Four men go on trial over ‘EDL violence’ in Birmingham

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Williams, McKenzie, Wilkie and Edge
From left, Shane Williams, Paul McKenzie, Thomas Wilkie and Andrew Edge

Police were injured and property damaged as English Defence League members tried to break through a police cordon in Birmingham to get at counter demonstrators, a court heard.

The violence occurred on July 20 last year by EDL demonstrators “only concerned in causing public disorder,” it was claimed. Thomas Wilkie, 22, of Kent Road, Wednesbury, Paul Mckenzie, 48, of Braemar Road, Billingham, Cleveland, Andrew Edge, 44, of Wellington Road, South Stockport and Shane Williams, 26, of Dragon Lane, Leicester, all denied a charge of violent disorder.

David Bennett, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said around 1,800 EDL supporters had gathered outside Bar Risa by 1pm on the day of the demonstration.

“Officers had become concerned at this stage given the numbers. There were also members of the public with views opposing those of the EDL and there were verbal confrontations,” he said. “It was then decided that the police would move on the demonstrators to Centenary Square. That is when the trouble really began.”

Mr Bennett said there were a number of EDL demonstrators peacefully listening to speeches being given on a stage outside the Birmingham Rep. “But there were a large number of EDL demonstrators who were not really interested in peaceful demonstration at all and only concerned in causing public disorder, despite being given numerous warning by the police,” he said.

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EDL activist racially abused Muslim shopkeeper who offered help

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Craig Dumper Owens EDL

A racist yob shouted vile obscenities at a pizza shop owner after the businessman offered him a tissue to wipe his blooded nose.

Craig Anthony Owens was outside Fatso’s Pizzeria, in York Road, Hartlepool, and was drunk. Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court heard the 29-year-old had a cut to his nose which was bleeding. The owner of the take-away, Maboob Hussain, came out of the shop and offered the defendant some tissue paper to stem the bleeding. But it was then that the tirade of abuse started.

Prosecuting, Joanne Hesse, said: “The incident occurred about 9.30pm and the defendant was drunk at the time. The defendant had a cut to his nose which was bleeding and the shop owner came outside and offered him some tissue paper to help clean up the blood. The defendant became abusive and aggressive towards Mr Hussain.

“He was swearing and saying things like ‘why would I take that off you, you Muslim, you’re not British’. Mr Hussain asked him to move away from the shop, to which Owens shouted ‘why should I leave I’m British’. There were other members of public present too.”

The court heard how Owens also shouted derogatory terms about Allah.

Mrs Hesse also read an extract from Mr Hussain’s victim impact statement, which said: “I’ve worked in Hartlepool for many years and this is the worst abuse I’ve had.”

The defendant, of Bruce Crescent, in the West View area of Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour which was racially aggravated on September 14.

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Reports and comment from Islamophobia Watch 29 September‑5 October

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Reports and comment from Islamophobia Watch 29 September-5 October 2014

Police probe racist graffiti in Livingston

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Livingston anti-Muslim graffitiPolice are hunting a man who spray-painted anti-Muslim graffiti at several locations in Livingston. The racist slogans were sprayed in the Dedridge area of the West Lothian town from 02:00 on Saturday morning.

Police Scotland said the suspect may have been wearing yellow “marigold” gloves. He was described as white and wearing a black baseball cap with ear flaps, and a red, white and blue striped football scarf wrapped round his face. He had a dark coloured zip-up jacket, jeans and black boots. He is thought to have used a large white tin of red spray paint.

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‘Take if off and hang yourself with it': Muslim students racially vilified

Posted on by Bob Pitt

SUMSAA number of Muslim students have experienced serious incidents of racial vilification on University of Sydney campuses in recent weeks.

In one incident, a female Muslim student was told to take her hijab off her head and hang herself with it while walking to Redfern Station.

Members of the Sydney University Muslim Students Association were also abused while promoting their annual Islamic Awareness Week.

A SUMSA member, who had asked another student not to rip down posters for the festival, was asked “What are you going to do, behead me?” – a reference to the recent, highly-publicised executions of Western citizens by extremist group ISIS.

In a similar incident, students handing out fliers for the festival were told that they were “trying to make 9/11 happen all over again,” and the University would be better if it had no Muslim students.

Several Muslim students at the University’s Cumberland campus have also reported being spat on in recent weeks.

SUMSA spokesperson Mohamad Raad says that Muslim students have been deeply troubled by this spate of Islamophobic attacks.

