300 angry protesters. When have we seen 300 Muslims protesting against the twisting and hijacking of their religion that Western Muslim leaders claim has been done by the likes of the Islamic State and Al Qaeda? Their ire seems reserved only for counter-terror efforts, as in the protest here, and for those who dare to draw cartoons of Muhammad.
“Terror raids: Muslim radical Uthman Badar warns of backlash against ‘terrorism’ of government, ASIO and police,” by Geoff Chambers and Warren Gibbs, The Daily Telegraph, September 19, 2014 (thanks to Kenneth):
A MUSLIM leader chose the hallowed steps of Lakemba’s War Memorial to preach outrage and condemnation over the anti-terror raids across Sydney.
In front of 300 angry protesters, controversial Hizt ut-Tahrir spokesman Uthman Badar warned of a growing anger within the Islamic community and said it was time to stop the victimisation. “We are tired of being made scapegoats. The government is the terrorist,” he declared to the gathering, many waving anti-government placards.
Protesters packed the lawns of the Canterbury council-controlled RSL reserve — booked by rally organisers for one hour from 7pm — as a group of speakers branded the anti-terror swoop as an overkill aimed at creating fear.
“We would be fools to think we can now wake up and feel safer. We are not fools to be deceived. There is anger in the community. We have been victimised for years and years,” said Mr Badar.
A young man, who claimed police punched his mother as the family’s home was raided yesterday morning, yelled at the crowd several times to “wake up”. “What are you going to do about it? Talk? Seriously? Talk?” he said.
What else, then?