Harrow central mosque

Street fights erupt as Muslims try to defend North London mosque

11 septembre 2009

Fiona Hamilton, London Correspondent

Skirmishes broke out between police and Muslim youths in North London last night as large crowds gathered to defend a mosque that had been targeted by anti-Islam campaigners.

Groups of youths, in ski masks and motorcycle helmets, threw bottles and set off fireworks in front of riot police, who used kettling tactics to contain a crowd of up to 2,000 outside Harrow central mosque. Seven people were arrested for possession of offensive weapons including a hammer, chisel and a bottle of bleach. Another man was arrested “to prevent a breach of the peace”, police said.

Hundreds of Muslim youths and anti-fascist campaigners gathered to confront a fringe right-wing group calling itself Stop Islamification of Europe (SIOE). The group had threatened to hold a rally at the site, where a new five-storey mosque is under construction, but organisers said that they had called off the march at the request of police.

Despite pleas by imams for the crowds to go home, the streets remained packed for several hours. About 20 anti-Islamic protesters, some wearing football jerseys, attempted to enter the area but were blocked by some of the 500 police.

Ajmal Masroor, a spokesman at the mosque, said: “People came here in the name of defending a mosque that does not need to be defended. We want the others to have their protest and we can ignore them.”

The unrest came after riots in Birmingham last weekend during an anti-Islamic rally by the English Defence League (EDL). There were dozens of arrests after clashes between the supporters of the right-wing league and Muslim activists.

The EDL, which also clashed with Muslim groups in Birmingham a few weeks ago, leading to 35 arrests, is affiliated to Casuals United, former football hooligans who want to “fight jihadists in the community”. The two groups are also affiliated with SIOE and they directed supporters to the Harrow protests from their Facebook pages and websites.

Of the anti-Islam supporters who attended yesterday, it was unclear with which group they were affiliated.

Police were continuing last night to contain two separate groups of anti-Islam protesters away from the road outside the mosque and there were still hundreds of anti-fascist supporters in the area.

In a statement, the police said: “Items, including bricks and bottles have been thrown at officers. Throughout the afternoon officers have had to be deployed in personal protective equipment, including the use of shields to prevent further acts of disorder.

Rally turns violent at London mosque

12 septembre 2009

Eight people have been arrested after riot police intervened to stop clashes between Muslims and anti-Islamic protesters outside a London mosque on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

About 1,000 mostly Muslim protesters, many wearing masks, were involved in running scuffles around the newly-built Harrow Central Mosque, in north-west London, following a demonstration by a fringe anti-Islamic group.

Members of a group called United Against Fascism also attended the rally in support of the mosque.

Police moved in after the crowd threw sticks and stones at about a dozen mostly shaven-headed protesters.

A police spokesman says items including bricks and bottles were thrown at officers after they intervened.

The demonstration by a small number of white men was organised by a group calling itself Stop Islamification of Europe, which said ahead of the demo that it planned to remain peaceful.

One person was arrested to prevent a breach of the peace and seven others for possession of offensive weapons including bottles of bleach, a hammer and a chisel, police said.

Concerns about violence have been heightened by clashes last weekend at a rally against Islamic fundamentalism held by a right-wing group, the English Defence League.

More than 30 people were arrested in Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, when the demonstrators fought with anti-fascist campaigners.

Muslims in police clash at Harrow mosque

11 September 2009

By Channel 4 News

Young Muslim men clash with police after gathering to confront an anti-Islamist organisation which had threatened to hold a demonstration outside a new Harrow mosque. Andy Davies reports.

// Harrow Central Mosque, which is located in the heart of London’s most religiously diverse borough, was forced to place security guards at its doors as police maintained a heavy presence in response to calls from right-wing protesters to demonstrate against “Islamic extremism” on the anniversary of the 11 September attacks.

The English Defence League, and a group calling itself Stop the Islamization of Europe, had threatened to hold the demonstration outside the borough’s main mosque, a multi-million pound building which is currently under construction and which will provide a prayer space for the area’s 35,000 Muslims.

11 September 2009

Young Muslim men clash with police after gathering to confront an anti-Islamist organisation which had threatened to hold a demonstration outside a new Harrow mosque. Andy Davies reports.

Harrow Central Mosque, which is located in the heart of London’s most religiously diverse borough, was forced to place security guards at its doors as police maintained a heavy presence in response to calls from right-wing protesters to demonstrate against “Islamic extremism” on the anniversary of the 11 September attacks.

The English Defence League, and a group calling itself Stop the Islamization of Europe, had threatened to hold the demonstration outside the borough’s main mosque, a multi-million pound building which is currently under construction and which will provide a prayer space for the area’s 35,000 Muslims.

Police attacked with bricks and bottles at mosque protest

Friday 11th September 2009

POLICE came under attack from bottles and bricks this evening in violent clashes outside Harrow Central Mosque.

Superintendent Julia Pendry of the Met Police said: « What police set out to do today was to police peaceful protests.

« Unfortunately what unfolded was a series of acts of disorder and even cases of violence. Officers came under attack from bricks and bottles and we had to deploy our staff in protective equipment a number of times.

« Police had to take fast time action to stop events from getting even worse this afternoon, by intervening to prevent an imminent breach of the peace. We had to act to stop things from escalating.

