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| Cameron's extremism speech gets mixed response from Birmingham Muslims | Cameron's extremism speech gets mixed response from Birmingham Muslims |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Muslims in Birmingham gave a mixed reaction to David Cameron’s speech on tackling extremism, with some echoing his condemnation of British Muslims who had travelled to Syria to join Islamic State, while others argued that he was unfairly stigmatising people. | Muslims in Birmingham gave a mixed reaction to David Cameron’s speech on tackling extremism, with some echoing his condemnation of British Muslims who had travelled to Syria to join Islamic State, while others argued that he was unfairly stigmatising people. |
| Below the glass panels of the Bullring shopping centre, Fatema Bandali, a 24-year-old architect from Birmingham, said of the young men and women travelling to Syria to join Isis: “They’re not practising Muslims. | Below the glass panels of the Bullring shopping centre, Fatema Bandali, a 24-year-old architect from Birmingham, said of the young men and women travelling to Syria to join Isis: “They’re not practising Muslims. |
| Fatema, an architect said: islam is about brotherhood and these youths [joining Daesh] prob don't feel part of it pic.twitter.com/fCIZ01ZP37 | Fatema, an architect said: islam is about brotherhood and these youths [joining Daesh] prob don't feel part of it pic.twitter.com/fCIZ01ZP37 |
| “Islam as a whole is about brotherhood. These people probably don’t feel part of anything and are looking outside to be accepted. Maybe they felt judged within the community and there were expectations they couldn’t meet.” | “Islam as a whole is about brotherhood. These people probably don’t feel part of anything and are looking outside to be accepted. Maybe they felt judged within the community and there were expectations they couldn’t meet.” |
| Amran Ellahi, 39, who is part of Aashiq al-Rasul, a Muslim a capella group in Birmingham, said his band was founded to advocate peace and harmony through music. “I would agree extremism is a growing issue,” he said. “We need to make sure nobody hijacks the stage. We [Muslims] need to be more vocal.” | Amran Ellahi, 39, who is part of Aashiq al-Rasul, a Muslim a capella group in Birmingham, said his band was founded to advocate peace and harmony through music. “I would agree extremism is a growing issue,” he said. “We need to make sure nobody hijacks the stage. We [Muslims] need to be more vocal.” |
| Yet the government had to do more to engage and to speak with people working on the ground, Ellahi said, as “too many people are claiming grants and Prevent [the government’s anti-radicalisation scheme] money”, who do not really represent mainstream Muslims. | Yet the government had to do more to engage and to speak with people working on the ground, Ellahi said, as “too many people are claiming grants and Prevent [the government’s anti-radicalisation scheme] money”, who do not really represent mainstream Muslims. |
| Rubi Mahmood, 39, was in Birmingham visiting friends for Eid al-Fitr. Having worked in Britain and now an educational consultant in Abu Dhabi, she said: “We have to be teaching children from a very young age in school and citizenship classes that they are global citizens, and look at similarities rather than focussing on the differences. | Rubi Mahmood, 39, was in Birmingham visiting friends for Eid al-Fitr. Having worked in Britain and now an educational consultant in Abu Dhabi, she said: “We have to be teaching children from a very young age in school and citizenship classes that they are global citizens, and look at similarities rather than focussing on the differences. |
| Rubi Mahmood, 39, who works in education said: we are segregated but is that by choice? pic.twitter.com/dwE1aVrKyY | Rubi Mahmood, 39, who works in education said: we are segregated but is that by choice? pic.twitter.com/dwE1aVrKyY |
| “And it has to be taught not only in Birmingham. When I go to a white community – and I’m seen as being quite white within my community – there is quite a shock that there are people from another ethnicity here and they fear me. And I tell them I come from here, I haven’t done anything wrong.” | “And it has to be taught not only in Birmingham. When I go to a white community – and I’m seen as being quite white within my community – there is quite a shock that there are people from another ethnicity here and they fear me. And I tell them I come from here, I haven’t done anything wrong.” |
| She said policymakers could learn lessons on integration from other countries, adding she was questioned more than her colleagues when travelling for conferences abroad – despite having a British passport: “We are segregated. Is that by choice? If I moved to a white area I would be threatened and called an extremist.” | She said policymakers could learn lessons on integration from other countries, adding she was questioned more than her colleagues when travelling for conferences abroad – despite having a British passport: “We are segregated. Is that by choice? If I moved to a white area I would be threatened and called an extremist.” |
| A mother of three teenagers, who did not wish to be named, said Cameron had not made a genuine effort to reach out. “I have a question for David Cameron: does he think it’s OK to be a practising Muslim? Or does he want Quilliam Muslims?” she said, referring to the counter-terrorism thinktank. | A mother of three teenagers, who did not wish to be named, said Cameron had not made a genuine effort to reach out. “I have a question for David Cameron: does he think it’s OK to be a practising Muslim? Or does he want Quilliam Muslims?” she said, referring to the counter-terrorism thinktank. |
| “We’ve heard ministers say a year ago that wearing a hijab could be extreme, and then saying Friday prayers in school could be part of extremism.” | “We’ve heard ministers say a year ago that wearing a hijab could be extreme, and then saying Friday prayers in school could be part of extremism.” |
