‘Highly offensive Islamophobic’ graffiti sprayed on Milton Keynes mosques

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police have opened an investigation into three acts of “religiously aggravated” vandalism in and around two mosques in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

Thames Valley Police say the “highly offensive Islamophobic” graffiti was sprayed on Zainabia Islamic Centre in Peverel Drive, Bletchley, between 10.30pm and 11pm on Saturday [September 24] and a shed to the side of the building was set alight and destroyed.

Detectives believe this incident is connected to two other acts of criminal damage at Jamia Al-Karam Masjid in North Street, New Bradwell, and on a white Mercedes Sprinter van in the nearby Harwood Street overnight between Saturday [September 24] and Sunday [September 25].

Offensive messages were sprayed in all the three locations. A worshipper at one of the mosques said the graffiti was “sexually explicit” with reference to “Allah”, while the vandalism on the van was racist in nature.

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Barnabas Fund not spreading Islamophobia, says Sookhdeo … and the Charity Commission evidently agrees with him

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Barnabas Fund Slippery SlopeThe Christian Post reports that the Charity Commission has rejected a complaint about the Barnabas Fund’s Islamophobic propaganda, as featured in a booklet entitled Slippery Slope: the Islamisation of the UK.

A report of the decision on the Barnabas website headlined “Barnabas Fund vindicated by Charity Commission” quotes a letter from the Commission as stating:

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Hackney Community College students protest against removal of prayer room curtain

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Hackney Community College protestKamil Alp and fellow Hackney Community College students are campaigning against the removal of the curtain in their prayer room.

They have accused chiefs at Hackney Community College in Falkirk Street, Shoreditch, of “discrimination” after it took down the drapes in the college’s multi-faith facility.

But the college says the room is for students and staff “of all faiths and none” and its actions are in line with its values of equality and inclusion.

A group of students have now started a petition demanding the curtain be replaced and have so far collected 30 signatures, including men and women of different faiths.

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Nashville hotel cancels anti-Sharia conference, says Geller and Spencer are extremists

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Nashville hotel has canceled a conference by the Sharia Awareness Action Network, saying it was concerned the speakers include “extremists” with a history of contentious events.

The “Preserving Freedom Conference” had been scheduled for Nov. 11 at the Hutton Hotel near downtown. The hotel in a statement Monday said it has to be “mindful of the safety, security and peace of mind of its guests.”

The hotel cited reports by the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center about speakers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer of the group Stop Islamization of America, adding that they have “a history of controversy and contention surrounding their appearances.”

A post on Geller’s website said the hotel had “caved to Islamic supremacist demands” and urged supporters to call the hotel’s management to complain.

Associated Press, 25 October 2011

See also the Tennessean, 24 October 2011

And Think Progress, 24 October 2011

Home secretary urged to ban planned EDL march in Birmingham

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A councillor from one of the Birmingham suburbs most affected by the summer riots has written to Home Secretary Theresa May, urging her to ban the proposed EDL march.

Lozells and East Handsworth Labour councillor Waseem Zaffar said the recent disturbances had shown the need for communities to work together.

“During a difficult period for the city when three young Muslim men lost their lives in the disturbances, it was the strength of our communities standing together that defused the tension and allowed the diverse community of Birmingham to move forward together,” he said.

“The EDL must not be able to bring their messages of hate and division to places where diversity is a strength not a weakness. There must be no place for hatred in our communities. Now that EDL’s march in London has been banned by you, you must also ban the march in Birmingham,” he added.

Birmingham Mail, 25 October 2011

See also “Concern over planned EDL march in Birmingham next Saturday”, ENGAGE, 24 October 2011

And “Birmingham: say no to the racist EDL, Saturday 29 October”, Unite Against Fascism, 25 October 2011

Update:  See “EDL Birmingham demo location moved by police”, BBC News, 25 October 2011

Queensland: mosque protest turns ugly with pig’s head posted on fence

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The battle to stop a mosque being built in a Gold Coast hinterland estate is turning nasty, with a pig’s head posted on a fence and signs publicising the Islamic project vandalised. The Sunday Mail believes police were called after a pig’s head splattered with red paint was hung on a fence at the site.

The incident has sparked fears of a protracted hate campaign against the Muslim community. The words “terrorists” and “Go back to Afghanistan” were scribbled across planning signs outside the property in Alkira Way at Worongary. A resident, who asked not to be named, told the Sunday Mail: “This place will become a war zone. There are old people living here who are scared.”

Police at Mudgeeraba were called to remove the pig’s head and have spoken to residents about the unrest in their quiet rural suburb. “We’re aware of an incident at that address. We are continuing to investigate,” a police spokesman said.

Sunday Mail, 23 October 2011

When Islamophobes fall out

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The recent spat between Paul Goodman and Douglas Murray (see here, here, here, here, here, here and here) has attracted some attention, including coverage by Hugh Muir in the Guardian Diary. For those who haven’t followed this dispute, the initial cause of the conflict was a difference of opinion over gay marriage, which Goodman opposes and Murray strongly supports (making this one of those rare occasions where I agree with Murray). A bizarre exchange of insults ensued, with Murray accusing Goodman of conniving with homophobes in the Muslim community in order to block the right of lesbian and gay couples to marry, while Goodman claimed that by refusing to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples Murray was opening the door to “multiple sharia marriages”.

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Hertz fires 26 Muslim drivers in prayer break dispute

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Hertz workers protestSEATTLE — More than two dozen Somali Muslim drivers for Hertz at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are being fired after refusing to clock out for daily breaks during which they normally pray.

The 26 workers drive the company’s rental cars to and from the airport for cleaning and refueling. They are among 34 Hertz employees suspended Sept. 30 for failing to clock out before breaks.

Teamsters Local 117, which represents the workers, said Hertz agreed during contract negotiations last year that union members would not need to clock out during prayer breaks. But the company maintains workers were violating a settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reached two years ago.

“From our perspective, Hertz didn’t even follow their own internal policy,” union spokesman Paul Zilly said Friday. Hertz didn’t provide a verbal or written warning and jumped right to suspension, he said. “It was a huge disappointment and a tremendous frustration,” Zilly said.

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Hannity hosts anti-Muslim ‘hate group’ leader to analyze events in Middle East

Posted on by Bob Pitt

On the Friday edition of his Fox News show, Sean Hannity invited Pamela Geller, head of the anti-Muslim group Stop the Islamization of America, to discuss events in Libya and the Middle East. The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies Geller’s organization as an anti-Muslim “hate group,” and Geller herself has an extensive history of hate speech and extremist rhetoric – both of which she brought to her Hannity appearance.

Geller engaged in her usual anti-Muslim ranting, declaring that Sharia law “discriminates against women and non-Muslims, it restricts the freedom of speech and freedom of conscience.” After being asked by Hannity how many Muslims are radicalized, Geller replied, “I don’t think they’re radical, I think they’re devout.” She seemed to think Moammar Gadhafi had been doing just fine as Libya’s leader: “I think we have to question why we went into Libya. Libya had, after the Bush doctrine, abandoned their unconventional weapons, abandoned their WMD, was selling oil to us, less than the Saudi Arabians. I mean, why did we go into Libya then? Why didn’t we go after the real devil?”

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