The leader of the demonstration outside the Danish embassy in Knightsbridge protesting against cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, which were published in Danish newspapers last year, was found guilty yesterday of soliciting murder and stirring up racial hatred.
The 27-year old Brummie, Umran Javed, was one of those who spoke at the demo and encouraged killing and incited racial hatred. At the time he said “Denmark would pay with blood”.
According to The Guardian he was also alleged to have shouted: “Bomb, bomb Denmark. Bomb, bomb USA.” The conviction was attacked last night by Muslim activists who said that a fair trial was not possible in the current climate in Britain.
They said that the demonstrators had merely been expressing their anger and not literally calling for murder. He’s been remanded to be sentenced in April.
Javed told the jury: “I did not want to see Denmark and the USA being bombed. I regret saying these things. I understand the implications they have, but they were just slogans, soundbites.”
On another note The Courier in Scotland reports that Gordon Brown has launched Scotland’s first Anne Frank and You interactive cultural festival, which aims to convey the thoughts and experiences of Anne Frank and her family through five themes including conflict and peace and racial hatred.
The paper says the festival came about following a trip to Auschwitz by a group of pupils from Balwearie, Lochgelly and Inverkeithing High Schools.
On their return the pupils formed the Fife Auschwitz Experience Group and are supported formally by Fife Council’s Creative Links Programme, Adam Smith College and the Scottish Executive.
