Police bar UKIP rally in London borough with a large Muslim community - Assalaamualaikum
Assalaamualaikum. I saw news that police in London have stopped a right-wing party from holding a rally calling for “mass deportations” in an area with a big Muslim population. They had planned the event in Whitechapel and were urging supporters to “reclaim the area from Islamists.”
Metropolitan Police said they banned the gathering anywhere in Tower Hamlets because they were worried it could lead to serious disorder. A senior officer noted that Tower Hamlets has one of the highest percentages of Muslim residents in the UK and that holding the protest there raised major local concerns. Their assessment was that serious disorder was a realistic possibility if it went ahead.
The rally was part of a wider “mass deportations tour” the party had been promoting. The UK has recently seen growing support for populist, anti-immigration groups, and some former leaders of these movements are well known for pushing those positions. Over time this particular party has adopted more extreme and anti-Muslim language, even calling the London event a “crusade.”
Police also expected a large counter-demonstration organized by anti-racism groups, and the Mayor of Tower Hamlets said the planned rally would have spread fear and prejudice and caused disruption and intimidation in the local Muslim community.
The party said it planned to move the march to another part of London and claimed police had “caved into the Islamists.”
May Allah protect our communities and guide people to peaceful, respectful ways of resolving differences. JazakAllah khair for reading.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/