Protesters hurled bins and metal barriers at a Brussels police station on Thursday night after a Muslim woman was arrested for refusing to remove a face veil, Belgian media reported.
CAIR intervention secures removal of offensive sign
After the controversial sign he posted in front of Domenico’s Ristorante in Cranberry caused a stir in the community (including on the Cranberry Patch site), owner Michael Pollice has had a change of heart. “I like to push stuff as far as it can go,” he said. “I will never do that again, because it hurts people.”
Pollice, who is known in the community for his thought-provoking – and sometimes controversial – signs, erected a sign last week that said “Flying Remote Control Airplanes into Muslim People at the Mall is My Thing.”
Redditch: community praised for stand against EDL
A leading figure from Redditch Mosque has praised residents for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the town’s Asian community following a demonstration by the English Defence League.
Hafiz Ghulam Rasool, head of education at Central Jamia Masjid-E-Noor (Redditch Mosque Trust), expressed pride in the Redditch community, particularly the hundreds of people from all faiths and sections of society who joined a counter-demonstration against the 40 or so EDL members police estimate turned up to protest in Church Green on Saturday (May 26).
“We know Redditch is a diverse community both cohesive and integrated with no racial tensions. Our Mosque members feel the people in Redditch generally are friendly, co-operative and supportive, making it a fabulous part of the United Kingdom to live in.
“Together we need to unite against and resist, counter and refute these mongers of hate to maintain our exemplary social cohesion and keep our town free from their hatred and their scare mongering tactics,” he said.
“Our appreciation goes out to all the people of Redditch community for their thoughtfulness and for many of them partaking in the much larger and peaceful counter demonstration with the most respectful and highly dignified conduct that is a tribute to all of us.”
He added with the Diamond Jubilee, European Championships, Olympics and the month of Ramadhan coming up he hoped it would provide an “arc of unity”. An event to celebrate Redditch’s diversity is also being planned.
Kevin Dicks, chief executive of Redditch Borough Council who watched the largely peaceful protest unfold from West Mercia Police headquarters, said: “We have a really diverse community here in Redditch and one we are proud of. We want to work with the community over the coming weeks and months to organise something that is a celebration of Redditch.”
The statement in full:
We primarily thank the West Mercia Police, local authority and partner agencies for ensuring that the EDL March came to pass with only a handful of low level of isolated incidents. This was due to the success of the controls and security put in place by the timely strategic planning, public consultations and effective running of operations on the day.
We know that Redditch is a diverse community both cohesive and integrated with no racial tensions. Our Mosque members feel that the people in Redditch generally are friendly, cooperative and supportive and making it a fabulous part of the United Kingdom to live in. Together we need to unite against and resist, counter and refute these mongers of hate to maintain our exemplary social cohesion and keep our town free from their hatred and their scare mongering tactics.
Our appreciation goes out to all the people of Redditch community for their thoughtfulness and for many of them partaking in the much larger and peaceful counter demonstration with the most respectful and highly dignified conduct that is a tribute to all of us.
The Redditch community has always done us proud and truly celebrates our diversity by recently twinning Redditch with the city of Gujar Khan in Pakistan.
Hopefully the forthcoming Queens Golden Jubilee, the European Cup, Olympics and the month of Ramadhan with its many Eid festivals will universally cascade an arc of unity highlighting a rainbow of nations and races in peaceful existence that reflect the true spirit of Britain and the global world we live in today. Many of us will be planning our holidays to the very countries of origin of the many minority communities residents of Redditch that contribute towards its diversity. All divine faiths preach a message of tolerance, peace and harmony with universal human values especially safeguarding the honour and dignity of our neighbours and communities.
Finally we continue to feel proud of our town particularly its social administration and residents that reinforces a positive sense of community that we are committed to pass onto our future generations.
Hafiz Ghulam Rasool
Head Of Education
Central Jamia Masjid-E-Noor (Redditch Mosque Trust)
Redditch Standard, 1 June 2012
EDL embraces the Olympic spirit
Veil ban could go ahead in Netherlands after MPs declare it ‘non-controversial’
The proposed “burkha ban” in the Netherlands could go ahead before September’s election after MPs declared the proposal was not politically controversial.
It had been thought that any legislation would be delayed following the collapse of Mark Rutte’s cabinet last month. Since then the country has been run by a “demissionary” or caretaker government. Interim governments are limited by law to policy areas that are deemed non-controversial by a majority of members of Parliament.
Sentencing of EDL hooligans adjourned after ‘commander’ collapses in court
The sentencing of a group of English Defence League (EDL) supporters was adjourned for a second time after the man dubbed their “commander” collapsed in court.
Judge Norman Wright postponed the Preston Crown Court case after being told Bernard Holmes [pictured, in chicken costume] was lying “semi comatose” in the public gallery yesterday.
Is the Taliban poisoning Afghanistan’s schoolgirls?
Hundreds of Afghan schoolchildren have been admitted to hospital in the past six weeks after falling victim to what appears to be six separate major poison attacks. Three alleged attacks have occurred in northern Takhar province in the past week alone, affecting more than 300 girls.
Some government and police officials have blamed the poison attacks on the Taliban, whose hostility to girls’ education during its hardline rule in the 1990s is well documented. Others have blamed the “enemies of Afghanistan” and hinted at the involvement of Pakistan and Iran.
Tests by the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) and government, however, have not found any toxic substances. One international expert has said the scares have all the hallmarks of mass hysteria.
Neo-Nazi arrested by FBI’s Terrorism Task Force after buying AK-47 from undercover agent
A Manassas man accused of being a white supremacist was arrested Wednesday by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force after allegedly receiving a fully automatic AK-47 from an undercover agent.
Court records show Douglas Howard Story, 48, of the Manassas area, allegedly provided a semi-automatic AK-47, along with $120, to an undercover law enforcement agent with the intent that it be modified to become fully automatic. He then allegedly received the modified weapon from an undercover agent and was subsequently arrested, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride and FBI Assistant Director for the Washington Field Office announced Story’s arrest Wednesday. He has been charged with a violation of the National Firearms Act – a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Luton: Sikh and Muslim representatives hold ‘positive’ meeting
A “constructive” and “positive” meeting has been held between police and the Sikh and Muslim communities following a protest at a Luton police station.
The groups held talks on Wednesday after hundreds of Sikhs gathered at Buxton Road on Tuesday night. The protest was over allegations a Muslim man had assaulted a Sikh woman. Police said officers were working with the two groups and wanted any concern about criminal activity to be reported.
Planning Inspectorate rejects Newham Council’s attempt to shut down Islamic school
Alif Academy, an independent Islamic school in Forest Gate, has been granted planning permission after attempts by Newham Council to close them down.
A public inquiry was set up by The Planning Inspectorate in February to inspect the council’s enforcement notice on the grounds that the primary school and nursery was not safe or fit to operate as a school.
The enforcement notice was quashed and planning permission granted at Newham Town Hall in East Ham on May 23.