‘Tighten up laws on far-right groups’, activists urge

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Birmingham 2013Community leaders in Birmingham are urging the city’s ten MPs to put pressure on Government to tighten up the laws on static protests following an English Defence League (EDL) rally in the heart of the city.

The protest was held last Saturday in Centenary Square, while a counter demonstration from the United Against Fascism (UAF) group took place a few hundred yards away in Chamberlain Square. To further complicate matters, more than 2,000 young Christians, including many African Caribbeans, were taking part in a three-day international convention at nearby Symphony Hall.

The day passed with no serious injuries, although one police officer was treated in hospital after being hit by a brick. Around 20 arrests were made and officers from West Midlands Police are still scouring “exceptional quality” CCTV footage with the aim of bringing more offenders to justice for public order offences.

Community leaders had met with police before the event urging them to postpone the rally, fearing that young people attending the Christian conference would be physically or verbally abused. But they were told neither police of Birmingham City Council had the power to stop what is known as a “static protest” from going ahead.

Desmond Jaddoo, of Birmingham Empowerment Forum has now written to all ten MPs calling for a tightening up of the law. Those he has written to include Khalid Mahmood, Gisela Stuart, John Hemming, Jack Dromey, Richard Burden and Steve McCabe. Councillor Bob Jones, the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has also written to Home Secretary Theresa May.

Continue reading →

Police and council block SDL’s Pollokshields protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

SDL Glasgow February 2012(2)Authorities are to move against a planned weekend march by the far-right Scottish Defence League amid police concerns of serious public disorder and the impact on community relations.

The group, a fringe organisation that opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islam, has applied to parade through one of Scotland’s most multicultural areas to commemorate the birthday of Kriss Donald, the teenager who was murdered by an Asian gang almost a decade ago.

But Police Scotland said the planned march through Glasgow’s Pollokshields area “might reasonably be believed to be intended to be provocative to the Muslim community”, falling as it does in Ramadan.

At meetings with the police and Glasgow City Council it has also emerged that rather than discussing the parade as a “memorial event” the SDL said they “would go to where there was a problem and mentioned Asian gangs and the raping of young girls”.

Continue reading →

Does anyone know who this man is?

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL mosque tattooThis photo has been widely circulated over the past few days. It was taken at the English Defence League’s demonstration in Birmingham last Saturday.

I have to admit I was initially a bit dubious about whether the photo was genuine. However, there is another picture of the same EDL member, which would suggest that it is.

The photo appears in today’s issue of the Sun, who are asking anyone who recognises this individual to contact them.

Once in a while, even the right-wing tabloid press can play a positive role.

Pavlo Lapshyn in court on terror and murder charges

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A 25-year-old Ukrainian man has appeared in court charged with the “terrorist-related” murder of 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem in Birmingham. West Midlands Police said that Pavlo Lapshyn has also been charged in relation to explosions at three mosques. Mohammed Saleem was stabbed as he walked home after prayers from a mosque in Small Heath on 29 April.

Mr Lapshyn was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Thursday.

Mr Lapshyn, who comes from the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk, appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court flanked by three police officers. He was dressed in black and only spoke to confirm his name and date of birth as 12 March 1988.

West Midlands Police charged the postgraduate student with murder on Monday evening. Mr Saleem was stabbed a matter of days after Mr Lapshyn began a work placement in the UK. In a statement on Monday morning, police confirmed Mr Lapshyn had also been charged in relation to incidents at mosques in Walsall, Tipton and Wolverhampton.

The court heard that Mr Lapshyn was accused of causing explosions on 21 June and 12 July, contrary to Section 2 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883. Mr Lapshyn is further charged under Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 with intending to commit acts of terrorism between 24 April and 18 July.

It is alleged that he bought batteries, a lunch bag, clock and green container as part of the construction an explosive device. It is further alleged that he carried out internet research to identify locations to plant explosive devices and that he visited at least one area in the West Midlands as part of that planning. He is further accused of buying chemicals online to make an explosive device and of modifying mobile phones to be used as detonators.

Continue reading →

Man arrested after stone attack on Bletchley mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after stones were thrown at a mosque in Bletchley.

