The government is facing a rebellion over its anti-terrorism strategy from Muslim groups that claim public funding to tackle social deprivation has been made contingent on security co-operation.
Leaders of Muslim organisations have told the Guardian that the Prevent Violent Extremism (PVE) initiative is stigmatising Muslims and that much-needed money to tackle widespread social problems is only being granted with strings attached.
“I came to visit my father’s grave today. I was shocked to find the stone has been pushed over. I cannot understand why people would do such a thing. I am very upset,” explained Habib Dar. “Thank you for organising the vigil today,” he said.
Twenty Muslim gravestones at Manchester’s Southern Cemetery were vandalised last week in what the police have called a “race hate crime”, as the gravestones desecrated were all in the Muslim part of the cemetery.
At just a few hours notice eighty people turned out to show solidarity with the Muslim community at a vigil called by local activists from Unite Against Fascism. Many local people came, including a delegation of local Jews, as well as leading trades unionists, families, pensioners and people from the Muslim community.
“Nothing like this has ever happened at this cemetery,” explained Ahmed. “But we know it is not just a coincidence that on Saturday the EDL are in Manchester. They are trying to intimidate us, but we will all be out there on the protest.”
A spokesperson for UAF Mile Killion said, “The election of Nick Griffin of the British Nazi Party has only encouraged the people who committed this outrage at the cemetery. This despicable attack has strengthened our resolve to build the UAF protest against the EDL in Manchester next Saturday.”
Stop the EDL. Assemble 12 noon, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, Saturday 10th October.
ENGAGE draws our attention to an article in the Harrow Observer which reports that the police are once again refusing to take action against Stop Islamisation of Europe over the provocative demonstration that SIOE is proposing to hold outside Harrow Central Mosque on 13 December.
One William Goddard, Media and Public Relations Manager for Harrow Borough, is quoted as saying: “We are not seeking to ban the proposed protest as there is no legislative basis to do so. Neither the police nor the Home Secretary have any power to ban static demonstrations aside from those on private property.”
This is of course technically true. While the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act gave the police the power to prohibit “trespassory assemblies”, stationary public assemblies cannot be banned under the Public Order Act, only “public processions”. However, Goddard fails to mention that Section 14 of the POA does in fact give the police significant powers in relation to the control of public assemblies. The relevant section reads:
If the senior police officer, having regard to the time or place at which and the circumstances in which any public assembly is being held or is intended to be held, reasonably believes that-
(a) it may result in serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to the life of the community, or
(b) the purpose of the persons organising it is the intimidation of others with a view to compelling them not to do an act they have a right to do, or to do an act they have a right not to do, he may give directions imposing on the persons organising or taking part in the assembly such conditions as to the place at which the assembly may be (or continue to be) held, its maximum duration, or the maximum number of persons who may constitute it, as appear to him necessary to prevent such disorder, damage, disruption or intimidation.
These provisions in the POA are designed for precisely the sort of public assembly that SIOE is planning.
Bear in mind that Stephen Gash of SIOE has announced he is aiming to bring 2,000 protestors to the rally. And he makes no secret of the poisonous anti-Muslim ideology that they will be promoting. This is no demonstration hiding behind the pretence of opposing “Islamist extremists” – it is explicitly directed against the entire Muslim community, under the slogan “Stop mosque building”. As Gash recently stated: “We do not believe in moderate Muslims…. all Muslims want sharia law and Islam to rule the world. Moderate Muslims are those who watch non-Muslims being killed, but still say Allah u Akbar when the killing is happening…. We oppose immigration from Muslim countries.”
It is self-evident that the protest Gash is proposing to hold would certainly cause serious disruption to the life of the community in Harrow and is very likely to result in serious public disorder. Equally clearly, the demonstration is intended to intimidate the local Muslim population as a whole and visitors to Harrow Central Mosque in particular.
An anti-Islamic football group is being investigated by Newcastle United lawyers. The club is taking legal advice after their black and white crest was used by English Defence League Newcastle. The EDL has made its first steps to infiltrate football in the North East by setting up a Facebook group on the internet. It has already attracted more than 600 members.
Magpie bosses are keen for people to know that the club is in no way connected to the extremist body. A spokesman said: “Newcastle United wish to make it clear this has absolutely nothing to do with the football club and are also seeking legal advice over the misuse of its crest.” Following a probe by the Sunday Sun, the EDL removed the NUFC logo from its Facebook web page.
The group claims it is not racist, and says it is campaigning only against extremists and no one else. However, Show Racism the Red Card says the EDL is known to have links with fascist organisations. The charity, which has strong support from NUFC, has warned fans they should not become involved with the EDL.
Chief executive Ged Grebby said: “We know that the EDL are a racist organisation and since they have been set up they have caused mayhem. Wherever they have set up bases, such as in Birmingham and London, they have targeted the Asian community in a blatantly racist way.”
