It is very prominent that, discrimination towards Muslims is increasing day by day. In the recent past, it has reached on the summit of mount Everest. The time has come to do something to minimize such hatred but is there anything really present in this world which can bring these two almost opponent ideologies united together?

What will you call such behavior where, every Muslim is treated near to a terrorist? Have anyone experienced persecution on western airports just because of being a Muslim? Many of you will say yes, I know. In all European countries including UK and in USA, Islam is the second or the third largely practiced religion everywhere. Still some countries ban wearing hijab, others humiliate people wearing so. What name you will give to such treatment? As you are ill treating a particular group, like you did towards Negroes throughout centuries, why not it is also named “Racism”?

We, Muslims are hopeful that, as the literal racism abolished, one day, discrimination and intolerance towards Muslims will also vanish. To make this possible, people from every corner, of any culture and religion, should try to know individual Muslims. Yes, all Muslims admit that, terrorists are anti socialist. There is no chance of terrorism or extremism in Islam. Every Muslim hates such extremists as others do. It is not justifiable that, the definition of terrorism or extremism is another name of Islam. It is as wrong as when people used to think, the sun is moving around the earth. If native western people take some steps to change their view towards Muslims, then it can be possible, so from Muslims also. The very first step towards this mission is to stop thinking every Muslim Laden.

With respect to each other, understanding every point of view and helping the promotion of Muslims rights can minimize this poison developed between Muslims and the west. Native people should shed of all prejudice and ensure the freedom on their fellow Musolmans.

Many Muslim renowned people are there on earth and in western countries, who have become a very important person as celebrities in their field of work. Some of them are also in politics. They should take care of these issues starting from the state levels. Such representatives can enforce laws to reduce these intolerances and can work on increasing public awareness in conservative ways. Both sides have the freedom of expression, but that should not enhance violence. Research says, education can give pace on such missions, so it should be practiced in every house, and school to maintain a good bonding with Muslims. As there are thousands of organizations in humanitarian grounds, international organization and NGOs should be built on this ‘prevent religious discrimination’ ground. These organizations can emphasize on promoting cultural & religious harmony in the west.

An attempt has been taken a long time ago in the year of 2007 in Spain, a conference held where more than 300 participants, international organizations, NGOs and many elite of Muslim intolerance issues were present. They gave priorities on promoting Muslim-West mutual understanding to reduce racism. Though, we haven’t got any fruitful result from them, still we are hoping to get such a spring devoid of western racism towards Muslims.

About the author

I am a nice, understanding, caring, sincere, honest, trustworthy, friendly single male from Delhi, India. I'm an experienced writer. I have written many articles in different niches, a fiction book, and some poems.

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It’s not the aid, alliance or amnesty that makes a country great; rather it’s the patriotism, resilience, sovereignty and self respect that makes you stand apart – a little taller than the rest! Whether you are a third world country or a developed industrial one, whether you need help economically or you are one of the helpers; it is your decisions on matters of national pride and patriotism that carve your destiny, not the amount of aid received.

Similarly, it’s the steadfastness in rules and priorities of the leaders that decide a country’s fate. Hence a country’s fate can either be in the benefit of its own populace or sadly, in the benefit of others –a popular case in the Muslim world nowadays. Adoption of controversial policies is not a myth anymore; every now and then we see our leaders taking steps that a true patriot would never take. It’s such a despicable sight that the ones charged with governance always find excuses and reasons for doing so!

My question is, if for example, the policies of Saudi Arabia or the rest of the Middle East for that matter, and now Pakistan in most of the cases were the only doable response to the situations faced; why is Iran still standing tall? Why after all the times that Ahmedinejad has rejected to follow the directions of the US, Iran still works?! And not just that, Iran still has its dignity. It has never been bombarded on its borders in the name of war on terror and it won’t be, because countries like Iran are not that easy to overpower. It is a universally accepted fact that those who do not succumb willingly will not get succumbed with force.

We see numerous examples of Muslim countries from all over the world living and feeding on direct or indirect mercy of the United States or the rest of the west, while we all know that we could do without them stealing our reserves and tarnishing our sovereignty. Pakistan is a country that has been showered with drones in the past few years, yet Pakistani leadership continues to support NATO and American forces by providing safe passage to their supplies. Yes, Osama’s capture was of eminent importance but undergoing a covert mission on Pakistani soil was a direct hit to the country’s sovereignty and dignity. Allowing such an atrocity to take place was nothing less that treachery on account of the leadership – it is not the case if you don’t want to see it that way of course.

Looking at Iran, on the other hand, the country has never tried to sugar coat things; Israel is vile and Iran never holds back from opposing Israel. I am not asking to start a war right away, but identifying the right way to react to things is important. Palestinians deserve their homeland, and it’s such a shameful fact that nearly none of the Muslim countries have ever actually tried to support them. Iran does and they are called terrorist hoarders, but that doesn’t change how they act. Tehran has stood up to Tel Aviv all the time. Iran, like all other countries of the world has a right to defend itself technologically, resource wise or in lieu of arms. No matter how many times the US threatens them of sanctions; the supreme leadership of Iran has never backed down in their plans or opinions.

Our already divided, torn and used up Muslim world sill finds ways to degrade the only examples of courage, we are left with, where actually we should all be following their steps.

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Running an IT consultant company. Providing web development, social media marketing, SEO and content writing services.

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The acts of violence and persecution against the Muslims had been initiated soon after the 9/11 attacks. Although still it has never been proved that only Muslims were involved in those attacks, still most of the American population holds quite negative views about them. The one thing, that is visible in all this, is the use of principle of hasty generalization.