| Her children, who are nearing adulthood, are “carrying a heavy weight”, she said. “They have the finger of suspicion pointed at them and have to spend half their time explaining and defending.” | Her children, who are nearing adulthood, are “carrying a heavy weight”, she said. “They have the finger of suspicion pointed at them and have to spend half their time explaining and defending.” |
| She believed the finger pointing makes people in her community feel isolated and less integrated, and those unable to express themselves were more likely to to turn to extremism. “[Lack of] integration and not meeting others is more of a reflection of the cabinet. I know Muslims working so hard to be good neighbours,” she said, adding: “Seems to be they are pandering to neo-Conservatives to attack Muslims.” | She believed the finger pointing makes people in her community feel isolated and less integrated, and those unable to express themselves were more likely to to turn to extremism. “[Lack of] integration and not meeting others is more of a reflection of the cabinet. I know Muslims working so hard to be good neighbours,” she said, adding: “Seems to be they are pandering to neo-Conservatives to attack Muslims.” |
| She went on to say that the labels that are bandied about are unhelpful: “The word Islamism has not been really defined. I am a practising Muslim and follow the way of Islam, and that would mean I fall into it.” | She went on to say that the labels that are bandied about are unhelpful: “The word Islamism has not been really defined. I am a practising Muslim and follow the way of Islam, and that would mean I fall into it.” |
| Faizal Malek, 24, a recent graduate, had watched the speech live and said its trajectory had largely followed the government’s approach to extremism so far. | Faizal Malek, 24, a recent graduate, had watched the speech live and said its trajectory had largely followed the government’s approach to extremism so far. |
| Faizal Malek, a recent graduate said: Muslims should have done more counter-terror work on own terms #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/VVIbVVdku7 | Faizal Malek, a recent graduate said: Muslims should have done more counter-terror work on own terms #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/VVIbVVdku7 |
| “We agreed with the initial part. The proposal is fine – we agree with stamping out extremism,” he said. “But then he moved on to things that are not part of this discussion, and to cultural issues such as FGM [female genital mutilation] and forced marriage. | “We agreed with the initial part. The proposal is fine – we agree with stamping out extremism,” he said. “But then he moved on to things that are not part of this discussion, and to cultural issues such as FGM [female genital mutilation] and forced marriage. |
| Related: The Guardian view on combating extremism: beginning to get it right | Editorial | Related: The Guardian view on combating extremism: beginning to get it right | Editorial |
| “It’s the way counter-terrorism is realised and enacted within the Muslim community that is a problem.” | “It’s the way counter-terrorism is realised and enacted within the Muslim community that is a problem.” |
| However, he added, “it would be naive to think Muslims are not completely at fault and we should have done counter-terror work in our own terms”. | However, he added, “it would be naive to think Muslims are not completely at fault and we should have done counter-terror work in our own terms”. |
| Zarah Sultana, 21, an activist at the National Union of Students’ black students campaign committee, said: “We are constantly lambasted by politicians and the media. | Zarah Sultana, 21, an activist at the National Union of Students’ black students campaign committee, said: “We are constantly lambasted by politicians and the media. |
| Zarah Sultana, a student in Birmingham said: it's just one thing after the other. Constantly having to apologise pic.twitter.com/Y8TIB3Jv7r | Zarah Sultana, a student in Birmingham said: it's just one thing after the other. Constantly having to apologise pic.twitter.com/Y8TIB3Jv7r |
| “It’s like a parent telling off their children. I’m from a generation where 9/11, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, is only what we’ve known.” | “It’s like a parent telling off their children. I’m from a generation where 9/11, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, is only what we’ve known.” |
| On the subject of Cameron, she said: “I think the speech today has come far too late. He should have discussed it with us much earlier. It seems like empty words.” | On the subject of Cameron, she said: “I think the speech today has come far too late. He should have discussed it with us much earlier. It seems like empty words.” |
| A stall on the side of the city centre street was stacked with copies of the Qur’an, alongside translations and pamphlets with titles such as What’s the Purpose of Life? and Islam Q&A. A recitation of the Qur’an played from speakers as shoppers walked past. Others stopped to greet the preacher manning the stall. | A stall on the side of the city centre street was stacked with copies of the Qur’an, alongside translations and pamphlets with titles such as What’s the Purpose of Life? and Islam Q&A. A recitation of the Qur’an played from speakers as shoppers walked past. Others stopped to greet the preacher manning the stall. |
| Related: If David Cameron wants to tackle radicalisation, he should address inequality | Letters | |
| “Some people say [the recitation in Arabic] sounds calming, others say this isn’t Saudi so why are you playing it?” the preacher said. | “Some people say [the recitation in Arabic] sounds calming, others say this isn’t Saudi so why are you playing it?” the preacher said. |
| “Muslims are like a ball. They’re kicked back and forth and nobody knows where it’s going to go,” said the preacher, who has been in the UK for 15 years but was originally from Syria. | “Muslims are like a ball. They’re kicked back and forth and nobody knows where it’s going to go,” said the preacher, who has been in the UK for 15 years but was originally from Syria. |
| “It’s a big game. One day this is a good group, and the next they are bad.” | “It’s a big game. One day this is a good group, and the next they are bad.” |