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BRAVE soldiers back from Iraq were forced to endure a tirade of abuse yesterday — from hate-filled BRITISH Muslims.
Fifteen fanatics staged a sickening protest — sanctioned by police — as 200 Royal Anglian troops marched in a welcome home parade.
They wielded banners branding the soldiers butchers, war criminals, murderers, terrorists — and baby killers.
They brandished placards showing obscene photos of mutilated children. And they yelled: “Anglian soldiers go to hell.”
Support soldiers from the Royal Anglian regiment at homecoming parades in Watford at 12.30pm today and Lincoln at 12.15pm tomorrow
The demo triggered fury among thousands of well-wishers who turned out to salute the troops in Luton, Beds.
Two people were arrested in the heated demos.
One an 18-year-old man was today charged with racially aggravated harassment.
The second aged in his 40s, was handed a fixed penalty notice.
And as they were challenged by angry onlookers, cops formed a protective ring around them.
The soldiers, from the Anglians’ 2nd Battalion, recently returned from a tough six-month tour in Basra, southern Iraq, where they trained local forces.
Last night the treatment meted out to them by the extremists was denounced by a host of political leaders including Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Defence Secretary John Hutton.
Mr Hutton said: “I condemn the tiny minority who used this opportunity to make utterly ridiculous and insulting comments to these brave men and women.”
Mr Brown said: “The whole country is proud of our brave servicemen and women who serve their country with great distinction and courage.
“It is therefore disappointing a tiny minority tried but ultimately failed to disrupt today’s event.” Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox called the demo “disgraceful, appalling and offensive”.
He added today that while there was a right to freedom of speech “there is not a right to disruption”.
Muslim MP and Justice Minister Shahid Malik said: “All decent people will be sickened by the antics of this group of extremists. The idea that these soldiers are ‘baby killers’ is profoundly repugnant.”
The protest was staged by members of a group called Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah. It is thought to have been formed by former members of banned organisation Al-Muhajiroun.
They hurled abuse as the battalion, which has lost two young privates in action in Iraq, passed Luton town hall.
One of those arrested was a man who climbed on to a shopping centre roof to throw a packet of bacon at the fanatics.
Another local, who gave up his lunch break to hail the troops, said: “These Muslims were lucky they didn’t get lynched.
“To hear people scream ‘baby killers’ at our soldiers was appalling. On one hand they profess to hate everything about Britain and on the other they’re only too happy to live here and benefit from the protection of our police.”
The protesters remained defiant last night. One of them, Abu Omar, said: “Those soldiers were in Iraq murdering and mutilating innocent people. They had blood on their hands.”
Mr Omar, 30, who said he was born in Luton and is a carer for the disabled, added: “They have come into a town with a large Muslim population to promote an illegal war. It is a disgrace.
“We are supposed to congratulate and support terrorists who are no better than Hitler.”
But a member of Luton Central Mosque branded the fanatics “idiots”. He said: “They represent a small number of people from the Muslim community. Police should have moved them along.”
Supt Andy Martin defended the decision to allow the demo. He said: “We’ve been involved in the planning of this event. We were on hand to ensure members of the public who wished to watch could do so safely while anyone wanting to exercise their right to lawful protest could also be accommodated.”
The Army said the battalion — known as The Poachers — were “deeply touched” by those who turned out to applaud them. As the demo went on, fallen L/Cpl Stephen Kingscott of 1st Battalion, The Rifles, was given a funeral with full military honours in his home city of Plymouth, Devon.
Stephen, 22, was shot dead on patrol in Afghanistan. His parents Michael and Wendy said: “He will always be in our thoughts.”
Thank you Mr W. A good article.
Freedom of speech IS still (just about) allowed in the UK (although that anti-Islam Dutch film maker didn’t see much of it). And somehow, I doubt if a bunch of anti-Gordon Brown/Nu-Lab protesters would be allowed within a half-mile oof McBroon at the G20 meeting.It doesn’t matter how much you disagree with the war the servicemen that go there to fight in it are to be admired and respected.
These protester just need to get over themselves and get a life. They seem to hide behind their religion in the pursuit of unacceptable political ends.
Stopping their dole money might sort them out a bit, it’s not like they are out actively seeking employment is it?
Funny you should day that. Those on Jobseekers allowence who were due too sign on that day and missed their appointment then came into the jobcentre the following day, due too attending the rally would loose at least a days worth of their Jobseekers allowence.
This is only the thin edge of the wedge. They are laughing at us, and my god how they are laughing.
They know that they will one day run this country.And what do we do? Stand back and let them get their own way because we are all so nice!
Remember where you heard it first!!
I know quite a few people who are now saying they will vote BNP at the next opportunity merely to give the main parties a "poke in the eye" or a wake-up call. Islamic fanatasism is a real threat to the democratic values in this country and our milquetoast, liberal, PC-correct politicians are too timid or stupid to try to tackle it. What a shower (and that includes Cameron).
Those idiots dont realise the harm they are doing. The BNP and the islamists are the same, fascit homophobic racisits. Both are traitors. They are two sides of the same coin.
