When the Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, wrote the other day that in some of Britain’s Muslim communities there were now no-go areas, the great and the not-so-good rose as one to denounce him for talking nonsense. From William Hague to Hazel Blears, people said they simply didn’t recognise what on earth he was talking about. There were no no-go areas, they cried. All a figment of the Bishop’s over-active imagination, apparently.
Church leaders in communities with large concentrations of Muslims said that Christians were being targeted. An east London vicar who had delivered Christmas leaflets in his parish said he was told to stay away from ‘Muslim areas’. He said: ‘Despite this being a mixed area, where Muslims make up only about 15 per cent of the population, I was told that the leaflets were offensive and could make people angry.’Another churchman said his path had been blocked by Muslim youths as he drove through a district of Oldham, Lancashire, last year. ‘They wanted to know why I was coming into “their” area,’ he said.
A priest ministering in the Manchester district of Rusholme said he knew of ‘dozens of cases’ in which Muslim converts to Christianity had been attacked. Another church leader said that Asian Christians in Leicester feared being identified when leaving churches. ‘They are scared of being stopped and beaten up if they are found carrying Bibles,’ he said. None of the church leaders we spoke to wished to be identified for fear of retaliation, but Don Horrocks, of the Evangelical Alliance, said: ‘It's increasingly difficult for non-Muslims to live in areas of high Muslim density, especially if they are practising Christians.’
A society which allows the development of religious and cultural no-go areas for its citizens ceases to function as a society. The fact that our establishment is not only ignoring this development but is even trying to deny that it is happening is the surest sign that this sorry outcome is indeed coming to pass.
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Melanie Phillips is a Daily Mail columnist. She also writes for the Jewish Chronicle and is a panellist on BBC Radio Four's Moral Maze. Her most recent book is 'Londonistan', published by Encounter and Gibson Square.
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John Winston Beatson
January 14th, 2008 11:14amfor many a year the B.N.P. have warned about these no go areas They are classes as racist just for speaking the truth
Geoff Miller
January 14th, 2008 11:35amHaving lived in the East End of London I can say for sure that Nazir-Ali is 100% right. What amazes me is that people like Haig and Blears are be such baredfaced liars, or so out of touch, that they should not be in politics. Evil will always succeed when good men (and women) do nothing. Our so-called leaders are really just a shower of moneygrubbing cowardly liars. What hope does this country have when we have such Third World talent running the show.
Manuel
January 14th, 2008 12:30pmJust as in Bethlehem!! No surprise that it is also happenining here.The only difference is that the Christians (and others) targeted here in Oldham, Rusholme (M/c), Dewsbury etc cannot deflect blame for the Muslim actions on Israel, as they are intimidated into doing in Bethlehem. The Bishop of Rochester is to be thanked for having the courage to speak out and alert the wider community. We must support him and other vicars & priests who are prepared to put their heads above the parapet. Unfortunately we are surrounded by weak and blind politicians who are willing to sacrifice their and our country to this ever growing malaise. If they do not take action before it is too late the equally evil BNP will fill the vacum. Wake up Brown, Cameron, Haig and Blears - it's action we need to tackle this frightening problem, not meely mouthed words.
Skydog
January 14th, 2008 12:42pmhttp://www.ezralevant.com/ A warning from Canada.
Austin Barry
January 14th, 2008 1:07pmThe sense of impending violence erupting from these benighted areas is almost palpable. We all wait, sullenly, resentfully, for the next outrage, the next near miss, the next timely arrest. And we all know that there is nothing whatsoever that can be done about it. So we wait, containing our anger, listening to the hapless twitterings of our helpless masters. Welcome to the UK.
Frank Pulley
January 14th, 2008 1:23pm'No-go' areas are not new in the UK: certain areas of Notting Hill were abandoned by the police to leftist Black Power elements in the mid 1970s and the sinister cabals that proliferated as a result, organised by sino-soviet trained agitators, spread to Brixton and several provincial cities, including Bristol, Nottingham et al. This led to the race riots and widespread arson of the eighties when the police had to address an exponential increase in crime emanating from drugs and vice cartels that had thrived in the no-go areas in tandem with the black politicians of the day. This in turn led to further rioting - and police being accused of 'institutional racism', followed by a rash of 'politically correct' police chiefs who have largely neutered policing of this country in those areas where it needed most. A new and familiar cycle is now beginning to repeat itself in areas where there is a predominately Muslim populace and once again police are allowing the tail to wag the dog. If policing and other enforcement agencies of the law of the land are not applied with determination and courage, regardless of race, creed or social status they can never be effective.
