Luton Loonies

Published: 12/03/2009

Luton Loonies
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Dressed in black, a small group of Muslim fanatics, men and women, screamed foully at British soldiers who were marching through Luton after serving in Iraq.
The sight and sounds will have appalled millions of indigenous Brits, including those vehemently against the Iraq war. Trust me when I say that most of us British Muslims detest them even more and want the ground to beneath them to open up. They cynically betray us and our faith and don’t give a damn, not even about the blameless young Muslim children in the playgrounds and streets of Luton who will now be vilified and bullied. I bet there will be many more white Britons wanting to join far right parties after this confrontation.
Thank God the police were able to control the situation. We might have had a mini-civil war in a locality that already has serious communal divisions.

The abused soldiers took part in an illegal war not of their making. Though some British combatants did not behave with honour, many died for a cause they probably never believed in. Imagine how their families feel. If demonstrators want to remind people of the cost of that war and countless lives lost, they should have gone to parliament or even the Ministry of Defence. Instead the desperados chose to subvert a local, welcoming event for returnees and their motives are sinister.

They want to unleash public fury which to them is like Red Bull (high energy fizzy drink?); it lifts them high, gives them a kick. Hard though it is, we must stay temperate and so deny the protesters the thrills they seek. Their other agenda is to ‘prove’ that British democracy is a sham, unable to live by its avowed principles of free speech. Democrats must keep their heads and refuse to overreact to the provocation.

By coincidence this week, we have witnessed just this steadfastness in the face of more extreme aggravation in Northern Ireland. Years ago, I remember similarly ugly demonstrations by hard left groups in London against soldiers returning from those troubles. Peace came, followed by remarkable progress . Suddenly violent republicans are up and about again. The Real IRA shot dead two soldiers and the Continuity IRA gunned down a policeman. They too wish only to stir things up. The Northern Irish will not let them. Through silent protests citizens plan to rebuff those who want to incite unrest. Real democrats in Luton, should do the same. A dignified and wordless demo bringing together people of all backgrounds would reclaim the streets from the Islamicist bats and boors from hell.

Published in Evening Standard