Reports and comment from Islamophobia Watch 12‑18 May

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Reports and comment from Islamophobia Watch 12‑18 May 2014

Scottish Government criticised as Show Racism the Red Card’s funding reduced by two-thirds 18 May 2014
Nick Griffin visits Bolton to protest against plans for Farnworth mosque 18 May 2014
EDL march through Newcastle meets anti-fascist counter-protest 18 May 2014
IUMS to issue fatwa against UK over Muslim Brotherhood inquiry 17 May 2014
Police plan to stop English Defence League march through Newcastle’s West End 16 May 2014
SDL members to lay wreath for Lee Rigby 16 May 2014
‘Trojan Horse’ takeover plot by Muslims rubbish says Trust 16 May 2014
Anglican vicar condemns ‘invasion of halal meat’, says Christians oppose ‘the creeping Islamisation of our country’ 16 May 2014
UKIP embroiled in new row over Islamophobia 16 May 2014
Ofsted abandons inspection of Luton school after homosexuality row 16 May 2014
National newspaper is prejudiced and skewing halal debate, says MP 15 May 2014
Race row erupts after Brent UKIP candidate slates Muslims in ranting email 15 May 2014
Inside Park View academy: Religion row school ‘is victim of its success’ 15 May 2014
Washington DC: Geller is back with another anti-Islam Metro ad 15 May 2014
NUS condemns anti-Islam group Student Rights 14 May 2014
Let’s be honest about Britain’s Islamophobia 14 May 2014
Call for ‘Muzzer blood’ to be spilled over plan to rebuild Farnworth mosque 14 May 2014
US court upholds ruling against SIOA, Geller denounces appeasement of ‘Islamic supremacists’ 13 May 2014
Halal meat labelling plan rejected by MPs 13 May 2014
Pew Research Center publishes findings on European attitudes towards migrants and Muslims 13 May 2014
Crusade against British Muslims in education 13 May 2014
British Veterinary Association warns against ritual slaughter debate being ‘hijacked by prejudice’ 13 May 2014
Carole Malone channels Taj Hargey 12 May 2014
An open letter to Bill Maher from a Muslim American 12 May 2014
The random Muslim scare story generator: separating fact from fiction 12 May 2014

Scottish Government criticised as Show Racism the Red Card’s funding reduced by two-thirds

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Bob Pitt

The Scottish Government has been accused of complacency about racism after cutting the funding of the national charity working to tackle racial intolerance and hate crime.

Show Racism the Red Card has warned it will have to drastically cut its activities in Scotland this year after its grant was slashed by more than two-thirds in three years.

But campaigners say anti-racism education is more vital than ever, with tensions raised as parties such as Britain First, an offshoot of the BNP, campaign ahead of the European elections. The far-right group, founded by Scot Jim Dowson, recently sent members into mosques in Scotland as part of a self-styled “Christian crusade” against Islam.

Show Racism the Red Card, the only national charity with a focus on anti-racism, received government funding of £70,000 for this work in 2012-13. Last year, it was cut to £40,000 and for 2014-15 the funding will be £20,000.

Vicki Burns, campaign manager at Show Racism the Red Card Scotland, said the cash was essential for maintaining core services, such as running the office.

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Nick Griffin visits Bolton to protest against plans for Farnworth mosque

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Nick Griffin Farnworth mosque protest Nick Griffin and members of the British National Party held a controversial protest in Victoria Square against plans to build a new mosque in Farnworth.

About 20 supporters of the far-right nationalist party protested on Saturday afternoon, against Bolton planning committee’s decision on May 1 to allow the Sugrha Mosque in Granville Street to be knocked down to make way for a new one.

Some Bolton residents who walked past the protesters opposed their view and backed the committee’s decision. And Bolton Council bosses insisted the application went through exactly the same process as any other.

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EDL march through Newcastle meets anti-fascist counter-protest

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Up to 400 English Defence League supporters joined forces yesterday to march through Newcastle.

The event started at 1pm in the Bigg Market, snaked along Collingwood Street, on to Westgate Road, along St James’ Boulevard, on to Barrack Road and into Leazes Park. The procession was led to the beating of a drum and chants by its members. Supporters draped in Union Jacks and St George’s flags where hemmed in by lines of police.

The far-right group landed at Leazes Park to the sounds of a DJ in the sweltering heat. And from the bandstand they listened to a string of speakers.

Police wearing high visibility jackets flanked the crowds and in the park they carried riot helmets in case of any trouble.

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IUMS to issue fatwa against UK over Muslim Brotherhood inquiry

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Bob Pitt

International Union for Muslim Scholars

Sources from the International Union of Muslim Scholars have stated that over 50 of its senior members from various countries are preparing to issue a fatwa against Britain in the event that the government takes measures against the Muslim Brotherhood. A committee appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron has been tasked to investigate the movement.

The sources also told Asrararabiya that the fatwa will call for the boycott of British goods and services as well as urging Arab tourists not to travel to Britain. If the report issued by the committee is negative, they said, the fatwa will consider it to be “a declaration of war against the Islamic communities and organisations in Britain and Europe and will fuel discrimination against Muslims worldwide.”

