Anti-Islam bloggers trouble Britain

A scheduled visit by two American bloggers notorious for attacks against Muslims and their religion to the United Kingdom is raising deep worries about fuelling hatred against the sizable minority.

"I am alarmed that the EDL [English Defence League] is planning this type of march in Woolwich," Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz told the BBC News Online.

"It is clear that the location, motivation and attendees at this march will incite hatred."

US bloggers Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, who are notorious for attacks against Muslims and Islam, are scheduled to visit Britain to speak at a planned march by the EDL.

Geller has led many campaigns against Muslims since plans to build a mosque near the 9/11 site in New York.

She also runs "Stop Islamization of America”, a group referred to as an anti-Muslim hate group by the Southern Law Poverty Center.

The pair are infamously known for their anti-Islam subway posters in New York which read, "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad."

The anti-Islam bloggers plan to join Danish activist Anders Gravers, of "Stop Islamisation of Europe", and EDL leaders Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll.

The march, planned by EDL to mark Armed Forces Day on June 29, will end in Woolwich, south east London, where a British soldier was murdered.

British Muslims have been in the eye of storm since the machete killing of the soldier by converts of immigrant origin in Woolwich last month.

According to Tell Mama project, which monitors anti-Muslim attacks in Britain, 212 “anti-Muslim incidents” have been reported after the Woolwich attack.

The figure included 11 attacks on mosques, in a series manifestation of anti-Muslim sentiments.

Last week, three Muslim worshippers were stabbed after the night prayers in Birmingham.

A fire also gutted the Darul Uloom Islamic school in Foxbury Avenue in south-east London two weeks ago, a blaze described by the police as “suspicious”.

It came after a suspected arson attack on an Islamic centre in north London Initials of the EDL was found scrawled on the side of that building.

No Access

Fearing troubles, British officials have called for banning the incendiary bloggers from entering the country.

"Adding incendiary speakers such as Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer just fuels the fire,” Vaz said.

"Before we have to pay the costs for the extra policing required for this demonstration, the Home Secretary should consider using her discretion to ban these two speakers from entering the country.

"A ban should be enforced properly and physically stop people entering our borders."

Anti-fascist campaign Hope Not Hate also started a petition calling on Home Secretary to deny the two bloggers a visa on the grounds that "their very presence in the UK will give encouragement to racists and extremists".

A spokesman for Hope Not Hate told the BBC that the group was also unhappy about Gravers' planned presence at the EDL event, but said he could not be denied entry to the UK because he was an EU citizen.

"We don't need people coming to this country to cause trouble."

The EDL, a far-right group that emerged in 2009, has held numerous protests against what it calls “Islamic extremism” in Britain.

Far-right groups like the EDL and the British National Party (BNP) are playing the card of immigration to stoke sentiment against Muslims and immigrants.

In November 2010, British police warned that the anti-Muslim demonstration by the EDL fuel extremism and harm social cohesion in Britain, which is home to nearly 2.7 million Muslims.-http://en.shafaqna.com

 

Source: On Islam

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