Rupert Murdoch has backed comments from Britain’s chief rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, who says multiculturalism has “had its day”, with the media mogul adding that “societies have to integrate. Muslims find it hardest.”
The News Corp chief took to Twitter to make his remarks, which have caused anger among diversity campaigners in Australia. He tweeted: “Good for UK Chief Rabbi Sacks! ‘Let’s put multiculturalism behind us’. Societies have to integrate. Muslims find it hardest.”
Calls have been made to ban any future English Defence League (EDL) protests in East Yorkshire. It comes after a man was injured in front of horrified shoppers and families at St Stephen’s in Ferensway.
A member of the 300-strong EDL protest broke free from police and hit the man yards from where children were on a funfair roundabout. The man was injured moments after unfurling a banner promoting multicultural Hull.
Today, Daren Hale, deputy leader of Hull City Council, said he would be seeking a meeting with police to discuss having these marches banned from the city. He said:
“It is completely unacceptable and this is the sort of thing we were worried about. I think these should be banned now. I will always want to defend people’s freedom of speech but, in my opinion, the intention of this march was to cause distress and upset in our community and that is exactly what happened. They would not have had the opportunity to do this had the march not proceeded.”
Here, via Tell Mama, are the Met’s figures for Islamophobic crime in London. Overall, they show a 62% increase for the twelve months to July 2013 compared with the previous year.
Eye-witnesses have told how they watched in horror as a supporter of the English Defence League attacked a man promoting multiculturalism during a march through Hull city centre.
Shoppers and families enjoying a Saturday afternoon in the city centre watched helplessly as the EDL supporter broke free from police ranks to attack the man outside St Stephen’s shopping centre in Ferensway.
The EDL marcher had to be dragged off the man, who had blood pouring from his head and his face, while children were playing on a funfair ride just yards away. He was wrestled to the ground by police while shoppers and passers by rushed to the aid of the injured man before he was led away in handcuffs, screaming abuse.
Supporters of an organisation that says it wants “to stop the Islamisation of the United Kingdom” were met by counter-protesters as they marched through Edinburgh.
Around 130 supporters of the Scottish Defence League took part in the march from East Market Street down the Royal Mile and on to the Scottish Parliament on Saturday afternoon, according to police.
Some carried flags adorned with the St George’s Cross and bearing the words ‘Blackburn’ and ‘Sunderland Division’ while others held placards reading ‘Never forget Glasgow Airport’.
Meanwhile, a counter-protest of organisations and individuals including members of the Unite Against Fascism group was said to be 350 strong.
See also “Hundreds of anti-fascism campaigners see off Scottish Defence League in Edinburgh counter-protest”, The Herald, 17 August 2013
Update: See “Edinburgh UAF report on the successful countering of the SDL last weekend”, UAF news, 23 August 2013
Demonstrators today staged a protest march against a Muslim school opening in Portsmouth.
Scores of people from the English Defence League, South East Alliance, March for England, English Volunteer Force and the Croydon Casuals walked along Fratton Road.
The English Defence League organised the march, saying it wanted to show disapproval of the Madani Academy, in Buckland, which is expected to open later this year. The Madani Academy would be the first Muslim school to open in the city. It will teach the national curriculum to five to 16-year olds, which will be tailored to Islamic values and teachings.
A man has been issued an Asbo banning him from going near a number of Islamic premises in Cambridge after he threatened to burn down a mosque.
David Camp, 35, of Thorpe Way, off Ditton Lane, Cambridge, was made subject of an anti-social behaviour order at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court yesterday after he was convicted of several racially aggravated offences..
Camp had previously admitted to posting a large number of offensive anti-Islamic messages on Twitter between April 1 and June 5. He had also admitted to three further public order offences following a drunken outburst in Mill Road on June 30 during which he shouted abuse at members of the public. During that incident Camp threatened to burn down a mosque, he continued to shout abuse at the officers who then arrived and arrested him.
He was sentenced to a 12-month supervision order with alcohol treatment requirement on July 12.
Following an application by police, a two year criminal Asbo was granted, banning Camp from entering parts of Mawson Road, Tenison Road, Devonshire Road, Mill Road or Whitechapel Road, in London. He is also banned from entering St Paul’s Road or Darwin Drive in their entirety, or from going within 50 metres of Omar Farouk Mosque in Kirkwood Road.
Pressure on the police and Home Office to ban a planned march by far right group the English Defence League is mounting after fresh calls for it to be stopped.
Members of community and faith group coalition United East End have signed a letter circulated by Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman calling on home secretary Theresa May to step in and ban the march.
The EDL announced in May that it plans to march through Tower Hamlets on September 7 as part of a series of scheduled protests in cities across the UK. Representatives from United East End have now signed a letter circulated around the borough calling for the protest to be banned.
Glyn Robbins, who is chair of the group, said: “The EDL stands for bigotry. They are not welcome here. Our unity and diversity is our strength – and the people of the East End will not allow the EDL to divide us.”
The right-wing English Defence League (EDL) is planning a protest gathering at the heart of the Muslim community in South Tyneside.
Up to 500 members of the organisation have been invited to the proposed demonstration in Ocean Road, South Shields, on Saturday, August 31. The meeting is said to be a reaction to an ongoing court case involving three former South Tyneside College students accused of raping two 14-year-old girls.
Today, a Muslim community leader expressed his alarm at the plan, and he is calling on the authorities to make sure it does not go ahead.
A racist thug jailed for attacking Kingston Mosque is back in prison months after being released – this time for brutally stabbing a man during a wake. David Morris knifed construction worker Edminas Samulionis at Hart’s Boatyard in Surbiton on December 13, 2012.
In what police described as a “deeply disturbing” act, Morris – who had played no part in the fight up to that point – was captured on CCTV leaving the Portsmouth Road pub and walking to his van in the car park.
He returned with a 7in blade and stabbed Lithuanian-born Mr Samulionis repeatedly, before leaving in his van at speed. The victim suffered a punctured lung and has still not fully recovered from the attack. It is understood he has since returned to his home country.
On Friday at Kingston Crown Court, Morris, 22, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. He had originally been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.