Video coverage of Birmingham clash

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Saturday 8 August 2009: The English Defence League (EDL) and Casuals United attempted to march through Birmingham. Both groups claim they are not racist and are only concerned with peaceful protest against militant Muslims. Some scenes in this video rush clearly show racist abuse from those in these groups.

Unite Against Fascism held a counter demonstration, to oppose these groups, both being involved in clashes with police and residents earlier in the year in Birmingham and Luton.

This time, as the video shows, the EDL members that avoided being “kettled” by police went straight for the anti-fascist protest, goaded the Birmingham youth, then got beaten and chased out of town.

By Jason N. Parkinson, via Sunny Hundal, who comments:

“The video is shot really well and much better than anything on YouTube. Shows to me there wasn’t a big brawl really, just mostly some EDL twats looking for a fight running away as soon as they got chased. One runs off shouting ‘dirty pakis’ in the video. This kind of raw journalism is way better than even the national broadcasters.”

See also Sunny’s piece at Comment is Free, 12 August 2009

Police bid to defuse possible clashes in mosque protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police have held a series of meetings in a bid to prevent possible clashes in Harrow after protests against the borough’s new mosque were scheduled for the end of August.

It is thought thousands will flood to Harrow to demonstrate outside The Harrow Central Mosque, in Station Road, on August 29, in opposition to a Sharia Law court building within the new site.

The demo has been endorsed by The English Defence League (EDL), a group against “militant Islam”, who were involved in clashes in Birmingham over the weekend, which led to 35 arrests and injuries to three people.

It is thought that members have been recruited though various internet sites and one social network group already has as many as 3,000 people backing plans to protest in Harrow.

Harrow Observer, 12 August 2009

French woman threatens legal action over ‘burkini’ ban

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A 35-year-old French convert to Islam has threatened legal action after she was evicted from a public pool for wearing a “burkini” – a veil, trouser and tunic covering that she said allowed her to swim while preserving her modesty. The case revolving around the pool east of Paris has reopened France’s bitter row about how Muslim women can dress.

Carole, who would not give her surname, bought the suit while on holiday in Dubai and wore it swimming with her children once at a local pool in Emerainville. The second time she wore it, she was banned. “What annoys me is that I have been made to believe this is a political problem,” she told Le Parisien. Carole, who converted to Islam at the age of 17, said she would seek advice from anti-discrimination groups.

Guardian, 12 August 2009

Evangelical Christians plan anti-Islam conference in Australia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An evangelical church leader who blamed bushfires in February on Victoria’s abortion laws will address an anti-Muslim Christian conference alongside the Reverend Fred Nile and state Liberal MLC David Clarke this year.

Mr Nile invited the leader of the Catch the Fire ministries, Pastor Danny Nalliah, to address the National Conference for all Concerned Christians on November 21 on the theme ”Australia’s Future and Global Jihad”, an event Mr Nile said was about ”strengthening Australia’s Christian heritage”.

”We are concerned with the conflict between Islam and Christianity that is happening around the world,” Mr Nile said.

Mr Nalliah told the Herald the alleged terrorist plot on Holsworthy barracks by men with links to the Somali terrorism group al-Shabab showed why Christianity should be protected ”as the core value of the nation”.

”At some point we have to draw the line and say enough is enough,” he said. ”The nation has to stand for its Christian values, irrespective of whether all people practise Christianity or not.”

Mr Nalliah will deliver a speech on the topic ”Is the West being de-Christianised?”

Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August 2009

Prevent scheme is alienating Muslim communities and should be scrapped

Posted on by Bob Pitt

NLGN Stronger TogetherThe Government’s flagship scheme on tackling extremism is alienating Muslim communities and should be scrapped according to a new report. The New Local Government Network (NLGN) think tank is calling for the £45million scheme to focus on tackling all extremism – including far-right extremists – rather than just focusing on Islamic extremism.

The Government set up the Prevent scheme in 2006 to help local councils to tackle violent extremism at a local level. Currently 94 local authorities receive funding from the scheme. NLGN’s independent report argues that whilst the scheme has helped in some areas, overall it risks alienating some local communities and particularly Muslim communities.

The report calls for the Government to allocate resources to tackle all extremist ideologies, arguing that the recent increase in far-right extremism is as much of as a challenge for local communities as Islamic extremism. In July this year Scotland Yard warned that far-right extremists are planning a “spectacular” terrorist attack in Britain to try to stoke racial tensions and that more resources need to be targeted to tackle this form of extremism.

NLGN press release, 10 August 2009

See also Bradford Telegraph & Argus, 10 August 2009

Update:  Over at Harry’s Place the inimitable David T urges the government to broaden the definition of extremism even further, in order to combat organisations like the Socialist Workers Party and Socialist Action! Harry’s Place itself, that haven for anti-Muslim bigots and Islamophobic witch-hunters, is of course an instrument for marginalising extremists and promoting harmonious relations between the UK’s diverse communities.

English Defence League in disarray after Birmingham fracas

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Birmingham 8.8.09

A rightwing group which promised a summer of peaceful demonstrations against British Islamic extremists was in disarray today after its first significant protest ended in violence and 35 arrests.

The English Defence League staged a march near the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham this weekend but its small band of supporters was drastically outnumbered by anti-fascist campaigners and riot police. The protest ended in violent skirmishes and running battles through the city’s busy shopping streets on Saturday evening.