He is concerned that the Facebook group is the first step for the EDL to set up a base in the North East. Show Racism the Red Card is determined to stamp the group out before it even gets started. Mr Grebby said: “We don’t want them in the North East, they are not welcome here. This is a desperate attempt to get some kind of base here, using what they know is a fantastic symbol.”
A far right-wing group is attempting to recruit Saints fans to its ranks.
The English Defence League (EDL) last month launched a recruitment drive in Southampton to enlist football fans to march against “Islamic extremism”. The league, whose demonstrations in London, Luton and Birmingham led to violence, has infiltrated supporter’s online forums and the terraces of St Mary’s Stadium.
Concerned Saints bosses have condemned the group and brought it to the attention of Hampshire police, Southampton City Council, Hampshire FA and football’s antiracism campaign Kick it Out.
Southampton Itchen MP John Denham, who is in charge of promoting inter-faith harmony for the Government, last night branded the group “troublemakers” and said he was confident most fans would have nothing to do with them.
The Echo can reveal Saints this week ordered Facebook to remove the club’s crest from an EDL campaign group founded on the social networking website.
By yesterday 175 people had signed up to the “Southampton FC branch of the EDL”, which claims it wants to peacefully protest against “militant Islam within our shores”.
Desperate to disassociate itself from the fringe group, Saints were last night seeking legal advice to have the name Southampton FC removed from the website page.
A Saints spokesman said: “Southampton Football Club wholeheartedly condemns this type of racist activity. We were made aware of this group, and immediately took the relevant steps to ensure that any implied affiliation was eradicated.
“Further to this, we have notified members of the club’s Racism Just Ain’t Saintly committee of our concerns, and asked that these are passed on to the Premier League and Football League to make other clubs aware of these activities.
“This is something the club will be monitoring in the future as it clearly conflicts with our principles of a united, cohesive and integrated community.”
Muslim graves attacked, as EDL prepare for Manchester fascist rally
Oppose attacks on our cemetery!
Unite against racist attacks!
Never Again!
4pm Emergency Vigil at Southern Cemetery, Barlow Moore Rd, Manchester
Sunday 4th October
Twenty Muslim gravestones have been attacked at Southern Cemetery Manchester. Police say it is a racist hate crime as only graves in the Muslim section were pushed to the ground last Thursday night.
Next Saturday the EDL have said they will rally in Manchester. They want to rid the country of all Muslims. This attack on the gravestones shows what the EDL are really about.
When Jewish gravestones were attacked in North Manchester the whole community came out in an act of solidarity with a cry of Never Again! We all know what the politics of fascism leads to.
We call on all decent people to show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community, who have had the final place of rest for their loved ones violated in this attack.
Stand together in silence outside our community cemetery
Called by UAF
Up to 20 Muslim graves have been vandalised in a racially motivated attack at a south Manchester cemetery. Vandals struck at the Southern Cemetery on Barlow Moor Road sometime overnight on Thursday. Staff arrived at the cemetery to find up to 20 gravestones had been deliberately pushed over, and a number had broken. The attack is being treated as racially motivated as only Muslim graves were targeted.
Det Con Rob Southern said: “This is the worst sort of vandalism imaginable. The graves of your loved ones should be a place where they can rest peacefully and that is absolutely sacrosanct. Sadly, we are treating this as a hate crime as only the Muslim section of gravestones were attacked. This sort of mindless, racist behaviour must be utterly condemned and I’m sure the whole community will be outraged.”
Manchester Evening News, 2 October 2009
See also the Hope Not Hate blog, where Nick Lowles comments: “Coming just a week before the planned EDL protest in the city, this horrendous act has either been carried out to whip up tensions or is the consequence of the current wave of Islamophobia.”
Anti-EDL demo in Manchester: Sat 10 October, 12 noon, Piccadilly Gardens
The racist hooligans of the English Defence League are planning a series of anti-Muslim demonstrations at towns and cities across the country in coming weeks. Previous EDL demonstrations have seen their thugs attack Asian people, chant “Muslims out” and worse at passers-by and make “seig heil” Nazi salutes.
It is vital that we do not sit back and allow a small minority of racist thugs with links to the fascist BNP to terrorise and intimidate Muslims in Britain. All communities need to stand up and link arms with Muslims against the EDL. That’s why Unite Against Fascism called a counter demonstration against the EDL in Birmingham in August. That’s why we helped mobilise thousands of people in Harrow last month to defend the local mosque against the EDL and its affiliates.
We need to turn out and tell the EDL that they are not wanted at all the following dates. We must not let these thugs turn the clock back to the 1970s when they ran round the streets terrorising black and Asian people – or back to the 1930s when Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts targeted Jews in the East End of London.