Police were called at 3.29am yesterday, following reports of a man throwing stones and threatening the occupants at the mosque, located in Manor Road. The incident occurred just a couple of months after another mosque in Bletchley had been attacked, following the death of Drummer Lee Rigby.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Dave Dachtler said: “A man has been arrested and is currently in custody where he will be questioned later today (Sunday). We will not tolerate any kind of hate crime in our community and we always treat any occurrences extremely seriously.”

MK News, 22 July 2013

Montreal amusement park ends ‘special privileges for halal and kosher food’ amid uproar

Posted on by Bob Pitt

LAROND 11189 Logo EnlgishFor the boys at Camp Gan Israel in the Laurentians, the trip to the La Ronde amusement park in Montreal is one of the highlights of the summer. Because the camp is kosher, and La Ronde does not sell kosher food, the children have always been allowed to bring in their own snacks.

But after a newspaper went undercover last week to reveal that Muslims and Jews with dietary restrictions were exempt from the ban on bringing food into the park, La Ronde announced an end to the religious accommodation Monday.

“After hearing feedback from our guests, La Ronde would like to clarify that only guests with special medical dietary needs will be considered to bring outside food with them as they enter the park,” communications manager Catherine Tremblay said in a statement.

The “feedback” included a 19,000-name Internet petition and a stream of intolerant reader comments on media web sites after the Journal de Montréal broke the news last week. The paper’s reporter had donned a headscarf and received a sticker allowing her to bring her sandwich into the park. “Special privileges for halal and kosher food,” the front-page headline read. “Lunches forbidden at La Ronde except for Jews and Muslims,” the paper reported on its website.

Continue reading →

Police investigate threats against New Jersey mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

ENGLEWOOD — Police say they have “several significant leads” as they investigate a series of threatening phone calls made to a city mosque over the weekend.

According to Det. Capt. Timothy Torell, officers were first called to the Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khorasan Charitable Trust Mosque on Liberty Road at around 4 p.m. on Sunday.

After speaking with staff who had received the threats, police called in a bomb squad from the Bergen County Police Department as a precautionary measure. The squad teamed with a K-9 unit to comb the building for any explosives, and turned up nothing suspicious, Torell said.

NJ.com, 22 July 2013

See also “CAIR asks Feds to probe threats to NJ mosque”, CAIR press release, 23 July 2013

MCB calls for coordinated, national response to anti-Muslim terrorism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

MCB banner

Anti-Muslim terrorism: Time for a coordinated, national response

* Muslim Community has borne the brunt of attacks, often violent, patiently and with dignity
* MCB Leadership visits West Midlands mosques
* MCB Writes to the Home Secretary and Communities Secretary, Urging a Concerted National response

The Muslim Council of Britain today wrote to the Home Secretary urging a serious national response to the spate of terrorist and arson attacks against mosques and Islamic institutions since May.

In the last month alone, three mosques have been targeted by terrorists who have left viable explosive devices at each site, a fourth mosque in Liverpool has had a controlled explosion carried out following reports of a suspicious package at the site. This follows the arson attack against a mosque in North London in June, which saw the building destroyed. This unprecedented escalation of violence against the Muslim community must be met by an urgent, coordinated national response by politicians, police and domestic security services.

Visiting the mosques at Walsall, Tipton and Wolverhampton on Saturday MCB secretary general, Farooq Murad and Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Shuja Shafi were briefed by the mosque and community leadership about the prompt response from the police and the solidarity within the community. They also gave suggestions for a better and more coordinated approach to the threat including MCB preparing a toolkit for its affiliates.

Continue reading →

Member of ‘non-racist’ EDL fined for racist outburst

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lianne TylerA woman has been fined £100 after she drunkenly told police she was going “P*** bashing with the EDL”.

Lianne Tyler made the racist remark to a custody sergeant after being arrested on her way to Saturday’s English Defence League demo in Birmingham city centre. The 20-year-old, of Brailes Grove, Bordesley Green, also twice referred to a police officer as a “black c***”, the court heard.

City magistrates were told officers had found Tyler drunk and carrying alcohol in New Street. She refused to be moved on and told police: “I’m not f****** leaving town, I’m going to EDL.”

Tyler, wearing a T-shirt and combat shorts in court, pleaded guilty to offences of failing to disperse and racially aggravated public order. She was fined £50 on each charge, but the fine was deemed served by her time spent in custody since Saturday afternoon.

Birmingham Mail, 22 July 2013