We were due to have another riot in Luton today. Or at least that is what the English Defence League (EDL) said a month or two ago. For once nothing happened. It feels strangely good. But is that news? Yes, but the media don't seem to be on to it nearly as quickly as they we had a riot three weeks ago. And somehow I am not sure they will tell this story.
(The history goes something like this.
Bouyed up by a good riot on 24th May the EDL announced another event for 30th August, and then postponed it to 19th September. Then they cancelled the 19th, in part at least because of a Home Office Ban on them marching and gathering in Luton. Unwilling to trust them, the police were present in large numbers on 30th August, and while the EDL were true to their word, lads in the Muslim community did riot. I have posted on this: Luton troubles - the action and some first thoughts and Luton. Lets take time out to talk. PLEASE.)
We were pretty certain the EDL would not be here today. But the police were determined to be here, so everything in us feared a repeat of 30th August. To add fuel to the fire, the local Unite Against Fascism (UAF) group wanted to rally against the EDL, and their presence had added fuel to the fire in Birmingham and Harrow. So what happened? Very simply, we talked and we worked together. And in doing so the sense of having won the day was even sweeter.
Talking is nothing new of course. The Muslims have been talking to the Christians (and everybody else) in Luton Council of Faiths (LCOF) for years now. LCOF, and its individual constituents, talks to the council, and the council runs community centres work with their local workers, the schools, and the police. Even before 30th August a new forum had been brought together, but it wasn't enough to contain things that day. Several meetings since that day have helped people understand what happened, work out how to prevent it, and do it! The Muslim community even managed to talk with UAF, and while they decided to go ahead it was pretty low key.
Everyone was real and honest. Everyone in the Muslim community condemned the violence. The police were able to put together sufficient evidence to arrest four of those involved in demonstrating in August and that sent a clear message of intolerance of this sort of thing. Trouble won't be tolerated warn authorities. Everyone stood together in condemning what had happened, and everyone stood together in working for a better day today. This was no simple political correctness, it was mutual respect, trust and commitment, and dare I say it friendship.
The police presence was good but subdued and friendly in Bury Park and the town centre, and community workers, faith leaders from the Muslim community, church leaders, and local councillors were out on the streets together. A local businessman had set up a bouncy castle outside his coffee shop where people have been gathering, and that changed the atmosphere. It was the night before Eid, and many Muslims were out shopping in preparation. A few people were around who might have been looking for trouble, but just the normal cops with Community Support officers and Specials were enough to deal with them. The "riot police" with their vans, dogs and horses stayed well out of the way all day.
Will this make the news? I doubt it. Yet this is how it should be. And the irony is that we are building on the troubles to establish new hope and peace!
In the next few weeks, the EDL are schedule to be in Manchester, Leeds, Swansea, Newport, and Glasgow. Not Luton. Mercifully we have time to continue to talk. We cannot rest on our laurels, there is a lot of work to do, and a significant number of Luton boys will be out around the nation taking their troubles with them. I pray we can all continue to move forward.
This is one of a series of posts focusing on the issues of Islamophobia currently being worked out in Luton and the UK. For the full list of posts see Seeking Peace in Luton - and Multicultural UK
For the Strangers who happen by this way. Traditional people of faith, whether Christians, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or other, to give hospitality to travelers on their way, whether people of their own faith, other faiths on none. I need to develop a Virtual hospitality space, but for now you can read more of my approach to life here.
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