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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Police chief urges veil row calm | Police chief urges veil row calm |
| (4 days later) | |
| Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has called for restraint in the Muslim veils debate. | Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair has called for restraint in the Muslim veils debate. |
| Speaking at a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority, he said "too many pronouncements" were causing Muslim women to feel victimised. | Speaking at a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority, he said "too many pronouncements" were causing Muslim women to feel victimised. |
| Sir Ian also said warnings of civil unrest were not helpful and urged people to "keep things steady". | Sir Ian also said warnings of civil unrest were not helpful and urged people to "keep things steady". |
| The debate had not led to an increase in faith hate crimes, he said. | The debate had not led to an increase in faith hate crimes, he said. |
| The row over full-face veils was sparked earlier this month when House of Commons leader Jack Straw said he asked Muslim women to remove their veils when they visited his constituency surgery. | The row over full-face veils was sparked earlier this month when House of Commons leader Jack Straw said he asked Muslim women to remove their veils when they visited his constituency surgery. |
| We need to keep things very steady to be able to police a liberal democracy in very troubled times Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair | We need to keep things very steady to be able to police a liberal democracy in very troubled times Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair |
| It intensified with the case of West Yorkshire teaching assistant Aishah Azmi, who was suspended for refusing to remove her veil in the classroom of a Church of England primary school. | It intensified with the case of West Yorkshire teaching assistant Aishah Azmi, who was suspended for refusing to remove her veil in the classroom of a Church of England primary school. |
| Mrs Azmi lost her employment tribunal case for discrimination and harassment, but was awarded damages for victimisation by Kirklees Council. | Mrs Azmi lost her employment tribunal case for discrimination and harassment, but was awarded damages for victimisation by Kirklees Council. |
| Head of the Commission for Racial Equality Trevor Phillips then warned the row could trigger race riots. | Head of the Commission for Racial Equality Trevor Phillips then warned the row could trigger race riots. |
| Sir Ian told the meeting: "I accept the obvious conclusion that there are considerable tensions as a result of this. | Sir Ian told the meeting: "I accept the obvious conclusion that there are considerable tensions as a result of this. |
| "I think the important thing however is to make sure that we keep our nerve." | "I think the important thing however is to make sure that we keep our nerve." |
| Aishah Azmi was suspended for refusing to remove her veil | Aishah Azmi was suspended for refusing to remove her veil |
| He said he did not doubt Muslim women had been subjected to verbal intimidation or victimisation as a result of the debate. | He said he did not doubt Muslim women had been subjected to verbal intimidation or victimisation as a result of the debate. |
| But, he said: "We just need to hold our nerve a bit and stop too many pronouncements from too many people." | But, he said: "We just need to hold our nerve a bit and stop too many pronouncements from too many people." |
| Anything which increases the possibility of public disorder - and "some of the very dire warnings" - were not helpful, he said. | Anything which increases the possibility of public disorder - and "some of the very dire warnings" - were not helpful, he said. |
| "We need to keep things very steady to be able to police a liberal democracy in very troubled times," he added. | "We need to keep things very steady to be able to police a liberal democracy in very troubled times," he added. |
| Tory leader David Cameron has also warned that politicians "piling in" over the veil issue has caused the Muslim community to feel victimised. | Tory leader David Cameron has also warned that politicians "piling in" over the veil issue has caused the Muslim community to feel victimised. |