Britain First ‘invades’ Bradford and Glasgow mosques
Categories: Latest News
Thursday May 15 2014
The Independent, Daily Star, Guardian, ITV News, Bradford Telegraph and Argus, Yorkshire Post and Herald Scotland, all report on the far right group, Britain First’s distribution of anti-Muslim grooming gang leaflets and British Army Bibles to “mega-mosques” in Bradford and Glasgow. The group’s most recent visits follows the launch of its election campaign last month in the North West of England.
The papers report that the far right members staged visits to 10 places of worship in Bradford as well as 2 in Glasgow posting images of themselves confronting worshippers on Facebook. According to the Guardian, the Britain First leader, Paul Golding, proclaimed that his team of activists had distributed 100 Bibles.
The Yorkshire Post, which has seen copies of the leaflets distributed, reports that the material claims Islam “remains hostile to our democratic, western culture” and accuses authorities of “turning a blind eye” to what it describes as “Muslim grooming”.
The group have also posted a video showing their Defence Force’s Yorkshire Brigade campaign on “Direct action against Muslim Grooming Gangs in Bradford”. The video shows 10 far right activists visiting mosques in Bradford.
Golding says his message was to tell Muslim leaders that “This is our country and if they don’t do something about Muslim grooming gangs in their community then they will suffer the consequences because we’re not taking this lightly anymore. We’re sick to death of our girls being sexually molested and groomed by Muslim grooming gangs.”
To one imam, he states “The Bible, the Jesus Christ our Lord wants to save you from Hell. Will you reject the false Prophethood and read the Bible?”
The far right group also paid a visit to Labour councillor Nazzam Azam’s Campaign office where Golding confronts one of the staff stating “We’re here to do something about the problem of Muslim grooming gangs in our country especially in Bradford because they’re widespread and the Muslim community are doing nothing about it. The organised grooming gangs that exist in the – Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs.”
When repeatedly asked to leave, Golding says “You have been warned. Let’s see some action in your community to sort out this Muslim grooming gang. OK? There you go – here’s a Bible.”
In addition, the far right members attempted to confront the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Khadim Hussain, at his home after Hussain refused to entertain a meeting with Golding. Having spoken to two of his daughters, who told him he was not home, one of the activists accuses them of lying. Golding has previously visited the home of local councillor Salim Mulla in Blackburn.
Following the incidents, Bradford West MP George Galloway posted on Twitter “If British Muslims – God forbid – invaded ten British churches and abused those inside, posted the videos – think it would be on the news?
“Abusing those worshipping there? This is a grave and national issue. We demand full police action and protection of Mosques and worshippers.”
Following his tweet, Galloway claims he had “received an explicit threat from the [Britain First)” and had “handed over a screen grab of it to the police force.”
Galloway, who has accused the group of deliberately fuelling racial tension, is reported to have discussed the issue of far right groups from going into mosques to distribute leaflets with the West Yorkshire Police. Forces in West Yorkshire and Scotland have launched investigations to establish whether any crimes were committed. Herald Scotland notes that a Scottish government has further urged an inquiry into how Britain First secured British Army Bibles for their campaign to invade mosques.
The Guardian, the Independent and the Daily Star also note Britain First’s Facebook message from Paul Golding in which he states:
“WE WILL BE BACK IN BRADFORD VERY SHORTLY!”
“It’s as simple as this: take action or we will continue our Christian Crusade.”
“Our intelligence team is at present compiling lists of home address’s 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!”