In other words, it is never logical and rational to tag a complete religion as being the mother of terrorists, because only 1 % of the followers of that religion engage in acts of violence and terrorism. Apart from this, the acts driven by violence are still visible in one form or the other. Moreover, the acts had also continued in the year 2007 and 2008. The most serious forms of these offenses include a number of physical and mental assaults, which are most of the times quite deadly. These assaults have been directed not only to the ordinary Muslims, but also towards the Muslim leaders.

Moreover, there is no end to the arrests that have been made in the name of terrorism. In reality, the only reason for these arrests have been the individual’s involvement in the religion of Islam. In more simple words, being a Muslim became their crime, in a similar manner that the African Americans were tagged to be criminals not so long ago.

The complexity of the prejudice against Muslims is also intensified by a number of dimensions of discrimination which can be seen in various incidents all over the United States. In addition, these acts of violence show an overlay of various forms of intolerance which are, most of the times, based on the victim’s religion and ethnicity. Unfortunately, not only men who face such violance, but also women and children have been subject to these mental and physical assaults that are being carried against them. The most visible sign of violence and discrimination, against the women in Islam, is the verbal abuse through which the women who make use of Hijab have to go through. Surely, some of the law enforcement agencies have responded to these rising issues, but still they seem to have failed in exercising a control over this hatred which seems to be growing with every second that passes us by.

Another prime problem here is underreporting, as most of the victims are threatened for not going to the police. Now in regrad to these assaults which are being carried out in the domain of the country which considers itself to be the leader and founder of secularism and peace, isn’t it all a form of terrorism. For those who do not know about the exact definition, let me tell you that terrorism does not only involves the use of weapons of mass destruction, but it also encapsulates the use of physical and verbal violence that is intended to harm the other person in any manner possible. Knowing this fact, who is the real terrorist?

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Most of the Muslims are perceived as being violent and extremists, all because of the fact that the first world countries are ignorant about the reality and the wisdom of Islam. From an analytical dimension, it is true that Islam doesn’t teach its followers to engage in such criminal acts. There are a few extremist groups in Islam, but it does not mean that other religions do not have simillar extremist groups. So, why only the Muslims are targeted with a number of stereotypes, which are indeed not complimentary for them? The Arabs are the ones among the Muslims who have always been portrayed quite negatively in Hollywood and all other movies. When you watch a movie which focuses on Arabs, their image is always depicted like those who of the ancient Jews. In other words, Arabs are shown to be sinister and dangerous. In every act of terror, it is always shown that Arabs or Muslims are involved. This is indeed quite unjust from the side of the movie makers. For example, if Italians have a number of Mafia groups, then is it justified to call all Italians as being Mafia members? The same applies to the Jews, as well. For example, if a number of Jews are financiers, then is it right to categorize all of them as being a part an international conspiracy?

Movies are indeed a source of entertainment and fun for all, but at what cost this fun is being offered to the audience? Depicting the Arabs and Muslims in a stereotypical manner is a testament of cruelty and injustice. Motion pictures have the power to transform the views of the public, so it is better to make good use of them. It is the time for these countries, marked for their prejudicial and stereotypical attitudes towards the Muslims, to change their views. No matter how many people would agree with me on this, but we can never undermine the fact that Muslims were the ones who laid the foundations of scientific thinking in the world. Moreover, their early physicists are the ones to be credited for the advancements that are now being made in these fields by making use of their concepts. Tagging the Muslims as being intellectual and lazy, is quite illogical, as it is not coherent with the contributions of the Muslims for science, art, mathematics, astronomy, geology and in all other fields. Most of the Muslims are nothing more than ordinary people who want to enjoy peaceful lives. They also have ambitions and talent. Not to forget, that some of the best doctors and pathologists in the world happen to have their origins in the Muslim nations. It is surely corroborated now that humanity is the thing we should respect as the Arabs and Muslims are also human beings. The one thing that makes us different from the animals is our humanity, so it is better if we respect it.

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writer @Omniya_Fareed on Twitter
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Although Islamists represent a small percentage of the Muslim immigrants, fear of Islam (Islamophobia) still seems to be endemic in the British society. The last report produced by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI, 2010) showed that racist attacks against ethnic minorities are triple in comparison to 2003. The consequences were unemployment, poverty, precarious housing and crimes against British minorities.

Muslims, among other groups, were found to be negatively presented in the media, with a higher incidence in the tabloid press. The political debate in the country was not free of some racist and xenophobic elements, highlighting the election of two British National Party candidates to the European Parliament. Anti-terrorist measures caused Muslims a feeling of being stigmatized and marginalized, especially the young ones who had often been stopped. Moreover, about 2 million people confessed being ill treated by the police, without any other reason than being Muslim.

What has led to this situation? Although Christianity and Islam have historically been in conflict, prejudices have worsened after the 9/11. It was then when they started being perceived as “strangers” instead of “true British”, arguing that their values were alien.

The mainstream media (with a great power of conviction) have also contributed to this misperception. The report “The British Media and Muslim Representation: The Ideology of Demonization” (conducted for the Islamic Human Rights Commission) analyzed the impact of British media on public opinion about Muslims. TV News Analysis proved that coverage of the 7/7 gave great importance to the debates around asylum and immigration, even though the majority of the suspected bombers were of British origin. Thus, the idea of Muslims as homogeneous and foreigners was being reinforced. The suspects were also presented as normal and integrated people until discovering Islam, when they turned into sinister, extreme people. This way, media were implicitly communicating that Muslims were potential extremists, questioning their loyalty and belonging.

