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| Britain |
| 90 arrested in Birmingham anti-Islam rally |
| 2009-09-07 |
| [Iran Press TV Latest] Police have arrested 90 people after racially-charged anti-Islam demonstration in the city of Birmingham, central England, turned violent. The unrest broke out when supporters of an English nationalist group, the English Defence League, encountered anti-fascist activists during a rally on Saturday opposing expansion of Islamic ideas in Britain, West Midlands police said Sunday. About 200 people were involved in the clashes with both sides throwing projectiles and running from riot police, prompting authorities to arrest 90 people, all under 40 years of age, on suspicion of criminal damage and violent disorder. It was not immediately clear how many of the 200 belonged to each side, as the youths had their faces covered in most of the television footage of the incident in the city's downtown area. Clashes also erupted last month at a similar demonstration in Birmingham, a diverse city of about 1 million where nearly a third of the population is nonwhite. The English Defence League, which denies racism charge, blames counter-demonstrators for inciting violence at its rallies. It has planned protest marches in other cities, including one next month in Manchester. British nationalist groups and political parties seek to spark anti-Islam sentiment in the UK. A Muslim community leader in Loughton, Essex, who was abducted and threatened last week over Friday prayer sessions he has been leading, accused the far-right British National Party (BNP) for ordering the assault. The BNP denies the charge. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #11 It's like the tea parties here, tipper. The Establishment really needs to think about what changed so drastically that normally apolitical types have decided to get involved in large numbers, and not with the traditional parties. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-09-07 16:38 |
| #10 Elsewhere the EDL are accused of being Britain's KKK. TW, the're a strange mob. Started out as football hooligans and have now taken up politics. |
| Posted by: tipper 2009-09-07 16:30 |
| #9 Sort of like being one with Sen Byrd? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2009-09-07 15:02 |
| #8 Am I misreading this, or are both groups seeking the same goals? I think you're misreading it, WolfDog. The anti-fascists are multi-culti leftists who fancy themselves on the side of the oppressed natives (in the little, brown-skinned sense) against the fascist, imperialist Brits who won't even allow the natives to speak their native language... or something equally confused and stupid. Elsewhere the EDL are accused of being Britain's KKK. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-09-07 13:27 |
| #7 Porcine? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-09-07 11:21 |
| #6 after racially-charged anti-Islam demonstration Exactly what RACE is islam? |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-09-07 11:12 |
| #5 Told you so. |
| Posted by: E Powell 2009-09-07 10:47 |
| #4 The unrest broke out when supporters of an English nationalist group, the English Defence League, encountered anti-fascist activists during a rally on Saturday opposing expansion of Islamic ideas in Britain, West Midlands police said Sunday. Am I misreading this, or are both groups seeking the same goals? And, if they are both against the "expansion of Islamic ideas in Britain", why would they fight each other? "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". |
| Posted by: WolfDog 2009-09-07 10:32 |
| #3 It was not immediately clear how many of the 200 belonged to each side, as the youths had their faces covered in most of the television footage of the incident in the city's downtown area....... ...many were heard chanting "One Country/One Flag/One Language." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-09-07 10:03 |
| #2 A Muslim community leader in Loughton, Essex, who was abducted and threatened last week over Friday prayer sessions Muslim community leader arrested for making up BNP kidnap story Nice try Iran Press at making up fascist propaganda. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-09-07 09:57 |
| #1 A Muslim community leader in Loughton, Essex, who was abducted and threatened last week over Friday prayer sessions he has been leading, accused the far-right British National Party (BNP) for ordering the assault. I suppose that's one way of looking at it, if you are a deluded prayer session leader. Violent race riot flared after mosque chief urged Muslims to confront right-wing 'English Defence League' protesters |
| Posted by: tipper 2009-09-07 08:37 |