11:01am Friday 11th September 2009
We the undersigned strongly oppose plans by the English Defence League— a group we believe is linked to the fascist BNP — to demonstrate against Harrow Central Mosque.
The EDL is a racist group out to attack Asians. It is trying to provoke and intimidate Muslim people by organising its “protest” on a Friday in the holy month of Ramadan.
Islamophobia — bigotry against Muslims — is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the Thirties.
Today, they threaten the mosque, tomorrow it could be a synagogue, temple, or church. Today, they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, blacks, gays, travellers or Eastern Europeans.
There is no place for Nazis, racists or the BNP in Harrow’s multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious community.
Tony McNulty, MP for Harrow East
Gareth Thomas, MP for Harrow East
Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North
Dawn Butler, MP for Brent South
Navin Shah, London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow
Jo Lang, president Harrow Teachers Association Nick Grant,
NUT National Executive National Union of Students Harrow College
Martin Francis, Green Party candidate, Brent North
Abdul Omer Mohsin, Unite union, Harrow and Edgware bus garages
Hitesh Patel, Unite union Harrow Weald bus garage
Raj Gill, branch secretary, GMB Harrow
Pete Firmin, president Brent Trades Council
Alf Filer, University and College Union Harrow College
Indro Sen, UCU College of North West London An-Nisa Society
Milad Ahmed, Muslim Youth Helpline Watford Trades Council
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