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| Police investigate far-right 'invasions' of Bradford and Glasgow mosques | Police investigate far-right 'invasions' of Bradford and Glasgow mosques |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police in Bradford and Scotland have launched an investigation after a group of far-right activists "invaded" mosques in the cities over the weekend. | |
| Representatives of Britain First, an offshoot of the British National party which is contesting this month's local and European elections, carried out what they called a "Christian crusade", handing out leaflets and bibles to Muslim worshippers. | Representatives of Britain First, an offshoot of the British National party which is contesting this month's local and European elections, carried out what they called a "Christian crusade", handing out leaflets and bibles to Muslim worshippers. |
| In Yorkshire, the group wore matching flatcaps and green jackets embossed with the party logo, which features a crown and the legend: "Taking our country back." | |
| Zulfi Karim, secretary of the Bradford Council of Mosques, said the action marked a new wave of extremist action and was co-ordinated with "almost military precision". | Zulfi Karim, secretary of the Bradford Council of Mosques, said the action marked a new wave of extremist action and was co-ordinated with "almost military precision". |
| He said none of the Bradford mosques affected wanted to go on the record about what happened, lest they get visited again. | He said none of the Bradford mosques affected wanted to go on the record about what happened, lest they get visited again. |
| Azhar Dim, secretary trustee at Cumbernauld mosque in North Lanarkshire, said: "The initial approach of the group felt very intimidating, hostile and threatening, and they asked to speak to the imam in a raised voice. The event occurred out of the blue and shocked some of the worshippers present. | |
| "However, when the imam appeared they spoke calmly, and the situation became calmer and people were less concerned. The leader presented the imam with some leaflets on 'grooming' and a bible and spoke very calmly, before leaving shortly after." | |
| Police Scotland said it was investigating complaints made by Glasgow central mosque and Cumbernauld mosque on Sunday night. | Police Scotland said it was investigating complaints made by Glasgow central mosque and Cumbernauld mosque on Sunday night. |
| Detectives in Bradford were trying to establish whether any criminal offences were committed when at least three of the city's mosques were targeted. | Detectives in Bradford were trying to establish whether any criminal offences were committed when at least three of the city's mosques were targeted. |
| On Monday night, George Galloway, the MP for Bradford West, toured three mosques which had been attacked. | |
| In a statement he demanded that the home secretary, Theresa May, take action to reassure the community and ban Britain First, which he called "a racist, neo-fascist gang of fanatics". | In a statement he demanded that the home secretary, Theresa May, take action to reassure the community and ban Britain First, which he called "a racist, neo-fascist gang of fanatics". |
| Galloway said: "It was first with dismay, then incredulity and finally anger that I learned that more than 48 hours after these jackbooted thugs had burst in on worshippers to desecrate holy places there has been absolutely no contact with any of the imams or members of the local Council for Mosques by the Home Office … | Galloway said: "It was first with dismay, then incredulity and finally anger that I learned that more than 48 hours after these jackbooted thugs had burst in on worshippers to desecrate holy places there has been absolutely no contact with any of the imams or members of the local Council for Mosques by the Home Office … |
| "Theresa May should have been on the first train to Bradford trailing officials and reassuring the Muslim community that not only would the perpetrators be punished but that she would ensure that an outrage like this never occurs again. Instead? A stony silence. | "Theresa May should have been on the first train to Bradford trailing officials and reassuring the Muslim community that not only would the perpetrators be punished but that she would ensure that an outrage like this never occurs again. Instead? A stony silence. |
| "I have written to the home secretary slating her failure, and that of her department, in dealing with this and calling on her to urgently come to grips with it." | "I have written to the home secretary slating her failure, and that of her department, in dealing with this and calling on her to urgently come to grips with it." |