Barry larking
January 14th, 2008 1:35pmI grew tired of trying to make a similar, if slightly less dramatic point about the radicalisation of Moslems in the early 90s when I lived a suburb of a northern town with a large Moslem population. Tired because all my posts to liberal media outlets were blocked. The political line has been for some time that the root cause of 'extremism' amongst Pakistanis living in the UK are western policies towards Moslems worldwide stemming from events in 2003. This was not my experience. Islamic extremists were highly active in my area in the early 90s with meetings and fly posters calling for the overthrow of Israel by force, the establishment of a 'Planet Islam' and a renunciation of western 'corruption' (i.e. democracy). At one public meeting open to all a 'claque' of Islamists urged the adoption of Sharia Law (the first time I heard mention of this name for the summary justice system of the theocrats). Bishop Ali knows of what he speaks, having experienced persecution for his beliefs in his native Pakistan.
Multi culturalism – essentially a policy of no culture at all – has resulted in outcomes which were perceptible from the beginning; greater disharmony and fear. Seeing what separation and identity politics had done for Northern Ireland, why anyone in authority was persuaded theme park multi-culturalism represented the future remains utterly mysterious to me; until that is I re-call that in all my time in my northern suburb the great and the good who promoted it were conspicuous by their absence.
Stuart
January 14th, 2008 2:21pmLook Melanie I know that you have reported verbatim from people who were victims of "Muslim no-go" but its all heresay. After all, these Christian clerics probably have some anti-Islam axe to grind and they should be arrested for making false allegations about the Muslim community. They probably mis-understood what was happening. It was maybe a few lapsed Muslims who don't really understand Islam. Maybe they were BNP agitators PRETENDING to be Muslims. La La La - Can't hear you! Neither can the Government, or The Tories or anyone who wants to bump their voting constituency.
Kevyn Bodman
January 14th, 2008 3:25pmMelanie, Thank you, an excellent article. Many of our leaders don't go out without an escort of sorts. Even some quite ordinary MPs go round their constituencies with their agents, and when their visits are announced they tend to meet 'community leaders.' This does not give them any understanding of real life in self-styled muslim areas. I'm generally well-disposed towards William Hague, but I saw him on TV responding to Bishop Nazir Ali's comments and it seemed clear to me that the Bishop is right and Mr. Hague is wrong on this.
Robert Turner
January 14th, 2008 3:52pmThis doesn't surprise me. I know of several places in and around Birmingham that have become no-go areas for non-Muslims - local pubs being burnt down and church goers being intimidated. Sadly, this is just the tip of a non-melting iceberg with many cultures here now grabbing their "piece" of Britain. The Government seems content in calling others liars just to hide this truth. Ultimately, it will lead many of us to the ranks of the BNP then the words of Enoch Powell will haunt us all.
Martin
January 14th, 2008 4:52pmLast summer I attended the Docklands Jazz Festival. A small group of smartly dressed middle aged white men were cheering black musicians and exchanging friendly comments with other audiance members, some of whom were black. When we got into conversation it emerged that they were all BNP activists. Their daughters were sick of the attentions of the Muslim men in Tower Hamlets, and their sons were constantly threatened. The older generation was driven to the outer suburbs, and the younger generation effected council house exchanges with Muslims from Essex.
My daughter lives in Bristol where there are 30,000 muslims, living in no go areas of Somalis, Pakistanis and Croats. They rarely appear in the city centre and Brits rarely set foot in their ghettos, except of course, social workers.
Our politicians, and men like the Bishop of Oxford are in denial, the cost for our children will be incalculable.
Martin
Frank Pulley
January 14th, 2008 5:37pmShould anyone be in doubt about the damgers that face us, I recommend the following clip, which you won't see or hear reproduced on the BBC channels: http://switch5.castup.net/frames/20041020_MemriTV_Popup/video_480x360.asp?ClipMediaID=60227&ak=null
DBCJohn
January 14th, 2008 6:37pmStill waiting for some one to tell me exactly where these East End of London no-go areas are. The only specific location so far given has been the Whitechapel / Mile End Road, according to Mr Littlejohn of the Daily Mail. I happen to live off this road and, if Littlejohn thinks it is a no-go area he must be the biggest wuss in Christendom.
Yorkshireminer
January 14th, 2008 6:46pmDon't worry legislation is on the books to cure this in the E.U. they are planing legislation to cure us of Xenophobia and racism which seems endemic in we white European Aboriginals. When it comes into force the new blasphemy police in Brussels will be able to say what is Xenophobic or racist. When the new treaty is signed in Lisbon I think next year they will be able to send there goons over from the continent and have us arrested for thought crimes against what they think is right and proper. Nobody even has to make a complain the way they have to do now before the police investigate. It will be down to solely what they thing is a hate crime. The punishment is draconian they will be able to put you in prison take away any benefits you might be entitled to force you into bankruptcy ban you from practicing a trade and place you under judicial supervision. I presume that is house arrest. Nobody will be safe from there snooping. What ever does not fit there vision of utopia will be stamped on. I have often wondered why Blair got rid of the treason act, now I know. An off shore prison camp is being built out of this island of ours. Please enjoy you last year of freedom for to Quote Lord gray in 1914 the lights are going out in Europe and we wont see them lit again in our lifetime.
