the Riverine Centre”.
BBC London reporter Alex Bushill estimated that 3,000 people had gathered. The crowd dispersed after the meeting.
Controversy at London seminar on antisemitism
Gisèle Littman and friend
The Jewish Chronicle has published a report on conflicts that arose during a one-day symposium sponsored by the Journal for the Study of Antisemitism which was held at the Wiener Library in London last weekend.
The controversy was prompted by contributions from two of the speakers. One was Bat Ye’or (the pen name of Gisèle Littman) who informed her audience that the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is “the source of antisemitism” and that “Islam is denying the root of Judaism and Christianity with a profound belief in Jihad”. Another speaker, Manfred Gerstenfeld, asserted that Muslim culture is inferior to Western culture.
Former EDL youth leader in court for breach of football ban
A leading member of the English Defence League banned from every football ground in the country has been spotted heading for Arsenal matches, the Old Bailey heard.
Joel Titus, 21, was banned from football after he led a mass brawl outside Liverpool Street station more than two years ago. At that time he led Brentford fans in a charge on rival Leyton Orient supporters.
But he has dodged the ban by switching allegiance to Arsenal and joining fellow hooligans in pubs, stations and on supporters coaches, the court was told. The leader of the youth wing of the EDL has also moved to Highbury to be closer to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
When he was arrested during one clash he was found with a hard-knuckle Kevlar glove – the same type of weapon he used during the earlier Liverpool Street fight.
Police are now applying for his football banning order to be extended to prevent a repeat of his behaviour. Judge Timothy Pontius will pass sentence today.