| In a joint statement David Green, the leader of Bradford council, and his counterparts from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups, said: "We stand together to condemn strongly this outrageous behaviour by outside agitators in some mosques over the weekend. We understand that nobody from Bradford district was involved in these incidents. | In a joint statement David Green, the leader of Bradford council, and his counterparts from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups, said: "We stand together to condemn strongly this outrageous behaviour by outside agitators in some mosques over the weekend. We understand that nobody from Bradford district was involved in these incidents. |
| "All houses of worship should be treated with respect by all members of every community, regardless of their faith or culture. Anybody who enters any house of worship must abide by the rules of that religion. | "All houses of worship should be treated with respect by all members of every community, regardless of their faith or culture. Anybody who enters any house of worship must abide by the rules of that religion. |
| "An attack on any house of worship is an attack on everyone and the whole of Bradford district. We will not tolerate any place of worship being disrupted in an aggressive way and subject to disrespect. | "An attack on any house of worship is an attack on everyone and the whole of Bradford district. We will not tolerate any place of worship being disrupted in an aggressive way and subject to disrespect. |
| "We have met with the police and the Council for Mosques and have stressed the absolute importance of all congregations and places of worship being safe. We have received reassurance from the police that: all places of worship are safe, including mosques, churches, temples and synagogues, no mosque has been desecrated, a high-level police investigation is under way and any breach of the law will be pursued vigorously." | "We have met with the police and the Council for Mosques and have stressed the absolute importance of all congregations and places of worship being safe. We have received reassurance from the police that: all places of worship are safe, including mosques, churches, temples and synagogues, no mosque has been desecrated, a high-level police investigation is under way and any breach of the law will be pursued vigorously." |
| Britain First caused controversy recently after using "Remember Lee Rigby" as their party slogan, an act which prompted the Electoral Commission to change the rules on how political parties describe themselves on ballot papers. | |
| David Ward, Bradford East's Lib Dem MP, said he feared the incidents were being blown out of proportion. Until further evidence is accumulated it would not be right to comment further, he said. | David Ward, Bradford East's Lib Dem MP, said he feared the incidents were being blown out of proportion. Until further evidence is accumulated it would not be right to comment further, he said. |
| Detective Superintendent Lisa Griffin, of Bradford district police, said: "We would like to reassure the people of Bradford that this matter is being taken seriously, and that appropriate action will be taken if any offences have been committed." | Detective Superintendent Lisa Griffin, of Bradford district police, said: "We would like to reassure the people of Bradford that this matter is being taken seriously, and that appropriate action will be taken if any offences have been committed." |
| Britain First describes itself as "a patriotic political party and street defence organisation that opposes and fights the many injustices that are routinely inflicted on the British people". | Britain First describes itself as "a patriotic political party and street defence organisation that opposes and fights the many injustices that are routinely inflicted on the British people". |
| Led by Paul Golding, a former BNP councillor and editor of the BNP's Flagship magazine, the party is structured like a paramilitary organisation, with "battalions" representing different regions. | Led by Paul Golding, a former BNP councillor and editor of the BNP's Flagship magazine, the party is structured like a paramilitary organisation, with "battalions" representing different regions. |
| After the weekend's events, Golding wrote on the party's Facebook page that the "Christian crusade" would continue. "Our intelligence team is at present compiling lists of home address's [sic] of Bradford MPs, councillors, newspaper editors and Muslim community leaders/imams, and we will be visiting them all over the next couple of weeks. | After the weekend's events, Golding wrote on the party's Facebook page that the "Christian crusade" would continue. "Our intelligence team is at present compiling lists of home address's [sic] of Bradford MPs, councillors, newspaper editors and Muslim community leaders/imams, and we will be visiting them all over the next couple of weeks. |
| "We will also continue our invasions of Bradford mosques, madrassas and community centres – we are only getting warmed up! We appeal to moderate Muslims to act against the 'enemy within' or we will!" | "We will also continue our invasions of Bradford mosques, madrassas and community centres – we are only getting warmed up! We appeal to moderate Muslims to act against the 'enemy within' or we will!" |