Should we 'Let the odious Al Muhajiroun Speak'?

Following news that a group of Muslims in Luton forced Al Muhajiroun members in the town into retreat on Saturday, Inayat Bunglawala, ENGAGE Advisor on Research and Policy writes that we should, ‘Let the odious Al Muhajiroun Speak‘.

He writes:

‘In my experience, the overwhelming majority of UK Muslims are deeply embarrassed and ashamed of the Muhajiroun followers who invariably tended to be unemployed layabouts and local bullies. If the Muhajiroun followers had not been Muslims, they would almost certainly have been football hooligans. But holding up offensive placards and organising meetings with inflammatory titles is not exactly against the law.’

‘Is it not more in keeping with our ideals to allow al-Muhajiroun to give vent to their odious views and expose their ideas to the ridicule they deserve? The only people who should be taking the Muhajiroun activists seriously are the police and the security services who should be ready to haul them before the courts if they cross the line from simply voicing offensive opinion to actually inciting violence and race hatred. A number of Muhajiroun supporters have indeed now been successfully prosecuted in recent years.

‘That seems to be a more prudent approach to dealing with them than declaring futile bans on organisations or encouraging a kind of vigilantism to deal with those whose views and opinions we find thoroughly distasteful.’

Do you agree? Are the interests of Al Muhajiroun and other agent provocateurs advanced when we drive them out and underground? Are we doing them a favour when we grant them the notoriety and publicity they so obviously crave? Or are Muslims who tell them they’re not wanted and to peddle their hate elsewhere doing us all a favour?