Anti-Islamic demonstrators mark 9/11 with march

Dove protest

The Dove World Outreach Center, a Gainesville church known for its anti-Islamic message, staged a march and demonstration in front of the Oaks Mall on Friday afternoon.

About 30 participants weaved their way through the mall parking lot and went out on the sidewalk on Newberry Road shortly after 5 p.m. They were wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Islam is of the devil” on the back and carrying signs saying such things as “Jesus is not a liberal,” “Islam Kills” and “Jesus is the only way.”

Senior Pastor Terry Jones said they wanted to memorialize Sept. 11, the people who died that day and the military, and to spread the church’s message.

He said they had planned on going into the mall but the Gainesville police told them earlier in the week that they would be arrested for trespassing if they did.

The demonstrators sang Christian hymns, the national anthem and the Lee Greenwood song “God Bless the USA.”

Some motorists honked horns. One man, who did not wish to be identified, stopped to debate the demonstrators, asking why they were so confrontational.

Meanwhile, on the Bo Diddley Community Plaza in downtown Gainesville, members of the Muslim Association of North Central Florida wore shirts with the message “Muslims Serving Society” as they served meals to about 60 to 100 homeless people.

“Helping the poor and serving the needy is one of the principles of Islam so we try to do it,” said Farouk Dey, a member of the Muslim Association of North Central Florida.

“Helping the poor and serving the needy is one of the principles of Islam so we try to do it,” said Farouk Dey, a member of the Muslim Association of North Central Florida. The organization, along with the local chapter of the national Muslim organization Project Downtown, serves the meals each Saturday but decided this week to move the meals to Friday to commemorate the Sept. 11th anniversary.

“As a Muslim community in America we are trying to send a message to our American brothers and sisters that (Sept. 11th) does not define us,” Dey said. “We are a peaceful religion.”

, along with the local chapter of the national Muslim organization Project Downtown, serves the meals each Saturday but decided this week to move the meals to Friday to commemorate the Sept. 11th anniversary.

“As a Muslim community in America we are trying to send a message to our American brothers and sisters that (Sept. 11th) does not define us,” Dey said. “We are a peaceful religion.”

Gainesville Sun, 11 September 2009

Dove protest (2)

Fascists advertise new Islamophobic T-shirt

bnp-stop-islamic-colonisation“In response to popular demand, Excalibur has developed a brand new range of dramatic political slogan T-shirts, headlined by one which reads ‘Stop Islamic Colonisation: No More Mosques’.

“The new T-shirts, available in short and long sleeve styles, also feature themes covering the EU, the asylum swindle, political correctness, regional BNP designs and a new Celtic pride range.

“The launch of the new collection coincides with renewed squawking from extremist leftist politicians and newspapers in Wales today over the use of Welsh folk hero Owain Glyndwr in Excalibur’s ‘Welsh by the Grace of God T-Shirt’ design.

“The addition of the 29 new designs to Excalibur’s range pushes the total number of available designs on offer to 44, making Excalibur the single largest supplier of patriotic wear in the country.”

BNP website, 14 September 2009

Chaotic alliance of far right groups stirs up trouble on streets

EDL fascist salute BirminghamThe rise of the English Defence League, whose protests against Islamism have sparked violent city centre clashes, has been chaotic but rapid.

Three months ago, no one had heard of the EDL. But the organisation has risen to prominence in a spate of civil unrest in which far-right activists, football hooligans and known racists have fought running battles with Asian youths. The leadership insists they are not racist and just want to “peacefully protest against militant Islam”.

Yet at EDL events, skinheads have raised Nazi salutes and other EDL supporters have chanted racist slogans such as “I hate Pakis more than you”. One protest in Luton in May ended with scores of people attacking Asian businesses, smashing cars and threatening passersby.

Insiders have talked of plans to enlist football fans to march for the cause on the basis that “you need an army for a war”.

Guardian, 12 September 2009

See also “Minister warns of 1930s-style fascists on Britain’s streets”, Guardian, 12 September 2009

English Defence League humiliated in Harrow

Harrow anti-EDL protest“This is the story that the news should be telling you, but probably isn’t. I was there, so I will tell you. I have rarely been so heartened in my political life.

“The English Defence League, whose marches have been wreaking chaos in Luton and Birmingham, attempted to target a mosque in Harrow today. Their official aim was to demonstrate outside the mosque in opposition to ‘Islamic extremism’.

“That this mosque has no connection with Islamic extremism tells you that any mosque would have sufficed for their purposes. As their organisers have explained, they believe that Islam itself is inherently extreme.

“I believe only few dozen of their activists actually made it to Harrow, but I can’t say for certain, because I never laid eyes on a single one. Where these fascist provocateurs intended to ‘protest’ were thousands of antifascists attending the UAF’s counter-demonstration.”

Lenin’s Tomb, 11 September 2009

See also “SIOE demo called off!”, SIOE website, 11 September 2009

Update:  See UAF statement, 12 September 2009

And pictures of the Harrow events here.

SAS Muslim ‘called Paki and terrorist by comrades’

SASA Muslim soldier attached to the SAS was branded a “terrorist” and “Paki” by comrades on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, an employment tribunal heard. The London-based serviceman, born in Britain and of Pakistani origin, also claimed he was throttled in an attack by an officer while on active service.

