Vandals deface sign of future mosque, Muslim center
— CTV Ottawa reports: — “Ottawa’s Muslim community is expressing concern after a sign marking the future location of a mosque and Muslim community centre in Barrhaven was defaced.”
— “The organization says several similar instances of hate have been reported at mosques in Hamilton, Calgary and Waterloo in the last four months. A mosque in Pickering was spray-painted earlier this week.”
— “Ottawa’s Muslim community says although the vandalism has them concerned, they believe the vandals’ sentiment is not widespread.”
— “The red and black graffiti was discovered by residents in the area early Friday morning. It has since been removed. Ottawa police are investigating.”
— “The latest statistics show there were 785 hate crimes committed in 2007.”
— “Jewish people are listed as the most frequent targets, accounting for 16 per cent of hate crime victims. Muslims are targeted about four per cent of the time.”
Canadian CTV: "Offensive words were spray painted on this sign located at the site of a future mosque and Muslim community centre in Barrhaven. The graffiti was discovered Friday, April 30, 2010." (Photo: CTV)Canada's CTV: "Local residents discovered vulgar words on this sign on Woodroffe Avenue, marking the future site of a mosque and Muslim community centre, Friday, April 30, 2010." (Photo: CTV)
White supremacist, Neo-Nazi Jonathan Edward Stone sentenced to 4 years in prison for role in February 2008 firebombing of Islamic Center of Columbia in Maury county.
White Supremacist, Nazi Johnathan Edward Stone Gets 4 Years in Prison for Firebombing Mosque in Tennessee
The Manchester Evening News quotes Ali Anees, chairman of the Eccles and Salford Mosque, who told reporters that: “We have had problems regularly. In March, someone threw paint over the outside of the mosque and wrote graffiti. Then at about 2am last Saturday two men got into the grounds. One is on film throwing bricks which had been taken from a wall of a neighbouring building. They attacked the building twice in about 20 minutes. Three sections of the windows were smashed and bricks were found inside the office of the mosque. We had another incident in March when eggs were thrown at people leaving the mosque by people driving past. After a lot of damage was caused in 2006, we had people come forward to help us and in the last two years we have spent £425,000 on new buildings. We have up to 500 members and they are very angry about the attacks. We want the culprits caught.”
Clip from YouTube Video of Attack on Mosque by Brick Throwing Individual (Photo: YouTube)Broken Windows Shown in Eccles Mosque Attack (Photo: Manchester Evening News)
Embedded YouTube Video of Attack
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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our unqualified, universal human rights for all people.
Multiple media sources have reported on the attack on the Bilal Ibn Rabah mosque in the village of Huwwara and the Israeli military state that is investigating the attack and will bring the perpetrators to justice.
Ma’an News reports: — “After the Bilal Ibn Rabah mosque in the village of Huwwara, south of Nablus, was vandalized by anonymous suspects late Wednesday night, the Israeli military expressed condemnation and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.”
— “The army said in a statement that the Star of David symbol and the caption ‘Muhammad’ in Hebrew were among the graffiti painted on the wall of the mosque. In addition, two vehicles owned by Palestinians were reportedly set on fire in the village.”
— “‘The Commander of the IDF Judea and Samaria division, Brig. Gen. Nitzan Alon ordered an immediate investigation into the incident, condemned the acts and said that those responsible should be brought to justice,’ the statement noted.”
— “‘The IDF conveyed a message to the Palestinians through the Civil Administration to reassure them that the IDF takes the matter of harming or vandalizing of holy sites very seriously. It should be noted that the Civil Administration erased the graffiti this morning.'”
Reuters: "A Palestinian cleans near a Star of David that was painted in the Bilal Ibn Rabah mosque in the West Bank village of Hawara near Nablus April 14, 2010." (Photo: REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini)
Jerusalem Post reports:
— W. Bank mosque vandalized, cars torched
— Jerusalem Post states that: “On another apparent act of settler violence as part of their ‘price-tag’ campaign, a West Bank mosque was vandalized overnight Tuesday.”
— “The IDF said that graffiti, including a Star of David and the name Mohammad, was sprayed on the Bilal Ibn Rabah mosque in Hawara, south of Nablus, while two vehicles were torched in the village.”
— “‘Price-tag’ is a term used by settlers either to retaliate against government decisions which curb settlement activity or in response to Palestinian attacks.”
— “Brig.-Gen. Nitzan Alon, commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, ordered an immediate investigation, saying in a statement that the vandalism was ‘unacceptable’ and that the perpetrators must be brought to justice.”
