LONDON – Stickers have been found placed in London’s East End declaring it a “gay-free zone.” The messages say, “Arise and warn. Gay free zone. And fear Allah; Verily Allah is severe in punishment.”
A resident, who tried to remove the stickers, told PinkNews, “Tower Hamlets (an area in East London) council won praise from Stonewall for its LGBT friendliness, but these stickers are a warning that Islamist extremists in Tower Hamlets have not gone away from London’s streets.
“According to police figures, a homophobic crime is committed in Tower Hamlets at the rate of more than five a month.”
The resident suggested that they may have been posted by members of Islam4UK, which has been accused of being a front for the banned Al Mahajaroun Group.
“There have been a series of homophobic threats and assaults by Asian youths on LGBT people in the East End over recent years,” gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said. “I’ve been attacked by Muslim youths three times in and around Brick Lane. In all three attacks, the assailants shouted religious slogans. My LGBT Muslim friends who live in the area are nervous and anxious. They fear attack and dare not reveal their sexuality.”
The Muslim Council of Britain said it “(stands) firm against discrimination and violence against any people.” It added, “These stickers are wrong and not in keeping with our Islamic teaching to respect our neighbors.”
This is not the first time these stickers have appeared. The same stickers were put up just before Nottingham’s Pride festival, in July 2010. At the time a resident was quoted as saying, “I’m not gay but found the sentiment extremely offensive, blatant homophobia I’d say. If stickers were going around saying Muslim Free Area I’m pretty sure there’d be one hell of a fuss made about it.”
