Second German region recognises Muslim holidays

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The region of Bremen in northern Germany on Friday said it would be the second of the country’s 16 states to recognise Muslim holidays.

“I am delighted because Islam and Muslims are part of our city and part of our life,” said the mayor of the city state, Jens Böhrnsen, after signing the deal with representatives of the local Muslim community. The agreement signed reflects “mutual recognition and respect of mutual values,” added the mayor.

The deal will allow members of the community to take days off work for Muslim celebrations, although they will not receive paid holiday.

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Deputy mayor calls for ban on ‘hate preaching’ in proposed Melbourne mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Casey deputy mayor Sam Aziz will seek to impose a planning condition “not to preach hatred from the pulpits” on a proposed Afghan mosque in Doveton.

Despite professing to hate “religious intolerance”, Cr Aziz also suggested that Islam was not a peaceful religion, that the Koran incited hatred and that Islamic terror threats “were not far from home”.

He has backed objections by fundamentalist Christian Catch the Fire Ministries pastor Danny Nalliah, who is rallying against the mosque in Green Street.

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Michigan DJ’s ‘repugnant’ anti-Muslim blog post

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Holland radio personality’s blog post that’s being called offensive and “repugnant” has been removed from the Internet.

Friday morning, WHTC’s Red Kingman posted a series of one-liners about Muslims on his “Off the top with Red Kingman” blog. The post starts off with “This is straight forward country thinking…” and leads into what it characterizes as a Jeff Foxworthy routine on Muslims.

However, the Internet meme is not associated with the comedian known for his redneck jokes, said Foxworthy’s attorney Samuel Fox. Fox called the statements “repugnant.”

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Posted in USA

New York: thugs savagely attacked elderly man after asking if he was Muslim

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ali AkmalA brutal beating left a beloved grandfather in the hospital Friday night and police want to know if it was an act of hate.

The whole incident apparently started with a simple question and answer, but it ended with the victim bloody and bruised from head to toe. It happened just before 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 24 in Queens.

Ali Akmal laid in his hospital bed in critical condition with wounds and bruises covering most of his body. The 72-year-old was savagely beaten after he went out for his early morning walk on 46 Avenue in Corona last Saturday.

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Norwalk, Connecticut: city moves to settle mosque lawsuit

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The city and Al-Madany Islamic Center of Norwalk appear headed toward resolution of the latter’s lawsuit against the city.

Al-Madany Islamic Center sued the city after the commission on June 6 rejected the center’s plan to build a mosque/multi-purpose center at 127 Fillow St. That decision might now be reversed, or at least altered.

On a 6-1 vote Thursday night, Norwalk Zoning commissioners approved the following motion: “Subject to an agreement on the terms and conditions of the final settlement agreement, we consent to a resolution to allow for zoning approval for the mosque and accessory use building.”

The Hour, 29 November 2012

There has been an ongoing dispute over Al-Madany Islamic Center’s plans (see here, here and here).

Update:  See “Norwalk supports mosque after lawsuit, fed inquiry”, Associated Press, 8 December 2012

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