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UK 'criminalising minority groups'

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Published Date: 28 June 2009
THE UK government's exploitation of the politics of fear has effectively criminalised entire communities, according to Scottish human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar.
Speaking at the Ethnic Minority Achievement Awards in Glasgow, Anwar said: "The fact that today's racism takes culture or religion as its raw materials does not make it any less real for its victims. Nick Griffin's BNP has been quick to understand this, and we must take on their arguments. But not by ... condemning the new communities as they arrive, whether they be Roma or Polish.

"This government has exploited the politics of fear by bringing in tougher anti-terror laws, cracking down on asylum-seekers. The result of stop and search is the criminalisation of entire communities. In many communities, there is a growing climate of fear.

"But I am tired of our the government lecturing on how my community has to integrate. I was born and bred in this country and am against violence, and do not have to apologise for each act of terror. I live and work in and walk in the same streets as the next person and am just as likely to be blown up by a terrorist bomb," Anwar said.



The full article contains 203 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 30 June 2009 12:19 PM
  • Source: Scotland On Sunday
  • Location: Scotland
  • Related Topics: Muslim issues
 
1

dhu loch,

Inveraray 28/06/2009 00:52:22
I've read this article several times but don't understand what point he is trying to make.He is a Scotish Human rights Lawyer speaking in Glasgow.Does Scotland have a stop and search problem of minorities? Are the BNP making inroads here?Cracking Down on Asylum seekers?Which entire communities here have been criminalised?What he says may be correct but I'm not sure this was the best event or place to make it.
2

Observer,,

Glasgow 28/06/2009 08:56:13
1 We did have a stop and search problem by the Transport Police - MacCaskill put a stop to it ( the Transport Police are not devolved). The BNP have targetted Glasgow because we have asylum seekers living here and a large muslim population, so far without success but it is well to be aware of their ambitions.

3

Observer,,

Glasgow 28/06/2009 09:03:08
1 I think the other point he is making, having read it again, is that the nature of ''racism'' is changing and now takes religion and culture as it's raw materials - he is talking of hatred of muslims which is not strictly racism, but they are the targets of the racists these days, more so than Afro Carribeans.
4

donald,

glasgow 28/06/2009 09:11:46
Which country is Aamer talking aboot? He was born in Engerland.
5

Queen D,

28/06/2009 09:36:44
I agree that the UK Government has introduced Draconian laws under the Terrorism Act, but I would dispute that they only target our Muslim friends .
I would appreciate the sentiments he expresses more if he were to widen the target that the UK govt has set to include just about everyone who disagrees with the Govt line or who might express a view they found contrary , or who might try reading the names of dead soldiers at the cenotaph , or shout " rubbish " at Jack Straw, or might march against the bankers , or against greedy MPs of whatever hue.
6

Ifan Har,

Scotland 28/06/2009 13:08:53
Anwar is spouting more ant-white race hate, of course as a member of a priviliged racial group in Brtain this is one of his priviliges that he is able to exercise with impunity.

Whites are proscribed by law from protesting the constructive genocide or from demonstrating for equal rights with the settlers indigenous to Asia and Africa together with their descendants such as the author of this anti-white rant!
7

Anthony,

Glasgow 28/06/2009 13:55:08
You have to chuckle at the irony. This guy stands up at an event set up to exclude white people, and to be open only to ethnic minorities, and condemns racism!?!
8

Allan(handofgod137),

28/06/2009 18:55:08
If he doesn't like it here, and doesn't want to integrate, he's free to leave.
9

oder,

Scotland 28/06/2009 19:35:28
8 he cant his religion forbids integration with non believers
10

Observer,,

Glasgow 28/06/2009 20:01:23
Thanks guys for proving the point.
11

redcliffe62,

29/06/2009 00:22:15
i think the problem is that crime in some of these so called minority groups pro rata is rather high.
scotland did not mind an invasion of chinese in the 60's and 70's, added lots of take aways and the community did not impinge on the general population, i.e cause violent crime in the mainstream.
the problem is when new communities cause violence and attack people, that gets everyone's dander up.
when i see all these young black kids up for murder in london, coming from mixed non nucelar families i think that whilst we are wrong to generalise, we cannot deny the obvious specifics.
violent crime and murders in the 15 to 25 year old range in london is primarily carried out by people with a minority background, even if direct figures by this means of processing are not publicised for fear of an outcry.
go to any court, see who is up and the results are there for all to see. week in week out, it is not an aberration.
in conclusion we are not against immigration, we are against the failure of new communities to either integrate or if not, at least act in a reasonably law abiding fashion.
until the sudanese came to melbourne, black people were POPULAR in australia, as there was tiny levels of crime, and most were from the u.k, or u.s. educated and non threatening and an asset to the new country.
plus the odd basketball star as a great role model.
now that the refugees have come from sudan and to a lesser extent somalia and ethiopia and crime has increased exponentially, the public's view on black people has changed for the worse, which is sad. it is not however colour related per se, it is crime related.
perhaps mr anwar can understand this. it is way too easy to throw words like racism about. if people fit in they are more than welcome in my,and most other people's view i would venture. if they commit crimes then people take a general dislike.
the recent problems of belfast perhaps had more to do with petty crime by a significant majority of the roma from roma
12

