London: Riots at anti-Islam protest
Update:
According to The Times, there were 20 anti-Islam protesters. According to Sky News, 'a handful'.
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Video report here.
I didn't see a number for the anti-mosque protesters, but according to all news reports, there were hundreds of rioting Muslims. It is therefore interesting that the British government response is to run a PR campaign at White Brits. On the 8th anniversary of 9/11, and after Britain has seen two major terror attacks, it seems pretty clear to me what the underlying fears are, and it doesn't look like the government really wants to address those fears 'frankly and openly'. If anything, it's this government fear of addressing the real issues which is encouraging a serious backlash against all Muslims.
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Britain needs new policies to tackle issues that racists exploit, the communities secretary said Saturday, following ugly scenes outside a London mosque.
Riot police arrested 10 people Friday as they intervened to quell clashes outside the mosque in Harrow on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
About 1,000 mostly Muslim protestors, many with masks over their faces, were involved in running scuffles following a demonstration by a small anti-Islamic group.
Communities Secretary John Denham told The Guardian there was a need for a broader strategy from government to "undercut issues that racists try to exploit".
Ministers would in the coming weeks unveil a government programme targeted at mainly white, working class communities, he said, according to the daily.
"You need to be prepared to let people's real underlying fears and concerns come out, but to be able to address them frankly and openly," he said.
He gave the example of perceptions of unfair allocation of public housing and new jobs, and hinted at changes to let local people "influence and shape" better how resources are distributed in their area.
Police said they were attacked with bricks and bottles outside Harrow Central Mosque.
One person was arrested to prevent a breach of the peace, and nine others for possession of offensive weapons including bottles of bleach, a hammer and a chisel.
Police moved in after a crowd of angry Muslim youths threw sticks and stones at a small group of about a dozen mostly shaven-headed protestors.
Denham compared those behind the anti-Islamic protest to the 1930s British Union of Fascists.
"If you look at the types of demonstrations they've organised... it looks pretty clear that it's a tactic designed to provoke and to get a response and hopefully create violence," he said.
They "have among them people who know exactly what they're doing.
"The tactic of trying to provoke a response in the hope of causing wider violence and mayhem is long established on the far-right and among extremist groups."
(more)
Source: AFP (English)
Update:
According to The Times, there were 20 anti-Islam protesters. According to Sky News, 'a handful'.
---------
Video report here.
I didn't see a number for the anti-mosque protesters, but according to all news reports, there were hundreds of rioting Muslims. It is therefore interesting that the British government response is to run a PR campaign at White Brits. On the 8th anniversary of 9/11, and after Britain has seen two major terror attacks, it seems pretty clear to me what the underlying fears are, and it doesn't look like the government really wants to address those fears 'frankly and openly'. If anything, it's this government fear of addressing the real issues which is encouraging a serious backlash against all Muslims.
-----------------
Britain needs new policies to tackle issues that racists exploit, the communities secretary said Saturday, following ugly scenes outside a London mosque.
Riot police arrested 10 people Friday as they intervened to quell clashes outside the mosque in Harrow on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
About 1,000 mostly Muslim protestors, many with masks over their faces, were involved in running scuffles following a demonstration by a small anti-Islamic group.
Communities Secretary John Denham told The Guardian there was a need for a broader strategy from government to "undercut issues that racists try to exploit".
Ministers would in the coming weeks unveil a government programme targeted at mainly white, working class communities, he said, according to the daily.
"You need to be prepared to let people's real underlying fears and concerns come out, but to be able to address them frankly and openly," he said.
He gave the example of perceptions of unfair allocation of public housing and new jobs, and hinted at changes to let local people "influence and shape" better how resources are distributed in their area.
Police said they were attacked with bricks and bottles outside Harrow Central Mosque.
One person was arrested to prevent a breach of the peace, and nine others for possession of offensive weapons including bottles of bleach, a hammer and a chisel.
Police moved in after a crowd of angry Muslim youths threw sticks and stones at a small group of about a dozen mostly shaven-headed protestors.
Denham compared those behind the anti-Islamic protest to the 1930s British Union of Fascists.
"If you look at the types of demonstrations they've organised... it looks pretty clear that it's a tactic designed to provoke and to get a response and hopefully create violence," he said.
They "have among them people who know exactly what they're doing.
"The tactic of trying to provoke a response in the hope of causing wider violence and mayhem is long established on the far-right and among extremist groups."
(more)
Source: AFP (English)
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