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DEMO PUBLICITY IN
SURREY MIRROR
CHRISTIAN ANGER AT
MARCH
BY NEV
WILSON
NEVILLE.WILSON@ESSNMEDIA.CO.UK
09:00 - 27 March 2008
Cultures clashed on Easter Sunday when Muslims
marched in
the streets
to celebrate the birth of their prophet Muhammad.Leaving Memorial Park
at 1pm, men, women and children marched through the town lead by Imam,
Mazar Hussain Gilani, from Walthamstow, London.
Shouting
"Allah is great" and "Long live the Prophet" while waving Islamic
flags, worshippers from across the country joined Surrey's first Mawlid
procession.
But in Brighton Road, the 450-strong crowd were confronted by Union
flags and banners held by two opposing packs of protesters.
Holding
placards reading "Onward Christian Soldiers" and "Our Lord's
Day", four members of the right-wing
British People's Party stood
watching the parade pass. And member of church pressure group Christian
Voice bellowed Bible verses from a megaphone besides two of his members
as the chorusing crowds went by. Irfan Akhtar, 32, from East
Walthamstow, London, was handing out leaflets to spectators during the
march and said: "This is a historic day for Surrey. We just want to
show our beliefs.
"We're not looking to upset or intimidate people. Islam is a peaceful
religion."
But the marchers were accused by the protesters of being provocative by
choosing Easter Sunday for the event.
BPP member Pete Williamson, 41, from Brighton, said: "Why have they
chosen today of all days to hold this march?
"We
heard that they [the Muslim population] wanted to hold a demonstration
and we're here just to make people aware of what we stand for." |