Jack R
January 14th, 2008 7:14pmRe- 'Telegraph' poll, headed: 'Muslims must do more to integrate', Lawrence Auster comments: "Oh they must, must they? And if they don't, what are you going to go? Throw a wet noodle at them?" See: 'Tough talk from the Brits!' http://amnation.com/vfr
Guardian Apostate
January 14th, 2008 7:25pmDBCJohn, here's an example for you to be going on with:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7184166.stm
By the way, 'Asian men' is BBC speak for Muslim.
Let's not forget the infamous John Reid incident either. There are plenty more if you care to look.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/21/nreid21.xml
DBCJohn
January 14th, 2008 7:47pmGuardian Apostate, Your reference is to an ugly racist gang attack on an unamed estate, not to a no go area. Racist attacks of this level of brutality, Asian on white, white on Asian and other permutations, are nasty but isolated. What I am interested is the location of an area where Christians are effectively barred. Think of the religious no go areas of Belfast not so long ago. They were real no go areas. Do we have anything like that in London?
S.J.
January 14th, 2008 8:19pmDBCJohn
does this count?
http://www.currentviewpoint.com/cgibin/news.cgi?id=11&command=shownews&newsid=955
Phil
January 14th, 2008 9:01pmKeep speaking out Melanie. The Lib/Lab/Con won't listen, but the voting public will.
DBCJohn
January 14th, 2008 10:20pmS.J. OK, the best I'm going to get is reports of racist or political abuse directed at someone called Carol Gould at an unamed cafe in Edgeware Rd and an unamed shop in Abby Rd. The acounts are not verified and do not add up to a no go area other than single European women may be unwelcome in some middle Eastern cafes. In which case they should be stromed by femminists. I'm off to America Wednesday, now they do have some well dodgy areas which verge on on go zones, or so I am told.
george
January 14th, 2008 10:48pmWhy is it that only Brown or Black Christian Clerics such as those mentioned can actually see the wood from the trees?
DBCJohn
January 14th, 2008 11:33pmI meant 'stormed by femminists' not 'stromed by feminists', the lattter sounds nicely suggestive and too good for these mysogenist swine. S.J. -name me the cafe and I will ask my wife's book group to drop by - these folk, aka the Stepney Wives, are capable of creating a (male) no go zone in one's own home. They need to meet their match. PS - Genuine no go zones on the Mile End Rd. 1. The nameless black painted gay / tranny pub if you are heterosexual (and drunk). 2. The student pub if you are over 40 (and drunk). 3. The now defunct Soma bar, possibly on the grounds of being sober. Or maybe drunk.
J. Isaacs
January 15th, 2008 8:29amDBCJohn - are you, like Booker prize winner DBC Pierre "Dirty But Clean" or, as seems more likely, Drunk But Clean? No wonder your wife's book group will not have you, since you cannot spell feminist.
korova
January 15th, 2008 9:17amI congratulate J Isaacs on really getting to the substance of DBCJones comment - a typo. Well done sir.
SJ
January 15th, 2008 10:19amAdd together the typos contributed by DBCJohn and Korova to get
‘stromed by femminists in on go Abby Rd.’
A sinister mind-poem by poet DBC Jones
Paul
January 15th, 2008 11:40amWhat planet do politicians inhabit? I live in Peterborough and there are definite no go areas here dominated by Muslims. Dont believe me? A young man walking home his girlfriend was stabbed to death by four Muslim youths with a 8inch knife. His girlfriend escaped being told they were in the wrong place and the wrong colour. They were white.His name was Ross Parker. The judge labelled it an appalling race hate crime. Our politicians inhabit a rarefied world of fantastic pensions, expenses and salaries. They mostly live in nice middle class suburbs. Its time to get rid of them all and change the system.
Andy Gill
January 15th, 2008 11:59amHague (disappointingly) and Blears (predictably) typify the head-in-the-sand attitude of our politicians towards the menace of Islamocreep. David Davis was the only senior politician I heard support the Bishop, and he has since gone quiet (presumably on orders from the top). Islamization isn't going to stop by itself - it needs to be actively opposed, and the longer we wait, the uglier the final reckoning will be.
