Category Archives: UK

Islamophobia and the media – a timely book

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Pointing the FingerRoy Greenslade reviews a new book Pointing the Finger: Islam and Muslims in the British Media, edited by Julian Petley and Robin Richardson. He writes:

“It is a timely and important book, as another author who has written widely on the same subject, Elizabeth Poole, points out. There are terrific contributions from several media academics and a key chapter  ‘Keeping your integrity – and your job: voices from the newsroom’ – was written by The Guardian columnist Hugh Muir and fellow journalist Laura Smith.

“Few topics are as controversial as the media treatment of Muslims, and too few journalists take it seriously. They should, because they are responsible for the stories people retell. It is press-generated myths about Islam that fuel misunderstandings and feed prejudice, and thus bedevil rational discussion.”

‘Call for UK burka ban grows’ claims Express

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police made the first arrests yesterday of women flouting France’s new burka ban amid fresh calls to outlaw them in Britain too. Anyone who appears veiled in public in France can now be fined £130 under a law that came into effect yesterday. The move sparked calls for a similar approach in this country, with surveys showing there was widespread public support for a law that would make it illegal for anyone to cover their face in public.

Tory MP Philip Hollobone has tabled a private member’s bill that would ban veils in public, while UKIP has won public support for its policy on outlawing the burka. Mr Hollobone announced his bill last year, saying: “This is Britain. We are not a Muslim country. Covering your face in public is strange, and to many people both intimidating and offensive. We are never going to get along with having a fully integrated society if a substantial minority insist on concealing their identity from everyone else.”

Last night, UKIP’s Gerard Batten said: “UKIP is opposed to the burka because it is a physical manifestation of extremist Islam which is intolerant and incompatible with Western liberal democracy. UKIP policy is to ban it from all public institutions, buildings and public transport; private organisations and buildings must have a blanket ban on all face-coverings or no policy at all.”

Daily Express, 12 April 2011

Quite how two notorious Islamophobes reiterating their views on the veil demonstrates that the call for a ban is “growing” is unclear.

BNP mayor for Lancashire town

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A town is to become the first in the country to have a mayor from the far-right BNP, in a move branded divisive and worrying by campaigners. John Cave was chosen by an overwhelming vote to take over the chains of office as next year’s mayor of Padiham, near Burnley.

With a population of around 10,000, Padiham’s town council only has limited powers, and elected members do not stand on party political grounds. However, the next mayor is a long-term BNP activist in nearby Burnley and his wife, Sharon Wilkinson – expected to be his mayoress – became the party’s first county councillor, representing the town, in 2009.

He contributed a clip of former Labour minister Shahid Malik speaking about British aid being given to Muslim countries to a website under the heading “The threat of Islam”. Mr Cave also wrote a letter to a local newspaper last year demanding that Britain’s political and religious leaders “admit their multicultural folly” and direct their efforts to benefit the majority.

Daily Mail, 13 April 2011

BNP ‘Qur’an man’ to stand in elections

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A BNP member accused of burning a copy of the Qur’an will still stand in the Welsh Assembly elections, his party has confirmed.

Sion Owens, 41, of Bonymaen, Swansea, had a charge against him dropped today – but was told by magistrates legal proceedings may resume after further investigations. Owens was arrested last weekend after The Observer newspaper reportedly handed police a video, which appeared to show Mr Owens dousing a copy of the Qur’an with paraffin before setting it alight.

The alleged incident drew widespread condemnation from political and ethnic groups in Wales – who are urging voters to shun the far-right BNP in the May 5 poll. Owens is third on the list out of four candidates the BNP is putting up for the South Wales West regional seat.

Plaid Cymru described the alleged incident as appalling but “hardly surprising”. A party spokeswoman said: “Our advice to the electorate of Wales is to ignore their call for race hate as we have always done, ensure they lose their election deposits and above all quickly recycle their leaflets – as that is all they are good for.”

The BNP issued a 2,000 plus word statement on its website in response to Owens’ court appearance, complaining of “hypocrisy” by the authorities. A party spokesman said Owens would continue to stand as a candidate in the Welsh Assembly elections.