Those preparing the fatwa hope that thousands of their fellow Islamic scholars from all over the world, including the West, will sign it, allowing the legal opinion to reach a larger group of Muslims.

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Police plan to stop English Defence League march through Newcastle’s West End

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Newcastle Unites Against the EDL Police plan to stop the English Defence League marching through Newcastle’s West End tomorrow.

Northumbria Police’s Chief Constable Sue Sim has asked the far-right group to alter the route for its demo believing it would cause distress to residents. However, The EDL has refused to compromise with the force.

Chief Cons Sim said: “Northumbria Police has been speaking to organisers from the English Defence League for a number of weeks following their announcement that they want to hold a march in Newcastle on Saturday, May 17.

“The EDL expressed an intention to march in the West End of the city through a highly populated, residential area. We have made our position clear that we do not support this as the impact on the local community is too great. It poses a risk to public safety, will cause people fear in their own homes and create significant disruption as people try to go about their daily lives.

“Northumbria Police has always tried to facilitate peaceful protest and has worked with the EDL in the past to agree suitable routes for them to march and protest. We also regularly work with other groups with a range of opposing views to agree routes for marches and protest locations.

“Regrettably, this time EDL organisers have not been prepared to compromise on an alternative route, although we would remind them we are still prepared to discuss alternatives.

“Those planning to attend should be aware there has been no agreement with police with regards to meeting points or route locations.”

Protest group Newcastle Unites has also spoken to police about marching through the West End tomorrow. After discussions, the route of this demonstration was altered.

It is understood officers will not allow the EDL marchers to enter the West End.

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SDL members to lay wreath for Lee Rigby

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Edinburgh anti-SDL protest Members of the far-right Scottish Defence League are planning a wreath-laying ceremony in memory of murdered soldier Lee Rigby in the centre of Edinburgh tomorrow.

Up to 100 SDL activists are expected to take part in the lunchtime event outside the Scottish Government building in Regent Road, marking the first anniversary of the brutal killing near the Royal Artillery Barracks in London. Two men are serving life sentences for hacking Drummer Rigby to death.

But campaign group Unite Against Fascism has accused the SDL of using Lee Rigby’s murder to promote a message of hate and spread racism. And it is organising a counter-demonstration in nearby Waterloo Place. from 12.30pm.

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‘Trojan Horse’ takeover plot by Muslims rubbish says Trust

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Park View School

The Trust which runs a Birmingham school at the centre of allegations of a “Trojan Horse” takeover plot by hardline Muslims has issued a statement rubbishing the claims.

The Park View Educational Trust, which runs three schools in Birmingham, said the political storm surrounding the alleged plot had created a “heightened climate” for false allegations to be repeated.

In its nine-page statement, the Trust claimed the “Trojan Horse” document outlining the allegations had created a backdrop “for the settling of political scores” that have nothing to do with its schools and students.

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Anglican vicar condemns ‘invasion of halal meat’, says Christians oppose ‘the creeping Islamisation of our country’

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Bob Pitt

Reverend Canon Eric Woods Steve Rose draws our attention to this comment piece (see below) by Canon Eric Woods, the Vicar of Sherborne, which was published in yesterday’s Western Gazette.

It isn’t the first time that Woods has promoted halal hysteria. As he mentions, he wrote an article about “the invasion of halal meat” for the same paper last year.

The two articles contain the same ignorant nonsense about halal abattoirs slaughtering animals while they are fully conscious – as we have previously pointed out, 88% of halal meat produced in the UK is from animals that have been stunned before being killed and the slaughter of sheep without pre-stunning has been illegal in New Zealand since 2010.

More disturbingly, both articles also feature the paranoid fantasy about “creeping Islamisation” that you would expect to find in a comment posted by some drunken thug on an English Defence League Facebook page, rather than in an article written by someone holding a responsible position in the Church of England.

Sherborne Abbey is part of the Diocese of Salisbury. The Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, can be contacted here.

Update: See “Bishop refuses to take action over vicar’s ‘creeping Islamisation’ article, says he ‘would not wish to discourage’ such views”, Islamophobia Watch, 19 May 2014

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UKIP embroiled in new row over Islamophobia

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Bob Pitt

John Kearney with drink Ukip has become embroiled in yet another Islamophobia row after it emerged that one of its candidates has urged Catholics that they “must be ready to die” for their faith which is “the only countermeasure” to the “world domination” of Islam.

The candidate John Kearney is standing in Basingstoke. In a blog dedicated to his Catholic beliefs, he accused Muslims of having “contempt for human life” and said last year: “The real threat now comes from militant Islam who persecute the Church and martyr Christians in a way that reminds us of the early Church.”

In addition, in August last year he wrote: “Today we have the rise of Islam and a contempt for human life among a large number of people of that faith. They seek world domination and are more evangelical in their cause than Christians have been in the past 40 years.

“A new word has arisen in Brainwashed Britain – ‘Islamaphobia’. This is called an unnatural fear of Islam. I do not know about unnatural but I would say that anyone who does not fear Islam is a fool. No, Islam is a religion and the Catholic Church with the Lord on her side is the only countermeasure. But Catholics must know their Faith and they must be ready to die for it.”

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