London, March 19, IRNA – MPs, including former ministers, have joined trade unions and numerous organisations in condemning the latest anti-Muslim protest being held by the right-wing English Defence League (EDL) on Saturday.
Stop the War Coalition, Britain’s main peace group network, is also leading a counter-demonstration against the provocative march planned in Bolton, north-west England.
“The EDL is a group of racists and football hooligans with close links to the fascist British National Party,” the MPs said in a joint statement obtained by IRNA.
“Islamophobia – bigotry against Muslims – is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s,” the statement warned.
“Today they threaten mosques, tomorrow it could be a synagogue, temple or church. Today they threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, black, Asian or Eastern European people, travellers or lesbian, gay and transgender people,” it said.
The anti-Muslim protest is the latest organised by fascist groups in the UK, who use loopholes in the country’s law to incite religious hatred against Muslims. Unlike Jews and Sikhs, Muslims are not protected under race relations legislation.
Several of the protest marches have erupted in violence and led to clashes with counter-demonstrations, often organised by Unite Against Fascism, as well as with the police.
The MPs include former Education Secretary Ruth Kelly, former Children’s Minister Margaret Hodge, former Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes and former Foreign Office Minister Tony Lloyd. The statement was also signed by former London mayor Ken Livingstone.
“Let’s gather in such large numbers that we make it clear to these fascist and racist thugs that they are not welcome here. Let’s protest against the racists and fascists, oppose their politics of hatred and defend Bolton’s diverse and united community,” they said.
Earlier this month, several MPs also backed calls for the setting up of a parliamentary committee to hold an inquiry into the rise of Islamophobia in the UK.
Sponsored the call, Britain’s first Muslim MP Mohammed Sarwar warned that the growing spate of Islamophobic attacks in all its forms was a “big challenge”.
The Conservative’s Shadow Minister for Justice, David Burrows urged people to contact their local MPs to motivate them to become more involved, saying: “The community must show the extent of the problem and make politicians act”.
The initiative is also being supported by chair of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Phyllis Starkey, who has emphasised on the importance of focusing on ‘respect’ as opposed to ‘tolerance’.