A group of vigilantes calling themselves "Muslim patrols" patrolled the streets in East London from 2013 to 2014. The individuals were young Sunni Muslim men, members of an organisation that called itself the "Shariah Project". Early in 2013, videos of their activities, filmed by members of the patrol, were uploaded online: these showed hooded members confronting passers-by and demanding that they behave in an Islamic way. They targeted prostitutes, people drinking alcohol, couples who were holding hands, women whom they considered to be dressed immodestly, and harassed others whom they perceived as being gay. Five men were arrested in January 2013 as part of an investigation into the gang. In December 2013, three of them pleaded guilty to affray, and were subsequently jailed.
The Muslim East London Mosque community condemned the patrols as "utterly unacceptable" In response to the attacks, British nationalist organisation Britain First established "Christian Patrols".
Online videos
One video uploaded to YouTube by the gang, "The Truth About Saturday Night", was viewed more than 42,000 times. In it, the gang confronted people, shouting "this is a Muslim area" at them. The hooded men are seen forcing people to empty their alcoholic drinks down drains, and instructing a group of women that "they need to forbid themselves from dressing like this and exposing themselves outside the mosque".
A second video, beginning with a logo saying "Islam will take over the world", showed the gang shouting homophobic abuse at a man walking in Whitechapel. The gang shouted at a man who appeared to be wearing make-up that he is "in a Muslim area dressed like a fag" and must leave. One gang member orders the man: "Get out of here quicker. You're dirty mate." After the victim says that he is a homosexual, he is repeatedly prompted to say that he is "dirty".
Their last video featured the gang saying: "We are coming to implement Islam upon your own necks. Muslim patrols can never be stopped."
The videos were removed from YouTube in January 2013 because they contravened the site’s policies on harassment, bullying and threatening behaviour.
Scotland Yard investigated the videos and the Metropolitan Police stepped up patrols in East London. A police spokesman said they were in contact with "local community leaders and influential people, local businesses and the local authority about the issue and what is being done". Five men were later arrested.
Condemnation
The East London Mosque condemned the patrols as "utterly unacceptable and clearly designed to stoke tensions and sow discord." They said the mosque was "committed to building co-operation and harmony between all communities in this borough."
Gay rights group Stonewall said: "This incident is yet another reminder of the homophobic abuse that gay people face all too often."
Origin of patrols
The arrested patrollers were members of The Shariah Project. The organisation's co-founder, Abu Rumaysah, told the press the arrested men would be welcomed back despite their convictions at the Central Criminal Court. An East London Mosque official, speaking of the patrols, identified The Shariah Project as "strongly linked" to Anjem Choudary's group Al-Muhajiroun. Several media reports have since identified the Sharia patrols as part of a network of followers of Anjem Choudary.
Choudary himself condoned the Sharia patrols. He spoke in public before several supporters known to take part in these patrols, including at meetings held early in 2014, and praised as "commendable" the actions of the convicted members of the Sharia patrol.
Conviction and sentencing
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence concerning incidents involving the patrol which took place in Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, and in Whitechapel outside the East London Mosque where videos were made of members of the patrol harassing members of the public at night when the mosque was closed. The patrol targeted a heterosexual couple in Bethnal Green for holding hands, shouting at them to stop because they were in "a Muslim area." Just weeks later, the patrol picked on five friends who were drinking in the street because it was "Allah's land"; 19-year-old Islamic convert Jordan Horner threatened to stab the men, while one of the patrol members shouted "kill the non-believers".
Three of the patrol members were convicted in November, and were sentenced on 6 December 2013. Jordan Horner, who uses the Islamic name Jamaal Uddin, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and two charges of using threatening words and behaviour, and was sentenced to 68 weeks imprisonment. Thirty-six-year-old Ricardo MacFarlane who pleaded not guilty, was sentenced to one year for affray and two years for using threatening words and behaviour. 23-year-old Royal Barnes, who was awaiting further trial regarding offensive videos about Lee Rigby and therefore could not be named at the time, pleaded guilty and received a six-month sentence for affray.
In February 2014 Horner, McFarlane and Barnes were given anti-social behaviour orders barring them from the activities that led to their conviction and from associating with Choudary.
Responses
Maajid Nawaz, himself a Muslim and the head of an anti-extremist organisation, the Quilliam Foundation, warned that Muslim patrols could become a "lot more dangerous", and if joined by jihadis, might even kill or maim people. A writer for the International Business Times suggested that these "radical Muslim youths determined to impose their views of public conduct and morality" felt alienated from what they consider a "hostile and discriminatory outside society", and have turned to their faith to forge a separate identity.
In response to the "Muslim Patrols", the far-right organisation Britain First established "Christian Patrols" in East London. The Christian Patrols reportedly rode through the area in "armoured Land Rover vehicles" and handed out literature marked with a red Christian cross. A Christian leader Rev. Alan Green, as well as a Muslim leader Dilowar Khan, both condemned Christian and Muslim patrols.
Documentaries on London patrols
In April 2014 two news documentaries were produced about the ongoing Sharia patrols: their respective presenters, Lama Hasan of ABC News and Alex Miller of Vice News, each accompanied a patrol in action. Alex Miller, reflecting on the difference between the evidence presented by the Youtube videos and what he observed of the patrol he followed around Ilford, commented: "this PR-friendly walk through the neighbourhood was pretty different from the country's first look at the Muslim patrols".
