Luton to be a focus for rising Islamophobia and Nationalism?

Update: 14.00 Thursday. Local news reported there will be no march Saturday. No BNP March for Luton.   I trust that is true. I can only echo their words, and urge people to stay away for the sake of peace in the town.

I hope, I pray, that the "question mark" in my post title is necessary. I pray that my intuition is wrong. But it  doesn't  look that way.

Just over two weeks ago Luton was projected into the national news for several days. ( Reporting Luton: strengthening the stereotype?)  For unrelated reasons - the trial of the man responsible for murdering police officer John Henry - we have remained in the news. The trial ended with a guilty verdict and a life sentence yesterday, and we might have begun to hope that we would drop out of the news for a while. 

(More that I wrote here:  Praying and working for the peace of this city (1)  and  Praying and working for the peace of Luton (2))

Its not to be. Over the last two days, as we feared, it has become evident that this is just the beginning, not the end. A march is planned this coming Saturday to express support for the soldiers  and to make a statement about the danger of militant Islam to Britain. I am not going to publicise details of the march, though it is quite easy to discover. 

In brief, a march had been planned to express solidarity with the army after what was regarded as the insult of the demonstrators to the soldiers on their homecoming parade on 10th March. It was called off before the police and council had made a decision. However others have continued with the idea, and vow to march with or without permission.To quote a local right wing blogger who seems to have been at the heart of the planning:

'If we the people cannot stand up to this abhorrent behaviour by this civil enemy, then who is going to? As the Home Secretary has said: “but that isn't free speech that will go unhindered or unchallenged by either Government or, I think, the broader community."

Again, you can find that site if you want to. But I refuse to give him the publicity he desires. But I do want to understand what he and his friends think.

I am saddened that some of those promoting the march claim to be Christian. Even if their aim is not to stir trouble, it is a very predictable outcome. It can only serve to stir resentment and anger, to unsettle the community and be a catalyst for violence. I cannot believe it can be in Christ's name.

"Summing up:be agreeable, be sympathetic, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation, no short tongued sacrasm. Instead, bless. Thats your job, to bless. You will be a blessing, and you will get a blessing! 1 Peter 3.1-9

That is surely the way of Christ who said, "Blessed are the peacemakers."

This sudden attention to Luton would seem to be in the hands of followers of the BNP (British National Party).  A BBC report on Monday ( BNP claims support is growing ) outlines growth of the party prior to the European elections in early June, and states that they campaign on two fronts: to speak out against the process of Islamification, and call for "British jobs for British works."  It is surely not a coincidence that the  top of the front page of the  BNP site has room for a large link to the article on previous Luton march on another page.

Pray for us for peace.