Another study, conducted by the Leveson Inquiry last year, concluded also that Muslims were one of the groups mocked often in the mainstream press.

Despite Baroness Warsi’s wake up calls in 2011 and last January, Islamophobia has been overlooked. It seems that a high part of the population does not still consider this as a priority or a latent problem. Commitment with this cause is rather scarce, and not because of religious reasons precisely. Indeed, Warsi has actively stimulated the interreligious discussion between Christians and Muslims.

Attitudes towards these religions have significantly changed with last generations, where there is an increasing number of marriages between both faiths. Many children feel identified with both, and the coexistence in the United Kingdom has been improved in that sense.

The urgency does not reside, therefore, in interreligious dialogue, but in the correction of the stereotypes and misconceptions, which might give the impression that there is a need of discriminatory policies. In this last aspect, there is still a lot to do. Recognizing the problem will eventually not be a cause for guilt or shame, but a mere matter of justice.

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UniqueWriter

I am a nice, understanding, caring, sincere, honest, trustworthy, friendly single male from Delhi, India. I'm an experienced writer. I have written many articles in different niches, a fiction book, and some poems.

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"Let's say no to Turkish religious and economic expansion!"

This was the main slogan of a protest rally organized by a group of Georgian nationalists outside the government's house. Members of the non-governmental organization named "National Front" staged the protest against construction of a new mosque in the sea-side city of Batumi near the Turkish border.

Protesters called on the government to annul agreements with Ankara for construction of the new mosque, as well as stop accommodating Turkish citizens in the coastal region of Adjara, which stipulates revision of visa relations with Turkey.

Press TV, 11 March 2013

See also "Georgian PM does not understand opponents of mosque construction in Batumi", Trend, 14 March 2013

The proposal to build a new mosque at Batumi was the subject of a much larger protest last year.

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Peace campaigners are to unite against the English Defence League when they hold their biggest march of the year through Tyneside.

Hundreds of members of the right-wing organisation will walk from  Newcastle's Central Station to the Bigg Market in protest over plans for an Islamic School at the former Byker Grove building in the city's West End.

Now faith leaders and councillors are gathering to organise a peaceful city centre festival on the same day to celebrate Newcastle's ethnic diversity.

City councillor Dipu Ahad, who is leading the event alongside anti-racism groups, said: "The community are very frustrated that the EDL have the right to come and protest in our community where multi-culturalism and diversity thrive and is something that we believe in so strongly in Newcastle.

"Our event will be a festival and a celebration of the diversity in the city. People have lived here for generations and make a very strong contribution to the city and our counter event is all about celebration."

A final location is yet to be finalised for the counter event, which is supported by Unite Against Fascism and various trade unions, and will be held on Saturday, May 25.

Fellow campaigners and religious leaders are also in talks with officers from Operation Swan, Northumbria Police's specialist unit set up to police the protest.

This week it emerged the English Defence League's controversial leader Tommy Robinson will be attending the rally in person.

There is now a petition signed by more than 800 people across the North East asking for the organisation to be made illegal.

Councillor Ahad, who represents the city's Elswick ward, said: "We know they are able to demonstrate legally because of freedom of expression. However, other groups with hard-line views have seen their protests broken up."

The EDL announced in December they would hold a rally in the city after council planning chiefs gave the go-ahead for plans to convert Bishop's Palace – used to film popular TV series Byker Grove – into a fee-paying faith school. The BAHR Academy will cater for up to 340 boys and girls between 11 and 16 in Benwell.

ChronicleLive, 15 March 2013

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As the whole world knows, not all Muslims should be considered terrorists. Why is then, that people get suspicious about Muslims whenever a bombing takes place in any area of the world. I think that the world has forgotten the terrorist attacks that were made in times of the WWI and WWII. Not even a single Muslim was involved in those attacks, so why are they being tagged in the present times. Even in India, which tries to present itself as being a secular state, the terrorist attacks are linked to the Muslims and not to the anti-nationalist powers which are rising there. Moreover, in most of the Indian movies every drug dealer and extremist is shown to be a Muslim. The world might not change its views towards Muslims, but what it needs to do is at least lower down its hatred towards them.

There are a number of arguments which are presented to give an account of reality about the Muslims, but not all rational people prefer to believe those arguments. Islam is a religion that teaches it’s followers to respect every other religion. The use of force is only allowed at times when an external power threatens your existence. In such times, even the Non-Muslim countries prefer to take action. The only difference that lies in the fact that Muslims name their struggle as Jihad and the Non-Muslims name it “Liberation and Freedom”. Another factor which the world needs to consider is that even a number of Muslim sects are being killed on a daily basis. Why would the Muslims prefer to bomb their own brothers? This is a clear cut indication that there is some other factor or power that is trying to create chaos in the Islamic world. It is indeed a planned movement that is being carried out against Islam and the Rise of Islam.

The hatred for Muslims lies in the principles of purity and moderation which Islam teaches the world. But the first world countries, which are now marked for their chaotic societies and immoral principles, are now feeling threatened due to the increase in the number of Muslims. Tagging Muslims as terrorists and extremist, is only to offer a justification for the wars that have been forced onto Iraq and Afghanistan, which in reality were nothing more than just parlor tricks and unjustified rationalizations for getting control of the mineral and petroleum rich regions of Iraq and Afghanistan. In short, it was all a game of resources. Oil, Oil, Oil, that is the reason for which the War had been initiated. The only ones to be tagged as terrorists and extremists are the militant groups. What’s more funny here is that these militant groups are also a production of the foreign forces who created them for bringing down the Soviet Union in times of the Cold War. In lines to all these facts, it is evident that Muslims should be treated firstly as human beings and then as someone else. We should all treat each other equally, all because of the one thing which we have in common i.e. humanity and the strife for living a peaceful life.