“As Muslims, we’re obviously aware that there are a lot of tensions out there at the moment, but you don’t expect these sorts of things to happen on an Australian university campus,” he said.

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Britain First march through Rotherham

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Britain First Rotherham October 2014Hundreds of Britain First supporters have marched through the centre of Rotherham.

Two arrests were made during the march after several supporters and bystanders had strong exchanges of words along the route.

The demonstration was the group’s second visit to the town within a month following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay’s report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, which revealed 1,400 children had been abused by mainly Pakistani men over 16 years.

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Ben Affleck slams Bill Maher’s anti-Muslim sentiment as ‘gross’ and ‘racist’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

In a testy ten-minute exchange on “Real Time” with television host Bill Maher and author Sam Harris, Hollywood actor Ben Affleck slammed the host for commenting that Islam is the only religion that acts like the “mafia.” Along with journalist Nicholas Kristof, Affleck argued that ascribing an entire religion based on the actions of the terrorist group Islamic State, was “gross” and “racist,” while Maher and Harris shot back that criticizing Islam “gets conflated with bigotry towards Muslims as people,” a ploy that others have used to build on anti-Muslim sentiment in the country.

During the exchange with Kristof and RNC Chairman Michael Steele, Affleck took the lead to slam Maher and Harris for defending their generalization of Islam. Harris stated, “We have been sold this meme of Islamophobia, where every criticism of the doctrine of Islam gets conflated with bigotry towards Muslims as people.” Affleck asked, “Are you the person who understands the officially codified doctrine of Islam?”

To Maher’s idea of generalizing Islam, Affleck said, “It’s gross, it’s racist,” while Kristof added that the view of Muslims is “incomplete,” referring to the example of Malala Yousafzai, a teenager shot by fundamentalists, who is part of the larger peaceful Muslim movement. Harris panned both Affleck and Kristof’s responses saying that Islam is “the motherload of bad ideas” and that fundamentalists are not just the “fringe group” of practicing Muslims.

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The Moazzam Begg case shows how Muslims are criminalised

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Letter in the Guardian

On 1 October, Moazzam Begg was released after seven months in detention because of allegations arising from his time in Syria which included charitable and investigative work (Report, 2 October). Days before a much-delayed court hearing, all charges have been dropped. Begg has been a role-model and mentor to many, young and not so young, and this new period of detention has caused great distress among those who look to him for inspiration. The manner in which he has been targeted and detained – with, ultimately, no evidence being brought against him in an open court – will confirm the view that this is a concerted campaign of intimidation, designed to scare Muslim communities away from active engagement in public life. While we celebrate his release, we remain concerned that he has spent another lengthy period in detention because of laws that are fundamentally unjust.

We write to express our extreme concern about the use of allegations of terrorism and the arrest and detention of charity workers to slur and curtail the work of Muslim charities and organisations such as Cage, Interpal, Ummah Trust and HHUGS, including through closing bank accounts, lengthy investigations into charitable status and, at the extreme, the arrest and detention of high-profile campaigners.

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Oklahoma’s Muslim community questions their safety after threats

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Security plans are in place after vicious messages were left for Oklahoma Muslims, telling them to get out of Oklahoma and threatening to behead them.

CAIR, an organization that works to improve relations between Muslims and the rest of the community, received the disturbing messages.

One caller said: “That woman did nothing to that guy, did nothing to him and you hide like cowards. I’m buying a Qur’an, I`m going to publicly p*** on your s***, no good, f****** religion.”

Adam Soltani with CAIR says the caller was referring to the beheading that took place at Vaughn Foods in Moore. He says since that one random act, that had nothing to do with their religion, the calls and messages have been piling up.

Another anonymous caller said, “Get your a** out of Oklahoma or we’re going to behead the whole God d*** Muslim zombie nation.” This shocking voicemail prompted them to contact the FBI.

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Muslims target of hateful vandalism in Sydney’s south-west

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Sydney arson attack

The owner of a pizza shop in Sydney’s southwest has had his car and restaurant set alight, while anti-Muslim graffiti was sprayed across the eatery’s walls.

Police are investigating a possible link between the incidents at the owner’s home and Mimi’s Pizza in Hammondville. Only a malfunctioning wick stopped the shop from being destroyed.

Neighbours report that the graffiti included slogans such as “F***en Muslims” and “You dogs go home”.

Police say arsonists set fire to the car, parked outside the pizza shop owner’s home, at about 2.30am this morning and they believe the same people may have attempted to set fire to the shop sometime before 6am.

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