Debris and nails were found near a mosque in Tipton following an explosion that was this afternoon being treated as terrorism.
Police at Coneygree Road in Tipton which has been closed
Police evacuated a large part of the town after a loud bang was heard by residents living near the Kanz-ul-Iman Muslim Welfare Association Central Jamia Mosque in Binfield Street.
Residents said shortly after that they had discovered debris and nails.
Roads closures included Sedgley Road East at Dudley Port, Dudley Port at Tudor Court, Jays Avenue at Tudor Court/Tudor Street, Park Lane East at Slater Street, Crompton Road at Martin Road and Victoria Road at Park Street.
Officers were called to Binfield Street just after 1pm and a cordon was set up immediately.
There are no reports of any injuries, but police have evacuated the area as a precaution.
Sedgley Road East near Binfield Street which has been closed after residents heard a loud bang
Wasin Kahn, a member of the congregation spoke of how he heard the explosion.
The 23-year-old who lives on Park Lane East in Tipton said: “I heard a loud bang, at first I didn’t think anything of it.
“The police were called and they evacuated the mosque and some houses at the back. There are around 20 police cars here, we just don’t know what’s going on.
A resident of nearby Crompton Road said she was alerted to the incident when she saw police cars racing past her home, she said: “I was about to go out shopping at around 2pm and saw a number of police cars flying down Victoria Road and I thought ‘what’s going on here?’ “I didn’t think much of it then I got a call from friends asking if I was safe.”
John Brown who works at The MOT Bay on Sedgley Road East said: “I heard a bang and it sounded like a gas canister going off but we’re next to a tyre place and I thought it could have been a tyre that had blown.
“As soon as I saw the police coming down here and the streets being sealed off I knew it was something serious. The police helicopter is hovering above us.”
Commercial manager Mark Watton was just yards away when he heard ‘an almighty bang’.
Mr Watton, aged 49, from Bloxwich, was working on his late mother’s house in Coneygre Road at the time.
“The house is the other side of the railway embankment from the mosque, probably less than 50 years away,” he said.
“I was working at the house and heard this very loud bang. It was just after 1pm. I rushed outside but couldn’t see anything or anyone. I popped out to get some spare parts a few moments later and when I came back, 20 minutes later, the whole area was sealed off by the police.”
The EDL had a less than successful time this weekend.
On Saturday, Tommy Robinson of the EDL held what he called a charity walk but which was in fact a bout of shameless self-publicity and a media grab that fed his nasty little ego for another week but failed to give a much needed boost to his failing and splintered organisation.
Tommy had applied to plod for permission for his ‘Charity Walk’ which Scotland Yard denied and told him in no uncertain terms, in a widely distributed document, that he would be arrested, if he entered the East End.
Here’s a tip: if plod issues a letter telling you they will arrest you if you do something, and you do it, don’t complain when they arrest you. By doing precisely this Robinson got his weekly media fix and so he could disingenuously claim to be some sort of martyr. As opposed to a serial criminal with a long police record. When Robinson contravened the order and was promptly arrested he was luckily accompanied by several TV camera crews all vulturing over him for some easy pickings.
Robinson had said he was going to walk from Marble Arch to Woolwich via the East London Mosque to ‘commemorate’ Lee Rigby the soldier who was murdered recently. Apart from the fact that it was highly unlikely he could manage more than a couple of miles, what an inflammatory trip via the mosque had to do with Lee Rigby’s ‘memory’ is anyone’s guess. The little Muppet set off with cousin Beaker and was shadowed by 3 plod vans and our intrepid reporter from EDL News.
After barely 10 minutes they stopped off for a McDonald’s – which shows they had no intention of doing the full stretch: greasy fried food is not good for long distance walking. After stuffing their faces they set off again only this time losing their rather overweight cameraman who couldn’t match their bovine pace and dropped further and further behind. We eventually saw him again in Woolwich getting a parking ticket outside Wetherspoon’s. Well done.
As the Muppets entered Aldgate there was a confrontation with two anti-fascists which caused Tommy to start whining ‘arrest them! arrest them!’ as the police arrested him. This film shows that KKKev hit out first.
Robinson was dragged off to the plod van where his vain delusions of martyrdom could hatch. In case you don’t know, the charity for which he was embarrassing had rejected him and the EDL’s money as toxic (Help 4 Heroes also rejected EDL money) so his march was not for a sick girl but for a sick boy desperate for column inches. The Rigby family have also publicly distanced themselves from Robinson.
Meanwhile, we headed off to Woolwich where the Armed Services Day was in full swing. After searching the area we came across a group of 20 anti-fascists but very few EDL. As we headed back into Woolwich we found the EDL unsurprisingly kettled by plod in Wetherspoon’s.
They didn’t get the chance to lay flowers in memory of Rigby as the Army barracks didn’t want them hijacking the day and so their mission completely failed. Instead, they did what they do best: got pissed on cheap lager. Well done.
