Salma Yaqoob debates Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.
Blackburn: EDL supporters end up fighting each other
Protests by the English Defence League and opposing groups in Blackburn led to 12 arrests in a major police operation.
About 2,000 EDL supporters gathered for their protest near King George’s Hall on Northgate, according to police. Opposing protesters, who were kept about 150m (490ft) away, said their gathering was a celebration of multi-culturalism.
The 12 arrests made during the day included a 48-year-old man, from Blackburn, who was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. Others were arrested on suspicion of offences including breach of the peace, affray, being drunk and disorderly and using threatening words or behaviour.
Skirmishes broke out among supporters during the EDL rally, despite an appeal for a peaceful event from the organisers. One man was punched to the floor, while coins and a pint glass were thrown. EDL spokesman Tony Curtis blamed the fracas on a more extreme splinter group. A small group of EDL supporters also broke away from the main demonstration area and were quickly brought under control by police, the force said.
Update: See Unite Against Fascism, 2 April 2011
Wilders announces second anti-Islam film
Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders is planning to make a follow up to his anti-Qur’an film Fitna. This time he will focus on the Muslim prophet Mohammed.
The controversial MP announced on Friday that his film on “the barbaric life and the sick mind of Mohammed” will come out in 2012.
I’ve lost count of the number of times Wilders has announced a follow up to Fitna. He first did so two years ago and said it would be out in 2010.
Geller celebrates judge’s ruling on Detroit bus ads, claims she is inspired by feelings of love
A national group that wants to advertise its anti-Muslim messages on Metro Detroit buses has won the right to display their ads on the sides of local buses.
The ads, which will soon be ready to go on the side of some local public buses, read “Fatwa on your head? Leaving Islam? Refuge from Islam.com. Got questions? Get answers!” The controversial ads from the New York City-based American Freedom Defense Initiative group are aimed at people who want to leave the Islamic faith.
Metro Detroit has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in the nation.
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Denise Hood granted a preliminary injunction against the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority’s rejection of the ads, ruling SMART violated the group’s First and 14th Amendment rights. Both sides are due back in court April 11.
“This is a huge win, not just for us, but for the First Amendment,” Pamela Geller wrote on the American Freedom Defense Initiative’s website. “This is a direct refutation to all those who claim I am a hater or that my lawyers are ‘haters’ for representing me,” added Geller. “I love, not hate.”
Local Muslim activist Dawud Walid sees it differently. “The organization … is simply fomenting Islamophobia,” said Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Michigan). “(Geller) is simply engaging in fear mongering.”
Victor Begg, also a Muslim advocate, said the case is “is another example of a hate group taking advantage of our First Amendment.”
Why the Republican Party has embraced Islamophobia
Press TV talks with author Max Blumenthal who illuminates a hate campaign against Barack Obama by the Republic Party that targets Obama’s religious identity as a Muslim and how this campaign is having real life consequences on the entire Muslim community inside America.
Six due in court today over Redbridge mosque attack
A wedge will not be driven between Redbridge’s diverse communities, a mosque chairman has insisted, after a gang attacked his imam and worshippers.
Frightened men and women ducked for cover and the imam of Redbridge Islamic Centre (RIC), Eastern Avenue, Redbridge, was injured during last week’s attack before the final prayer of the day. Racist and islamophobic abuse was allegedly hurled as the gang smashed windows and tried to get into the main prayer hall.
But RIC chairman Abul Khayer Ali said this week he will not allow the attack to create divisions. He said:
“Redbridge is a strong and cohesive community with a long standing record of unity. We will not allow such callous attacks to create a wedge in the community. Rather, this will inspire the RIC to work harder to engage and work closely to reduce stigma and discrimination towards Muslims.”
Neighbouring homes and cars were also damaged during the incident, which happened at about 7.45pm.
Cllr Sohaib Patel, cabinet member for environment and community safety, said:
“Redbridge has a very successful diverse, multicultural and cohesive society where residents are able to live in harmony, respecting each other’s faiths and values. As the cabinet member for environment and community safety in Redbridge, I assure you that the council and its partners, including the police, will not stand by and let this incident change the very nature of these successes.”
He also praised the community safety partnership team for their work in the borough.
• Six people appeared at Redbridge Court on Saturday charged with violent disorder. Matthew Stephenson, 19, of no fixed address, Daniel Leal, 19, of no fixed address, Rockylee Beale, 19, of Wood Green, Essex and a 15-year-old boy have been bailed. Elliot Jones, 19, of no fixed address and Ryan Jones, 22, of Ilford, have been remanded in custody. They will all appear again at Redbridge Magistrates’ Court this morning.
Boorish anti-Muslim protesters aid Islamists
Advice to Islamophobes from David J. Rusin of Islamist Watch – for anti-Muslim propaganda to be effective you have to be a bit less crude in the way you express it.
France’s Sarkozy faces rifts on Islam debate
French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces mounting criticism over plans for a national debate April 5 on the subject of Islam in France, a week before the new burqa ban takes effect.
Staten Islanders support rally against war, terrorism and hostility toward Muslims
Staten Islanders were among interfaith leaders who gathered yesterday at City Hall in Manhattan, as 100 imams condemned terrorism and anti-Islamic sentiment and called for the end of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The imams endorsed an “Antiwar & Anti-Islamophobia” rally planned for April 9 at Union Square in Manhattan.
The United National Antiwar Committee (UNAC) is organizing the rally, which is endorsed by more than 500 peace, justice, labor, civic, religious and civil liberties organizations and leaders. Another UNAC antiwar rally will be held the following day in San Francisco.
Hesham El-Meligy, an interfaith community leader from New Springville and a member of Noor Al-Islam Society, Mariners Harbor, and Eileen Bardel and Bill Johnson, both of Peace Action of Staten Island, were among Staten Islanders who attended the news conference.
Muslims are joining the peace movement “because wars of aggression are immoral and drain our national resources, which are already under tremendous strain,” said Dr. Shaik Ubaid, the New York state co-chair of Muslim Peace Coalition USA, a sponsor of the news conference.
He thanked the millions of Americans, including Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, “for speaking out against anti-Muslim fear-mongering.”
Nine men now charged with Kingston Mosque attack
A total of nine men have now been charged in connection with an attack which saw beer thrown at Kingston Mosque and the building urinated on.
The attack is alleged to have followed a march through Kingston town centre against Muslim extremism on Sunday, November 21, 2010. None of the men charged are from the Kingston area.
Martin Pottle, 22, of Eldridge Close, Feltham; Jordan Ellingham, 20, of Camden Road, Feltham, and a 17-year-old man from Shepperton were charged with affray and religiously aggravated criminal damage by Kingston police today, Friday, April 1. They were bailed to appear at Kingston Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 12.
Yesterday Alfie Wallace, 18, of Hetherington Road, Shepperton; Paul Abley, 24, of Hounslow Road, Shepperton, and Karl Matthews, 20, of Brentford High Street, were charged with the same offences. They will appear at Kingston Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 7.
Terence Earl, 31, of Aspen Lane, Northolt; David Morris, 20, of Elm Way, Epsom, and Adam Khalfan, 18, of Feltham Road, Ashford, were charged with the offences on Wednesday, March 30. They will also appear at Kingston Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 7.