The first national newspaper to rport this story was the Sunday Times, followed by the Star and the Sun
A Christian of Pakistani origin who was beaten and left unconscious in a car park says he was attacked by Muslims who objected to him displaying two large red poppies on the front of his car.
The food delivery driver from Derby was parked outside a restaurant and chatting to his sister on the phone when he claims a group of men attacked and beat him until he was unconscious. He believes that the people responsible for the assault in Littleover at around 8.45pm on October 20 were Muslims who objected to him showing his support for British troops.
He claimed that the men objected to him displaying two large poppies on his silver Toyota, which also had a cross dangling from the rear-view mirror.
“If I am not a brother, I am a kaffir. They left me for dead. They hit me as if they were playing on a football pitch,” he said. “I am a Christian. Because of the poppies on my car, because of the cross in my car, I have been hit. I put poppies on my vehicle because I support British forces for their good work around the world and I really salute them, British forces.”
Tajamal moved to the UK from Pakistan 10 years ago after being targeted in a drive-by shooting by Islamists who wanted to convert him.
It was the third time in 12 months he has been targeted in the UK by Muslims because of his Christian faith and the two poppies he displays on his motor all year round. “Several times, local Pakistani people in Derby have taken offence from the fact that I am Christian. When they first find out, many stop talking to me. My wife and I have often been shunned.”
He accused his attackers of ‘trying to force Islam into this country’ and vowed not to give in to them by putting even more poppies on his car.
“Freedom of religion should be the right of any British citizen but today I feel unsafe, even then nothing will stop me going to church.
“I will pray for my attackers and hope they will change their hard-line approach to faith which is very dangerous for our society.”
Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said: “An innocent man has been hospitalised, he has had to take several days off work, and now he is living in fear of further reprisals, simply for adhering to the Christian faith.”
At the time of the offence, a spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: “We were called to a report of an assault outside the Red Chilli restaurant, in Littleover, at around 8:45pm. It was reported that a 45-year-old man had been kicked and punched. He was hospitalised at the Royal Derby Hospital with a broken nose and we have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the assault.”
Derbyshire police did not respond to questions about the assault, including whether it was being treated as a hate crime.
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4 Responses
This guy needs to arm himself for next time. I imagine that it’s hard to get personal firearms in Britain.
This story bears watching. Will the details of the investigation, and any resulting charges, be made known—or will this inconvenient incident be swept into the memory hole? It doesn’t take much imagination to know what the reaction from authorities would have been had the situation been reversed (i.e., had two Christian thugs, using knuckle-dusters, violently attacked a Muslim man because they were upset at the symbols in his vehicle, and his lack of support for British troops). The actual attack though was worse – Tajamal supports British troops who defend the nation where the attackers live, and who most likely benefit from its generous welfare system.
When the label of “hate crime” is so quickly applied to many minor incidents, why are the police reluctant to use it in this case?
Some of us here are on the British Pakistani Christian Association’s mailing list, and they will be keeping in close touch with Mr Tajamal.
I saw this also. I too am on the BPCA mailing list. They are very informative.
I have often thought that people like this man – and others, such as apostates from Islam, now Christian, who are being set upon and hunted and attacked and threatened by Muslims, in the UK – should **publicly appeal to the Queen**. They should send letters to her Majesty, to Prince Charles (who claimed he wanted to be ‘defender of the faiths’ (sic)) and to William and Catherine, and describe what MUSLIMS are doing to Christians – especially apostates from Islam – in the UK, and *demand* that the protection due to them (these victims of Muslim assault and persecution) be afforded. Sikhs, Hindus and Jews who are resident in the UK and who have also suffered attacks and threats of attacks from Muslims, should write similar letters and issue a similar public plea for help and succour. Imagine a large gathering of Christians (of all colours and backgrounds, including ex-Muslims), Hindus, Sikhs and Jews, outside the gates of Buckingham Palace, delivering a Petition: begging their Queen – and their Princes – for protection. Urging that the Prime Minister and Parliament be advised to DO SOMETHING.
“We are being **beaten up in the streets**. Our daughters are being seduced, abused and raped. HELP US!”
Perhaps a public appeal to the Queen made along these lines might shame the *government* into action.