« It is completely unacceptable for people to use the excuse of protest to break the law and behave in this way. We’ve been told that the majority of people that gathered in Station Road today were not even part of the local community. Stewards worked hard to intervene and keep the crowds calm, helping to prevent further disorder. What played out on the streets of Harrow today is completely unacceptable to everyone. »

A total of nine arrests where made for possession of offensive weapons. One arrest was made to prevent a breach of the peace, he was released as soon as police were confident that the threat had passed.

Police are maintaining a presence in the area this evening to reassure the local community.

Mosque defenders clash with London police

www.timesoftheinternet.com

LONDON, Sept. 11 (UPI) —

The streets around a North London mosque were packed Friday night with young people protesting a demonstration by anti-Muslim groups.

Stop Islamification of Europe had announced a protest at an unfinished mosque in Harrow on the eighth anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. Their demonstration attracted a much larger number of counter-protesters, The Times of London reported.

SIOE said it called off its march, as requested by police. But a crowd of 2,000 people gathered.

Clerical leaders asked the young Muslims and anti-Fascist campaigners to go home, a call most ignored. Some of the young men threw bottles at riot police and set off fireworks.

« People came here in the name of defending a mosque that does not need to be defended, » said Ajmal Masroor, a mosque spokesman. « We want the others to have their protest, and we can ignore them. »

At least eight people were arrested.

Last Saturday, a march by the English Defense League in downtown Birmingham set off similar clashes.

Clashes at anti-Islam demonstration

mirror.co.uk

11/09/2009

Seven people have been arrested after clashed at an anti-Islam demonstration, police have said.

Officers were dealing with a gathering of around a 1,000 people in Station Road, Harrow, north-west London, said a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police.

The pressure group Stop Islamification of Europe (SIOE) had pledged to hold a peaceful protest outside Harrow Central Mosque in London.

Counter protests were also planned at the site, where a new five-floor mosque is under construction, and hundreds of people were expected to attend.

The seven arrests were for possession of offensive weapons.

COPS HOLD 8 IN CLASHES AT ANTI-MOSQUE DEMO

mirror.co.uk

By Tom Pettifor 12/09/2009

A race riot erupted outside one of Britain’s biggest mosques on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Police moved in after several hundred angry Muslim youths threw sticks and stones and charged at about a dozen anti-Islamic demonstrators.

Eight people were arrested at the demonstration after police confiscated weapons, including a hammer and a chisel. Last night a Scotland Yard said the trouble was « ongoing », Earlier officers in riot gear had surrounded the white marchers to keep the groups apart at Harrow Central Mosque in North London.

Anti-fascist and Muslim protesters spotted a group of around a dozen white men they believed to be far right protesters and surged towards them.

The approaching group – some covering their faces with bandanas – trampled a wire fence. Some were seen throwing stones as the two groups goaded each other.

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One of the fascist protesters, a man in his late 40s, said: « This is England, I should be able to demonstrate. »

But Weyman Bennett, of United Against Facism, said holding the protest outside a mosque on September 11 was inciting violence.

He added: « They are not involved in any kind of real politics, but wrapping a swastika around the Union Jack. »

Ghulam Rabbani, general secretary of the mosque, added: « We don’t know why they are singling us out. They say we are planning a Sharia court but this is not true. »

Ten arrested over mosque protest

11 September 2009

Ten people have been arrested during a demonstration outside a mosque in north-west London where an anti-Islamic protest was planned.

At least 1,000 people gathered outside Harrow Central Mosque as activists from Stop Islamification of Europe planned to demonstrate outside the mosque.

Unite Against Fascism were also present to « defend the mosque », they said.

Bricks, bottles and firecrackers were thrown at police officers who were present in riot gear at the scene.

Just after 2000 BST, police said there were a small number of people in the area. Mobile patrols were continuing in a bid to reassure residents.

Earlier, hundreds of youths, some covering their faces with scarves, were in the area and there were skirmishes with police as some demonstrators broke a police cordon.

Supt Julia Pendry said police had to « intervene » to stop things from « escalating ».

She said: « Officers came under attack from bricks and bottles and we had to deploy our staff in protective equipment a number of times.

« Police had to take fast-time action to stop events from getting even worse this afternoon, by intervening to prevent an imminent breach of the peace.

« What played out on the streets of Harrow today is completely unacceptable to everyone, » she added.

‘Saddened and dismayed’

Stop Islamification of Europe (SIOE) said they planned a « peaceful protest » against the building of a five-storey mosque next to the Harrow Central Mosque.

But in a message on their website SIOE said the protest had been called off and organiser Stephen Gash had been arrested.

The posting read: « If you are on your way to the demo, don’t go, it’s being called off right now.

« The police can’t handle the Muslim counter-demonstrators. The senior sergeant said that he doesn’t want any of his policemen killed. »

Nine people remain in custody after being arrested for possession of offensive weapons including a hammer, a chisel and bottles of bleach.

Another person was arrested at the scene to prevent a breach of the peace, but he was released soon after, police said.

Police also stopped a number of people, who they believed were heading for the anti-Islamist protest, from getting to the protest area.

« If the SIOE demonstration started it would have resulted in serious disorder, » a statement from police said.

Councillor David Ashton, leader of Harrow Council, said: « We are saddened and dismayed that groups from outside the borough have come here and caused unrest.

« Harrow has an excellent record in community relations and we condemn those who came to our borough from elsewhere to either foist extreme political opinions on us or use religion as a cover for causing trouble. »

~ par Alain Bertho sur 12 septembre 2009.

Publié dans émeutes, riots