"MPACUK (Muslim Public Affairs Committee/UK) Condemns Friday's March!"

[iverglas]

Muslim Public Affairs Committee of the UK (MPACUK) news release:

http://www.mpacuk.org/content/view/4/1351/103/

The Mosque leaders hadn’t organised a peaceful march, lobbying day, letter-writing protest, in fact the Mosque leaders didn’t organise anything at all. The un-elected, trustees of the Mosques showed just how out of touch they were with the community at large once again. Leaving young Muslims wanting to do something, but not knowing what to do.

In the vacuum, al Mahajaroun stepped in. It was a deliberate attempt at hijacking legitimate Muslim anger, at the Islamaphobic cartoons in some European papers.

It seemed the group served one function alone, that of "rent-a-bogeyman" to prove Muslims were "unreasonable fanatics". Just one example of how desperate they were to get onto the Media to promote their hate and demonise Muslim's further, was highlighted by the fact that when the story broke they even camped outside the BBC – tell us that isn't a deliberate ploy to get attention.

It was disgusting to see these Muslims spouting their evil, helping the cartoonists who demonised the Prophet PBUH by making non Muslims think we are all some crazed fanatics who want to “kill the infidel” and harm more people with another bombing in London. The group number no more then 50 people. But they harm two million with their Media stunts to get on the TV. ...

with link to BBC video:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4680000/newsid_4681500/bb_wm_4681578.stm
(click to watch)

A leading UK Muslim has said those who advocated violence over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad should be prosecuted.

Muslim Public Affairs Committee chairman Asghar Bukhari said he was outraged by the behaviour of some protesters in London.

Must see reading and video for anyone who actually wants to discuss the current events intelligently and honestly.

Bukhari was interviewed on CBC Newsworld yesterday. Anything in the US mainstream media?

Even more must-see video -- interview with Die Welt and MPACUK representatives:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4670000/newsid_4675400/bb_rm_4675436.stm

Protests have spread across the Muslim world over the publication in Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Roger Koeppel from Die Welt discussed why his paper had chosen to reprint the images with Muslim leader Asghar Bukhari.

Bukhari addresses the specious Jerry Springer opera / anti-Muslim cartoons equivalency and "free speech" arguments.

"This is not about debate", says Bukhari, "this is about demonization".

I find it hard to see how anyone could see such editorial commentary, in the present political context in Europe, as anything other than that.

And I find it hard to see how anyone familiar with the process used by the fascist/racist right wing in Europe to demonize Jews in the last century could fail to recognize this "satire" of Muslims and Islam for what it is.