Hamburg has become the first German state to sign formal agreements with its Muslim communities, recognizing Muslim holidays and improving religious tuition in schools. Other states are expected to follow suit.
Immigration fears and unemployment boost support for Sweden Democrats
Banking on concerns of immigration and rising unemployment, far-rightists are gaining popularity in Sweden, amid expectations of becoming the third party in the country’s coming election.
“Immigration is topping the agenda and this benefits the Sweden Democrats,” Carl Melin, polling head at United Minds, told Reuters Monday, November 12.
Dundee man who threw a sword at Muslims and threatened to kill them faces jail
A Dundee man hurled a sword at three Muslim men as they stood outside a block of flats after escaping from a fire, a court has heard.
Grant Robertson, 28, launched a tirade of abuse at the three men following the incident on 26 January.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Robertson pleaded guilty to a charge of acting in a racially aggravated manner and to assaulting the men. Sheriff Elizabeth Munro released him on bail ahead of sentencing next month.
The court heard that when he was arrested Robertson told police: “I threw my sword out the window at them, I wish it got them in the throat.”
EDL supporter denies joining attack on Kingston Mosque, says he ‘wanted nothing to do with it’
Henry Hunter
A protester photographed holding a stick near Kingston Mosque has claimed he was in “the wrong place at the wrong time”.
Henry Hunter handed himself in to police after being pictured on the front page of the Surrey Comet, following an appeal to find more suspects in the attack on the East Road mosque on November 21, 2010.
At Kingston Crown Court, Mr Hunter denied being part of the group who threw sticks, beer bottles and bacon at the Muslim place of worship, and said he felt scared at what he saw.
He said he was part of the protest march against Muslim extremism that had taken place earlier that day, which concluded peacefully.
But a mob of men targetted the mosque after the march. Mr Hunter admitted going with the group to East Road, but said he broke away when they started throwing objects.
Praise for Norwich following marches: ‘It was great that so many people turned out to show the EDL that it is not welcome in our city’
People in Norwich have been praised for the way they responded and reacted to the controversial English Defence League march.
The centre of Norwich came to a standstill on Saturday as nearly 2,000 people gathered at the front of City Hall to protest.
A crowd of 1,500 people from community, faith and political groups took to the streets under the collective banner of We Are Norwich in protest at the EDL’s decision to march through the city, setting off from Chapelfield Gardens.
Former Test cricketer defends anti-Muslim ‘joke’
Former Test batsman Greg Ritchie has defended himself against claims of racist and anti-Muslim comments at a Brisbane Test luncheon, refusing to apologise and saying: “If they take offence that’s their choice.”
The ex-Australian player and television personality was attacked for using the forbidden “k-word” during a lunchtime speech at the Brisbane Cricket Ground Trust members dining room on day one of the first Test against South Africa on Friday. He also made disparaging remarks about Islamic people in the address, South Africa’s Sunday Times reported.
“I’ve got nothing against the Muslim people,” Ritchie was reported as saying on Friday. “Just this morning I had to try and stop three little Muslim boys trying to break the lock on my car boot. I had to say, ‘Shut up! You’re in there for a reason!'”
Fear and loathing in France
Fear and loathing in France
Labour Briefing, November 2012
Richard Price reports on a rising tide of Islamophobia in France: stoked by mainstream politicians and translated into discrimination and violence in everyday life
Ahmadiyya mosque vandalised by fascists
Fait-Religieux reports that Nazi graffiti was sprayed on an Ahmadiyya mosque at Épernay in northern France during the night of 7-8 November.
Islamophobes protest in Paris
Hundreds of French nationalists have demonstrated in Paris against Islamist extremism, chanting the French anthem and saying the religion has no place in the country.
Protester Romain Cyiril says, “France was always a welcoming country, but for the first time we have to deal with a religion which can’t and doesn’t want to integrate itself.”
Why can’t the BNP be prosecuted for distributing hate literature against Muslims?
The Nottingham-based Building For The Future blog has drawn its readers’ attention to this leaflet, which has been distributed by the British National Party in Luton.
As the BFTF writer notes, the flyer “appeared to have come straight out of 1930s Germany (and BFTF does not use that analogy lightly) – with the exception that instead of hate caricatures of Jews, it was Muslims that the BNP were now choosing to portray as the evil menace in our midst”.
The writer wants to know whether “this qualifies as an inciteful document and should not be allowed” and has “asked the local council and MP what (if anything) would happen if the BNP started distributing flyers like this in Nottingham”.