Muslim anger against Hindus spreads to Birmingham

I have not posted about the trouble in Leicester over the last 6 weeks here yet. Ostensibly the ‘community tensions’ has been over the India v Pakistan cricket match last month. But I knew that was overly simplistic and that it had deeper roots going back to events in the sub-continent. I even wondered, mindful of the Sikh men imprisoned a few years ago for dealing themselves with the Muslim men grooming their daughters at a restaurant in Leicester, if grooming of Hindu girls had been attempted. The current campaign in India warning girls about ‘love jihad’ is prominent in the India press and has been for about a year.

In Leicester the Muslims blame the clashes on ‘Islamophobia’ and the Hindus fear jihad. The BBC fails to mention either group and merely quote ‘Community leaders’ who call for calm. The police profess to be baffled.

Tonight in Smethwick the situation is quite clear. Bear in mind also that men arrested in Leicester have been found to come from as far away as Birmingham (not actually that far) Luton and Slough (further – and towns with large Muslim communities)

According to Birmingham World this afternoon

Community leaders in Smethwick have united against a planned protest outside a Hindu temple.

Information about the protest outside the Durga Bhawan temple on Spon Lane was shared on social media. A flyer was shared on social media by an account called Apna Muslims calling for a peaceful protest on Tuesday 20 September.

The protestors were opposed to a speaker’s visit to the temple. The speaker, a Hindu-leader, is considered controversial for spreading hate speech against other communities. Her session has been cancelled.

The speaker was Sadhvi Nisha Rithambarar who heads the womens’ wing of the VHP party. She is on a speaking tour and there have been calls to ban her as a divisive presence.

Notwithstanding the cancellation of the event, and the ‘good community relations’ in Smethwick up until now a crowd of young Muslim men gathered round the temple earlier tonight. Chants of Allah Akbar and Takfee were loud and clear. These are video clips taken by a reporter from Sky News.

The crowds have now dispersed but the police presence remains. This isn’t about cricket and it never was. I fear there is more to come.