Author: Andy Bloxham
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: September 11, 2011
URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/september-11-attacks/8755834/911-anniversary-Muslim-protesters-burn-US-flag-outside-embassy-in-London.html
A group of Muslim protesters set fire to an
American flag outside the US embassy in London during a minute's silence to
mark the moment that the first hijacked airliner hit the World Trade Center
10 years ago.
A number of radical Islamic groups including
Muslims Against Crusades (MAC) gathered outside the embassy on the 10th anniversary
of the attacks.
The group of around 100 men shouted "USA
terrorists", brandished anti-American placards and chanted through a
loudhailer.
Several members of the Muslim groups made
anti-American speeches following the flag burning.
One said: "You will always face suffering,
you will always face humiliation, unless you withdraw your troops from Muslim
lands."
Another declared that America had been "defeated
in Iraq and defeated in Afghanistan".
Members of the group publicly burned a poppy
on Armistice Day in a similar stunt.
However, a small opposing group of Muslims
- some of whom had travelled hundreds of miles to rebut the extremists - staged
a counter-demonstration nearby, holding up placards reading "Muslims
Against Extremism" and "If You Want Sharia, Move To Saudi".
Abdul Sallam, 41, who was waving a sign that
read "Keep The Silence", travelled down to London from his home
in Glasgow to show the strength of his feelings.
He said: "I'm a Muslim. What they're
doing is bringing shame on all Muslims. This is not part of the teachings
of Islam.
"Islam teaches you that when you see
anything bad or evil, you should speak out against it.
"If the moderate Muslims all came out
and spoke out, that would defeat them.
"I am proud to be British. I love my
country. All these people are doing is breaking Britain apart."
One of the Grosvenor Square memorial service
attendees, who did not want to be named, said the protesters should be stopped
from standing just across the road from the embassy and using a loud megaphone.
The man, whose cousin died in the terror
attacks, said: "They shouldn't be allowed to do it. It's very disrespectful.
It's too loud."
He added: "They can say what they want
but not with the loudspeaker."
Earlier a group of right-wing English Defence
League protesters, who had gathered in response to the demonstration, were
ordered to move on to accommodate the MAC supporters.
The 60-strong group of EDL supporters briefly
scuffled with police as they were forced away from their original location
to a different part of Grosvenor Square.
