Georgian nationalists protest against new mosque

"Let's say no to Turkish religious and economic expansion!"

This was the main slogan of a protest rally organized by a group of Georgian nationalists outside the government's house. Members of the non-governmental organization named "National Front" staged the protest against construction of a new mosque in the sea-side city of Batumi near the Turkish border.

Protesters called on the government to annul agreements with Ankara for construction of the new mosque, as well as stop accommodating Turkish citizens in the coastal region of Adjara, which stipulates revision of visa relations with Turkey.

Press TV, 11 March 2013

See also "Georgian PM does not understand opponents of mosque construction in Batumi", Trend, 14 March 2013

The proposal to build a new mosque at Batumi was the subject of a much larger protest last year.

iERA issues statement on UCL 'gender segregation' controversy

The Islamic Education & Research Academy has issued a statement in response to the controversy over the "Islam or atheism" debate at University College London last Saturday.

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Frenchman convicted of veil assault

A Frenchman who ripped a Muslim woman's veil off her face as she strolled in a fairground was Wednesday given a five-month suspended prison sentence and ordered to compensate his victim.

The 30-year-old man, who admitted charges of aggravated assault, had justified the September 2012 attack at the time as an attempt to uphold a controversial law banning women from wearing niqabs, face-covering veils, in public.

That defence was thrown out by public prosecutors, who accused him of acting as a vigilante and carrying out an assault motivated by his victim's religious faith.

The man, who was not publicly identified on the request of his lawyers, was also convicted of presenting a false identity to police.

The incident in the western city of Nantes was the latest in a series triggered by France's controversial ban on the wearing of full face veils in public, which came into force in April 2011.

AFP, 13 March 2013

Dawkins defends Enlightenment values

Last Saturday the Islamic Education and Research Academy organised a debate at University College London between iERA's Hamza Tzortzis and atheist scientist Lawrence Krauss on the topic "Islam or atheism. Which makes more sense?"

Krauss was unhappy about the organisation of the event, claiming that the audience was separated on the basis of gender, and he tweeted the following comment, which was widely publicised: "Almost walked out of debate as it ended up segregated + saw 3 kids being ejected for sitting in wrong place. I packed up and they caved in."

Krauss's complaint was seized on by fellow atheist Richard Dawkins, who informed his Twitter followers: "At UC London debate between a Muslim and Lawrence Krauss, males & females had to sit separately. Krauss threatened to leave." He added sarcastically: "I don't think Muslims should segregate sexes at University College London events. Oh NO, how very ISLAMOPHOBIC of me. How RACIST of me."

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Germany bans Salafi groups for advocating sharia law

German far-right campaigns for the suppression of IslamGermany on Wednesday banned three ultra-conservative Salafist Muslim groups which the Interior Ministry said wanted to overturn democracy and install a system based on sharia, or Islamic law.

The ban, which took effect in the western states of Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia in the early morning, is the latest step taken by German authorities who have increased surveillance of Salafists who espouse a radical version of Islam.

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Melbourne mosque get go ahead from local council

Supporters of a mosque in Doveton's industrial area have urged anti-Islamic cleric Pastor Danny Nalliah and his followers in the Catch the Fire Ministries to learn to live with it.

Outside Casey Council chambers on Tuesday night, supporters were quietly jubilant after Casey councillors ticked off the mosque in accordance with a recommendation from their planners. But Mr Nalliah, who has led the campaign against the mosque, described the decision as "a sad day for Australia" and said his group would appeal to the Supreme or Victorian Court to overturn it.

A spokeswoman for the applicants, Sherene Hassan, urged Mr Nalliah and his followers to follow Jesus' precept and "love thy neighbour". "That's what we plan to do," she said. "But we haven't felt much love from this group." The mosque is being built next to Catch the Fire's new headquarters and church, and Ms Hassan said they would welcome visitors from the neighbouring church.

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'Concrete steps needed' for Athens mosque

Greece's foreign minister has reiterated his government's call to construct a mosque in Athens, but minority representatives in the country have expressed their skepticism about the administration's sincerity.

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Christians express outrage over threats to mosque

Christians in west Oxfordshire have signed a letter expressing "shock and outrage" at discrimination against Muslims in Chipping Norton.

A planned mosque in the town fell through last month after landlord Georg Wissinter received a threat that it would be burnt to the ground. Applicant Tahirul Hasan, a town councillor, had received planning permission to convert the former shop in Hitchmans Mews into a mosque. The town's 34-strong Muslim community had planned to open from sunrise until one hour after sunset for 10-minute prayers five times a day.

The letter says: "As Christians we know that Jesus called us to love God and our neighbour as we love ourselves. It is for us to welcome the stranger and to be hospitable to all. We affirm that all people have the right to be treated as human beings with the freedom to practice their faith without fear of persecution."

The letter is signed by 38 Christians, including Witney Congregational Church minister the Rev Jason Boyd, High Street Methodist Church minister the Rev Richard Donoghue, and Chipping Norton team vicar David Salter.

Witney Gazette, 12 March 2013

Islamophobia in the USA

Sheila Musaji has posted the text of the keynote speech given by Nathan Lean, author of The Islamophobia Industry, at the "Facing religious intolerance: Islamophobia in 21st century America" symposium at the American Islamic College in Chicago last month.

The American Muslim, 12 March 2013

EDL protester in court for racist outburst

A protester who made racist remarks to a police officer and spat at another during last month's EDL and anti-fascist protests in Cambridge pleaded guilty yesterday.

Roy May, 56, of Elmfield Road, Cambridge, urinated outside a house in Emmanuel Street on February 23 when street closures for the protest were taking place. Pc Singh confronted May about what he was doing and received a torrent of racial abuse, city magistrates were told.

Delia Matthews, prosecuting, said: "He was swearing and his words were slurred because he was drunk." May then spat at police officers, catching Pc Helen Greenfield on the cheek.

May will appear in court again on March 18 for sentencing.

Cambridge News, 12 March 2013