Jimmy B
January 15th, 2008 12:12pmSo true, Miss Phillips, but to where does one turn for redress? Certainly not the so-called Conservatives. If one reads the comments in the blogosphere at large, the overwhelming concern is immigration, so why is it being ignored by our politicians? I fear it will all end in tears.
S.J.
January 15th, 2008 12:54pmDBCJohn
Why question the veracity of a description of a hostile and intimidating reception given to Ms Gould by the majority, Muslim men, for the abomination of of being a woman, a Jew, American, things these men hate, for having the cheek to be all those things in ‘their territory.’ She described this incident long before the Bishop’s famous observations, so could not be on a band wagon, if that’s what motivates your strange reaction. She said she was not in a Middle Eastern cafe, but a national chain.
The Edgeware Rd. is not some gay bar; as far as I know it is part of London.
There are indeed no-go zones in the states, riddled with crime and very scary, as there are here I believe. Are you advocating these? I can’t tell from your ‘can’t be arsed to use spell check’ post.
Regards to your wife.
DBCJohn
January 15th, 2008 5:55pmS.J. If Ms Gould was refused service in a cafe on grounds of gender or ethnic origin then presumably an offence was committed by the cafe owners and it would have been sensible to report this, at least it would have been verified. If it is a national chain then they should by exposed. I recollect that gays did something similar regarding Starbucks. Far from advocating no go areas I would like to know if they exist (particularly in London) and where they are. And that they should not be tolerated. I have not come across evidence to suggest that there are no go areas (in the N. Ireland sense)in the UK. There are estates where there is inter ethnic violence between young (ish) males but these are not no go areas. Mrs DBCJohn returns your kind regards and agrees that I am lazy re spellchecking. I am away now so will not by able to respond.
Ron Todd
January 15th, 2008 6:05pmWhen I first moved to Southampton my financial situation was a bit tight and I had to rent a room on the edge of the Asian part of town. As soon as I started doing late shift I had to walk home past groups of Asian men giving the evil eye to any white people walking into 'their' part of townthat dared. I wait with inteterest to see what happens when the expanding Asian area colides with the expanding Polish/Russian/Eastern European area, with an increasing number of very large gentlemen with black leather coats and chunky jewlery who do not look likely to take kindly to attempts to intimidate them.
Nicholas Millman
January 15th, 2008 6:23pmFrank Pulley: "the sinister cabals that proliferated as a result, organised by sino-soviet trained agitators" - yeah, and most of them are now in the cabinet or propping up Ken.
Frank Pulley
January 15th, 2008 7:00pmNicholas Millman Indeed they are!
Geoff Miller
January 15th, 2008 7:31pmMessage to Stuart January 14th, 2008 2:21pm. If anyone is going LA LA LA it is you. The police in Tower Hamlets had to form a special team to counteract the Islamic gangs who were (and probably still are) driving others off the streets - it was covered in the Sunday Times around 2002. It followed many vile incidents of attacks on lone women, men and the elderly and only came about after a massive campaign by locals and their MP Jim Fitzpatrick who were deliberately ignored by the national media as it was deemed "too hot" for them to cover. The experiences I had and saw with my own eyes were not committed by BNP members, unless they are recruiting dozens of Bangaleshi youths into their ranks - not likely. Wake up mate. You are living in denial about what is happening in our inner cities. Go for a walk around Shadwell/Whitechapel/Mile End at night and alone. I dare you!
wonderer
January 15th, 2008 9:09pmRon Todd, I think Stuart was being ironic yesterday at 2.21pm.
wonderer
January 15th, 2008 9:12pmSorry. My last message should have been for Geoff Miller, not Ron Todd. Ron may be right - something of the sort happened in Kondopoga, Russia.
wonderer
January 15th, 2008 9:12pmSorry. My last message should have been for Geoff Miller, not Ron Todd. Ron may be right - something of the sort happened in Kondopoga, Russia.
Steve Lee,London
January 16th, 2008 8:19pmI made the mistake of getting lost in Peterborough, I stopped to look at my A-Z trying to find my mates house, when I looked up from the map I had a crowd of Pakistanis round me looking rather peaved – needless to say I hit the throttle pretty quickly. When I found my friends house and relayed the tale, he told me exactly where I'd been, and yes, it's a no go area for whites. There will be civil war in his country in our lifetime – wake up politicians.
Geoff Miller
January 17th, 2008 10:17amMy apologies to Stuart. Yes he was , upon reading his post properly, being ironic. I'm afraid I am starting to get a bit too annoyed at the many posts from liberals who will not see what is happening on our streets. He did a great job of mimicing the type of fatuous arguments that Liberals use to try and avoid facing the truth. Once again - My apologies.