This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/merseyside/5415478.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Straw words 'sparked veil attack' | Straw words 'sparked veil attack' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A leading Muslim has blamed Jack Straw's comments for an attack in which a woman's veil was torn from her face. | A leading Muslim has blamed Jack Straw's comments for an attack in which a woman's veil was torn from her face. |
| The woman was attacked in Liverpool by a man shouting racist abuse, the day after the former foreign secretary criticised veils that cover the face. | The woman was attacked in Liverpool by a man shouting racist abuse, the day after the former foreign secretary criticised veils that cover the face. |
| Mohammed Akbar Ali, ex-chairman of the Liverpool Islamic Institute, said Mr Straw should have known better. | |
| Merseyside Police, who say the attack was a hate crime, met Muslim leaders on Saturday to hear their concerns. | Merseyside Police, who say the attack was a hate crime, met Muslim leaders on Saturday to hear their concerns. |
| Mr Akbar Ali, who was involved in the campaign to free Liverpool hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq, said the attack was no coincidence. | Mr Akbar Ali, who was involved in the campaign to free Liverpool hostage Ken Bigley in Iraq, said the attack was no coincidence. |
| I put the blame squarely and without any hesitation on Jack Straw Mohammed Akbar Ali | I put the blame squarely and without any hesitation on Jack Straw Mohammed Akbar Ali |
| "I put the blame squarely and without any hesitation on Jack Straw," he said. | "I put the blame squarely and without any hesitation on Jack Straw," he said. |
| "He's a responsible member of the government and is in a constituency with a large number of Muslims - he should have known better than make such a statement." | "He's a responsible member of the government and is in a constituency with a large number of Muslims - he should have known better than make such a statement." |
| Mr Straw, Labour MP for Blackburn and leader of the House of Commons, said he believed covering faces could make community relations more difficult. | Mr Straw, Labour MP for Blackburn and leader of the House of Commons, said he believed covering faces could make community relations more difficult. |
| He said watching facial expressions was an important part of contact between people. | He said watching facial expressions was an important part of contact between people. |
| Mr Straw said he asked Muslim women meeting him at his constituency surgeries to remove their veils. | Mr Straw said he asked Muslim women meeting him at his constituency surgeries to remove their veils. |
| Constituency demo | |
| Some Muslims called his remarks insulting but others said they understood his concerns. | |
| On Saturday an estimated 70 people - including 20 women in veils - from the Stop the War Coalition demonstrated in Mr Straw's Blackburn constituency against his comments. | |
| Nahella Ashraf, chairwoman of the Manchester Stop the War Coalition, said: "Obviously we want to send a loud and clear message to Jack Straw about what he's said. We don't agree with what he's said, it's just completely out of order. | |
| "The idea that after representing Muslims for 23 years, he's now come out and said that a cloth over someone's face is stopping him from interacting, is just absurd." | |
| Speaking of the attack on the woman, Insp Saied Mostaghel of Merseyside Police, said it was despicable and had left the victim feeling extremely shocked. | |
| The attacker is described as white and slim with silver-grey hair. He was wearing a light khaki jacket and grey trousers. | The attacker is described as white and slim with silver-grey hair. He was wearing a light khaki jacket and grey trousers. |