 

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writer @Omniya_Fareed on Twitter
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Swedish Muslims have slammed the government for failing to combat discrimination, submitting a report to the UN with a list of proposed measures, such as setting up an inquiry into the abuse of Somali migrants in the tiny town of Forserum.

"Forserum really showed what proportions Islamophobia as well as Afrophobia can take when an entire town looks on as people have their human rights violated," Kitimbwa Sabuni told The Local on Friday.

Sabuni edited the report submitted to the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) by the Network of Swedish Muslims (Nätverket Svenska Muslimer i Samarbete), a cooperation of several different associations, in which representatives said Sweden was failing to tackle discrimination against Muslims.

The report estimated there are 350,000 Muslim Swedes, making it one of Sweden's biggest minorities.

It asked the government to order an inquiry into how local authorities failed to help Somali migrants, some of whom were too afraid to let their children go to school after suffering verbal and physical abuse. "Not everyone partook in the abuse, but many silently witnessed it and the authorities were passive," Sabuni said.

The report also urged research into prejudices that ethnic Swedes who convert to Islam face, in many cases from their own families. "We're talking not only about excommunication, but also threats and violence that many converts tell us about," Sabuni said.

One father, based in the US, reported his daughter to the FBI, which led to her being questioned by the Swedish intelligence service Säpo.

In another case cited in the report, a Swedish woman who became pregnant with her partner of Middle Eastern origin was beaten by her family. "They told her they would 'rip the Arab out of her belly' among other threats," Sabuni said. "These are examples of honour crimes in ethnic Swedish families, even though the term 'honour crime' is usually reserved to people of non-Swedish origin."

The list also asked that the government probe the effects of Sweden anti-terror law, including the extended surveillance rights of the security agencies. It noted that out of 26 known arrests using the 2003 law change, all cases targeted Muslims. Only two people were subsequently charged.

"As it is only Muslims who are detained on these flimsy grounds, the question of whether the terror law is a 'race law' must be asked," read the report, which also proposed a "Truth Commission" that would have the power to look into specific cases.

It also mentioned housing segregation as a problem that could in part be solved by allowing Islamic banking, which forbids interest rates, which could unlock flat and house ownership for many Swedish Muslims.

The report also addressed how Muslims were represented by the Swedish media, urging that greater attention be paid to how Swedish news channels report on matters pertaining to the minority community. As an example, Sabuni referred to Sverges Television (SVT) debate programme Debatt on Thursday night featuring the topic "Repression of women among Muslims".

"What kind of headline is that? And it's on public service television," he said. "As though women's lack of access to education and not being able to support themselves wasn't a problem in Sweden and other western European countries only 50 years ago, and that economic and social development weren't the keys, rather than religion, to their emancipation."

A further recommendation in the report was to foster a more diverse recruitment base for journalists working for the public broadcasting. It suggested that "Sveriges Television (SVT) remove the discriminatory ban on newscasters wearing headscarves."

Additionally, the report asked that the government gives funds to Muslim congregations to secure their safe operations. It also cited statistics that showed that per capita, Muslims receive less funding through community association funding than other groups.

The report concluded that Islamophobia had "been allowed to creep into the political mainstream," a comment that irked Integration Minister Erik Ullenhag.

"I think that's incorrect," he told Sveriges Radio (SR). "The big difference between the Swedish government and say Denmark or the Netherlands is that we are crystal clear when it comes to distancing ourselves from racism and xenophobia."

The Local, 8 March 2013

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Alleging defamation, France's interior minister Manuel Valls is trying to shut down a website which gives a voice to the victims of police harassment. The site has become especially popular with France's Muslim population, who often claim that police target, harass and even kill them with impunity.

Statistics prove that non-whites justifiably feel under attack: Researchers say that Arabs and black Muslims compose up to 70 percent of France's prisoners.

For years groups such as Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Committee have testified to racist practices among the French police, but many say nothing has changed. Allegations of abuse are routinely dismissed as the French police are supported by their unions, far-right political groups and now the Socialist administration.

Amal Bentounsi started the website last year, after her brother was reportedly shot in the back by a policeman. The case is ongoing, but she says her site provides a voice for the many victims whose experiences are never heard in a courtroom.

While agreeing that government action is needed, Bentounsi believes it's the French media which needs the most urgent reform. She says they need to acknowledge their role in legitimizing the Islamophobia which has especially stigmatized young Muslim males.

Many Muslims say that French society has two sets of rules: One for the police, and another for regular citizens; one form of justice for whites, and another for Muslims and immigrants. For those who are 2nd and even 3rd generation French citizens, such inequalities are especially dispiriting.

Press TV, 6 March 2013

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Philip Claeys and friend in LondonBelgian politicians have submitted a proposal to impeach or limit the influence of Muslim extremists in power. MPs fear that Muslim politicians do not shake hands with women and are creating an isolated community.

Alain Destexhe, a liberal member of the Federation Wallonia-Brussels, and Deputy Mayor of Koekelberg Philippe Pivin submitted the proposal in front of the Belgian Parliament on Wednesday to exclude extremist parties from a range of local functions. The proposal is currently open for signatures by other members of Parliament.

