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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A coalition of faith groups, trade unions and community organisations vowed today to do all it could to oppose a planned march by the English Defence League (EDL). The group, called We are Norwich, said it would do "all in its power" to peacefully oppose the EDL demonstration.

The EDL is organising a march through Norwich on November 10, to protest at the city council banning the Norwich Reformed Church from a stall in the city centre. Reverend Alan Clifford, who said he had no links to the right-wing group, was barred from the stall for publishing leaflets deemed to be anti-Islamic.

We are Norwich secretary Nick O’Brien said: "The EDL has held countless demonstrations across the country where they have rampaged through towns."

The anti-fascist group will hold a counter-demonstration on November 10, if the EDL march goes ahead, and a public meeting on Wednesday October 24 at 7.30pm in the Vauxhall Centre.

Members include trade unions, Norwich Green Party, Chapelfield Mosque, Ian Gibson, The Norwich Pride Collective, and Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Norwich South, Clive Lewis.

Norwich Evening News, 9 October 2012

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Bristol's two Labour MPs, and the party's candidate for elected mayor, have issued a joint statement condemning Saturday's march by the English Defence League (EDL) in the city.

Dawn Primarolo (Bristol South), Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) and Marvin Rees said yesterday there was "no place for the EDL in Bristol", but urged those planning to protest against the group to co-operate with police.

The EDL will march through the city, ending in Queen Square, on Saturday. A counter march, organised by a trade unions and community groups, will begin in the city centre. Up to 1,000 police officers are expected to keep the two sides apart.

The two marches come on the same day as the city Pride Festival comes to an end, with a party at College Green.

In a joint statement yesterday, the Labour group said: "We reject entirely the aims, philosophy and method of the EDL. At a time when decent people from all backgrounds are working together to improve their communities, the EDL seeks to cause division, fear and hatred.

"There is no place for the EDL in Bristol. On July 14, thousands of Bristol residents will be celebrating the Bristol we know – a proud and welcoming city that celebrates our differences and rejects totally any attempts to divide us. Bristol is much stronger than a motley collection of EDL members, bussed in from far-flung corners of the country.

"We hope that Bristolians from all backgrounds will go about their normal business on the 14th, but we do understand why those who feel especially strongly about the EDL's presence in our city will want to protest against their presence. We would ask simply that they co-operate with the police, who will be working hard to ensure that public safety is protected.

"By Saturday evening, the EDL will have left Bristol. They will find little support for their dangerous views and we hope, and expect, that they will never return."

A group called We Are Bristol – made up of trades unions, politicians, academics and community organisations – have organised the counter demonstration for 11am on Saturday in the city centre, opposite the Hippodrome.

The group has claimed they have been faced with a "hostile attitude" from police who have "focussed attention on 'extremists' who wish to show their opposition to the racism of the EDL, rather than on the violent record of the EDL against local communities and on their demonstrations".

Against the backdrop of the arrests of three men on terrorism charges – thought to have been plotting an attack on the EDL – the We Are Bristol group has insisted it is aiming to hold a peaceful rally.

"We wish in our counter-demonstration to hold a peaceful and family-friendly protest against the EDL," it said. "In this way we wish to express through our trade unions and other groups our abhorrence of the racism of the EDL, and to celebrate our city's cultural diversity and innovation. We hope that the authorities, including local police, will take notice of our peaceful intentions, and support our right to protest."

Bristol24-7, 11 July 2012

It would have been better if the three Labour leaders had issued a call to Bristolians to join the We Are Bristol counter-demonstration. This is backed by the TUC South West Regional Council. What is the objection to Bristol Labour politicians supporting it?

As for Bristol24-7, its report adds that tomorrow it will publish "our interview with the EDL, and its response to the Labour MPs' claims".

If the EDL were antisemites protesting against the supposed threat posed by the Jewish community, would Bristol24-7 be providing them with a platform to promote their vile views and lie about their real aims? You can bet it wouldn't.

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