Category Archives: Resisting Islamophobia

Tower Hamlets rejects Islamophobic witch-hunt, re-elects Lutfur Rahman

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lutfur Rahman acceptance speechControversial Lutfur Rahman last night triumphed over Labour in a knife-edge mayoral election in Tower Hamlets.

The independent incumbent, standing under new party name Tower Hamlets First, fought off John Biggs to win on second preferences at a chaotic count night at the Troxy in Limehouse.

In a tightly-fought contest, Mr Rahman edged through after neither candidate secured a big enough share of the vote needed to win in the first round.

Bookmakers had placed Mr Biggs odds on favourite – but the result ushers in four more years of power for one of Britain’s most controversial politicians.

He told his exultant party members when the announcement was finally made just before 2am; “All I’ve ever said, and I’ll say it again, is judge me on my record. Judge me on what I do for this borough. I’m grateful to people who look at this borough and judge me on my record.”

He added: “To the people who didn’t vote for me… Give me a chance to serve you, let me reach out to you. “This office is a passion for me. Give me a chance to serve, even if you didn’t vote for me today.”

Mr Rahman gained a total of 37,395 votes – with under 1,000 of those second preferences. Despite a strong showing in the second round, Mr Biggs recorded a total of 34,143, with around 6,000 of those second preferences.

Turnout was more than twice as high (47.58 per cent) as it was in 2010 when Mr Rahman first swept to power.

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Finsbury Park mosque today

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“It is nine years since the building was taken over and its extremist parts dismantled from within, and it now serves as a community centre as much as a mosque, holding regular inter-faith meetings to discuss local concerns on disability, mental health and the environment.”

Charlotte Philby visits Finsbury Park mosque, where Abu Hamza used to preach.

Independent, 23 May 2013

Jews Against Islamophobia hold protest against 9/11 museum film

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jews Against Islamophobia 9-11 museum protestThe NYPD removed 30 mostly Jewish demonstrators carrying signs such as “Islam does not equate terrorism,” from the 9/11 memorial park Wednesday.

The group protested what they called the interchangeable use of “Arab,” “Muslim” and “terrorist” in a 9/11 Museum film. Waving signs saying “Edit the Film” and “Jews say No to Islamophobia,” the crowd moved up the street. “We fear that visitors of the museum will blame Muslims. . . . The exhibition describing Al Qaeda is very sloppy,” said Todd Fine, 33.

New York Daily News, 22 May 2014

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Queensland rejects anti-niqab bill

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Peter WellingtonThe Queensland government has rejected a push by independents and minor parties to force Muslim women to remove their burqas or veils to prove their identity.

The bill, introduced by the independent MP for Nicklin, Peter Wellington, would have allowed lawyers, police, prison officers, justices of the peace and other “persons of responsibility” to require a person to remove any face covering to establish their identity.

Wellington said the measure was especially necessary in light of the upcoming G20 meeting in Brisbane. “It is not about religion; it is about doing the right thing, about making sure there is security in Queensland,” he said.

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Belfast pastor James McConnell denounces Islam as the devil’s doctrine

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Pastor James McConnellPolice have launched a probe into a a potential hate crime after an outspoken evangelical pastor defended describing the Islamic faith as “satanic” and a “doctrine spawned in hell”.

Senior Pastor James McConnell made the remarks as he addressed his congregation at the Whitewell Tabernacle Metropolitan Church on Sunday evening. They were described as “very offensive”, “hurtful” and “irresponsible” by a representative from the Belfast Islamic Centre.

There has also been an outcry on social media, with some calling for a police investigation into his comments. One posted: “If this was a Muslim Imam speaking about Christianity, he would be arrested for inciting hatred.”

During his sermon, the clergyman said: “Islam is heathen, Islam is satanic, Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell.” He also likened Muslims to the IRA, saying there were cells spread right across the UK.

When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph last night, the pastor said he stood over his remarks. When asked why he made the comments, he said “because it is against the holy scriptures”. “The Bible says there is one God the father and one Lord Jesus Christ and that is what I believe and that is what Christianity is all about.”

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Luton school head says he will challenge ‘half-baked’ Ofsted report

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The head of an Islamic faith school says he will challenge an Ofsted report written by inspectors who asked nine-year-old students to define homosexuality.

Enraged parents at Olive Tree Primary School, Bury Park Road, threatened to take their children out of the independent school on Thursday after the Ofsted representatives admitted to questioning a group of nine and ten-year-old pupils on their understanding of homosexuality and gay marriage.

The schools watchdog has said that the session was designed to gauge tolerance at the school and its pupils, though parents have said that the incident “unduly sexualised” their children.

Islam forbids homosexuality and Olive Tree does not teach sexual education.

After being confronted during a planned meeting with parents on Thursday, inspectors agreed to leave the school and say they have information to complete a report – despite completing just two of the four days they were to spend there.

Headteacher Abdul Qadeer Baksh told Luton News that he would reject and challenge the report, given the short stay of inspectors.

He said: “I told them that they had more than a day and a half still to complete with plenty left to see at the school but they told me they had enough. The report will not be accurate, I asked them to come back another time but they will not. It will be half-baked and I will challenge it. I will not accept it.”

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Man arrested over Trowbridge mosque arson threat

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Spotted Trowbridge arson threatFollowing complaints to Wiltshire Police about a message posted on the Spotted Trowbridge Facebook page, police in West Yorkshire have charged a man with malicious communication.

David Lord, 27, of Ravenscliffe Avenue, Bradford, West Yorkshire, was arrested and charged by West Yorkshire Police on Tuesday after officers in Wiltshire were alerted to the message. He will now appear at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on June 2.

Police received several complaints about the message, as well as others on the page, which was posted in response to an anonymous post last Friday asking whether there was a mosque in Trowbridge.

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English Defence League set to march in Stevenage

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Stevenage protest ad

Members of the EDL – which claims to be a human rights organisation protesting about Islamic extremism but whose marches are characterised by racism, violence, death threats and arrests – plan to march through Stevenage on Saturday, June 7.

The group’s page on social networking site Facebook says the march is “to protest at grooming incidents”. More than 250 people have so far confirmed through the site that they will be taking part in the march, which is set to start at 1pm.

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MCB calls on authorities to safeguard mosques against far-right ‘invasion’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

So Called ‘Invasion’ of Mosques by Far Right Group, Britain First

The Muslim Council of Britain condemns in the strongest terms the act of violating a place of worship by the recently formed extreme far right, anti-Muslim group, Britain First. The most recent incident occurred at midday yesterday, where the emboldened action by three middle aged men and woman entered one of the largest Islamic institutions in the country, wearing their shoes and trampling on prayer surfaces to carry out their misguided propaganda. This has left many members of the community angered and disappointed with the inability of the government and the authorities to curtail this type of thuggish behaviour.

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