Category Archives: UK

Selfridges attacked for ‘free lunch apology’ to EDL leader

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Selfridges nameboardSelfridges was facing a backlash today for giving a free lunch to English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson after a shop assistant refused to serve his friend.

Robinson – a convicted criminal who leads anti-Islam protests that often end in violence – was with a friend who wanted to buy jeans at the Oxford Street store on Monday. The assistant, Robinson claimed, asked the shopper if he was with the EDL leader, and then said: “F*** off, I am not serving you”.

Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – challenged the staff member, and said he assumed the worker was a Muslim “because he had Mo on his name tag”.

The EDL chief filmed part of the exchange on a mobile and put it online. In the footage, he says: “You won’t serve my friend because he’s friends with me … and I’m in the EDL.” The assistant replies: “You can put me on the camera all you want mate, but I’m not serving you,” and walks off.

Selfridges apologised to Robinson and treated him and his friend to a meal at its Hix restaurant, champagne and caviar bar. It suspended the worker but today confirmed the suspension had been lifted, and said the staff member had “an unblemished record for seven years”.

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A ‘feminist’ attack on Muslim women, courtesy of the Daily Mail

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Julie Bindel at conferenceToday’s Daily Mail – a newspaper which of course has a long history of inciting bigotry against minority communities of recent migrant origin – carries yet another contribution to the niqab “debate”.

We’ve already heard Melanie Phillips’ views on this “sinister and intimidating black-out”, as she puts it, and now we have an article headlined “Why are my fellow feminists shamefully silent over the tyranny of the veil, asks JULIE BINDEL”.

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Councillor fears Birmingham veils debate may trigger ‘Islamophobia’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Waseem ZafferA senior Birmingham councillor has spoken of his fears that debate over Muslim face veils could spark a rise in Islamophobia.

Coun Waseem Zaffer, chairman of Birmingham City Council’s social cohesion board, pictured, spoke after Home Office minister Jeremy Browne called for a national debate on whether the state should step in to stop young women having the niqab imposed upon them.

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Man jailed for bacon attack on Edinburgh Central Mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A man who attached bacon to the handles of a mosque’s main door before throwing the meat inside has been jailed for ten months.

Wayne Stilwel, 25, was caught on CCTV throwing the bacon into Edinburgh’s Central Mosque on January 31, 2013. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard Islam prohibits its followers from eating pork and Stilwel’s actions offended people at the mosque.

Stilwel pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace before Sheriff Gordon Liddle at a hearing last month. On Tuesday, the sheriff said his actions had been “grossly offensive” and he had no option but to jail him.

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Couple claim lifeguard at Bexhill pool made racist gestures

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An outraged couple claim a lifeguard at a local swimming pool made racist and anti-Islamic comments and gestures against them.

Neaal Blake, 35 and his 26-year-old wife Sophia, of Cornfield Terrace, St Leonards, were with their four children at Bexhill Leisure Pool in the Ravenside Retail Park when the alleged incident happened.

Mrs Blake claims the lifeguard made the racist gestures at her husband, a converted Muslim, when he saw his Arabic tattoo on his back, which is the Fajr, or ‘dawn prayer’, the first of the five daily prayers offered by practising Muslims.

She said: “As my husband got out of the pool to go on the slide with my four-year-old son Isa, one of the lifeguards was looking at Neaal’s tattoo, went to his colleague and started taking the mickey by mimicking the loud war cry used by Islamic terrorists. He then did a gesture with his hands minicking a bomb exploding.

“I was very shocked and had a go at him but he had nothing to say. I asked to see the manager to make a complaint. It was the first day out swimming as a family and we feel we can’t go back there.”

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Sun calls for restrictions on the veil

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sun Unveiled front pageThis is the front page of today’s Sun. The accompanying editorial is behind a paywall so we reproduce it below.

In contrast to yesterday’s rant by Trevor Kavanagh, the editorial strikes what is, for the Sun, a tone of reasoned moderation.

It comes out firmly against a complete ban on wearing the veil in public, though that stance is hardly going to have any impact on the rights of Muslim women, given that there isn’t the slightest prospect of such a law being introduced in the UK for the foreseeable future.

The Sun even admits that women who wear the veil are not necessarily oppressed or acting under compulsion: “While the Taliban used the burka to suppress women in Afghanistan, those wearing them here are mainly young – and doing so by choice. They see physical modesty as key to their faith. And they already feel ‘liberated’ … from being judged on their appearance.”

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EDL threats lead to cancellation of anti-racism concert

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Steamboat Tavern cancellation noticeAn anti-racism gig was cancelled after police advised that opponents could disrupt it and there was “potential for violence”.

The Love Music Hate Racism event, featuring over a dozen local acts, was due to take place at the Steamboat Tavern in Ipswich on Sunday but it was called-off at lunchtime. The organisers said the decision gave the “green light” to racists. Police said the decision to cancel the concert was made by the venue.

Lauren Bulaitis, 16, one of the gig organisers, said: “I completely understand why the pub pulled the event, but it’s still such a shame. We were completely let down by the police and racism was given a green light in Ipswich yesterday.”

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Muslim woman must remove niqab to give evidence during trial, judge rules

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A Muslim woman will be allowed to stand trial while wearing a full-face veil but must remove it while giving evidence, a judge has ruled.

Lawyers for the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had argued that it would breach her human rights and be counter to Britain’s tolerance of Islamic dress to remove her niqab against her wishes.

But Judge Peter Murphy, sitting at London’s Blackfriars Crown Court, said: “In general, the defendant is free to wear the niqab during trial. If the defendant gives evidence she must remove the niqab throughout her evidence. The court may use its inherent powers to do what it can to alleviate any discomfort, for example by allowing the use of screens or allowing her to give evidence by live link.”

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