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Muslims praised for staying away
Reporter: by Karen Doherty
Date online: 12 October 2009
THE Muslim community has been praised for staying away from the controversial English Defence League (EDL) protest in Manchester city centre.
Father Phil Sumner, from Oldham Inter-Faith Forum, said: “I am so happy that the Muslim community was obviously savvy enough to appreciate that going down into town was going to achieve nothing. That shows that the Muslim community in Manchester and Greater Manchester seems to be determined to build good relationships and not get drawn into confrontation. That is heartening to see.”
He also countered EDL claims that the group was not racist and added: “The slogans that they carried, ‘no more mosques’, and the chants that they made, ‘we want our country back’, are slogans chanted by pretty much everyone in their group and could hardly not be classed as racist.
“Their anger, and the way that anger was expressed, suggests something more akin to football hooliganism than any reasonable debate.
“They may be drawing on a sense among some people, it would be wrong for us to to say they are not. But the vast, vast majority of the Muslim community is utterly opposed to any form of extremism.”
Oldham Race-Equality Partnership set up a community command centre to react quickly if any trouble moved into Oldham when the protesters dispersed.
Father Sumner said that it kept track of what was happening in Manchester through media reports and the social networking website twitter, as well as having people on the ground. Taxi-drivers and firms, pubs and clubs were also contacted.
A police command centre was also set up and Father Sumner added: “I am saddened that the protest had to happen and so much energy had to be put in by the authorities to make sure that not only Manchester, but Oldham, was safe
The EDL emerged in March as a reaction to a group of Muslims protesting against soldiers returning from Afghanistan parading through Luton.
The Evening Chronicle revealed that the leader of its Oldham branch is a former football hooligan who admitted criminal convictions for assault and public disorder
The 25-year-old father-of-two has led football firm the Fine Young Casuals, involved in the Oldham riots, for 10 years and served a two-year order banning him from football grounds
A similar rally in Birmingham earlier this year resulted in 90 arrests.
Comments
And what would father Sumner's thoughts be in relation to the muslim extremists screaming death threats at our soldiers returning from Afghanistan? I am not a racist but can understand why groups like the EDL are formed.
Well done GMP for allowing it to go ahead and managing to keep it fairly uneventful, well done the Muslim community for not allowing the far left UAF to stir up tensions on your behalf.
Father Sumner needs to understane that Islam will not be submitted by any other faith therefore how can an interfaith partnership ever be of any value when it comes to equality.Oh and why praise the muslims only for staying away.
well said timberwolf,what are you after father sumner,a free curry?,edl,and other groups will form if Muslims spit out their hatred against our people,why doesnt mr sumner condemn the muslim hatred they preach against our men and women who are trying to make this land peaceful and free from muslim terrorism
l'outcast - Why should any one faith ",,,be submitted by any other faith..." This idea of one faith to rule another left Ireland and Britain at the mercy of terrorists for years.
The interfaith forum has been working for years and if it was not acheiving anything it wouldn't still be going strong...so questioning it says something about you and not the work they do.
Muslims were the direct targets thats why he is praising them...anything else?
Says a lot about me,but you know nothing about true Islam.The EDL were the true targets.
Trust me I know more about Islam than you.
EDL were true targets of what? The UAF were counter marching. EDL were the ones targetting -take the blinkers off.
Have Your Say
I think mr sumner should be very careful, after all his lot are not too clean when you look back
By Keith @ 12/10/2009 12:59:47