Members of a white supremacist organization staged a provocative demonstration at the heart of one of Britain's most highly populated Muslim communities in London, saying they were defending British soil against Islamists. "There is no place for vigilante patrols, Christian, Muslim or any other faith, on the streets of Tower Hamlets," stated the Bishop of Stepney last week in response to the appearance of a squad of army fatigued Neo-Nazi protesters in London's East End. Members of white supremacist organisation ‘Britain First' - the latest incarnation of the anti-Islam and –immigration British National Party (BNP) founder Paul Golding, staged a provocative demonstration last week in Brick Lane, at the heart of Tower Hamlets, the home to one of Britain's most highly populated Muslim communities. The vigilantes - which were described as a ‘Christian Patrol', declared that they were "defending British soil against Muslim extremists". There was a peculiar irony in their claim as they proceeded to imitate the very intolerant and brutish behavior of those who they were there to discredit. The ‘Britain First' mob paraded along the popular restaurant and shop filled street waving Union Jack's and gesturing at passers by as they swilled beer, apparently in defiance of those who a year earlier had attempted to intimidate the same locals with a different message of imposing Shari'ah laws. The Christian Patrol was accompanied by a fleet of former Gulf War Range Rovers - in an attempt to ridicule the anti-war protest movement in the country. As they marched, they sported a banner emblazoned with the words 'We are the British Resistance' and their presence (to all who witnessed the event) was both menacing and intimidating. The three men who made up the self styled ‘Muslim Patrol' in December 2012, had been recently jailed for their attempts at harassing, intimidating and for physical assault on local residents. The harassment took the form of heckling using a megaphone as they drove past couples holding hands – urging them to cease ‘holding hands as this is a Muslim area'. It also included physical assault - with one victim punched unconscious by a member of the patrol amid chants of ‘Kill the non-believers'. The actions of the Muslim Patrol and the sentences subsequently imposed on them, were sufficient to inspire Anjem Choudary - the former leader of the now banned Al-Muhajiroun organisation and a group of approximately 50 of his followers, to march along the same streets in December 2013. The Choudhary protesters heckled females who they regarded as immodestly dressed, intimidated individuals who appeared to be gay and also leafleted, heckled and abused Muslim restaurateurs for selling alcohol to their mostly non-Muslim customers. Anjem Choudary and his band of followers had originally grabbed the attention of mainstream media as a result of what most regarded as an ill-timed, ill-informed and hugely disrespectful (to those who had ‘given their lives for their country') anti-war protest during the traditional Wootton Basset war memorial parade in December 2010. It is remarkably ironic that the very streets which have for hundreds of years provided a haven for successive waves of immigrants – including the French Huguenots who populated the area in the 17th century and who introduced their weaving skills to the East of London, should now become the focus of such discord. There was something profound in the words of Judge Rebecca Poulet QC, as she sentenced the so called ‘Muslim Patrol Three' at the Old Bailey in London to terms ranging from 24 to 68 weeks in jail on December 6, 2013. As she delivered her sentence she explained: "One of the many good things about living in Great Britain is the tolerance and respect members of the public generally show to one another's religious beliefs, his dress or his chosen way of life...When on occasions a person shows their intolerance of another individual whether by aggression or violence and in such a way as to cause real fear to the individual then the law can be invoked to protect that individual." She went on to echo the sentiments made by UK Prime Minister David Cameron in the aftermath of the killing of army soldier Drummer Lee Rigby last May by two Muslim extremists. She said: "My understanding is that Islam is a peaceful religion and this conduct was unfortunately anything but." Observers believe that if the self-styled ‘Christian Patrol' members end up before Judge Poulet QC, they may hear the same words repeated. They may perhaps benefit from taking note of the words of the Rt Rev Adrian Newman, Bishop of Stepney, who in response to the recent attempts of Paul Golding to intimidate local residents remarked: "East London is proud of its generous attitude to diversity, based on tolerance and respect. There is no place for vigilante patrols, Christian, Muslim or any other faith, on the streets of Tower Hamlets." The vigilantes on both sides may alternatively choose to listen to the spokesman for the East London Mosque who said: "Britain First's patrol does not represent Christians, just as al-Muhajiroun's patrols did not represent Muslims. Both are tiny, extreme groups, unwelcome in our community." Neither Anjem Choudary nor Paul Golding it would seem, are prepared to listen to such voices of moderation and reason. Indeed both have pledged to make their appearances on the streets of Brick Lane district a regular feature. Golding may like to fantasize about a return to the heyday of the far right in Britain during the 1970's and 80's when the notoriously anti-immigrant National Front would regularly turn out on market day to intimidate the largely Jewish community who were then resident in these streets. He may choose to forget that the National Front as an organization was subsequently driven out of the area and that they eventually disappeared from our streets as a result of the solidarity of the wider population in rejection of their brand of intolerance. Brick lane as a home for immigrant communities has sadly found it necessary to constantly confront the corrosive plague of intolerance. But all of those who choose to visit the area should be struck by its rich history in repelling such perpetrators of disharmony. They could perhaps on their next visit take a look at the impressive Mural depicting the rejection of Oswald Mosley and his Black shirts – who were driven out of Tower Hamlets seventy eight years ago at the historic battle of Cable Street in 1936.