Interviewed by Alex Miller, Abu Rumaysah said: "We don't recognise British law at all. We believe in Islam. We believe in Sharia. And that's what sets our parameters for right and wrong."
See also
- "Shariah Police" incidents in Wuppertal, Germany (2014)
- Islamic fundamentalism
- Mishmeret Tzniyut
- Moral police
- Islamic religious police
- Islamic Defenders Front
References
- Taylor, Jerome (27 January 2013). "Imam speaks out against Muslim 'vigilantes'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ Norman, Zachary (19 November 2013). "Convicted 'Muslim Patrol' attackers' views condemned". Waltham Forest Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- "'Muslim Patrol' confiscate alcohol and demand women cover up in London". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
- ^ "Muslim 'vigilantes' confront Londoners in name of Islam". The Daily Telegraph. 17 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - Muslim 'Patrol' Harass East London Man They Believe To Be Gay Huffington Post
- ""Muslim patrols" target drinkers and gays in London". The Observers. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 April 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
- ^ David Churchill (9 December 2013). "Anjem Choudary: Muslim vigilantes who terrorised non-believers 'deserve pat on back'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
- ^ "'Muslim patrol' gang: police arrest three more after homophobic video". The Guardian. London. 24 January 2013.
- ^ "Muslim vigilantes jailed for 'sharia law' attacks in London". The Guardian. London. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ "Muslim Patrol: thugs abuse man in second 'vigilante' video". The Daily Telegraph. London. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013.
- ^ Elgot, Jessica (2 May 2014). "'Christian Patrols' Warning in East London Investigated By Police". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ^ Dipesh Gadher (20 January 2013). "Sharia patrols snatch drinks from passers-by". Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013.
- "'Muslim Patrol' harass men for looking 'gay' in London". Gay Star News. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- "VIDEO: Fresh footage of 'Muslim patrols' emerges online". Docklands & East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
- ^ "Homophobic 'vigilante' video appears online". BBC. 22 January 2013.
- Barnett, Adam (10 December 2013). "Muslim group to march in Brick Lane against drinking and selling of alcohol". Docklands & East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- Hasan, Lama (16 April 2014). "London's Culture War: Inside the Conflict Between Far-Right EDL and Pro-Islamic Radicals". ABC News. Retrieved 1 May 2014. Video from 6:34: "Several in his network have been imprisoned for their activities on so-called 'Sharia patrols'."
- Miller, Alex (22 April 2014). "London's Holy Turf War". Vice News. Retrieved 1 May 2014. Video from 7:10: "The Muslim patrols are run by a guy called Abdul Mahid, a member of Anjem Choudary’s entourage." And from 14:08: "Since the first time we’d gone out with Abdul and his patrol in east London, the guys responsible for the Muslim patrol viral videos had been arrested and imprisoned for harassment and assault. It turns out the pair who’d been arrested had been members of Anjem Choudary’s group whom we had met in the course of making this film."
- Miller, Alex (22 April 2014). "London's Holy Turf War". Vice News. Retrieved 1 May 2014. Quote from Anjem Choudary starting from 16:54: "As we look within society today we find that some of the biggest issues are things like alcohol, drugs and prostitution. So basically the youth who are affiliated with us have been going out and really addressing these issues; we have a right to come out and address this – maybe the style needs to be different, but nevertheless I think these guys are doing this service to society."
- ^ Hasan, Lama (16 April 2014). "London's Culture War: Inside the Conflict Between Far-Right EDL and Pro-Islamic Radicals". ABC News. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ Miller, Alex (22 April 2014). "London's Holy Turf War". Vice News. Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
- Quinn, Ben (22 January 2013). "'Muslim patrol' investigation leads to double arrest". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- Pennink, Emily (12 February 2014). "Lee Rigby murder: Royal Barnes pleads guilty to posting videos online glorifying the death". The Independent (UK). Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- Gover, Dominic (14 February 2014). "Ban on 'Muslim Patrols' by Anjem Choudary's East London Disciples". International Business Times. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- Vale, Paul (14 March 2014). "Royal Barnes And Rebekah Dawson, British Muslim Converts, Jailed For 'Sick' Lee Rigby YouTube Videos". Huffington Post (UK). Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- Nawaz, Maajid. "Muslim patrols are a sign of things to come". The Times.
- "Muslim Patrols: Urban Britain's Newest Street Gang?". International Business Times. 6 February 2013.
- "British Campaign Group Launches "Christian Patrols" to Counteract "Muslim Patrols" in East London". The New Observer. 1 February 2014. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
- Paul, Jonny (22 January 2013). "Muslim 'modesty patrol' stalking streets of London". The Jerusalem Post.
- Miller, Alex (22 April 2014). "London's Holy Turf War". Vice News. Retrieved 1 May 2014. See from 8:12.
- Miller, Alex (22 April 2014). "London's Holy Turf War". Vice News. Retrieved 1 May 2014. Starting from 1:44.
External links
- CNN - London's 'Muslim Patrol' aims to impose Sharia law in East London
- The Shariah Project website
- 'I feel like a stranger where I live’ The Daily Telegraph