Category Archives: UK

EDL supporter jailed for defacing war memorial

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A 21-year-old man who scrawled “Lee Rigby’s killers should hang”, on the RAF Bomber Command War Memorial in London has been jailed for 12 weeks.

Daniel Smith admitted causing two counts of criminal damage on June 5, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Smith, from Grecian Street North, Salford, Greater Manchester, said he did not realise it was a war memorial.

District Judge Quentin Purdy told him: “There are those who are deeply offended by what you chose to do.” He added some people would “wish you considerable ill, I am sure, simply because you chose to do it”.

Smith’s defence counsel, Colleen Gildernew, told an earlier hearing he was “disgusted with himself” over the act.

He had also daubed “EDL” and a swear word on the memorial in Green Park.

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Maryam Namazie calls for ban on niqab … with assistance of Channel 4

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Maryam Namazie burqa tweet

For reasons best known to themselves, the producers of Channel 4’s 4thought.tv slot decided to give Maryam Namazie a platform to demand a ban on the niqab. You can watch it here.

Namazie was allowed to present herself as an ordinary ex-Muslim who turned against the niqab as a result of her experiences in Iran (where, in fact, there is no legal enforcement of the face-veil). There was no indication that Namazie is a leading figure in the Worker-Communist Party of Iran, a crazed far-left sect with a long history of Islamophobia.

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Stephen Timms MP defies critics of Islamic festival in Newham

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Stephen Timms at GPUStephen Timms MP has defended his support for a controversial Islamic conference, calling criticism of it “misplaced” and saying he would attend the event again if asked.

Veteran campaigner Peter Tatchell criticised Mr Timms and London Mayor Boris Johnson for supporting the Global Peace and Unity Festival (GPU) held at the ExCel centre in Newham last weekend, which critics say promotes hate preachers.

Mr Tatchell said: “It is appalling that the mayor, City of London police and prominent public figures are endorsing an event that promotes at least seven speakers with bigoted, violent views. It’s the equivalent of supporting an event with BNP and EDL hate speakers.”

Mr Timms hit back against the critics, saying he had spoken at previous GPU events and found them “a useful way to communicate with a significant group of constituents”. He said: “I have never believed that speaking at an event involved endorsing the views of all the other speakers, so I think the criticism is misplaced.”

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Grimsby ‘Lee Rigby revenge attack’: Former soldiers caught on CCTV preparing and throwing petrol bombs at mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Grimsby Islamic Cultural Centre arsonTwo former soldiers who fire-bombed a mosque in response to the murder of soldier Lee Rigby were caught on CCTV preparing petrol bombs and throwing them at the building, a jury has heard.

Grimsby Crown Court was shown footage of Stuart Harness, 33, and Gavin Humphries, 37, each carrying two home-made petrol bombs from Harness’s home in the town. More cameras caught them later, launching the bombs at the doors of the Grimsby Islamic Cultural Centre, four days after Fusilier Rigby was killed outside Woolwich Barracks, in London, in May.

A jury of eight women and four men heard how a number of worshippers were inside the mosque when the attack took place on May 26. They managed to extinguish the fire and Harness and Humphries were soon arrested as they were witnessed attacking the building by passing police community support officers, the court was told. Both men have pleaded guilty to the arson attack, the jury heard.

Excerpts of CCTV footage from the mosque and Harness’s home on Dixon Avenue were shown to the jury on the first day of the trial of a third man, Daniel Cressey, 24, of New Holland, North Lincolnshire. Cressey, who is Harness’s cousin, is accused of driving the two other men to the mosque. He denies one charge of aiding and abetting arson, being reckless as the whether life was endangered.

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Second man sentenced over Maidenhead mosque graffiti

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Maidenhead 'England till I die' graffitiA 26-year-old man who used stolen paint to scrawl racist graffiti on Maidenhead Mosque has been spared jail.

Lee Hunt, of Lincoln Road, and Gary Nuth, 23, of Blackamoor Lane had been out drinking when they vandalised the mosque in Holmanleaze on Saturday, June 8.

Appearing for sentencing at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, the court heard how the pair used paint stolen from a building site to vandalise the mosque, the road and a house. Hunt and Nuth wrote offensive words on the mosque’s wall, and “England till I die” on the road outside.

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