Yesterday, Saturday 11th September, was relatively quiet in Luton, as far as I can tell.
You will probably know that the Qu'ran burning proposed by Pastor Terry Jones in Florida did not happen. He announced that such a demonsration was permanently off. He was in New York to attend the protest against the "Ground Zero Mosque", actually to be accurate a Muslim community centre two blocks from Ground Zero. (though in my desire for accuracy please don't count that as a statement in favour or against). The outcome of that protest as I write is not clear. While Pastor Jones did not burn Qu'rans, it seems at least one in the crowd made an attempt to burn pages of one. Members of the English Defense League, who emerged in the wake of the disruption of the now infamous Royal Anglian Homecoming Parade in March 20009, were in New York and Kevin Carol, Lutonian national co-leader of the EDL was prominent among them. Channel 4 has a good report from New York that includes a short interview with Carol and team.
In England the EDL were in London to march to the American Embassy to honour the victims of 911. Later visitors to the same place were Muslims Against the Crusades, a new version of the old extremist group al-Muhajiroun that caused our problems here last march. After speeches condemning America and the UK, protesting what was happening to their co-religionists in Afghanistan and Iraq, and offering support for 911, they burnt US and UK flags along with pictures of Pastor Jones. The EDL by this time had retunred and were shouting from behind a line of police, incensed at the burning. It appears to have been smooth and there are reports of leader of the Muslims Against the Crusades, Anjem Choudary, was arrested. I believe that attempts were made to burn a Qu'ran there.
The English Defense League also organised an unannounced protest in Oldham, at which they had about one hundred people. This "Flash Mobilisation" is a new tactic and one we have been expecting as they become disillusioned with static protests locked in by police with whom they have been planning the event.
With the action being elsewhere and no obvious direct impact from a Qu'ran burning, we were fortunate. However even the idea of the Qu'ran burning has insensed many, and will have lifted the tension level. The success of the new tactics of the EDL will also be watched here as well; the implications are of enormous concern.
Please do pray for the UK, Europe, and the USA all with rising Islamophobic movements, and for the church to have a strong voice in this situation.