"The people of the Islamic party do not want to be mixed with others in public transport and other communal places," local media quoted Alain Destexhe as saying. "They advocate getting married and wearing a veil at 12 years old, based on Islamic law."

The two liberal politicians said that the European Court of Human Rights had explicitly stated that Sharia law is not compatible with the rights and freedoms written in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which is why the power of Muslim extremists must be minimized.

The proposal argues that if elected, ultra-conservative Muslim beliefs are inconsistent with the ECHR's laws against racism and xenophobia, as well as those aimed at punishing the denial or minimization of the Holocaust. Those who hold such views should be impeached, and prevented from presiding over local councils or managing communal bodies, the proposal said.

Destexhe referred specifically to the newly established Islam Party in Belgium, which won two seats in municipal elections in October 2012 and vowed to implement Islamic Sharia law in Belgium.

"The Islam-elected party has refused to shake hands with Molenbeek [municipality in Brussels-Capital Region] Mayor Francoise Schepmans [after being elected]. I feel that some people do not understand how similar this is to the behavior of the extreme right, and how they are creating their own isolated community," Destexhe explained.

The two Muslim candidates, Lhoucine Aït Jeddig and Redouane Ahrouch, are both from Brussels' two heavily Muslim municipalities, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and Anderlecht, respectively.

"We are elected Islamists but above all we are Muslims," Ahrouch told reporters after being elected in October. "Islam is compatible with the laws of the Belgian people. As elected Muslims, we embrace the Koran and the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed. We believe Islam is a universal religion. Our presence on the town council will give us the opportunity to express ourselves."

Ahrouch is known for refusing to shake hands or make eye contact with women in public.

The Islam Party announced a plan to put forward candidates for regional and parliamentary elections in Belgium, as well as the European Parliament, prompting fear and speculation among many Belgian politicians.

"It is very worrying to see what is happening. We see people with the Islamic background forming their own political party and demanding the introduction of Sharia law and Islamic state in Belgium," politician and member of the European Parliament for Flanders Philip Claeys told RT after the Islam Party was formed. "Until now Muslim people mainly supported socialist parties and other leftist parties. But now they feel confident enough to make their party."

Claeys believes it is a "big problem" when people who move to Belgium do not respect the separation of Church and State, or favor of equality of men and women and the rule of law: "We should put a stop to this mass immigration of people coming from outside Europe, mainly Islamic countries, of people who cannot and will not adapt to our way of living in Western Europe."

RT, 28 February 2013

"Islam is compatible with the laws of the Belgian people. As elected Muslims, we embrace the Koran and the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed. We believe Islam is a universal religion. Our presence on the town council will give us the opportunity to express ourselves." Scary, huh? Clearly these people are dangerous extremists.

Unlike Philip Claeys, of course – who (although RT omits to mention this fact) is a leading figure in Vlaams Belang, a far-right party with a long history of whipping up hatred against Muslims. It was Claeys who hosted the notorious counter-jihad conference at the European Parliament last July, where English Defence League leader Stephen Lennon was a star speaker. Claeys is also on friendly terms with his fellow MEP, British National Party leader Nick Griffin.

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For a Europe without fascism, racism and xenophobia

Unite Against Fascism national conference

Saturday 2 March, 11am to 5pm
TUC Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS

Unite Against Fascism's conference this Saturday (2nd March) will bring together a broad coalition of anti-racist and anti-fascist activists, faith communities, trade unions and political parties set out a strategy to defeat the rise of fascists and neo-Nazis in Britain and across Europe.

A key focus will be to deprive Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons of the European Parliament seats they won for the British National Party four years ago.

It will also assess the lessons of the last year's success in uniting communities in many towns and cities across the country to prevent the violent racists of the English Defence League from storming into multicultural neighbourhoods.

The conference will also hear from a number of speakers from Europe. Petros Constantinou from Greece will address the shocking breakthrough by the Nazi Golden Dawn party in that country and Marwan Mohammed from France will speak about opposition to the Front National, which came third in last year's presidential elections.

They will join a range of speakers – from TUC president Leslie Mercer, to former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, Farooq Murad of the Muslim Council of Britain, Peter Hain MP, Gerry Gable of the veteran antifascist magazine Searchlight and many others (see below).

"The Unite Against Fascism conference this year continues to face a very serious situation where the ideas that feed the support for fascist groups have not gone away and street-fighting group like the EDL are still very active. But at the same time we have welcome successes to build upon." says Sabby Dhalu, UAF joint secretary.

"The BNP have been driven back in the last few rounds of local elections, and the EDL met such a determined and united community response to its attempts to stir up hatred in multicultural areas like Tower Hamlets and Walthamstow that its support fell away. In Cambridge – its most recent attempt on 23rd February – only 26 people turned up to its 'national mobilisation', while the UAF united community response numbered 1500.

"But this success is down to the UAF's systematic campaign against the BNP, the EDL and all neo-Nazi groups. It is certainly not down to a diminishing threat or potential support base. In fact, reckless media scaremongering, ubiquitous anti-Muslim rhetoric and scapegoating at a time of economic hardship are on the increase.

"The potential for all that to spill over into fascist advances and violent racism remains worryingly present. The BNP took two seats in the last European elections four years ago and Griffin and Brons are still members of the European Parliament. We are determined to defeat them in the 2014 Euro-election and any efforts by the far right to break through elsewhere. Our campaigns in the North-west and Yorkshire & Humberside Euro regions are already underway."

