Category Archives: Wales

Muslim graves in Newport cemetery desecrated by racist vandals

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Newport cemetery graffiti

Muslim graves at a Newport cemetery have been desecrated with racist graffiti.

The vandals used white paint to write “Lee Rigby murder”, “white power” and drew swastikas on four gravestones at Christchurch Cemetery. They also wrote the initials of the British National Party (BNP), the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and the National Front (NF).

People visiting nearby graves spoke of their disgust and shock at seeing the painted messages, which were still wet this morning.

South Wales Argus, 30 June 2013

Update:  See “Newport Muslim leader’s plea for calm after grave daubing”, South Wales Argus, 2 July 2013

EDL supporter banned from every mosque in Wales and England over arson attempt

Posted on by Bob Pitt

John ParkinA former soldier has been banned from every mosque in Wales and England after attempting to attack his local mosque following the murder of drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich.

The life-long ban was made as part of a CRASBO imposed on John Parkin, who drank 15 pints after he heard about the murder in London – then decided to try and burn down his local mosque. Parkin stuffed tissue into a bottle of beer and attempted to light it at the mosque in Rhyl.

Today he was jailed for 18 months and given an indefinite criminal anti-social behaviour order (CRASBO) was made under which he must not enter the mosque at River Street in Rhyl. It also bans him from entering the curtilage of any mosque in England and Wales.

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EDL supporter admits threatening to burn down Rhyl mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A former soldier with a hatred of Muslims stuffed tissue into a bottle of beer and attempted to light it at a mosque, a court heard.

John Parkin, 27, of Towyn Way West, Towyn, Conwy, pleaded guilty at a special court to threatening to burn down a mosque at Rhyl and religiously aggravated disorderly behaviour on Saturday. Magistrates at Llandudno committed him in custody for sentencing by a Mold Crown Court judge.

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Young woman spat at as charity reports rising anti-Muslim incidents after Woolwich murder

Posted on by Bob Pitt

WDL Facebook postYoung Muslims in Wales say they fear a backlash after the barbaric killing of Drummer Lee Rigby in London. Charity Faith Matters said it is looking at claims a young woman was spat at in an incident in the Cardiff area and said it was dealing with a significant rise in the number of anti-Muslim incidents in Britain as a result of the attack in Woolwich.

Meanwhile, hateful messages have been posted on social media websites. The Welsh Defence League’s Facebook page boasted a picture of the aftermath of the shocking murder with the message: “Still believe Islam is the religion of peace? How many more have to die to disprove the lie?” It comes after bacon was left outside a Cardiff mosque the day after Drummer Rigby was hacked to death.

Other incidents across the UK have seen a mosque in Kent attacked, while in Essex a man walked into a temple brandishing a knife and a burning bottle was hurled at an Islamic centre in Bletchley. Young Muslims in Wales have now told how they fear a rising tide of hostility will engulf them following 25-year-old Drumer Rigby’s murder.

Wales Online, 26 May 2013

Swansea: NF tries to exploit Lee Rigby murder

Posted on by Bob Pitt

NF Swansea protest May 2013Members of the National Front held a rally in Swansea city centre this afternoon. Around 20 members from the far right group staged the meeting in Castle Square following the murder of drummer Lee Rigby in London on Wednesday. Amid a heavy South Wales Police presence, the hour-long rally passed without incident.

One man protesting against the group was National Union of Students Wales International Officer Edmund Schuessel. He said: “The extreme right was going to try and capitalise on the events of Wednesday and try and intimidate the Muslim community in Britain. This is a port city, a university city for a century. It has always been open to an international population. They want to see a return of the paranoid regression of the 1930s and 40s. They need to be actively resisted.”

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Bacon left at Welsh mosque as Muslim Council of Wales warns of inter-racial tensions in wake of Woolwich murder

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Muslim Council of Wales fears inter-racial tensions are escalating in the wake of the slaying of a British serviceman after bacon was left in the entrance to a Welsh mosque.

Secretary of the Council Saleem Kidwai said the food, offensive to muslims on religious grounds, was left at the Shah Jalal mosque, in Cathays, Cardiff, on Wednesday night following the attack in Woolwich.

Mr Kidwai also pointed to an attack on a mosque in Kent and 100 English Defence League supporters gathering at the scene of the Woolwich murder as evidence of rising hostility. He said: “They left pig meat at the door – bacon and all these things.”

Mr Kidwai said the killing by two men understood to be British-born Islamic converts was “horrific” and “barbaric” and had nothing to do with the Muslim faith.

Wales Online, 23 May 2013

Man behind plan to establish Islamic centre in Shotton is victim of arson attack

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Shotton arson attackA dad fears his family could have been killed in a suspected racist arson attack which left his three young daughters terrified.

North Wales Police launched an investigation after a garage at the back of Shafiul Islam’s house in Shotton was torched early on Tuesday morning.

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BNP member calls for Swansea Mosque & Islamic Community Centre to be burnt down

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A BNP member is being investigated by police after calling for a South Wales mosque to be burnt down.

Joshua Wren, a BNP member from the Swansea area posted a photograph last night of the Swansea Mosque & Islamic Community Centre on his Facebook page adding “Burn down this devil centre”

Wren removed the photograph later, but not before Hope not Hate took a screengrab and reported the matter to South Wales Police.

Hope Not Hate, 4 March 2013

Joshua Wren Facebook post

CCTV coverage of Llanelli mosque deters attackers

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A woman who fought for CCTV coverage at a Llanelli mosque where Muslims claim to have suffered years of abuse said the situation has now improved.

Anne Stevens-Bevan, of Llanelli’s Ethnic Minority Help Association, fought tirelessly for improved security at the mosque on Station Road after people going there to pray said they had been abused.

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