So all in all not a great day for the EDL: leaders arrested; followers denied laying flowers; poor turnout and all round recrimination from right and left for Robinson’s shameless hijacking of Armed Forces Day, Rigby’s murder and the little girl’s charity with even some halfwit bugles from the far right Casuals claiming that he is a ‘f***ing attention seeking, money grabbing parasite.’ Well said you wee arsespangle!
As was intended the EDL foot and mouth soldiers immediately started whinging, claiming that the police were enforcing Sharia law – which was almost as good as when they referred to David Cameron as ‘a cultural Marxist’ (whatever that means).
The EDL balloons also claimed that Whitechapel is a ‘no-go area’ for non-Muslims. Sorry fellers but anyone who cares to stroll up Brick Lane for a fine salt beef bagel, stop for a pint in one of the many bars or perhaps even do a wee bit of shopping in Spitalfields will tell you that this is a blatant and absolute lie by made up by people who have obviously never even been there.
Despite Robinson getting plenty of publicity this week, the EDL completely failed to mobilise any significant numbers on the day or indeed organise much beyond a round at ’Spoons. Be seeing you! Malatesta
On Saturday 29th June, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka “Tommy Robinson”) and Kevin Carroll, the two leading shitbaguettes of the English Defence League, are planning to do a sponsored walk from Westminster to Woolwich.
The sponsorship money raised by the for the walk has been rejected by the charity “Help for Heroes”. So as they pocket the money for themselves, they want this event as a publicity stunt for the cameras.
The Islamophobic and racist EDL plan to walk through Tower Hamlets, and past the London Muslim Centre and the East London Mosque. They want a propaganda victory which makes them look like “peaceful” demonstrators highlight the “violent” muslims and anti-racist activists.
The EDL plan to celebrate the end of the walk in Woolwich with a demonstration. Carroll and Lennon have asked their supporters not to drink as they expect media coverage and don’t want to appear as drunken thugs who attack women in hijabs on the street and set fire to mosques at night.
After the broadcast of this morning’s “tommy robinson” interview (above) on the bbc’s sunday politics show interviewer Andrew Neil immediately started receiving death threats via twitter from the little fuhrer’s henchmen.
The express ran an article covering the story, with possibly the finest typo (?) ever .. so true to boot ..
Fascists hiding behind the murder of Lee Rigby gathered in a number of locations throughout the UK today in an attempt to stir up racial hatred amongst communities and fight with the *’commies’ (*anyone that disagrees with them) whilst pretending to lay wreaths for the murdered soldier.
Fascists were thin on the ground in a lot of areas by all accounts.
Antifascists had the numbers.
Anti-fascists out in Leeds
Anti-fascists marching through Parliament Sq, London
Anti-Fascists out in Sheffield
BNP muppet from Croydon got into difficulties in London
Poor turnout of BNP scum in London
Golden dawn fans the ‘Infidels‘ inside pen in Manchester (vid-click pic to view)
Small antifascist presence in Bristol, EDL never turned up at the cenotaph @ 1pm
Anti-Fascist presence in Northampton
Belfast: Anti-Fascists out against the ulster defence league
Police snatch squads protecting BNP scum, arresting Anti-Fascists in London (58 A-F arrested)
London: Anti-Badger cull protesters unite with Anti-Fascists against the BNP
Above: EDL’s (cough) “Dignified silence” for Lee Rigby in Sheffield
Edinburgh: Scottish defence league/ EDL pull nazi salutes in “honour” of Lee Rigby
Colchester: EDL perform nazi salutes infront of the war memorial in “honour” of Lee Rigby
The Cardiff four out to (cough) ‘lay a wreath’. One of the (cough) ‘mourners’ looks strikingly like well known Welsh nazi Luke Pippen, with freshly shaven head. Why would a bonafide nazi be “honouring” Lee Rigby? Pippen blatantly supports those that sent british soldiers to their graves during ww2.
Brighton’s war memorial, seems Anti-Fascists got there first!
STOP THE BNP
SOUTH LONDON ANTIFASCISTS CALLOUT
***UPDATED***
The Metropolitan Police have banned the BNP from assembling in Woolwich this Saturday and marching to Lewisham Islamic Centre, and the Centre has therefore cancelled its plan to hold a rally. However, as of this morning, Nick Griffin plans for the BNP to meet at the permitted demonstration site in Whitehall and march to the cenotaph. We are therefore calling on antifascists to join us to stop the BNP.
ASSEMBLY POINT: Imperial War Museum Gardens (Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park), near the Russian memorial.
ADDRESS: Kennington Road, SE1
TIME: 11a.m., Saturday 1st June
ORGANISE: It is vital that we form a critical mass to prevent the BNP from marching, while preserving our own safety as much as is possible. This means we need numbers on the day. If you are part of an existing ‘affinity group’, or an informal group of friends, organise among yourselves to make sure you stay together. Be sure to get to the assembly point on time to talk with other people about the day ahead. We will have legal numbers to distribute on the day.
