Anti-Allah outburst earns EDL supporter £200 fine after protest in Leicester

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Leicester Mercury reports that EDL supporter Lee Whitby has been convicted of chanting “threatening, abusive or insulting” words that were likely to cause “harassment, alarm or distress” during an EDL demonstration in Leicester last month.

According to the Mercury, Whitby was convicted of a “racially aggravated” offence. This would seem unlikely, given that Muslims are legally defined as a multi-ethnic faith community. The BBC earlier earlier reported that Whitby had been charged with a religiously aggravated offence.

European Muslim Research Centre study highlights anti-Muslim hate crimes

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An alarming picture of the physical violence, intimidation and discrimination faced by many of Britain’s two million Muslims on a daily basis, was portrayed yesterday in new academic research.

The 224-page report from the European Muslim Research Centre, based at the University of Exeter, said that the bulk of incidents went unreported by communities who had lost faith in the authorities to do anything about them.

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Three men arrested on suspicion of violent disorder during EDL protest in Dudley

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Dudley July 2010 2
EDL protestors confront police in Dudley, July 2010

Three men have been arrested this morning in connection with an English Defence League protest in Dudley Town Centre.

Police executed warrants across Dudley and Walsall as part of their ongoing investigation into criminal damage and disorder following the EDL protest and counter protest by the Dudley Interfaith Alliance on July 17.

The men, aged 18, 20 and 26, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. They were questioned by police before being released on bail pending further enquiries.

A number of criminal offences have been recorded to date from the protests, including criminal damage caused to cars and premises in the town including homes, businesses and the Hindu Temple.

Dudley News, 26 November 2010

Islam Channel vindicated by Ofcom after complaints

Posted on by Bob Pitt

In a complaint brought about by the Quillam Foundation, Ofcom examined the evidence of infringements by Islam Channel and found that of the 100 case studies presented to Ofcom for investigation by the Quillam Foundation’s 106 page report, only three religious and six current affairs programmes were deemed to have “raised some potential issues under the code”.  Whilst concluding that, of these, three religious and two current affairs programmes had in fact breached the codes, these breaches were determined “not so serious or repeated to merit being considered for imposition of a statutory sanction”.

Islam Channel presented its case to support the position that these programmes were not in fact in breach of Ofcom codes and in four out of six cases Islam Channel’s arguments have been fully accepted by Ofcom. Whilst forming the opinion that two of these programmes were in breach of Ofcom codes, these breaches were determined “not so serious or repeated to merit being considered for imposition of a statutory sanction.”

These findings in Islam Channel’s favour recognized and accepted a number of fundamental points. The findings by Ofcom are in many respects of huge historic importance, particularly in respect to their recognition of the importance of the consensus viewpoint of the vast majority of the channel’s viewers and the right to freedom of expression “which is fundamental to allow the channel to broadcast an alternative perspective on current affairs”.

Quillam’s press release stated that “there are encouraging signs that the channel is now making efforts to improve its output and to give greater airtime to a wider range of more mainstream Muslim voices”. The Ofcom findings have however vindicated the fact that Islam Channel’s programming does not promote intolerance and sectarianism and does not provide a platform to individuals with a track record of promoting hatred and violence.

Muslim Post, 26 November 2010

EMRC’s ‘Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate Crime’ report published tomorrow

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Market towns pose a threat to small Muslim communities

Muslims and their mosques face a higher level of threats and intimidation in UK suburbs and market towns than in big cities, according to a new report. Case studies reveal that examples such as a Muslim woman who was punched and called a “terrorist” in front of her petrified daughter are not uncommon.

Such attacks often go unreported, and in this case the woman was too scared to inform the police. She also played down the incident to reduce her child’s distress, and avoided explaining why she was singled out for wearing a burka and being a Muslim woman.

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After attacks on mosque, Portsmouth Muslim Academy is target of hate crimes

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Muslim academy in Portsmouth has been the target of two hate crimes in the past fortnight, police have said. In the first incident, a brick with a racist message on it was thrown into the Portsmouth Muslim Academy, on Old Commercial Road, on 13 November. A beer bottle was then thrown through a window at the front of the building last Friday.

The city’s Jami Mosque was also targeted twice in two days on 12 and 13 November. The mosque was first attacked a day after an Islamic group, Muslims Against Crusades, burned remembrance poppies in London during a two-minute silence to mark the anniversary of Armistice Day. A poppy was subsequently painted on the front of the mosque, on Victoria Road North in Southsea, and 100 people staged a demonstration outside.

The mosque’s imam, Muhammad Muhi Uddin, said he had condemned the poppy burning and was mystified as to why the building had been targeted. One man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence.

Police said they were treating the incidents of criminal damage at the Portsmouth Muslim Academy as hate crimes. Insp Fiona Quade, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: “My officers regularly conduct patrols in the area around Old Commercial Road, but if you saw what happened, could identify a suspect or know who did this, please get in touch. We’ve already got an investigation ongoing into the disorder at demonstrations outside the Jami Mosque.”

BBC News, 25 November 2010

MEP who opposed law to enforce labelling of halal meat is targeted by far right

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sajjad KarimA Conservative North West Euro MP has hired a private security firm to guard his home because of threats from far-right extremists.

Sajjad Karim has been bombarded with offensive emails over his stance on halal and kosher meat. His home in Simonstone in the Ribble Valley has also had “BNP” daubed on it in graffiti. He said he was worried about the safety of his wife and two children, aged eight and 10, while he is away in Europe.

Mr Karim, who represents the North West in the European Parliament, blamed BNP supporters for the onslaught, claiming the threats had come shortly after the far-right party published an article criticising him on its website. Mr Karim, who opposed an EU proposal that would require all ritually-slaughtered meat to be labelled, said there had been an “orchestrated” campaign against him.

John Walker, a spokesman for the BNP, said the party was campaigning on the issue of ritually slaughtered meat, which he said was “barbaric”. But he distanced the party from any threats, saying the BNP was being “demonised”. He added: “This is a common tactic of political opponents to claim they have been intimidated.”

Lancashire Telegraph, 25 November 2010

See also Manchester Evening News, 25 November 2010

Update:  See “BNP rejects threat claims”, This is Lancashire, 26 November 2010