The anti-racist educational charity Show Racism the Red Card has interviewed Daniel Trilling, assistant editor of the New Statesman and author of Bloody Nasty People: The Rise of Britain’s Far Right.
The interview has been published in three parts (the first two can be read here and here) and in the third part (here) Trilling addresses the issue of Islamophobia:
Scotland Yard is in negotiations with far right group the English Defence League (EDL) and opposition campaigners amid calls for a ban on next weekend’s planned demonstration. The Met said plans for how to police the march, due to take place next Saturday (September 7) are still in their “formative stages”.
Dozens of community leaders, MPs and faith groups signed a letter to home secretary Theresa May this month calling for a ban on the event. But a Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Some negotiations are ongoing with the organisers, and with those people opposed to it.” A final decision on the demonstration is due to be taken early next week, he added. If the Met decides to ban the march, Scotland Yard must apply to the Home Office for approval.
Valeria Costa-Kostritsky talks to young Muslim women in the French town of Trappes.
A leading Liberal Democrat whose writings about a former Muslim are the subject of an online campaign has said he “totally refutes” the allegations against him.
Hundreds of people have signed an online petition condemning Salah Al Bander, who represented Trumpington on Cambridge City Council until 2011, following several posts on the Sudanese Online website about Nahla Mahmoud.
Ms Mahmoud, who like Dr Al Bander is of Sudanese heritage, is an atheist who criticised her upbringing under sharia law and became a leading figure in a group called the British Council of Ex-Muslims. She said she faced intimidation after she was criticised in posts by Dr Al Bander, which were picked up in media and mosques in Sudan. Afterwards, her brother was allegedly attacked.
But Dr Al Bander said he had been “utterly misrepresented”.
Thirteen Muslim Americans challenging the U.S. governments’ secretive “no-fly” list won a partial victory in federal court when a judge found they “have a constitutionally protected liberty interest” in traveling internationally by air.
But U.S. District Judge Anna Brown has yet to decide whether the government violated their constitutional rights to due process under a policy that excludes individuals from commercial air travel if they are suspected of having ties to terrorism.
In her ruling late on Wednesday in Portland, the judge also asked both the plaintiffs and the Department of Justice for more information before deciding key parts of the case.
An anti-fascist group has announced plans for a counter-demonstration against a march by right-wing extremists in South Shields this weekend.
Members of North East Infidels (NEI) and the English Defence League (EDL) are to parade on Saturday from the town’s Fowler Street to Pier Parade, where a rally is to be staged.
Now it has emerged they will be met there by representatives of newly-formed South Tyneside Unites Against Fascism (STUAF), a group set up specifically in response to the rally. Their members are made up of local people, trade unionists and political groups and organisations opposed to fascism, racism and Islamophobia.
The counter-protesters, supported by South Tyneside Trade Union Council, and including members of Unite and Unison, will hold up placards and express their views through megaphones in what organisers say will be a “peaceful and orderly counter-demonstration”.
Tower Hamlets protests against the English Defence League in September 2011 – where was John Biggs?
A family barbecue has been organised by Labour politicians for the same day as far right group the English Defence League (EDL) plans to march through the East End.
Tower Hamlets Labour Party’s annual summer barbecue is due to go ahead in Bethnal Green on September 7. But the plan has been met with accusations that Labour’s mayoral candidate John Biggs is prioritising a day in the sun over standing up to far right ideology.
Tower Hamlets Council’s Independent cabinet member for resources, Cllr Alibor Choudhury said: “While a diverse community coalition gathers to show the EDL that Tower Hamlets is no place for hate, John Biggs and his Labour chums will be letting their hair down over nibbles. I’m a big fan of democracy but I’m not sure you can for fight for it with canapés and cocktail sausages.”
The Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en France has set up an email address (aissatou@islamophobie.net) so that messages of sympathy and solidarity can be sent to Aïssatou, the young Muslim woman attacked by racists, who attempted suicide earlier this week. The CCIF also encourages support for the campaign launched by Al-Kanz, which can be followed on Twitter: #AvecAïssatou
Excellent article by Paul Simpson, taking on liberal and leftist Islamophobes in particular.
Burlington residents driving down Lexington Street this morning were faced with an upsetting and unsettling sight. It appears someone vandalized the Islamic Center of Burlington’s sign (that is placed at the mosque’s entrance) overnight with white spray paint.
Burlington Union, 28 August 2013
Update: See “Statement from Rep. Gordon regarding Islamic Center sign vandalism”, Burlington Union, 28 August 2013
And “CAIR asks FBI to probe ‘USA’ vandalism of Mass. mosque sign”, CAIR press release, 28 August 2013
Update 2: See also Boston.com, 29 August 2013