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| Britain |
| Cartoon protester guilty of inciting race hate |
| 2006-11-10 |
| A website designer was convicted yesterday of stirring up racial hatred during a protest by Muslims over cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. Mizanur Rahman, of Palmers Green, North London, carried placards that called for non-Muslims to be “annihilated” and “beheaded” as he addressed more than 300 protesters outside the Danish Embassy in London on February 3. Rahman, 23, who wore white robes and a cap throughout the five-day trial, claimed that he had got “carried away” in front of the crowd and said he was a “nobody” whose words no one would take seriously, the Old Bailey was told. Rahman was filmed brandishing two placards as the crowd left Regent’s Park Mosque and made its way through Central London to the Danish Embassy in Sloane Street, Knightsbridge. The placards read “Annihilate those who insult Islam” and “Behead those who insult Islam” Members of the “angry” and “volatile” crowd of men, women and children also held up other placards. Outside the Danish Embassy, Rahman was also filmed addressing the crowd through a loudhailer. He made references to the Mujahidin and called for the destruction of British and American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was heard to say: “We don’t want to see them in Baghdad, in Iraq any more. We want to see them coming home in body bags. “We want to see their blood running in the streets of Baghdad. We want to see the Mujahidin shoot down their planes like we shoot down birds.” He told the crowd: “We want to see their tanks burn just like we burn their flags. We want to see them and their freedoms destroyed. We want to see all of them removed from our Muslim lands.” He went on: “They don’t deserve to live, they don’t deserve anything in this world. Oh Allah, we want to see another 9/11 in Iraq, another 9/11 in Denmark, another 9/11 in Spain, in France, all over Europe. Oh Allah, destroy all of them.” Rahman then ended his speech chanting along with the crowd. “There is only one God Allah, Muhammad is his messenger. Bomb bomb France, bomb bomb France, nuke nuke France, nuke nuke France.” David Perry QC, prosecuting, told the court that the right to freedom of speech and expression and to peacefully protest did not stretch to the right to encourage or incite others to murder. He told the jury that it was not a trial of Islam but of the words Rahman had used. The words were unambiguous; they were “ordinary English words with ordinary English meaning - kill.” The jury could not agree on a second charge of inciting murder and the Crown Prosecution Service will say on Monday whether it will seek a retrial. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #8 said he was a “nobody” whose words no one would take seriously Sounds like he wanted to move up to the Bakri/Hookboy big time. I'ma loser baby So why don't ya kill me... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-11-10 12:58 |
| #7 Let's not get too indignant over whatever the sentence was. Remember Ugly Lynn Stewart worst punishment was a few months. |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-10 09:12 |
| #6 Awwww. He's just an excitable boy. God bless Warren Zevon. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-11-10 09:05 |
| #5 Rahman, 23, who wore white robes and a cap throughout the five-day trial, claimed that he had got “carried away” in front of the crowd and said he was a “nobody” whose words no one would take seriously Awwww. He's just an excitable boy. Horseshit! He did not just get "carried away". It was his exact intention to incite racial hatred and murderous violence. Did he get all "carried away" and make up his placards right there on the sidewalk? No, he carefully constructed them beforehand with full premeditation and transported them to the scene along with his bullhorn for the explicit purpose of inciting murder. People do take assholes like Rahman "seriously". Just ask Kriss Donald. Oh, sorry, you can't. Kriss was |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-11-10 08:47 |
| #4 "Mizanur Rahman, of Palmers Green, North London, carried placards that called for non-Muslims to be annihilated and beheaded". The jury could not agree on the charge of inciting murder. Aparently calls for beheading is not clear enough. But he was convicted of stirring up racial hatred even though Muslim vs. non-Muslim, at best, is a religious matter and not a racial matter. Unfrigginreal. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-11-10 08:43 |
| #3 C'mon guys, in the immortal words of Rick James -"he was just havin' too much fun." |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2006-11-10 07:45 |
| #2 Bomb bomb France, bomb bomb France, nuke nuke France, nuke nuke France. And they say people of different religions can never share a dream. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2006-11-10 07:31 |
| #1 No mention of the penalty for his crime. Should we assume a suspended sentance? Considering that it seems in the UK a "life" sentance for sadistic murder is only 25 years, I'm thinking the worst this guy faces is a 5 pound fine and 2 hours of sensitivity training. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2006-11-10 03:08 |