Fellow UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett adds: "You only have to look at Europe to see the urgency.

"What happens in Europe clearly affects us in Britain. Moreover there are direct attempts by prominent fascist figures from the continent to boost their co-thinkers here. Two years ago Geert Wilders of the Dutch extreme right Party for Freedom was here, last week the FN's Marine Le Pen was in Cambridge, the Hungarian Jobbik Party is reportedly looking to open an office here.

"The UAF organizes against all such attempts to import Euro-fascism to Britain, and is stepping up its solidarity with the European antifascist movement.

"Just as fascists and racists are seeking to coordinate across Europe, so are antifascists. We represent the majority in each country; but if the majority stays silent, a racist minority can quickly grow. At our conference on Saturday we will be exploring with European friends how to better co-ordinate and reinforce our efforts."

Full list of speakers

Ken Livingstone Former Mayor of London and Honorary President, UAF
Diane Abbott MP
Andy Slaughter MP
Claude Moraes MEP
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Murad Qureshi London Assembly Member
Leslie Mercer TUC President
Christine Blower NUT General Secretary
Chris Keates NASUWT General Secretary
Hugh Lanning PCS Deputy General Secretary
Linda Roy CWU National Equality officer
Farooq Murad Muslim Council of Britain General Secretary
Daniel Trilling Assistant Editor New Statesman / Author 'Bloody Nasty People: The rise of Britain's far right'
Owen Jones Writer and journalist
Symon Sentain Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust Chair
Edie Friedman Director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality
Azad Ali Head of Community Development, Engage
Fr. Steven Saxby We are Waltham Forest
Omar Ali President, Federation of Student Islamic Societies
Petros Constantinou Greece anti-fascist campaign KEERFA national organiser
Glyn Ford Unite Against Fascism European Officer
Gerry Gable Editor, Searchlight
Marwan Muhammed Collective Against Islamophobia (CCIF)
Helen Shaw Co-Director, Inquest
Omer El-Hamdoon President Muslim Association of Britain
Ken Fero Film maker and Director, Migrant Media
Myriam Francois-Cerrah Writer and journalist
John Campbell Yorkshire UAF Chair
Daud Abdullah British Muslim Initiative
Denis Fernando Lesbian and Gay Coalition Against Racism
Aaron Kiely NUS Black Students' Officer
Sabby Dhalu Unite Against Fascism Joint Secretary
Weyman Bennett Unite Against Fascism Joint Secretary

Hosted by:
UAF, OSMC, PCS, NUT

Supported by:
MCB, Engage, East London Mosque, Islamic Forum Europe, London Muslim Centre, BMI

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Firebrand Dutch MP Geert Wilders has told supporters in Sydney's west that the ideology of Islam is dangerous, while claiming Australia is seeing an "Islamisation" of its cities.

The far-right politician addressed the Q Society of Australia on Friday night at a function centre in Liverpool on the third leg of his controversial tour of Australia. Protesters gathered outside the venue to voice their anger at the MP's controversial tour.

Many members of the media were blocked from entering the event, despite having being told by the ultra-conservative Q Society group that they would be allowed to attend. However, in an extract of the speech obtained by AAP, Mr Wilders labelled Sydney as "the Australian city where Islamisation has progressed the furthest".

"This city needs to hear the truth about the dangerous ideology of Islam," Mr Wilders said. In the speech he made disparaging remarks about the Koran, the holy book of Islam. He said when some journalists charged him with being intolerant he replies: "I prefer the so-called intolerance of Churchill over the so-called peace of Islam." Mr Wilders called participants in last year's riots in Sydney "al-Qaeda sympathisers", and noted that there were now more than 60 mosques across the city.

About 100 protesters, many carrying anti-Wilders placards, rallied outside the function centre before the start of the speech and chanted: "Muslims are welcome, racists are not." Police officers, including some on horseback, ensured guests invited to the event could make it through the crowd.

Outside the event an anti-Wilders protester addressed the crowd over a loudspeaker. "We have to make sure that these people are hounded if they try to do these things," he said. Thanks for helping brand Geert Wilders what he really is."

One protester, social commentator Antony Loewenstein, said Mr Wilders believed in dividing society. "I think his message of division and hatred against Muslims is exactly the opposite of what Australians should be hearing," Mr Loewenstein told reporters. "It's ignorant and shows a desire to exclude Muslims."

AAP, 22 February 2013

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Police watched over a council planning meeting where emotions ran high over a proposal to create a Muslim-run community and welfare centre.

Officers attended plans panel north and east at Leeds City Council where members unanimously voted to give the go-ahead to convert the derelict Lingfield pub in Moortown.

Applicants UKIM, UK Islamic Mission, who bought the site, want to create a public gym, IT suite, library, training facilities and a prayer room for up to 70 worshippers.

More than 400 letters of objection were received over traffic, congestion and noise concerns. Many also expressed fears the centre would be used exclusively by the Islamic community. The night before the planning meeting the words "a mosque" were repeatedly daubed on the exterior of the forlorn building.

In a deputation to the panel, Gavin Boby, of the Law and Freedom Foundation, said he spoke against the plan on behalf of the Lingfield community: "Community use is laughable. It is a lie. It is a facility for a specific sector alone. You will find it will only be used by one sector."

Asked how many local people he knew would use the centre, Mohammed Arif of UKIM, said five households. He added that all facilities, including the "thorn in everyone's side", the prayer room, would be open to everyone.