redcliffe62,

29/06/2009 00:24:19
/////commit crimes then people take a general dislike.
the recent problems of belfast perhaps had more to do with petty crime by a significant majority of the roma from romania than the colour of their skin. certainly that is what i have been led to believe. blaming racism is a cop out, as some responsibility to hand over troublemakers and assimilate with the police and the laws of anew country is required to allow harmony to continue. commit crime, hide the troublemakers and the reaction of the general population is predicatable.
13

oder,

any town 29/06/2009 10:45:46
Observer,,
when you were investigating these points did you as a starting point investigate the "Koran" on what it says about Muslims interacting with non believers, if it is purely racism on the part of non Muslims you might have a point! the Koran is full of racist remarks to non believers no other so called holy book as such descriptions as "apes and pigs" and I can quote you the verse 5:59 no other book or Prophet has killed or ordered killing on such a scale than Koran the immutable word of god entirely, and Muslims cant sell their camel, make love, or integrate unless its in line with what the Koran says! and it clearly says dont integrate! to acknowledge this isn't racism!
14

john z,

edinburgh 05/07/2009 09:23:53
Yesterday, I watched a muslim woman walking the mandatory six paces behind her husband. She, covered up, struggled with the kids, whilst he walked ahead like king d**k.

This is just NOT acceptable, in modern society.

The Burqa is not mandated in the koran, and neither is full face or even partial face covering. Indeed in many countries such as turkey (98% Muslim), the burqa is less common, and is actually BANNED in educational establishments there.

The Burqa is a means of subjegating women and lowering their apparent status. It is a MAN made requirement. In the same way, the very cruel Halal food, is not compulsory for Muslims, rather it is a cultural tradition from certain (but not all) Muslim countries.

The point is, this is Scotland. Covering faces, and treating your wife like a subservient dog is NOT acceptable, regardless of what you might think your religion says.

As regards Muslims in Scotland - following the comments by Anwar in the article, yes, go ahead, don't feel the need to try to fit in. Don't bother trying to adapt to Scottish culture and dress sense. Go ahead, but be aware, that history has shown so,so many times, that this will lead you on a one way street to isolation, which ultimately will lead the general population to reject you.


So, like I say, go ahead, you are free to ignore the views of most people. But never forget, those very people you choose to ignore and insult, are in the MAJORITY. Take a look at poll results. Wise up!

Oh, and can someone in authority please do something to break up these 'muslim' ghettoes that are now developing across Scotland.
15

Hieronymous,

Bolton 05/07/2009 11:28:19
I have lived and worked in areas of England with large Muslim populations since the 1960s. Mostly they get on with their lives and leave the rest of us to ours. As work colleagues they generally work hard and sometimes with flair. The more religiously dogmatic they are the less imaginative, cooperative and easy to work with I have found them. Much like fundamentalist Christians. Religion rots the brain.

As neighbours you barely notice Muslims because they generally do not integrate and do tend to congregate in ghettoes. Their dress makes them stand out as alien and makes non-Muslims suspicious. Just a few days ago while waiting for a bus I chatted to an old man who looked as though he had just arrived from the North West Frontier. Although his English was good enough that he was obviously a long standing UK resident. His topic was the television programme Crime Watch and what a terrible world we live in. He didn't know what to do either: lock them up and they come out worse. This sort of conversation has happened to me often enough that I should not be surprised.

Since London has a 30% to 40% non-white population, black participation in crime is unsurprising. It is concentrated in areas with high unemployment, poor schools and all the other problems of inner city life. Those middle class blacks I know get quite upset that all are viewed as potential criminals. Interestingly, among women the highest paid ethnic group is black. They work as nurses and doctors in the NHS, mainly in London and other areas of West Indian and West African immigration.

As the Irishman giving directions said: "If I were you, I wouldn't start from here". But we are here and must try to do better than cope.
16

The New Scirocco,

The outside lane 05/07/2009 14:54:31
*Please enter your comment*
I/m fed up of these people who are allowed to set up their discriminatory clubs, criticise the majority and get publicity for it. The poor we souls should get an allowance to help them buy a one way ticket to where their beliefs are drummed into young children to the extent that they no nothing else apart from hate mesaages and ways of life
No more apologies for this tide of hate and foreign behaviour washing up on our shores

 

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