Daily Mail U.K.
120,000 sign up to Facebook protest to stop Islamic extremist march through Wootton Bassett
By Ian Drury and Andy Dolan
Last updated at 12:50 AM on 04th January 2010
More than 120,000 people had last night signed an internet petition protesting about plans by Islamic extremists to march through Wootton Bassett.
Hate preacher Anjem Choudary sparked outrage by saying his radical group Islam4UK would parade through the town renowned for honouring soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
The firebrand cleric said 500 of his supporters would carry ‘symbolic coffins’ in memory of the Muslim civilians ‘ murdered by merciless’ coalition forces.
Hate preacher: Anjem Choudary, centre, and his followers plan to protest through the town of Wootton Bassett, Wilts.
In remarks designed to cause maximum offence, he compared fallen British heroes to Nazi stormtroopers and the September 11 and July 7 terrorists. He even claimed his plan was backed by families of servicemen and women.
But MPs, military chiefs, moderate Muslims and councillors expressed horror that 42-year-old Choudary was ‘hijacking’ the town for political purposes. In less than 48 hours, more than 120,000 people joined a Facebook campaign opposing the march by Islam4UK, which calls itself a ‘platform’ for the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun.
Petition organiser Jo Cleary, who works with service families, urged supporters to express their ‘alarm and distress’ to Wiltshire Police in a bid to stop the plan.
She said: ‘This group can march anywhere it wishes in the country but has chosen Wootton Bassett to cause outrage and offence. We need our politicians to make a statement saying that this march will never take place.’
Peter Fullarton, whose son James, 24, was killed by a Taliban bomb only weeks after proposing to his fiancee last year said the Government must ban the march or risk an ‘uproar’.
He said: ‘Not only will it be an incredible insult to our war dead and to the fantastic town of Wootton Bassett, but there could be a riot, white extremists could use it as justification for attacks, people could end up being killed. We lost 108 soldiers in Afghanistan last year. For them, if for nobody else, these sickening plans must be stopped.’
Steve Minter, whose son-in-law Serjeant Paul McAleese was also killed by a bomb, said: ‘I am all for free speech, but this is an abuse of our tolerant democracy.
‘Too many of these extremists have been allowed to make Britain their home because they have won the right to political asylum, then they abuse our decency by putting forward views that would lead to execution in their own country.
‘If this march goes ahead – and I hope to God it does not – the police will have an awful job on their hands. I for one will be there to protest.’
Wooton Bassett has a tradition of parading the coffins of local soldiers that died in combat through the town
Shahid Murasaleen, from the moderate Muslim group Minhajul-Quran International UK, said: ‘Extremists like these always claim to speak for Islam and British Muslims yet they are not qualified to do either. This march will achieve nothing other than to incite hate crime against innocent law-abiding Muslims.’
The market town near Swindon has become a symbol of the public’s respect for the troops who make the ultimate sacrifice. Hundreds of mourners line the High Street to pay silent tribute to service personnel repatriated through nearby RAF Lyneham.
Former mayor Chris Wannell said: ‘We are a traditional old English market town who honour very much our Queen and country. If this man has any decency about him he will not hold a march through Wootton Bassett.’
Wiltshire Police confirmed that they were aware of the plan, although Choudary had not contacted them. Islam4UK will have to tell police the date, time and route of a proposed procession.
A police spokesman said: ‘If a march is believed to be likely to result in serious disorder, disruption or damage, then the police can impose conditions upon the organiser.
In exceptional circumstances, police may apply to the local authority for an order prohibiting such a march.’
I fully endorse the petition to ban the islam4uk march in Wootton Bassett
I fully endorse the petition to ban the march of the islam4uk march in Wootton Bassett
I support the petition, the man should be executed
Its about time we starte to wake up to these people. They are the most vile,corrupt people on earth. They will kill at the turn of a penny and our law protects the pigs. If this march goes ahead then there is no justice and we can kiss our british self respect goodbye.
I fully support the petition to ban the march of the 4Uk and any subsequent march that the mentally deranged Anjem Coundary tries to instigate. Negative leadership such as Anjem Choudary’s psycho-mania puts the whole world under threat and can claim lives and has no place in this society or any society. He is a psychopath and should not be allowed to preach to anyone.
Legislation needs to change to deport anyone inciting or brainwashing third parties to inflict pain and suffering on others.
we fully support the petition to stop the islamic extremists march through wootton basset. we don’t want our soldiers being killed! but they deserve our FULL support in Great Britain!!!
I endorse the petition to ban the Islam4UK march through Wooton Basset. This is wholly unacceptable and outrageous. Anjem Choudray should be put in prison and his organisation banned….our government is far too easy on these terrorists and has shied away from the real reasons why the march should not go ahead. It should have a whole lot less to do with the Public Order Act and much more concerning the Anti-Terror legislation …..I cannot believe that these people are even allowed to remain in the UK – it just shows how weak minded we are….stuff their rights, they clearly show no regard for the laws of this land and British society.
Our government are traitors…. they are allowing garbage into our country in the face of our soldiers being maimed and killed. Yes, Choudary should be jailed (forever) but Brown and his cohorts should be arrested for treachery, they have abandoned their country, and even made laws to stop us complaining whilst they support muslims and enforce their vile religious bigotry on our country. Islam should be banned full stop. My heart fails me…what in Gods name can we do to stop this bile and madness?
It never ceases to amaze me, that despite all the evidence, – 9/11 in New York, 7/7 in London and the many other atrocities thoughout Europe and the rest of the world, and on our doorstep the ghettos in a large number of our cities, the rape of our young girls, the demographic expansion of far too many immigrants. With the hate speach that is slavered over us, that there are so many people still accepting the Muslims as a religion of peace, which it most certainly isn’t. yet we have people like Choudrey walking and talking free amongst us. This includes the Immams in the Mosques ranting hate speach about this country. Choudrey should be isolated from decent society.