— “The army passed on messages via the Civil Administration to reassure the Palestinians that the military viewed damage to holy places very severely.” Ethiopian Review and Reuters reports:
— “Palestinians accuse Jewish settlers of mosque attack” — “The Israeli authorities have launched investigations into at least two other attacks on Muslim sites in the Nablus area since December. They could not immediately say whether either probe had resulted in charges being brought against suspects.”
— “Palestinians believe Jewish settlers were behind both the December arson attack on a mosque in the village of Yasuf and acts of vandalism in a cemetery in the village of Awarta in January.”
— “The Israeli police arrested one teenager from a Jewish settlement in connection with the Yasuf mosque attack. He was questioned and released without charge.”
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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our unqualified, universal human rights for all people.
Daily Mail reports: “Police clash with right-wing demonstrators during protest against plans for new mosque”
— “Violent clashes broke out between riot police and right-wing protesters today during a demonstration against plans for a new mosque.”
— “About 2,000 members of the English Defence League descended on Dudley town centre in the West Midlands to demonstrate at plans for a new mosque.”
— “Some of the protesters broke out of a pen in a car park, breaking down metal fences and throwing the metal brackets at officers, who were armed with riot shields and batons.”
— “Members of the demonstration started fighting their own stewards who were trying to calm them down as they attacked the fences penning them in.”
— “The EDL had put signs up which read ‘Labour forcing mosques on Britain’ and ‘No one wants this mosque’.”
— “Some demonstrators held placards reading ‘Muslim bombers off our streets’ and ‘Say no to the mosque’.”
— “The national anthem was played on a speaker system while demonstrators waved the flag of St George.”
— “Dudley Council said in a statement on its website: ‘We didn’t invite the EDL to our town and we don’t want them here.'”
— “But the council said it did not have the power to ban the event.”
— “It said: ‘The council has worked closely with the police to do all it can to protect and support local people, traders, businesses and the town centre.”
— “‘The EDL is proposing a static protest (rather than a march) and there is no legal requirement for an organiser of such a protest to notify the police or the council of their definite plans.”
— “‘West Midlands Police is committed to facilitating lawful and peaceful protests, while supporting and protecting all communities.'”
— “The mosque is planned for Hall Street with details on the design and positioning of the building due for submission by July 2011.”
— “In July last year the council lost a high court challenge to prevent the planning application being given the go ahead.”
— “The EDL protesters managed to break out of the car park by pulling down fences and barging their way past riot police officers.”
— “About half the group then ran off through the town.”
— “Lines of riot police officers fought running battles with protesters as they tried to contain the mob who pulled down barriers blocking off roads.”
— “Nick Mainwood, 42, from Oldbury, West Midlands, said he tried to help an elderly woman who suffered a panic attack during the protest.”
— “He said: ‘I came down here for a peaceful protest but it was horrible, absolutely horrible.'”
— “Patricia Taylor, 61, said she was trying to get home after a day out shopping with her 19-month old grandson, Ashley.”
— “‘We’ve been trying to get home since dinner time and the police have told us to go one way and then another but it is all blocked. It’s terrifying with the little one and we just want to get home.'”
— “Unite Against Fascism (UAF) held a peaceful protest in the town earlier today in an area which could not be seen from the rival demonstration.”
Clashes: English Defence League protesters break through barriers during a demonstration through the streets of Dudley (Photo: Daily Mail/PA Wire - David Jones)
at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Steps – Washington DC — March 28, 2010 – 2 PM to 4 PM
— check weather conditions before coming – if intermittent rain we will wait inside the Lincoln Memorial until it stops – if steady rain we will reschedule
— Public Awareness Event in Support of in Support of Racial Equality, Gender Equality, and Religious Freedom — Rejecting Hate (2 PM to 3 PM)
— Sudan and Darfur (3 PM to 4 PM)
— for more information email us at info@realcourage.org
Responsible for Equality and Liberty (R.E.A.L.)’s orange ribbon campaign is to promote consistency in equality and liberty for all people of every race, gender, and religion, in the United States and the world. We also know that without a consistent commitment to equality, we cannot realize human liberty.
R.E.A.L.'s Orange Ribbon Campaign for Equality And Liberty
Yes, We Can promote racial equality and defy racial supremacism. But we must act, and we must get our message of love for our universal human rights and our fellow human beings out to the public. We need to urge them to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.
Pray for and Reach Out to Those Hearts Burdened by Hate - Ask Them to Rejoin the Consensus that Defends Human Rights, Human Equality, & Human Dignity
2. Promoting Gender Equality – Defying Misogyny. Not Just Men, But All Women Are Also Created Equal. This is why we continue to call for full Constitutional Equality for women in America. Surely, America cannot be the last place where we fight for women’s rights, it must be the first place. American women deserve Constitutional Equality – because they are worth it. That must be a national declaration, never a question.