BNP leader Nick Griffin added: “The British National Party does not favour burning any book, although if there is any repeat of last year’s Poppy burning insult and subsequent lack of police action, we may well review that position.” He also said the BNP favoured freedom of speech – saying there needed to be a “resistance to the intimidation” encouraged by Muslim extremists.

However, Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council countered the claims, saying the BNP had abused that democratic right. Chief executive Taha Idris said: “While people have freedom of speech and freedom of action in the UK, it is a privilege that should never be abused.”

Asian Image, 11 April 2011

EDL thugs attack peaceful protest against French veil ban

Posted on by Bob Pitt

French embassy niqab protest

Around 40 members of the racist English Defence League tonight attacked a peaceful protest outside the French Embassy, opposing the introduction of a ban on the niqab or face veil in France.

Young Muslim women were joined by students and trade unionists on the protest called by UAF and One Society Many Cultures and supported by the British Muslim Initiative, Islamic Forum of Europe, Islam Expo and the Enough Coalition.

They carried placards reading: “Defend religious and cultural freedom” and “Face veil – a woman’s right to choose”.

EDL thugs launched a physical attack on the peaceful protest before being surrounded by police and led away.

UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said:

It is unacceptable that a group of racist thugs has attacked a demo calling for freedom of religious and cultural expression for Muslim women.

We believe that by targeting Muslims with measures like the niqab ban, French president Nicolas Sarkozy is opening the door and providing dangerous encouragement to racist and fascist groups. Today’s events bear that out.

It is clear the EDL is building a street thug movement that aims to smash anyone who stands up against racism, fascism and Islamophobia. We will continue our efforts to oppose them.

The protest outside the French embassy was called to mark the day that the niqab ban came into force in France.

The ban contravenes Muslim women’s freedom of religion. We believe free and democratic societies should allow people to express their faith and culture however they choose.

Although there are no proposals to introduce such legislation in Britain, the ban on the niqab in France has provoked Islamophobic discussions and campaigns here in Britain.

Unite Against Fascism, 11 April 2011

See also “Londoners condemn France burqa ban”, Press TV, 11 April 2011

Update:  Over at the Casuals United blog you can find the EDL boasting about their unprovoked attack on the peaceful protest outside the French embassy.

EDL attack French embassy protestors

Lecturer accuses airline of racial harassment

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A university lecturer has made a complaint of racial harassment against an airline after being told not to sleep with his hands covered as “a matter of security”. A flight attendant woke him after he had covered his head and hands with his jacket, saying his actions had “disturbed” other passengers.

Malhotra, 32, who was born in the UK but is of Indian descent, believes he would not have been treated the same way if he was white, and has been backed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in Scotland. The incident, last month, raises fears that passengers of Asian or Muslim appearance are being discriminated against by some airline staff because of heightened tensions over terrorist attacks.

The Civil Aviation Authority, which regulates airlines, says there are no rules disallowing passengers from having their heads or hands covered during a flight.

Scotland on Sunday, 10 April 2011

BNP election candidate arrested over Qur’an burning

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sion Owens BNPA senior member of the BNP who burned a copy of the Qur’an in his garden has been arrested following an investigation by the Observer. Footage of the burning shows Sion Owens, 40, from south Wales and a candidate for the forthcoming Welsh Assembly elections, soaking the Qur’an in kerosene and setting fire to it.

Superintendent Phil Davies of South Wales police, who led the investigation, said: “We always adopt an extremely robust approach to allegations of this sort and find this sort of intolerance unacceptable in our society.”

Owens was arrested within hours of police receiving the video. A second person, believed to have filmed the Qur’an burning, is also in police custody.

Photographs show Owens at a Welsh Defence League demonstration with a group of alleged Nazis including Wayne Baldwin, who has been pictured posing in front of a swastika flag. The Observer has also been passed images that show Owens’s face apparently superimposed on Hitler’s body.

Owens was officially announced last week as the BNP’s number three candidate for the South Wales West constituency of the Welsh assembly.

In 2008 he stood for the BNP in council elections, polling almost a fifth of votes in his ward but finishing last out of three candidates. His campaign posters at the time show him standing on a ticket against “mass immigration, enforced multiculturalism, political correctness”.

Observer, 10 April 2011

Update:  See “BNP ‘Koran burning’ charge dropped”, Press Association, 11 April 2011