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Violent Race Riot Flared After Mosque Chief Urged Muslims to Confront Right-Wing ‘English Defence League’ Protesters

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Daily Mail (London), September 7, 2009

The most influential Muslim leader in the West Midlands urged his followers to ‘vent their feelings’ against Right-wing protesters during a Birmingham rally that ended in violent clashes and 90 arrests.

Birmingham Central Mosque chairman Dr Mohammad Naseem encouraged Muslims to counter-demonstrate during Saturday’s anti-Islamic protest by the English Defence League (EDL).

The police had advised community leaders to stop people from attending, reported The Times.

But Dr Naseem said it is not his place to discourage his followers from attending protests: ‘The thing is, that is their right, I cannot say, “You don’t have this right.”’

Troubled flared as the two groups of protesters clashed in the New Street area of the city centre, close to the main train station.

Terrified shoppers looked on in horror as gangs of men and youths hurled bottles at one another and pelted riot police with bricks.

Dr Naseem said that Muslims were instructed to not attend the rally alone but to team up with other counter-demonstrators including socialist and other religious groups.

He added that he had been assured by police that the EDL protesters and counter-protesters would gather in separate locations.

He said: ‘If it was kept as originally intended, then everybody would have had a chance to give vent to their feelings without coming into contact with each other. And that I will take up with the police.’

Last month there were also clashes when the English Defence League—formed after British soldiers were abused by Islamic radicals at a homecoming parade in Luton—held a rally on the same day as the Unite Against Fascism group.

The latest disorder involved around 200 people and spilled on to Bennetts Hill, a street popular with shoppers and lined with a number of pubs.

English Defence League marchers were involved in running disturbances which lasted all afternoon before the Right-wing protesters were taken to another part of the city by bus.

Witnesses claimed the English Defence League marchers, many of whom had been drinking since the morning, ripped up seats on the journey away from the city centre.

But some members slipped away from the police, clashing with more than 30 socialist protesters amid cries of ‘Racist scum, out of Brum’. After an hour of angry skirmishes in the city centre, the situation deteriorated further after a group of Asian men also joined in.

Sarah Edwards had to duck into a cafe to avoid being caught in the violence.

She said: ‘We suddenly saw what seemed to be about 200 Asian men running down the street, throwing bricks.

‘They had bandanas over their faces and were shouting and screaming. We were so scared, we feared for our lives and had to run into the cafe so we wouldn’t get hurt. It is so shocking to see this on our streets’

The English Defence League has claimed it is not racist, even saying it did not want any violence to happen at the pre-planned protest.

One protester from the league, Leisha Brookes, 42, said: ‘We are simply protesting about the fact that if people come to our country, they should respect our laws.

‘If an English person went to an Arab country they would be expected to dress appropriately, and all we are asking is for them to do the same.’

The league has planned protest marches in other cities, including one next month in Manchester.

Yesterday a West Midlands Police spokesman said all those arrested were male, aged between 16 and 39, and offences included criminal damage and violent disorder, including possession of an offensive weapon.

He added: ‘A number of fixed penalty notices have been issued while the remainder have been bailed while further enquiries take place.’

Birmingham City Council last night praised the police for ‘successfully’ managing the event.

But Labour MP Khalid Mahmood accused police of failing to prevent the riots.

He said: ‘Police have had four weeks to plan for this but they have failed innocent members of the public in Birmingham city centre.

‘It has been a complete mess in terms of policing. The force needs to look at things at the highest level.’

Original article

(Posted on September 8, 2009)

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Comments

1 — Keep Britain British wrote at 6:55 PM on September 8:

Before anybody gets too excited by this, I would like to point out that the leadership of the British National Party have instructed their members to have nothing to do with the English Defence League. The EDL may actually be a group of provocateurs.

Having said that, I still find the Islamosocialists appalling.

2 — Anonymous wrote at 7:56 PM on September 8:

“Muslims were told not to attend the rally alone,but to team up with other counter-demonstrators, including socialist and other religious groups”
In a forlorn attempt to have their wussiness rub off on them apparently…

3 — Anonymous wrote at 8:31 PM on September 8:

Just as Enoch Powell predicted…..

4 — Istvan wrote at 8:33 PM on September 8:

Clearly the EDL memeber need to be exiled to the Falklands. Or at the very least to some rocky, barren island off Scotland’s coast.

5 — Anonymous wrote at 8:36 PM on September 8:

Birmingham was England’s first majority-minority city. Whites are a minority in Birmingham. It’s funny how this is written up as if they are not.

6 — White, Jewish, and Proud wrote at 11:05 PM on September 8:

Three Cheers for the British Defence League.

7 — Went Back To NYC wrote at 11:19 PM on September 8:

1 — Keep Britain British wrote at 6:55 PM on September 8:
Before anybody gets too excited by this, I would like to point out that the leadership of the British National Party have instructed their members to have nothing to do with the English Defence League. The EDL may actually be a group of provocateurs.

Yes this is true, but this just means the BNP does not do street protests, street confrontations. It doesn’t mean others can step up and give it a go.

I like the idea of White English taking to the streets and not always being polite, waiting for elections.

Any Whites anywhere in the world who put their bodies, health, job security on the line and stand up for our people, our culture - they should have our respect and if any ever get any good at it, they should have our support.

I don’t even care if the EDL issues statements saying “they aren’t racist” - whatever. The nasty, ugly, racially alien, culturally alien Paki Muslims will still attack them and any Whites that happen to be in the area.

Here’s hoping the EDL grows and gives a good show of strength in the English streets - this is happening in England.

8 — q wrote at 12:27 AM on September 9:

“The English Defence League has claimed it is not racist, even saying it did not want any violence to happen at the pre-planned protest.”

Of course, the Islamists didn’t feel compelled to deny they were racist or anti-British…which, of course, they are.

The English authorities are bigger wimps than we have over here.

9 — Eric wrote at 1:40 AM on September 9:

Great Britain. From greatest empire of the modern era to third world hellhole in one generation. Thanks again liberals.

10 — Check it out wrote at 8:41 AM on September 9:

Naturally the left, as a standard tactic, wants to label as “extreme right wing fascists” and “racists” any defenders of England’s laws against militant Islamic domination & intimidation. The press as usual won’t give a hint of who the real fascists are: the mindless minions of Muhammad’s supremacist cult who seek domination of the entire West under oppressive Sharia.

11 — Awakened wrote at 1:36 PM on September 9:

1 — Keep Britain British wrote at 6:55 PM on September 8:

Having said that, I still find the Islamosocialists appalling.

—- Any Whites who stand up for themselves deserve our support.

12 — Joe wrote at 11:56 PM on September 9:

The EDL is a pro-multiracial, anti-nationalist group. They are like the GOP. Many of the “anti-jihad” groups in Europe are like that. They should get no support from us.

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