Category Archives: UK

Demonstrate against the South East Alliance in Cricklewood

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Racist thugs not welcome in Cricklewood

When the far-right South East Alliance tried to march on a Muslim Brotherhood office in Cricklewood, north west London, last month their path was blocked by anti-fascists and they were forced to turn back.

On Saturday the fascists are returning for a rematch. North West London United, a broad coalition of community groups and trade unions, is organising a counter-protest.

See also “Fascists not welcome in Cricklewood”, Kilburn Herald, 8 July 2014

And “Community in Brent unites against plans for far-right group to march in Cricklewood”, Kilburn Times, 14 July 2014

Update:  See “Another flop for the South East Alliance”, Islamophobia Watch, 19 July 2014

Fine for man who called for terrorist attacks on mosques

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ryan HarbisonA former footballer has been fined £1,000 for a post on a social network inciting racial violence. Ryan Harbinson, 19, posted on Facebook asking people to start terrorist attacks after the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard Harbinson was a talented player whose career was cut short after he was stabbed in 2011. His defence argued that he had suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the attack.

On 23 May last year – the day after Fusilier Rigby was murdered on a London street by two Islamic extremists – Harbinson posted: “Anyone up for starting our own series of terrorist attacks, little bit of petroleum would set fire to the mosque nicely :)”.

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Why banning Sharia courts would harm British Muslim women

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The calls to ban Sharia councils in Britain, as a way of ending discrimination suffered by Muslim women at the hands of these religious tribunals, is short-sighted and not the best way forward finds Myriam Francois-Cerrah.

Daily Telegraph, 17 July 2014

You’ll note that the Telegraph sees fit to illustrate this article with a photo of an al-Muhajiroun placard.

Muslims tell of far-right group’s invasion of UK mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

NWK Mosque CrayfordA Muslim worshipper has told Anadolu Agency of the disturbing moments when members of a far-right group stormed a mosque in south London.

Worshipper Mohammed Luthful Wahid told AA on Wednesday that he found himself confronted by five members of the Britain First group after they entered the Crayford Mosque and demanded the removal of what they called “sexist” signs – designating separate entrances for women and men – from outside of the building. Wahid, who is 69-years-old, said: “To be honest with you, I was nervous and worried.”

The group, which posted a video of its invasion on the Britain First Facebook group, had marched into the North West Kent Muslim Association mosque on Sunday, trampled on the prayer area without removing their shoes and demanded to speak to the Imam, who was not present.

In the video, the leader of the group, Paul Golding, approached Wahid and said: “We’re Britain First, yeah? We object to your signs that are outside, the signs for men and women… in this country we have equality.”

Wahid told AA: “We are Muslims, we are not aggressive. I just wanted them to take their shoes off. I wanted them off the carpet.” He said the three worshippers in the mosque at the time were left feeling shocked.

In the video, when asked to remove his shoes, Golding responds: “When you respect women, we’ll respect your mosques and you’ve got signs out there that segregate men and women.” Wahid can be heard in the video saying: “Please get out.”

Before leaving the mosque, Golding and his associates demanded that a Christian cross engraved into the brickwork on the outside of the building – a former Methodist church which was only opened as a mosque in 2008 – be covered up. Wahid said: “I told them that Jesus is one of our prophets, but the guy kept saying, ‘No’. Thank God there were only two or three of us in the mosque at the time, if they had come at prayer time, when there are about 20 people, it could have been disastrous.”

Worpshipper Shiraz Ahmed told AA that the Britain First group’s actions were “disrespectful and aggressive”. He said: “If they had come at a different time, when there are more people here, it would have been very different. I would have thrown them out of the mosque.”

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‘Trojan Horse’ school trustees resign

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Park View schoolThe chairman of the education trust at the centre of the alleged “Trojan Horse” Muslim takeover plot in Birmingham schools has resigned along with his entire board of trustees.

Tahir Alam, of the Park View Educational Trust, made the announcement today outside the gates of Park View Academy in Alum Rock, Birmingham.

The trust has been the focus of allegations made in the anonymous Trojan Horse letter – now widely held to be a hoax – alleging the existence of a clique of hardline Muslims attempting to seize control of Birmingham schools. Those allegations triggered several inquiries and last month the trust’s three schools were placed in special measures by Ofsted. Mr Alam has always denied any wrongdoing and branded the investigations “a witch hunt”.

