HARROW politicians held a high level meeting with police yesterday as plans for an anti-Islam rally began to take shape.

Stop Islamisation of Europe (SIOE) has announced its controversial protest against Harrow Central Mosque, in Station Road, will take place by Harrow Council's car park, at 2pm, on December 13.

Campaigners from Unite Against Fascism (UAF) have vowed to hold their own counter demonstration in opposition to the group, which describes itself as islamaphobic.

Councillor Susan Hall, responsible for community safety at the council, was among a cross-party delegation to meet Commander Bob Broadhurst, in charge of public order police at the Met.

She said: “Harrow is an area where communities have always enjoyed good relations, but once again we face the prospect of our streets being used as some kind of mutual staging post by those with extreme views.

“This borough has no truck with those who come here to cause violence, or those who misuse the name of Islam and visit with a violent agenda of their own.

“I would once again appeal to the organisers of this event to think again and call off their demonstration. I also hope Unite Against Fascism will not use this as a bandwagon for confrontation.

“The Council, police and faith leaders are working closely together and we do not need outside groups to speak for us.”

Councillor Bill Stephenson, leader of the Labour Group, said: “We were meeting the highest level officers we could meet and we discussed all the aspects of the forthcoming demonstration.

“We were impressed with the interest in our problems, our desires and what we require.”

SIOE held another demonstration on September 11 which was countered by UAF and ended in violent scenes and a number of arrests.

Ghulam Rabbani, general secretary of the mosque, said: “Our message to the young people who will be attending is not to fall into the trap from those who clearly want to provoke you into an angry response.

“Foremost, our message is: if you want to help, then stay away on the day. We have the fullest confidence in the police to safeguard the mosque.

“If you are to attend we request that you are not disruptive. We should be open, proud of our faith and behave with the correct Islamic etiquette at all times.”

Sarah Cox, of the Brent and Harrow branch of UAF, said the group will take the mosque's request into account but stressed the rally posed a threat to the whole community.

She said: “I know there was division last time between those who thought you can keep your head down and the Fascists will go away and leave you alone.

“It doesn't work like that. You do have to stand up and confront them with numbers. I'm not talking about confronting them violently – the aim is to get the numbers to represent the whole community.

“It's not just the mosque and Muslims who oppose these people – by attacking the mosque they are attacking the whole concept of a multi-cultural society.”