From The Daily Mail:-
Schools are being ordered to close on Muslim, Hindu and Sikh holy days despite objections from teachers.
The directive by two London councils means the schools must shut for the annual celebrations of Eid-Ul-Fitr, Diwali and Guru Nanak’s birthday in addition to the traditional Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter……The policy even affects schools with only a small number of Muslim, Hindu or Sikh pupils. The policy in Waltham Forest affects all community primary and secondary schools in the borough, but not Church of England or Catholic schools.
A review of the policy has begun after complaints from schools. Rachel MacFarlane, head of Walthamstow School for Girls, said the school is ‘frustrated’ by the holiday requirements.
Councillor Liaquat Ali, Cabinet member for children and young people in Waltham Forest, said it was important to teach children about different cultures and backgrounds ‘as much as possible’.
Nobody was available to comment from Newham Council yesterday.Nick Griffin must be loving it!
By the way isn’t it comforting to us tax and rate-payers to know that some councils employ a “Cabinet member for children and young people “. Money well spent wouldn’t you agree?The trouble is if you are going to allow schools to close for the holidays of one religion, i.e. Christianity then is it wrong to discriminate against other religions? Why should one particular religion get preferential treatment, unless it happens to be a faith school?
Personally I don’t believe schools should close for
any
religious festival.
I take your point Paul, but where do you stop? Should schools have
every
religious festival off for every religion that’s represented in the UK?
Griffin will argue that the UK is still (sort of) a Christian country, and that those who want to practice a different religion should not expect everyone else to change their lifestyle to accommodate them – a view I can sympathise with. (Don’t suppose too many schools in Saudi Arabia have the Catholic Holy Days of Obligation off).
And of course, one then asks, where does it all end?
If we introduce Islamic/Sikh holidays into school, then why not ban schools from selling meals containing food that those religions shun? Should we ban male teachers from teaching girls in case it offends the "imported" religions? Should we ban books that contain references to Pigs, or books or poems that talk about the Holocaust? How about refusing to teach anything about natural selection/Darwinism (that might please many a christian too). Christ – I know, let’s ban the Bible
I’m an atheist, and think our society (and schools) should be bowing the knee LESS to all religions, not more.
Hopefully Harriet Harperson, that defender of womens’ equality (or is it womens’ superiority?) will ban the teaching of anything Islamic to non-Islamic kids on the grounds that Islam is a backward, anti-feminine religion that’s still in the dark ages in comparison to, say, Chritianity. (Hope that doesn’t earn me a fatwa from our peace-loving bearded Muslim community!).I take your point Paul, but where do you stop?
Indeed, which is why I suggest none as being the ideal – at least that way you upset every faith.
That, of course, is too simplistic an answer – I’m glad I’m not a politician.
If we introduce Islamic/Sikh holidays into school, then why not ban schools from selling meals containing food that those religions shun?
Our junior school in Oldham was already providing separate menus for its Muslim pupils in the mid-80s. Other than a short-lived curiosity on the part of some of their white classmates (of the "can’t we have some of that stuff?" (which they could, if there was any left)), it was performed without fanfare and thus without any attraction of negative publicity outwith the school’s confines.
At this remove I couldn’t profess to remember whether they were already being removed from lessons on Islamic holy days, however – probably as long as I got my 12 weeks off a year (plus the additional week of Oldham Wakes), I wasn’t giving too much of a toss about anyone else’s allocation.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Christianity is the traditional faith of Britain. Holidays in conjunction with christianity should be the only ones called upon for school holidays, as it’s always been the case. I’m not much of a believer, but that’s the way it is.
Should Halloween be cancelled because the bogey man isn’t real ?
Yes it’s taking multi culturalism far too far. I wouldn’t go to Iran and complain about them not celbrating easter.
We don’t need numerous religions effecting peoples life’s.
Possibly a bit of an apples-and-pears comparison, Graeme. I’m not aware of anywhere allowing, or having proposed to allow, any schoolchildren to have Halloween off. Equally, I suspect one could count the number of British schoolchilden in Iran on the fingers of very few hands indeed.
Playing devil’s advocate for a second, does the clamour for the upholding of Christian holidays in a country where active participation in any form of Christian worship continues to plummet not appear less and less credible by the year?
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
It’s not taking multi-culturalism too far, it is just irrelevant to the issue.
Our work/school calender is historically based around the Christian Holidays (though of course borrowed in their origin.)
I see no need to change that. It will not advance the cause of multi-culturalism.
Craig.
Gray, i only mentioned Halloween as it’s a British tradition. So when non believers call for the end of religous based holidays, they basically want an end to the Christmas holiday. To me that’s similar to just cancelling halloween, as canceling any of these events is a stain on Western culture.
Gray, i also don’t think plumeting figures in religous ceremonial attendances adds credibility to the calls to end religous based holidays. A lot of non believers enjoy the Christian stories during the festival period.
Christianity also has a deep impact in the way Britain is today with great historical relevance. I don’t think it should ever be forgotten. And i say this as someone who isn’t much of a believer at this moment in time.
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