Saturday 10 October: say no to the racist EDL in Manchester
Manchester UAF has called a demonstration against the EDL at 12 noon in Piccadilly Gardens. It is supported by the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Mancheseter and the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester. Email mancuaf@gmail.com for more details.
Forthcoming EDL demonstrations include:
17 October: Swansea
24 October: Newport
31 October: Leeds
7 November: Nottingham
14 November: Glasgow
Local UAF groups have called protests counter demonstrations at all these places – full details to follow.
A conservative government would stop all funding to groups that promote radical Islamic ideology and target money at organisations with a record of bringing Britain’s diverse communities together.
In an interview with the JC, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling said Labour’s policy risked creating ghettoes. He revealed that the Tories were planning an immediate review of the Prevent anti-extremism strategy, which he accused of channelling money to radical organisations.
The change would represent a shift away from the multiculturalism policy which critics charge with creating segregated religious and ethnic communities isolated from mainstream society.
Jewish Chronicle, 1 October 2009
Read Martin Bright’s interview with Grayling here. Bright reports: “Mr Grayling shares the concerns of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, and reported by the JC, that money is being used to fund dubious organisations. ‘I have some serious misgivings about the way in which Prevent money is being used. I think there are plenty of indicators that it is being channelled in a way that is actually in the end funding extremism rather than reducing extremism’.”
Bright comments approvingly that “Chris Grayling’s interview puts significant blue water between the Conservatives and Labour on extremism and anti-terror policy. The Shadow Home Secretary could not be clearer in his rejection of multiculturalism and the policy of ‘engagement for the sake of engagement’.”
Elsewhere in the JC, under the headline “Denham challenged on Prevent“, Bright reports that at the Quilliam Foundation’s Labour conference fringe meeting earlier this week Ed Husain attacked the government for funding “groups and institutions promoting radical Islamist ideology” and announced a Quilliam-sponsored campaign against Muslim organisations linked to Jamaat-e-Islami.
We have our own question for John Denham, one that we’ve raised before – how much longer will the government continue handing over taxpayers’ money to Husain and his obnoxious little gang of right-wing witch-hunters?
See also “Martin Bright praises Quilliam Foundation’s grand alliance with Zionists and neo-cons”, ENGAGE, 2 October 2009
Over at the right-wing US website Family Security Matters, Adrian Morgan has posted a four-part analysis of the anti-Muslim protests organised by the English Defence League.
Observing that “the identification of players on the far left is complex enough” (yes we’d noticed that Morgan has difficulties with that), in the third part of the series he tries to identify the individuals and ideologies behind the EDL protests. To that end, Morgan sent a questionnaire about the EDL to various people linked to the organisation and received replies from Paul Ray of the Lionheart blog, Stephen Gash of Stop Islamisation of Europe and Mickey Smith of Casuals United.
Given the EDL’s official claim that it is protesting against a minority of Islamist extremists like al-Muhajiroun rather than against the Muslim community as a whole, the answers to Morgan’s question “Is EDL against Muslims, Islamists, or immigrants?” are of interest.
Paul Ray replies that “anyone trying to convert great Britain into an Islamic State, whether peacefully or militantly, is an enemy of the British people, so those are who I am against. If a Moslem is not actively engaged in trying to convert their host Nation into an Islamic State then they are not Moslem. Islamists are just the military wing of the religion…. Take a read of Robert Spencer’s Stealth Jihad which talks about the silent subversive war to take our countries over…. Obviously there are many Islamic militants who are arriving and have arrived in Britain through the immigrant route and have claimed and are claiming asylum in the country which then brings the immigrant question into the equation.”
Stephen Gash’s answer is: “We do not believe in moderate Muslims…. Some Muslims are more active than others, but all Muslims want sharia law and Islam to rule the world. Moderate Muslims are those who watch non-Muslims being killed, but still say Allah u Akbar when the killing is happening. Therefore, we obviously oppose Islamists because Islamists are merely Muslims, and Muslims are Islamists. We oppose immigration from Muslim countries.”
The response by Casuals United spokesperson Mickey Smith is more in line with the EDL’s tactic of covering up their extremist views and masquerading as moderates. Smith replies blandly that the EDL “is against Islamic Extremist, not Muslim people per se, those whose declared aim is to make Britain an Islamic state, and who laugh at our soldiers dying on their websites”.
Unfortunately for Smith, this stance is rather undermined by the explicit anti-Muslim statements on Casuals United’s own website: “I once read a book ‘The prophesies of Nostradamus’ and it said ‘Islamic hordes will invade europe but a British counter attack will drive them back’…. Our advice is this, NEVER EVER vote for any Muslim MP or Councillor as its clear their main interest ‘inshalla’ is the advancement of Islam and not the interests of this country.”
See also “Fomenting hate between Muslims and Christians” at ENGAGE, 1 October 2009