The RAF medical officer, who was only referred to as AB for legal reasons, was attached to the specialist commando unit for two months in 2007 for a top-secret secondment.

He claims that while in Afghanistan he was subjected to racist taunts and a physical attack. Then when he returned to the UK his complaints of racial harassment and bullying were not properly investigated because of a “cover-up”, it was alleged.

Two senior officers, a sergeant and a major, were said to be at the heart of the allegations.

Most of the evidence at the Central London Employment tribunal has been given in secret on security ground, but some details were given in public for the first time at the hearing, where AB is suing the Ministry of Defence for racial discrimination.

An inquiry into his complaints has yet to be completed after more than two years, the tribunal heard. The MoD denies discrimination, and the hearing continues.

Evening Standard, 11 September 2009

Anti-mosque protesters chased out of Wealdstone

Hordes of rampaging young Asian men chased a small group of men through the civic centre car park after they apparently came to protest against Harrow Central Mosque.

Hundreds of people had gathered in Station Road, united against any protest against the mosque, and determined to protect their religion.

When the small group of men arrived, chanting from the crowd turned to anger and groups of protesters, some armed with sticks, broke ranks and began to chase the men.

The men, who had arrived at Harrow and Wealdstone station to head down to the mosque, quickly turned and ran through the car park when faced by the hostile crowd, hotly pursued by the protesters.

Police tackled the protesters on the edge of the civic centre car park, stopping them catching up with the group of men, and a short stand-off ensued between officers and the marauding protesters.

They were eventually coaxed into returning to the mosque, as hundreds spilled into Station Road, forcing police to shut it down.

Harrow Times, 11 September 2009

Danish Rightists in anti-mosque campaign

DPP advertThe extreme-right Danish People’s Party (DPP), a key government ally, launched on Wednesday, September 9, a massive ad campaign against the building of mosques, reported the EuropeNews website.

“As a bolt from the blue and peaceful Danish summer sky, the politicians of the Copenhagen municipality decided the other day to erect a grand mosque in the middle of the city,” the party said in a full-page ad published in several dailies. The money will, among other sources, come from the terrorist regime of Iran, but none of the other parties in the local government had any concern about that.”

Copenhagen city council agreed on Thursday, August 27, to prepare a draft for a local plan for a mosque in the capital’s northwest neighborhood. The DPP was the only party that voted against the mosque, to be built by Shiites through private donations, will cost between 40 million and 50 million kroners (5.4 million and 6.7 million euros).

The DPP vowed to seek a referendum on the construction of mosques in the Scandinavian country. Playing politics, the party linked the anti-mosque campaign to the upcoming municipal polls. “The more representatives from the Danish Peoples Party elected at the local elections on November 17th, the greater the resistance against the Islamist strongholds, also in your city.”

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Man accused of calling BNP activists ‘Nazis’ is cleared

BNP Islam Out of BritainA Heaton Moor man who was accused of threatening and abusing two BNP members after he challenged them in the street was acquitted after magistrates dismissed their evidence.

Mohammed Latif, 38, was cleared of any wrong doing after he confronted the BNP members on Broadstone Road, Reddish, on April 9 after they placed a pamphlet through his door during the run-up to the European elections.

Duncan Warner, 44, the former head of the BNP Stockport branch and ordinary BNP member Gerard Williams, 54, had claimed Mr Latif had used abusive language, threatened them and tried to steal a bag of pamphlets they were handing out.

In court, chief magistrate Kenneth Bailey, who found Mr Latif not guilty of an offence under section five of the public order act, said: “The facts are that an incident took place and some words were exchanged. The dispute arise over the nature of the language and whether it was abusive and threatening.

“I find a difference in evidence given by Mr Williams and Mr Warner. Mr Williams evidence was short and vague, while Mr Warner’s failed to convince that strong and abusive langauage was used. Mr Latif gave a more credible account of events.”

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Most Americans believe Muslims are discriminated against

The percentage of Americans who believe Islam encourages violence has declined in recent years but remains far above where it was in 2002, while very basic knowledge about the faith has shown modest increases, according to a new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

The poll’s findings, released ahead of the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, come against the backdrop of President Barack Obama’s attempts to reach out to the Islamic world and eroding public support for the war in Muslim Afghanistan as U.S. combat deaths there rise to record levels.

Most Americans also believe Muslims are discriminated against, a finding that suggests empathy for a community whose leaders often say they are regarded with suspicion and hostility.

The nationwide survey of over 4,000 adults in August found that 58 percent of Americans believe Muslims face a lot of discrimination in the United States. By contrast the same numbers for atheists and Mormons are 26 and 24 percent respectively.

“The fact that Americans believe Muslims face a lot of discrimination is a substantial finding … It is sort of like the public looking at itself in the mirror and there is some empathy for a group facing discrimination,” said Michael Dimock, an associate director at the Pew Research Center.

Reuters, 9 September 2009

See also “Muslims widely seen as facing discrimination”, Pew Research Center, 9 September 2009

Download the report here.

Posted in USA