Our support for consistent human rights in being responsible for equality and liberty always includes all women as a fundamental basis for our activism. No matter what the issue is, somewhere, somehow, women are ultimately affected.
We stand in solidarity with our sisters in American and around the world for their gender equality, freedom, and lives. Especially in the case of our oppressed sisters everywhere, we urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.
Women Still Being Stoned to Death
3. Defending Religious Freedom – Defying Religious Extremism and Totalitarian Oppression. In being responsible for equality and liberty, we also defend our universal human right to religious freedom for all. Today, many do not have such rights of religious freedom. Others live in constant fear and threat for exercising this most basic human right of freedom of conscience. We stand to speak in support of such freedoms for all.
In America, we see hatred of those with different religions too often. We are responsible for standing up for religious pluralism and freedom in America and around the world. This means rejecting those who would defile churches, mosques, synagogues, and other houses of worship. We reject those ideologies of hate and individuals who promote hatred against any religion, including those who would deny all human beings the freedom of conscience to change their religion. We reject hate groups in America such as the so-called “Westboro Baptist Church”“hate group” , as well as those whose mission is to spread hatred against and attack people of other faiths.
In America Today: Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Other Houses of Worship Attacked
UCAN reports on Pakistan mob attack: "A Christian house set ablaze"
Freedom of conscience is our commitment to equality of worship.
We stand united, responsible for such equality and liberty, in America and around the world.
Where Our Universal Human Rights Apply...
Our Cause: Equality And Liberty for All — for All Races, Genders, and Religions
These causes are all related to our common commitment, our common consensus, our shared universal human rights of equality and liberty. We share this consensus with one another. Let us use this day, this opportunity, on March 28 to help the public become aware of how much we have in common, and how the using the power behind our shared commitment to equality and liberty can change America – and can change the world.
As we urge those in America and around the world to…
Orange Ribbon for Universal Human Rights - Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)
March 28 Event Logistics: Our event will be held from 2 to 4 PM on Sunday March 28, at the reflecting pool steps in front of the Lincoln Memorial (not the Lincoln Memorial steps). We are recommending that attendees take public transportation via the Washington subway to either the Foggy Bottom metro stop and walk south to the Lincoln Memorial, or the Smithsonian metro stop and walk west along the National Mall and 17th street to Lincoln Memorial (see details below).
Important note – the reflecting pool steps where our event will be located is on the east side of the 23rd street that goes between the Lincoln Memorial itself and the reflecting pool in front of it.
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Steps Location for Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) Rally
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC is on the far end of the National Mall and bisects 23rd Street (see PDF of map). It can be reached from Constitution Avenue from Henry Bacon Drive and from Independence Avenue from Henry French Drive. Limited parking may be available on Independence Avenue or Madison Avenue near the National Mall, or at the Jefferson Memorial. However, parking in Washington DC is scarce, and using public transportation is strongly recommended.
DC Subway and Walking Directions
Walking from Foggy Bottom subway stop to Lincoln Memorial
— Map in walking from Foggy Bottom to Lincoln Memorial
* Exit station using main exit
* Walk approx. 7 blocks S on 23rd St NW. (stay on 23rd Street essentially until you get within visual range of Lincoln Memorial)
* Turn right on Lincoln Memorial Circle SW.
* Walk a short distance W on Lincoln Memorial Circle SW.
Walking from Smithsonian subway stop to Lincoln Memorial
* Exit station using 12TH & JEFFERSON (THE MALL) exit
* Walk approx. 2 blocks W on Jefferson Dr SW.
* Turn right on 14th St NW.
* Walk approx. 1 block N on 14th St NW.
— Map in walking from Smithsonian subway to Washington Monument (en route)
* Keep walking past Washington Monument west in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial
* Cross 17th Street going west
* Walk past National World War II Monument west in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial
* Continue to walk down Washington Mall in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial * NOTE: that our rally will be on the side of the reflecting pool nearest the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial Information Center 23rd Street, NW
202-426-6841
Lincoln Memorial is part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The memorial stands in West Potomac Park, near the convergence of numerous roads from throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In terms of placement, the memorial occupies a highly symbolic and important position as the western “bookend” of the National Mall, while the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial provides the eastern component at the foot of Capitol Hill, two miles to the east.
Car
Interstate 395 provides access to the Mall from the South. Interstate 495, New York Avenue, Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the Cabin John Parkway provide access from the North. Interstate 66, U.S. Routes 50 and 29 provide access from the West. U.S. Routes 50, 1, and 4 provide access from the East.