Mr Alam launched a scathing attack on outgoing Education Secretary Michael Gove, Ofsted and others, as he announced he would be standing down.

After four months of inspections and scrutiny, the capacity of the trust’s three schools – Park View, Golden Hillock and Nansen – to continue to offer an outstanding education “is at risk of being seriously compromised”, he said.

“We believe strongly that we have justice on our side, and we know we have the support of many from within and outside Birmingham, including our students, parents and members of staff,” Mr Alam said.

“However, we are not prepared to subject our school communities to the further period of intense and bitter pressure that our continuing as members of Park View Educational Trust will see them face. And it is for this reason, and with a deep sense of injustice and sadness, that today we are announcing our intention to resign our positions at Park View Educational Trust and allow new people to assume responsibility with the aim of continuing the success of our schools.”

Mr Alam said the reputation of Park View School had been brought to the point of destruction, and the effect on the communities of the allegations and investigations had been “appalling”.

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East London school changes Ramadan fasting policy after complaints

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An east London school which forced fasting pupils to go home for a break during Ramadan has abandoned the policy after complaints from parents.

Newport Primary School, in Leyton, had said it was “unable to make provisions” for fasting children during lunchtimes. Parent Nusrat Siddiqui said the policy had meant her daughter could not fast and had “ruined her Ramadan”. The school declined to comment, but parents have now been told that fasting pupils could remain on the premises.

Ms Siddiqui said that her 10-year-old daughter wanted to fast but had been unable to due to the policy. “Two weeks of my Ramadan has been ruined. It’s the holiest month in our religious calendar and the school should know that, seeing as the majority of the pupils are Muslim,” she said. “My daughter wanted to fast but couldn’t because I was at work and couldn’t pick her up during lunchtime. They have clearly done it because of the wrong reasons.”

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Posted in UK

Police release CCTV image of Warrington mosque attack

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Warrington mosque attack CCTVCheshire Police has released a CCTV image of suspects they are hunting, believed to be involved in an attack on the mosque in Warrington town centre.

Officers are again appealing for information after the mosque on Arpley Street was vandalised.

One man can be seen, apparently about to smash a window, with another man in the background of the image.

Police say they are treating the incident, on Monday, July 7, as racially aggravated criminal damage.

Sgt Rob Horton, of Warrington Town Centre NPU, said: “Enquiries are still ongoing and we would like to speak to anybody who may know the people seen in the CCTV footage.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting incident 1041 of 7th July, 2014. Alternatively, information can be passed via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Warrington Guardian, 14 July 2014

Schools top source of police concern over radicalisation

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Schools are referring to the police record numbers of pupils and staff identified as being at risk of radicalisation.

Official data to be released on Tuesday will show that the details of 1,281 people were referred to the government’s “Prevent” scheme, up from 748 the year before, with officers citing the civil war in Syria as the main reason for the increase.

Sir Peter Fahy, the chief constable of Manchester police who leads on extremism for the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), told the Guardian that schools were now the greatest source of concern for the police, followed by local authorities, the NHS and then higher education.

But he said people should not be surprised that “Muslim lads” felt compelled to travel to Syria after seeing in the media the atrocities committed there.

Since 2007, 1,450 children aged 18 and under have been referred to Prevent, the government’s scheme to tackle extremism, the Acpo figures show.

The disclosure that education is at the forefront of anti-terror measures comes in the wake of the Trojan Horse scandal, in which Ofsted and the Department for Education placed five schools in inner-city Birmingham into special measures.

Fahy defended Prevent, saying it was “just trying to look out for vulnerable young people and to try and avoid using a criminal justice intervention”.

He said: “It’s been a difficult issue with some of the people we know who have been wanting to go to Syria and the people who have come back. Do you want to prosecute them? We have stopped young people on the way to the airport going to Syria. They have not been prosecuted but instead we are working with other agencies to get them help.”

Fahy risked criticism from some quarters by adding: “We all feel desperate about Syria. I have written to my MP. I have watched those reports about Aleppo and Homs and say: ‘What the hell can I do?’ Don’t be surprised that Muslim lads look at that and say: ‘What the hell can I do but go out there and help them.'”

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