Members of the League resorted to bitter in-fighting today as supporters labelled the organisers “ridiculous” and the event a “shambles”. Despite efforts to promote the event, fewer than 100 were thought to have gathered. Left-wing groups including Unite Against Fascism were alerted to the march and were able to organise a counter demonstration.

One member of the League’s online forum, registered as Adder, wrote: “I support you guys but yesterday was a shambles and you made us English look like an embarrassment. What exactly happened to supposed ‘In the high hundreds’ who were supposed to turn up? I saw the video and it seemed like there was barely 70 of you.” Neil Edy, another member of the website, said: “I went to the march … the turn out to the event wasnt good enuf only a few of us were there supporting the cause.”

Despite the failure of the first large event, the League insists it will continue to hold demonstrations. Comments on the group’s website, and the affiliated football hooliganism site Casuals United said that the next one would be bigger. One message on the Casuals United site read: “We will arrange it via the Inner Circles secret forums, so we will arrive unnanounced and neither the police or the scum will know any details.”

Times Online, 10 August 2009

Update:  See also the Guardian, 11 August 2009

Former BNP candidate faces religious hatred charge

Posted on by Bob Pitt

BNP heroin leaflet

A former British National Party election candidate was charged yesterday in connection with the distribution of leaflets which alleged Muslims were responsible for the heroin trade. Anthony Bamber, 53, of Greenbank Street, Preston, Lancashire, is accused of incitement to commit religious hatred, police said.

The leaflet was distributed in Burnley and reportedly circulated in other parts of Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire. It urged people to “heap condemnation” on Muslims and said it was time to “apologise” over its claims they were responsible for 95 per cent of the world’s heroin trade.

Yorkshire Post, 10 August 2009

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‘We’ll ease up on Muslim fanatics’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Labour slammed the brakes on its war against violent extremism yesterday – amid fears it had upset Muslim voters. Millions spent preventing Asian kids becoming terrorists will now be used to tackle right-wing racists in WHITE areas. Community cohesion minister Shahid Malik admitted he was softening his stance because Muslims felt stigmatised.

More than £45million a year has been spent on measures to prevent Al-Qaeda recruiting young Muslims in the UK. It included action to break up Islamic ghettos and stop university hate preachers.

Mr Malik, the first British-born Muslim MP, yesterday unveiled plans to broaden the scope of the campaign. He announced: “We shall be putting a renewed focus on resisting right-wing racist extremism. We cannot dismiss or underestimate the threat.”

Mr Malik told Sky News: “You speak to any Muslim in this country and they are as opposed as you and I are to extremism and terrorism. The frustration is they are constantly linked with terrorism as a community as a whole.”

His action contrasts with the tough stance of ex-minister Hazel Blears. She broke links with Muslim groups that failed to denounce extremists. Her adviser Paul Richards said: “The good work by Hazel is being undone in the name of political correctness.”

Former shadow home secretary David Davis said: “This has been watered down for purely political reasons. Labour has always seen Muslim voters as its own property.”

Sun, 10 August 2009

The Daily Mail, for its part, reports Shahid Malik’s interview under the headline “Labour ‘weakens’ fight against Muslim extremism”.

The Daily Express goes with “£45 million war against extremism is ‘soft on Muslim youths'”. The headline is based on a comment by Paul Richards: “There is a real danger that if ministers relax the focus on Muslim youth, then it dilutes efforts to tackle terrorism.”

Richards goes on to warn that there is “also now a chance that ministers could invite the Muslim Council of Britain back into Whitehall after relations were frozen with the organisation earlier this year”.

See also the Daily Telegraph, 10 August 2009

Update:  See the NLGN’s new report Stronger Together: A new approach to preventing violent extremism, which underpins the change of emphasis by DCLG.

And the interview with John Denham here.

And Inayat Bunglawala’s comments here.

And MCB press release here.

Birmingham sees anti-fascist action

Posted on by Bob Pitt

salma-yaqoob-anti-fascist-demoPolice attempting to keep rival demonstrators apart in Birmingham city centre during early Saturday evening made a total of 33 arrests following sporadic clashes involving rival gangs of far right and anti-fascist protestors. Earlier events, organised by the right-wing English Defence League (EDL) and the anti-racist group Unite Against Fascism (UAF), passed off without the large-scale incidents that some had feared. Police reported two injuries during the evening, neither of which are believed to be serious.

The UAF protest in front of the Bull Ring at Rotunda Square was called in response to the EDL’s proposed demonstration at the same spot, the far right group having staged a previous protest there in early July. A crowd of around 300 heard speeches by, amongst others, Respect Councillor Salma Yaqoob and Dave Hughes of the Birmingham Trades Council. The event appeared predominantly good natured, although there were minor scuffles as a handful of right-wing sympathisers in lower New Street appeared to taunt sections of the crowd.

As the UAF event was winding down, the English Defence League were holding their re-scheduled demonstration in Victoria Square where around 80 protestors were outnumbered by a multi-racial crowd of onlookers. A heavy police presence was in place at both events and this prevented serious disorder as a group of predominantly Asian youths broke away from the anti-racist demonstration in an attempt to confront the EDL meeting. Police (including some officers in riot gear) later cordoned off sections of New Street and High Street, and there were further clashes as members of both groups attempted to attack each other.

The Stirrer, 9 August 2009

See also UAF statement on last Saturday’s Birmingham protest against the ‘English Defence League’, 8 October 2009.