ENGAGE RSS http://www.iengage.org.uk Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:40:56 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.iengage.org.uk/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.iengage.org.uk ENGAGE RSS http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1689&Itemid=  Islamophobia Watch (http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/islamophobia-watch/2012/2/2/daily-mail-inspires-far-right-again.html) draws attention to the BNP’s re-publication of the Daily Mail article (http://www.bnp.org.uk/news/national/strict-muslim-jailed-over-two-month-reign-terror) of last week on a ‘strict Muslim’ convicted of rape (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1681-daily-mail-on-strict-muslim-rapist). The Daily Mail’s habit of publishing articles which are written so as to inflame and pander to anti-Muslim sentiments is nothing new. The paper recently published a news report suggesting ‘honour’ killings were a ‘Muslim’ issue (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1617-honour-attacks-a-muslim-issue-according-to-the-daily-mail). Other articles include reports on halal meat (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1644-daily-mail-reports-that-halal-meat-rejected-in-parliament-restaurants-and-cafes) and prisoners at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institute converting to Islam to ‘get better food’ (http://iengage.org.uk/home/1-news/1674-non-muslim-inmates-convert-to-islam-to-get-better-food-get-real-daily-mail).   Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:45:44 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1688&Itemid=  The Surrey Comet (http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/9505862.Teen_took_dagger_to_school_over_race_abuse_fears/) reports on the case of a teenage boy who took an ornamental dagger to school for fear of racist abuse following the attack on Kingston Mosque (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1313-six-appear-in-court-for-attack-on-kingston-mosque) in November 2010. From the Surrey Comet: “A teenage Muslim took his father’s ornamental dagger to school for protection after he feared racist abuse following the Kingston Mosque attack, a court has heard.   Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:19:35 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1687&Itemid=  The ‘hactivist group’ Anonymous have revealed that the BNP (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1471-life-in-the-british-far-right) have links to American extremist group the American Third Position, a far-right white supremacist party which was founded in 2010. From The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/01/bnp-emails-far-right-anonymous): “Hacked emails from a far-right group appear to reveal links with the BNP (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1335-bnp-and-ukip-candidates-target-muslims-in-election-campaigns), after the group of American "hactivists" Anonymous targeted a number of US extremists' websites.  Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:58:05 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1686&Itemid=  The London School of Economics’ Student’s Union newspaper, The Beaver (http://thebeaveronline.co.uk/2012/01/30/religious-intolerance-debated-at-egm/), reports on several motions relating to combating religious hatred on campus which were debated at an Emergency General Meeting of the SU last week.  With respect to the motion on Islamophobia, The Beaver states:  “The second motion, entitled “No to racism – No to Islamaphobia,” was raised in response to increasing tensions on campus between various LSE student societies. Many Muslim students were offended by the LSE Students’ Union Atheist, Secularist, and Humanist (ASH) Society’s publication of a “Jesus and Mo” cartoon (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1669-prophet-cartoon-row-at-ucl), in which the two are portrayed “having a pint.” The cartoon was originally posted on the ASH Society’s Facebook page in solidarity with a similar society at the University College of London (UCL) which was asked to take the cartoon down by the UCL Students’ Union.  Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:41:08 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1685&Itemid=  The chairman of the PCC, Lord Hunt, in his oral testimony to the Leveson Inquiry (http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearing/2012-01-31pm/) yesterday revealed plans for a new press regulatory watchdog which, he argues, will be more ‘robust’ and have powers to investigate allegations of misconduct, impose fines and award compensation to victims of media malpractice. From The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/31/pcc-chairman-watchdog-leveson-inquiry):“The new chairman of the Press Complaints Commission has unveiled a blueprint for a "totally new" newspaper watchdog which he hopes will eradicate "bad journalism" and practices that have brought "shame" on the industry. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:44:51 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1684&Itemid=  The BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16804656) reports that former senior MI6 officer Sir Mark Allen in being sued by two Libyan rebel leaders for the alleged role of the British government in their own and their family’s illegal rendition and torture. From the BBC: “Two men who say they were rendered to Libya with the help of the UK have begun an action to sue one of Britain's most senior former MI6 officers. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:05:25 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1683&Itemid=  Local paper, the Redditch Standard (http://www.redditchstandard.co.uk/2012/01/27/news-Arsonists-attack-mosque-28620.html), reports on an arson attack started outside a mosque in Redditch last week, on Tuesday 24th January. From the Redditch Standard:“Arsonists are believed to have started a fire outside a mosque in Redditch on Tuesday evening (January 24). Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:45:11 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1682&Itemid=  PM David Cameron’s speech to the European Court of Human Rights was covered in the papers yesterday. The PM alluded to the recent ECHR ruling on Abu Qatada (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1666-echr-blocks-abu-qatada-deportation-from-uk) saying:“Protecting a country from terrorism is one of the most important tasks for any government. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:16:25 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1681&Itemid=  The Daily Mail has published an article headlined ‘'Strict Muslim' raped four women at knifepoint to 'punish them for being on the streets at night' (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2091669/Sunny-Islam-Strict-Muslim-raped-4-women-knifepoint-punish-them.html).An article covering the same case appears in the London Evening Standard titled ‘Muslim raped women for being out late’ (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24030992-muslim-raped-women-for-being-out-late.do). Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:07:00 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1680&Itemid=  MP for Tooting, Sadiq Khan, has a short comment piece in the Evening Standard today on the exhibition on the Hajj (http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/hajj/introduction.aspx) which opens today at the British Museum.Khan writes:“Muslims have been performing this pilgrimage for centuries; non-Muslims are not allowed to enter this holy city. An estimated three million people from all over the globe do so every year: Chinese, Namibian, Azerbaijani and every other kind of Muslim, as well as the 25,000 British Muslims who travel each year to form this kaleidoscope of our planet. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:11:47 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1679&Itemid=  ENGAGE's hearing at the Leveson Inquiry (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1673-engage-presents-evidence-to-the-leveson-inquiry) is available to view online.  Follow the links here for part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_QTzJEQem4&context=C32cdeacADOEgsToPDskJsVIXzowCu4fhdH8OOxFr5) and part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbVcqTbiH0U&context=C332685fADOEgsToPDskKnDG4M4B90mQaXZ_SMu80F).A full transcript can be read here (http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Transcript-of-Afternoon-Hearing-24-January-2012.pdf).  Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:22:42 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1678&Itemid=  The BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16702656) reports that the control order system (http://iengage.org.uk/images/stories/engageresponsereviewofcounterterrorismandsecuritypowers.pdf) introduced in 2005 under anti-terrorism legislation, which places terrorism suspects under close supervision and tight restrictions, is to end tonight. From the BBC:“The control order regime restricting the freedoms of terrorism suspects is being abolished from midnight. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:15:40 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1677&Itemid=  The EU Observer (http://euobserver.com/22/114978) published an article on Monday which describes the findings in a report by Human Rights Watch as pointing to “a worrying right-wing shift inside the European Union”.  EU Observer states that the HRW report, ‘World Report 2012- Events of 2011’, “pulls no punches in linking the extreme cases to bad leadership by EU governments.” The report states that despite proclaiming “the importance of human rights in the pro-democracy Arab Spring movements”, EU states “remained unwilling to prioritize human rights at home”.  Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:27:41 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1676&Itemid=  Local press in Lincolnshire reports that hate crimes in the county have risen by 22% in the past five years, although the region has one of the lowest levels of hate crimes in England and Wales.  The October 2011 Ministry of Justice report, Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2010, from which the figures were obtained, also shows that nationally, there has been an 18% decrease in racist incidents over the same five-year period. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:20:39 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1675&Itemid=  The University of East Anglia has developed a new 12 week course entitled ‘Women, Islam and the Media’, looking at how the media discourse (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1609-reporter-who-quit-daily-star-over-islamophobia-gives-evidence-to-leveson-enquiry) is developed around women and Islam. The course developer, Dr Eylem Atakav claims that the Arab Spring and new forms of female political activism has given the topic a renewed relevance and that it will serve to change perceptions of Islam.  Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:07:23 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1674&Itemid=  The Mail of Sunday last week featured an article on the Young Offenders’ Institute in Feltham (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2090042/Feltham-youth-jail-A-inmates-Muslims-large-numbers-convert-better-food.html) stating that a third of inmates at the prison are Muslim and claimed that non-Muslim inmates are converting to Islam to get ‘better food’. From the Mail on Sunday:“A third of inmates at one of Britain’s most notorious youth jails are Muslims and the religion is attracting a large number of converts. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:13:32 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1673&Itemid=  ENGAGE will be presenting evidence to the Leveson Inquiry this afternoon.You can watch the proceedings live on the Inquiry's website here (http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearings/), and read the ENGAGE written submission here (images/stories/levesoninquiry311011.pdf). Our Islamophobia briefing paper can be found here (images/stories/engagebriefingislamophobiaseptember2010.pdf.pdf). A transcript from today's afternoon hearing can be found on this link (http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Transcript-of-Afternoon-Hearing-24-January-2012.pdf). Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:26:14 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1672&Itemid=  The Independent on Sunday published an article by Joan Smith (http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/joan-smith/joan-smith-strong-religious-belief-is-no-excuse-for-intimidation-6292815.html) yesterday in which she lambasts the British media for its failure to highlight the infringements to free speech demonstrated by recent events and the censorship being applied Muslims through threats of intimidation and violence. Smith writes:“It's been a dreadful week for free speech. A meeting at a prestigious London college had to be abandoned on Monday evening when members of the audience were filmed and threatened by an Islamic extremist. Then the president of a student society at another London college was forced to resign after a Muslim organisation called for a ban on a joky [sic] image of the Prophet Mohammed. Finally, on Friday, the author Sir Salman Rushdie cancelled an appearance at India's largest literary festival, saying he feared an assassination attempt after protests by Muslim clerics. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:19:52 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1671&Itemid=  The Lib Dem by-election candidate who contested for a local councillor position in the Redcar and Cleveland Newcomen Ward has lost a safe Lib Dem seat, after he posted Islamophobic comments on his Facebook page (http://iengage.org.uk/component/content/article/1-news/1649-lib-dem-by-election-candidate-anti-muslim-remarks), Political Scrapbook reveals (http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/01/lib-dem-islamophobe-loses-election/): “The Liberal Democrats have lost a previously safe council seat after Political Scrapbook published a series of shocking islamophobic comments from their candidate. Dave Stones’ sick remarks came to light two weeks ago and were resolutely ignored by Lib Dem senior leadership despite overwhelming criticism from a host of anti-racism institutions.” Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:03:49 +0100 http://www.iengage.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1670&Itemid=  The BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-16626068) reports that an 11 year old girl was attacked in Sunbury-on-Thames “for no reason other than because she was wearing a headscarf." From the BBC:“A race attack in Surrey on an 11-year-old girl will be the focus of community talks in Sunbury-on-Thames. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:56:15 +0100