PublicTransportation
There are several Metro train and bus routes from the suburban areas surrounding the city. In addition to Washington, D.C. public transportation, adjacent state and commonwealth transportation authorities offer train service from area cites to the Nation’s Capital. Consult the Public Transportation link for additional details.
Parking
General visitor parking is available along Ohio Drive, SW between the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials. Bus parking is available primarily along Ohio Drive, SW near the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials and along Ohio Drive, SW in East Potomac Park. See the Maps section for a detailed understanding of these areas.
There is limited handicapped parking at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt and World War II Memorials and near the Washington Monument and the Thomas Jefferson, Lincoln, Korean War Veterans, and Vietnam Veterans Memorials; otherwise, parking is extremely scarce in Washington, D.C.
According to the ADL, “Baker allegedly spray-painted swastikas and the words ‘White Power’ on the walls.” ADL also reported that Baker was a member of the racist hate group “Christian Identity,” and all of the members of the arson group were “believed to be members of the white supremacist group Aryan Alliance.” ADL reported that “Stone told officials that his role in the fire got him ‘two stripes’ from Baker, his Christian Identity sponsor. He said Christian Identity members earn stripes ‘for committing acts of violence against enemies,’ according to the affidavit.'”
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 183 Months in Prison for Burning Islamic Center
WASHINGTON – Senior Judge Robert L. Echols of the Middle District of Tennessee today sentenced Eric Ian Baker to 183 months in prison for vandalizing and burning down the Islamic Center of Columbia, Tenn., the Justice Department announced. Baker pleaded guilty on Sept. 18, 2009, to destruction of religious property and using fire to commit a felony.
Baker, 34, previously admitted to the court that he and two others constructed Molotov cocktail explosive devices, ignited them and used them to destroy the mosque on Feb. 9, 2008. Baker further admitted that he committed the arson because of the religious character of the property and that he painted swastikas and the phrase “White Power” on the mosque in the course of the arson.
One of Baker’s co-defendants, Michael Corey Golden, was sentenced to 171 months for his role in the arson. The other co-defendant, Jonathan Edward Stone, pleaded guilty but has not yet been sentenced.
“The right to worship without fear of this kind of violent interference is among our most fundamental civil rights,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “We will aggressively prosecute anyone who seeks to intimidate or injure any congregation because of what they believe, how they worship, or who they are.”
“This type of crime strikes at the heart of our civil rights and religious freedoms in America. I am very pleased that through local, state and federal cooperation, all defendants responsible for this vile attack have been brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Edward M. Yarbrough for the Middle District of Tennessee.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Tennessee State Bomb and Arson and the Columbia, Tenn., Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal McDonough from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nashville and Trial Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti from the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
France: Racist graffiti on French mosque for 6th time
— SAPA/AP reports: “Paris – France’s main Muslim group says a mosque has been defaced with racist graffiti in the sixth such incident this year.”
— “The head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith says racist words were painted over the weekend on the walls of the mosque in Sorgues, in the picturesque Vaucluse region.”
The Tennessean reports on vandalism of a Tennessee mosque, the Al-Farooq Mosque, with crosses and the message “Muslims go home” spray-painted on the exterior of the building.
On February 10, 2010, the Tennessean reported:
— “State, local and federal officials are investigating vandalism discovered this morning at the Al-Farooq Mosque on 4th Avenue South.”
— “The words ‘Muslim go home’ and several crosses were spray-painted in red on the exterior of the building, and an expletive and hate-speech filled note was left at the youth center, according to a board member of the mosque.”
— “‘It was an unexpected thing,’ said Salaad Nur. ‘It kind of shook us.'”
— “Brooks was unsure if there was any physical evidence that might help them solve the crime.”
On February 11, 2010, the Tennessean reported:
— “an expletive and hate-speech filled note was left at the youth center, according to a board member of the mosque”
— “Metro Police Sgt. Brooks Harris of the Specialized Investigations Division said his department will investigate because of the obvious sign that the vandalism could be classified as a hate crime. He said he notified the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as well as the FBI, to see if federal laws were violated and look for potential similarities with vandalism late last year at a mosque site in Murfreesboro.”
Tennessee: Vandalism at the Al-Farooq Mosque (Photo: The Tennesseean/TIRRC)Another Image of the Hate Vandalism at Tennessee Mosque (Photo: JOHN PARTIPILO / THE TENNESSEAN)
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We reject and deplore such vandalism at any houses of worship. We reject those who would promote hatred and fear through “Islamophobia.”
We support our unqualified, universal human rights for all. We urge supporters of ideologies of hate to drop the burden of the hate from their hearts, and to rejoin the family of humanity in support of our universal human rights.
