Planning permission for a mosque in Worcester Park was unanimously turned down by councillors after a lively meeting last night.

Councillors said the proposed mosque in Green Road would bring too much traffic to the area and voted to refuse planning permission after hearing arguments from concerned neighbours and from the project’s backers.

Around 300 people attended the meeting, as well as several police officers, and there were loud cheers as the councillors voted. During the meeting the chairman had to ask the audience to calm down on several occasions as speakers were interrupted by loud heckling.

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Police are hunting for this yob after he hurled a beer glass at their van during an English Defence League protest in Tipton on August 11.

Supporters of the far-right anti-Islam group staged what officers have called a “peaceful protest” in the town, but this man broke ranks and attacked the vehicle, narrowly missing an officer with the glass.

Sandwell police are keen to speak to anyone who may recognise the hooligan, or who witnessed the attack, which came as the demonstration passed “largely without incident”, they said.

The man wore a grey cardigan-style jacket over a turquoise blue t-shirt, plus jeans and trainers.

Anyone with information should call Sandwell police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Birmingham Mail, 3 December 2012

More than 4000 people have signed a petition against a controversial plan to convert a disused bank into a mosque ahead of a meeting next week to decide its future.

Councillors will decide on Monday whether the bank chambers in Green Lane can be developed into a mosque. Worcester Park resident Jacki Chillman appealed to others who do not want the plans to go ahead to make sure they make their presence felt at the meeting.

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Two men were arrested yesterday during a protest over a planned Muslim education centre in the North.

Police estimate that around 200 members of the English Defence League turned out to the protest in the former pit village of Shotton Colliery, County Durham.

The arrests were made for breach of bail conditions, a spokesperson for Durham Police said.

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