Suzanne Moore, Newsnight and the EDL

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The EDL are entirely a product of exaggerated media reporting of a small demonstration by a group of Muslim men who are widely despised by the Muslims themselves and have been for years, at least since they began their “Magnificent 19” campaign celebrating the 9/11 attackers. To talk of “having a debate” about race or Englishness or the supposed decline of English culture is to talk of giving in to baseless grievances fostered by the distortions published in the mass media, and allowing them to dictate policy on these matters. It must not be allowed to happen.

Yusuf Smith at Indigo Jo Blogs, 6 February 2011

Homes attacked in Luton after racist EDL march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Luton home attacked by EDL

Two homes in Luton were attacked late last night – their windows smashed and the word EDL painted on the front door – just hours after the English Defence League’s racist protest through Luton town centre. The houses are on the edge of Bury Park – where many Asian people live.

Mr Iqbal lives with his mother, brother and sister in one of the houses. He told Socialist Worker, “It happened at around 11.40pm. I was awake but about to go to sleep. I heard a crash and ran to the front of the house to find a brick had been thrown through a window. When I opened the front door, I saw someone had painted EDL on it. I couldn’t sleep – I thought they may come back.”

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EDL descends on Luton

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL protestor Luton February 2011Thousands of far-right activists from the English Defence League descended on Luton yesterday for the biggest demonstration in the organisation’s 20-month history.

Coachloads of supporters from the group’s UK-wide “divisions” arrived from 10am and were joined by far right and Islamophobic groups from across Europe.

The EDL and police had predicted a turnout of between 5,000 and 7,000, but as the marchers arrived in St George’s Square in the town centre just after 1pm, it appeared that no more than 3,000 had turned out. Despite the smaller numbers there were minor scuffles at the train station as anti-racist protesters tried to prevent EDL supporters getting off trains.

More than 2,000 police officers from forces across the south of England escorted the EDL march from the station into the centre of Luton. Some fireworks and bottles were thrown, shops and businesses in the town were closed and petrol stations had been boarded up in what one resident compared to a “war zone”.

EDL leader Stephen Lennon, told the crowd they were part of a “tidal wave of patriotism” sweeping the UK. He launched a broad attack on Islam and the UK’s Muslim communities and said mainstream politicians were failing the working class.

Guardian, 5 February 2011

See also UAF news report, 5 February 2011

David Cameron attacks multiculturalism, lectures British Muslims on extremism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

David Cameron 2David Cameron will today signal a sea-change in the government fight against home-grown terrorism, saying the state must confront, and not consort with, the non-violent Muslim groups that are ambiguous about British values such as equality between sexes, democracy and integration.

To belong in Britain is to believe in these values, he will say. Claiming the previous government had been the victim of fear and muddled thinking by backing a state-sponsored form of multiculturalism, the prime minister will state that his government “will no longer fund or share platforms with organisations that, while non-violent, are certainly in some cases part of the problem”.

In a major speech to a security conference in Munich, he will demand: “We need a lot less of the passive tolerance of recent years and much more active, muscular liberalism.”

He will say that “some organisations that seek to present themselves as a gateway to the Muslim community are showered with public money while doing little to combat extremism. This is like turning to a rightwing fascist party to fight a violent white supremacist movement.”

Cameron’s aides, aware the speech may prove highly controversial, refused to identify the organisations in his sights, but it is clear one target is the Muslim Council of Britain.

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Birmingham Mail publishes threat against Salma Yaqoob and Mohammed Ishtiaq

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Councillors who refused to honour a Royal Marine veteran at a meeting in Birmingham have been warned they will need “24-hour protection” unless they stand down.

A former soldier, who did not wish to be identified, claimed Respect Party representatives Salma Yaqoob and Mohammed Ishtiaq would require a round-the-clock guard unless they apologised for the snub at Birmingham City Council.

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The unacceptable face of secularism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Secularist of the Year

Will a UKIP-supporting ‘comedian’ who rants about ‘immigrant rapists’ get to be Secularist of the Year?

By Bob Pitt

The list of nominees for the National Secular Society’s “Secularist of the Year 2011” prize, due to be awarded at a £45-a-head dinner in London next month, is headed by Islamophobic “comedian” and UKIP supporter Pat Condell.

Though he failed to win it, Condell was nominated for the same prize last year, on the grounds that he had “for several years now risked his life by answering back to the rule of political correctness, the thoughtlessness of religion generally and the increasing threat of Islam in our society”.

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May must act on Luton threat, says Morning Star

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Home Secretary Theresa May ought to ban tomorrow’s so-called “homecoming” demonstration in Luton planned by the English Defence League.

Whatever the weasel words of its spokesmen, EDL leaders know that the group’s events are always accompanied by racist abuse and attacks on places of worship and of minority ethnic communities.

The EDL may insist that its has a right to free expression, but the people of Luton have a right to go about their lawful business with being subject to insults and the possibility of assault.

Editorial in the Morning Star, 4 February 2011

‘Islamophobia group loses main sponsors’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Well, that the headline to an article by Martin Bright in the Jewish Chronicle, reporting on recent developments in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia.

What actually happened was that two of the APPG’s officers – Chris Hopkins and Greville Janner – resigned their posts because they failed to get support for their attempt to remove ENGAGE from its position as the group’s secretariat. That attempt was reported by the JC in December under the headline “Anti-Islamophobia parliamentary group drop ‘Islamist’ secretariat”, with Bright informing his readers that the APPG had been “forced to end its partnership” with ENGAGE.

It’s also worth noting that Bright’s December report referred to ENGAGE as an “Islamist” organisation in quotes. In his latest report they have become “an Islamist group that backs Hamas”.

Bright and the JC evidently have a serious problem with accurate reporting when it comes to Muslim organisations.

Qaradawi calls on Muslims to protect Egypt’s churches

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Noted Islamic cleric, Dr Yusuf Al Qaradawi, has called on prominent members of the Muslim clergy in Egypt to help protect the churches in the country which has a large Christian population, saying he suspected sinister elements might try to incite communal violence to divert attention from the anti-government demonstrations.

The scholar hinted that he suspected that to deflect attention of the people from anti-government demonstrations the vested interests in Egypt might try to incite communal frenzy. “I, therefore, urge the officials of Al Azhar [the world’s most prominent Islamic religious institution] to come out and march in their religious robes with the message that the churches in Egypt must be protected at all costs,” the scholar said.

The Peninsula, 3 February 2011