The proposed community centre is subject to 21 restrictions, including opening hours from 8.30am to 10.30pm, or midnight during the month of Ramadan when visitor numbers can be no more than 65. The building cannot be used for weddings and must be open to community use.

Mr Arif said: "I am relieved by the result. We are in no mad rush and need to forge links with the community first."

Yorkshire Evening Post, 22 February 2013

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Calls for students to join an anti-English Defence League march through Cambridge this Saturday have heightened following Marine Le Pen's visit to the Cambridge Union earlier this week.

It was revealed in December that the English Defence League (EDL) would be staging a demonstration against the building of a new mosque on Mill Road. Police confirmed last month that the far-right group would be holding a "static protest", rather than marching through the city.

The Cambridge branch of Unite Against Fascism (CUAF) responded by calling for a counter-demonstration on the same day. More than 1,000 people have said on the Facebook event page they will be attending the anti-EDL protest.

Cambridge MP Julian Huppert announced yesterday that he would be joining protestors: "I feel very strongly about the need to make it clear that Cambridge stands together against fascism and racism.

"I want to make it very clear that [the EDL] are not welcome here. I hope their demonstration will pass peacefully and the fact that they are to be contained in one place, will hopefully go some way in helping to achieve that.

"We are fortunate in Cambridge to have a multi-national mix of people who make our city a vibrant and unique place in which to live and visit. They have diverse qualities and share their cultures, living and working together for the good of our communities and our city generally. I don't want to see anything that could detract that. If we were to lose that mix, Cambridge would be a far poorer place in which to live."

The march will begin near the Parkside Swimming Pool, Petersfield at 12pm, with the planned route taking protestors past the Grafton Centre through Burleigh Street and Fitzroy Street, down Sidney Street, Green Street and Trinity Street towards the Market Square, before looping back round to Norfolk Street, Gwydir Street and Mill Road. The route will see protestors marching twice past Christ's Pieces, where the EDL rally is set to begin at 2pm. More than 400 officers will be policing the EDL demonstration and the counter-march at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds.

However, speaking to the Cambridge News, local MEP Richard Howitt said he expected less than 50 EDL members to gather for the demonstration. "The EDL rally may perhaps see an estimated 30-40 protesters turning up which could mean taxpayers paying more than £1,000 for each one."

"The previous EDL march was few in number and attracted no local support so it is a huge and disproportionate cost to the police and to the city that they have chosen to come back again. It would be better if they didn't get off their buses in the first place. I hope this will be the last time."

Richard Rose, co-ordinator of CUAF, said: "[It] is important to show that anti-racists in Cambridge are the vast majority and that the racists are just a small minority bussed in from outside. It looks like we will massively outnumber them, but it pays never to be complacent and to never let the fascists go unchallenged however ridiculous they may appear – people in Germany initially thought Hitler was ridiculous."

"This is especially important after Le Pen's visit: her brand of racism has gone largely unchallenged in France and has resulted in her electoral success. It is important we don't let them make capital from herv isit."

A statement on the website of CUAF and Love Music Hate Racism reads: "The EDL is a racist and Fascist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and Muslims. EDL members have embarked on a violent campaign aimed at those they see as 'legitimate targets'... The EDL's aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s and the National Front attempted in the 1970s. Today they target Muslims, tomorrow it could be you!"

Varsitry, 22 February 2013

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About 200 people have protested in Cambridge ahead of the French politician Marine Le Pen's appearance at a university debating society.

The leader of France's far-right party Front National was invited to speak by the Cambridge Union Society. The society's president, Ben Kentish, said: "To silence views we might find extreme or abhorrent is a dangerous step in a bad direction."

The protest has been organised by Unite Against Fascism. Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary from the the anti-fascist group, said it was not against freedom of speech.

"We have to remember the total devastation of the fascist-led World War II, when almost 70m people lost their lives worldwide," she said. "Those people who lost their lives did so in name of freedom – it's the fascists who oppose freedom."

BBC News, 19 February 2013

See also Huffington Post, 19 February 2013

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The people of Tower Hamlets demonstrating against the English Defence League"London's East End: a melting pot simmers closer to the boil." This is the scaremongering headline to a report on Tower Hamlets in today's Sunday Telegraph.

The article notes that the "Muslim patrols" panic has "sparked headlines internationally. Journalists from Russia, Sweden and Germany have descended on the borough". Needless to say, rather than expose this as a hysterical over-reaction fuelled by Islamophobia, the article uses it as a springboard to paint a picture of a borough riven by communal strife provoked by Muslim extremists.

Telegraph readers are informed:

Tower Hamlets is one of numerous areas in England – others include parts of Bradford, Dewsbury, Leicester and Luton – where Muslims Against Crusades, a banned extremist group that burnt poppies on Remembrance Day, has announced it wants to impose sharia law. Al-Muhajiroun, an Islamist group proscribed by the Home Office, is also said to be active here.

The vigilante patrols are the latest in a long line of incidents, which have included homophobic attacks and the appearance of stickers branding the area a 'Sharia Zone' and 'Gay-free'. Maajid Nawaz, chairman of the counter-extremism think tank the Quilliam Foundation, suggested last month that the 'Muslim patrols' could be 'a sign of things to come' as a pattern of extremism spreads across Europe.

The latter reference is to Nawaz's lunatic article in the Times in which he suggested, in all seriousness, that there was a real prospect of the "Muslim patrols" turning to terrorism.

