Hundreds of Israelis are running for a seat in the Knesset. Only one is running for a seat in Congress.
French Muslims treated to condescending lecture on integration from Haaretz
“France’s Muslims must embrace the responsibilities of French citizenship if they want to enjoy the rights of that citizenship. But many in France’s Muslim leadership are ambivalent at best, and at worst hostile, to the idea of becoming French, even though community support is essential to success. The historical experience of Jews in France could have profound relevance for French Muslims if they are willing to listen.”
Toni Kamins in Haaretz, 7 May 2012
Amiens: two elderly Muslims attacked by far right thugs on way to mosque
Two elderly people from the Muslim community were assaulted on Friday-Saturday night in Amiens. The two attackers claimed to be from the far right, it was learned on Sunday from the Regional Council of the Muslim Faith in Picardy and the Somme prefecture.
The victims, two men aged 70 and 71, were attacked around five o’clock in the morning while they were on their way to the mosque in North Amiens for Fajr prayer, which takes place at dawn. After being violently abused by two men “with very short hair and claiming to belong to the extreme right” the two men were beaten up.
‘We get exclusive access to UK’s hidden Sharia courts’ claims Daily Star
They settle domestic disputes, rule on financial disagreements and even grant marriages and divorces. But Sharia courts that dish out verdicts based on hardline Islamic law operate outside our justice system. Recent attempts by the Ministry of Justice to investigate the courts were abandoned following a lack of co-operation from Muslim elders.
The Daily Star Sunday gained unprecedented access to this secretive network, accused by Baroness Cox of using “intimidation backed by death threats”. Last month the cross-bencher claimed they could eventually lead to the destruction of democracy, with stonings, whippings and amputations becoming common punishments.
Political prospects for the British Freedom Party
On Saturday the British Freedom Party formally announced the already leaked news that English Defence League leaders Stephen Lennon and Kevin Carroll have accepted positions in the BFP. They will share the role of Vice Chairman.
The BFP declares that this is a “historic development” which “establishes British Freedom as a new force in British politics – the only party with the strength and determination to call for Britain’s withdrawal from the unelected and totalitarian European Union, to confront militant Islam, halt mass immigration and defend democracy’s most vital ingredient – Free Speech”.
So far, there is little on which to base these grandiose claims. The BFP stood a mere six candidates throughout the UK in the recent council elections. Five of them were in Liverpool, where the votes they received ranged from 17 to 78 (0.6% to 2.7%), with the sixth standing in Basildon, where he got 87 votes (4%).
EDL and UAF stage rival protests in Luton
Protests by the English Defence League (EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) in Luton have ended without major incident amid a huge police presence.
About 1,500 EDL supporters and 1,000 UAF protesters were involved in the protests. There were seven arrests. Officers said the arrests were for weapons offences and assault.
Both groups took part in a one-mile (1.6km) march earlier. The EDL supporters marched from High Town Road to St Georges Square, while the UAF group marched between Bury Park Road and Market Hill. Speeches were given in both squares, which are about half a mile apart, from about 1345 GMT.
Dudley: Labour condemns Tories’ anti-mosque leaflet
A contentious leaflet, distributed by the Conservative Party, has been slammed by Labour councillors.
The leaflet, which was sent out by the Tory party this week, in a last ditch attempt for votes, highlighted the controversial issue of the Dudley Mosque, which was rejected by High Court last month and suggested the Labour Party would be in favour of it if elected.
Leading vet criticises ritual slaughter of animals
A leading vet has criticised the “unacceptable” rise in the number of animals killed in ritual slaughter.
Ritual slaughter is lawful in the UK and the EU to satisfy the dietary requirements of Jews and Muslims.
Prof Bill Reilly, former president of the British Veterinary Association, said estimates suggested more animals were slaughtered than was necessary.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said its own figures showed most animals were stunned before being killed. The FSA conducted a survey into animal welfare in slaughterhouses in September.
Muslim woman wins $5 million punitive damages from AT&T for discrimination
A Kansas City woman who converted from Christianity to Islam has been awarded $5 million in punitive damages by a jury who found the telecommunications giant AT&T created a “hostile work environment” after her conversion, according to a judge’s order issued Friday.
Susann Bashir, a 41-year-old married mother, sued AT&T unit Southwestern Bell for what she said was a pattern of offensive and discriminatory conduct by her supervisors that began when she converted to Islam in 2005, six years after she started working for the company as a network technician.
After Bashir started wearing a religious head scarf known as a hijab, and attending Friday mosque services, her managers and co-workers called her names including “terrorist,” and told her she was going to hell, said her attorney Amy Coopman. A manager repeatedly told her to remove her hijab, insulted her for wearing it, and once physically grabbed Bashir and tried to rip the hijab off her head, according to the suit.
Ex-BNP Islamophobe elected to Scottish council
Spin Watch draws our attention to the fact that former British National Party member Colin Wyper has been elected as an independent to Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Wyper has written: “I was and still am terrified of Islam, of their gradual and steady takeover of the western world.”
There are reportedly 200 Muslims living in the region, out of a total population of 148,200. So anxieties about the Islamification of Dumfries and Galloway are perhaps slightly overstated.