A “constructive” and “positive” meeting has been held between police and the Sikh and Muslim communities following a protest at a Luton police station.
The groups held talks on Wednesday after hundreds of Sikhs gathered at Buxton Road on Tuesday night. The protest was over allegations a Muslim man had assaulted a Sikh woman. Police said officers were working with the two groups and wanted any concern about criminal activity to be reported.
Speaking after the meeting, Sikh representative Jaswinder Singh Nagra said: “I think it was very constructive. We need to educate the police about our cultural sensitivities.”
His thoughts were echoed by Qazi Abdul Aziz Chishti, president of the Sunni Mosque Council in Luton, who was also at the meeting. “We will work together not only on this issue, but on all issues,” he told the BBC. “We have formed a working group with the Sikh community.”
Bedfordshire Police Ch Supt Mike Colbourne said: “We want the public to report any issues, fears or concerns that they have.”
This will come as a disappointment to the English Defence League, who have tried to exploit the issue in an attempt to set the Sikh and Muslim communities against each other.