Nor is the Islamist threat limited to Anjem Choudary's band of idiot followers. According to the Telegraph, the extremists apparently include Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman, who has "close links to the fundamentalist group, the Islamic Forum of Europe" and has been "accused of presiding over an administration that is seeking to 'Islamicise' Tower Hamlets by, among other things, clamping down on strip clubs and a gay bar".

This picture is reinforced by the usual dodgy demographics. We are told that the latest census figures reveal that "Bengalis have now overtaken white British to become the largest ethnic group in the borough". In reality, the British Bangladeshi community in Tower Hamlets has fallen slightly in percentage terms over the past decade, from 33.43% in 2001 to 32.03% in 2011. The reason they are now the largest ethnic group is that the White British community has declined from 42.91% in 2001 to 31.18% in 2011, having been replaced by increased numbers of people from other minority communities, notably non-British white people – the White Other category has increased from 6.54% to 12.42%. Rather than there being some "Muslim takeover" of Tower Hamlets, as the Telegraph seeks to suggest, what we are seeing is a strengthening of the borough's multicultural character.

As is usually the way with Islamophobic articles in the right-wing press, you have to read to the end of the piece before you get to hear an alternative, and more realistic, view of the situation. That way, newspaper can run reports with scaremongering headlines and paranoid claims about Islamification and Muslim extremism, while covering themselves against charges of bias. After all, they can argue, they allowed opposing opinions to be expressed.

Thus Salman Farsi of East London Mosque is quoted as blaming the Muslim patrol stunt on "fanatics coming into the area from other parts of London to stoke up tensions". He describes them as part of "a fringe minority of our community who clash with the proper teachings of Islam" and whose actions are "at odds with Islamic and British values and traditions". Farsi argues that, rather than being a "fragile environment", there is "a lot of co-existence and harmony" in Tower Hamlets. However, this hardly changes the overall thrust of the Telegraph report.

Similarly, Liam Bushell, manager of the White Swan pub, which is supposedly threatened by Lutfur Rahman's mythical plan to Islamicise the borough, describes the "Muslim patrol" as a one-off and defends Tower Hamlets' reputation as "a very multicultural place" – only to have his views characterised as "typically defiant talk in an area that historically refuses to be cowed". The article concludes ominously: "In the latest wave of extremism, however, it is hard not to wonder how long this slice of East End life will remain."

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Despite being served with a court injunction banning them from going within 500 metres of Abu Qatada's family home, on Saturday the English National Resistance went ahead with what they called a "peaceful, responsible and effective small scale demonstration" just outside the exclusion zone.

It was addressed by Paul Golding of Britain First, Paul Pitt of the South East Alliance, former leading EDL activist Tony Curtis and John Smeeton of March For England.

The ENR states that 40 "patriots" turned up for the protest. Now, I know the far right aren't generally the brightest of people, but if you're going to exaggerate the size of a demonstration, it doesn't require much intelligence to work out that it's not a good idea to post photographs on Facebook which show the actual attendance to be little more than half the figure you're claimimg.

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You may recall that Britain First, a far-right groupuscule headed by former BNPers Jim Dowson and Paul Golding, organised a unity meeting in Dartford last month to discuss plans for a new anti-Islam street protest movement to replace the declining and fragmenting English Defence League.

The protest movement has now been formally launched. It's called the English National Resistance and describes itself as a "new disciplined organisation that will mobilise patriotic activists against any attack on our English culture, rights and heritage".

As is the way with such things, the English National Resistance presents itself as a far-right unity initiative, claiming to have brought together "a multitude of different existing patriotic groups". So far, however, it would appear to be little more than a Britain First front organisation.

The ENR's first event is scheduled for tomorrow, 2 February, with a planned march through Stanmore to the house of Abu Qatada. Whether it will in fact take place is as yet unclear, as Qatada's lawyers have applied to the High Court for an injunction to prevent the demonstration going ahead.

Given that the protest is likely to attract a derisory number of participants, the BF/ENR leaders are probably hoping that the injunction is granted. That way they can milk the situation for the maximum publicity – High Court sides with Muslim terrorist and deprives decent British patriots of right to free speech, you know the sort of thing – while avoiding the public exposure of the minuscule forces they actually represent.

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A Conservative councillor has been suspended and is under investigation after allegedly making anti-Muslim comments and sectarian remarks on a social media website, The Guardian has learned.

Chris Joannides's Facebook page contained material comparing Muslim women who wear the burqa to rubbish bags. Another post included sexual remarks in a discussion about a flasher, and a comment that his work as a councillor was getting in the way of his social life.

Joannides is a councillor in Enfield, north London.

News of the incident comes as the Conservative party leader, David Cameron, considers measures to try and increase the low levels of support the party receives from ethnic minority voters. The Conservatives are trying to shed their "nasty" party image and appear more inclusive.

His fellow Conservative councillors decided to suspend Joannides over the comments, which are being investigated.

Over a picture of a woman and child dressed in burqas, with a black bin bag either side of them, Joannides appeared to have written: "I saw her standing there and I told her she had three beautiful children. She didn't have to get all pissed off and threaten me … an honest mistake." In another posting he appears to have "liked" a picture of an Arab woman holding her injured child.

Azad Ali, chair of the Muslim Safety Forum, said: "This is a shocking example of institutionalised and normalised Islamophobia. We expect the Conservative party to take a robust stand against this behaviour and prove that their drive to engage with black minority ethnic communities isn't tokenistic. Further we will follow up with the Metropolitan Police Service and see that full weight of the law is applied."

Guardian, 1 February 2013

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