NJ Muslims file federal suit to stop NYPD spying

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Syed Farhaj Hassan at press conferenceOne of the Obama administration’s go-to civil rights groups in its efforts to build relationships with American Muslims is suing the New York Police Department over its surveillance programs, some of which were paid for with federal money.

Eight Muslims filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in New Jersey to force the NYPD to end its surveillance and other intelligence-gathering practices targeting Muslims in the years after the 2001 terrorist attacks. The lawsuit alleged that the NYPD’s activities were unconstitutional because they focused on people’s religion, national origin and race.

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Netherlands: Jewish and Muslim communities combine to resist ban on ritual slaughter

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A new covenant aims to allow Jews and Muslims to continue to perform ritual slaughter of animals while answering the broadly supported call to prevent animal suffering.

After years of heated argument and increased polarization, the parties sat down in front of invited journalists to sign a carefully agreed covenant. The Jewish and Muslim representatives shook hands and, relieved, signed their names to the document.

In this case, Jews and Muslims were on the same side. The covenant they signed, along with Deputy Minister of Agriculture Henk Bleker, is a compromise that will allow Jews and Muslims in the Netherlands to continue the practice of ritual slaughter.

RNW, 6 June 2012

Sikhs, Muslims and the EDL – an account from Luton

Posted on by Bob Pitt

In an update on last week’s protest by Luton’s Sikh community, the Turban Campaign has reproduced an account by Peter Adams from St Mary’s Church in Luton. As they point out: “The account confirms the opportunistic actions of the EDL leadership and the very public disapproval by the local Sikh leadership as previously reported.”

Adams was at Luton Magistrates’ Court the day after the main protest and reports:

“Soon after 10.30 when I arrived it was confirmed that the Muslim lad had been charged and hearing would be in the afternoon. Kevin Carrol turned up soon after and not long afterwards community leader Jaswinder Singh Nagra. He told Carrol EDL were not welcome. When asked who had invited him to be there he could name no names. He withdrew and called Lennon. He hung around and then left.”

Which possibly explains why this EDL appeal was followed shortly after by this one.

University of East Anglia plans to close Islamic Centre

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Save the Islamic Centre

A university Islamic Society said it is shocked one of its centres is to close. The centre at the University of East Anglia is used for Friday prayers and is often visited by students at other times of the week. The university said that the arrangement was always temporary and that permission had now lapsed.

Mohammed Patel, of the Islamic Society, said no-one knew closure was imminent and claimed a multi-faith chaplaincy was too small.

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Posted in UK

Vlaams Belang offers ‘burqa bounty’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Vlaams Belang Gezocht
‘Wanted!’ Vlaams Belang video offers reward for shopping veiled women to police

Belgian right-wingers have offered to pay a 250 euros ($310) bounty to anyone who reports a veiled woman to police, they said on Tuesday, in the wake of face veil riots in Brussels.

Filip Dewinter, a senior figure within Vlaams Belang, a right-wing party, told Reuters the riots had made police apprehensive about enforcing the burqa ban and that the payment should put pressure on authorities to further enforce it. “It’s a textile prison for the women who have to live under it,” he said.

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Why Warsi, not Hunt, is being thrown to the wolves

Posted on by Bob Pitt

James Macintyre examines the double standards behind the prime minister’s differential treatment of Sayeeda Warsi and Jeremy Hunt.

Comment is Free, 5 June 2012

If anything, Macintyre is too soft in his criticism of what to any independent observer looks like the result of blatant anti-Muslim bigotry directed against Warsi by the Tory right. Recent articles in the Sunday Telegraph (see here and here), trying to associate Warsi with Hizb ut-Tahrir, are in the classic tradition of Islamophobic witch-hunting. It’s only surprising that Andrew Gilligan isn’t on the case.

EDL joins neo-Nazis in attack on anti-Jubilee party

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL backs attacks on anti-Jubilee protestors

The EDL have delightedly posted a link to a Sky news report of their members attacking a “Stuff the Jubilee party” in Newcastle earlier today. This despite a clear statement in the report that “Nazi salutes and chants” were directed against the anti-Jubilee protestors by the EDL.

There is also video footage of an EDL supporter throwing a firecracker, which apparently hit one of the anti-Jubilee crowd, burning his hair, much to the pleasure of his attackers, who admitted in gloating Facebook comments to throwing bottles as well.

The EDL’s football hooligan division, Casuals United, has posted a short report too, making no attempt to hide the fact that the EDL organised the demonstration in co-operation with the Infidels breakaway group, with whom the EDL had supposedly severed links due to the Infidels’ neo-Nazi sympathies.

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