TRAVEL: Don’t travel to Whitehall on your own. Try to travel in a group, and stay in a group, and leave in a group. The nearest stops to the assembly point are Lambeth North or Elephant and Castle. The area is served by many buses, including the 3, 12, 148 and 159.
CLOTHING: Wear nondescript clothing, and bring a change of clothes if you think you might need it. Strong, comfortable footwear is also advised. It’s sometimes advisable to bring something to disguise or cover your face on a demonstration.
FOOD & USEFUL THINGS: Be sure to bring food, water, and sunscreen if you think you’ll need it. It’s good to be prepared.
ALONE? It’s best to try to organise among trusted friends to come to these demonstrations. However, if you don’t know anyone going to the demo, don’t panic! Email us ASAP, and we’ll try to ensure you’re not alone on the day itself. ADDRESS: southlondon-antifascists@aktivix.org
Last night in a calm, considered and educated manor the EDL thought about its response to the brutal public murder, and botched beheading of a man going about his business in Woolwich, London….Not really, as you might expect from a group of reactionary right wing morons they set about making the most of the situation and used the murder as an excuse to dress up like terrorists and run around with plod. They got pissed, the celebrations got out of hand, and they ended up smashing up a pub before fighting with police. Vice magazine took some good photo’s of the pricks here – Vice pics.
London EDL, Bexley Div – Celebrating the fact they think there’s a
chance for a bit of racism.
The EDL is really going to milk this horrible incident, giving the two murderers exactly what they wanted; divided communities. As has been said many times, the British far right (EDL etc) and lunatic religious extremists are two sides of the same coin. The religious extremists can’t get any support for their insane ideas from 99.9% of British Muslims, so they carry out a brutal murder and the EDL responds just as the extremists would like, they attack the innocent – ruining lives and communities, and trying to divide us in a way that the religious fanatics could never have done on their own. It’s lucky for the rest of us that the Muslim community is in general very thoughtful, and reacts to the threats with a dignity that the EDL followers will never know.
There have already been incidents of attacks against innocent Muslim communities – in Essex a masked man walked into a mosque brandishing knives, in Kent a mosque was vandalised and in Bolton cars outside a mosque have been done over. One shitsack ‘patriot’ has been spreading lies on twitter that ordinary Muslims in Oldham were celebrating in the streets!?! This lie was then spread by CxF and EDL until GM Police had to take to twitter to say it was a load of old cobblers. On BBC Radio Five a caller of Indian decent, with kids in the army, talked of how she did not feel safe with the EDL running around blaming all brown people.
Other EDL divisions throughout the country who have been surrendered for some time are springing into life again to capitalise on the horrific murder. No doubt the Newcastle EDL organisers are rubbing their hands in glee, hoping that this death will boost their numbers at Saturdays protest. The EDL has called for a demo for bank holiday Monday outside Downing Street – presumably as the two murderers were sent on an all expenses paid cruise rather than being shot, uh? Time for London to unite and show the haters where to go! All Antifascists will be remaining vigilant over the coming weeks – to again try to stop the rot the far right brings to our streets, and using the upsurge in EDL facebook activity to gather intelligence on organised racism.
YAY “we got what we wanted” Sick fascists, yesterday evening.
Below is a statement from an AFN affiliated group, speaking on behalf of the Anti-Fascist Network.
The Anti-Fascist Network deplores the murder of a young man in Woolwich yesterday and our condolences go out to his family and friends. We also deplore the use of this incident by the far right to stir up Islamophobia once again.
By calling a ‘terrorist alert’ the government has shamelessly sought political capital from what was clearly an isolated act of brutality by a couple of lone psychopaths claiming to be Muslims. There are maniacs in every community and grouping, not least the far right. The loss of a life in such horrific circumstances is always a tragedy for those involved, just as it was when fascists killed Altab Ali or when the police killed Blair Peach.
Meanwhile the Muslim community has conducted itself with dignity, and a huge number of individual Muslims have spontaneously taken to social media to disassociate themselves from any kind of sectarian violence.
Unlike the EDL, now virtually a spent force, who have chosen to use this man’s death to go on a recruiting drive and encourage attacks on minorities. The Internet is now buzzing with ‘patriots’, nationalists and fascists eager to exploit the situation – please don’t encourage them by carelessly repeating their drivel.
We will all need to be vigilant, and work with our communities against any rise in fascist activity.
We reproduce below a statement from the Muslim Council of Great Britain:
“This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly.
Our thoughts are with the victim and his family.We understand the victim is a serving member of the Armed Forces. Muslims have long served in this country’s Armed Forces, proudly and with honour.
This attack on a member of the Armed Forces is dishonourable, and no cause justifies this murder. This action will no doubt heighten tensions on the streets of the United Kingdom.
We call on all our communities, Muslim and non-Muslim, to come together in solidarity to ensure the forces of hatred do not prevail.”
– Muslim Council of Great Britain
There’s another blog post worth checking here: Andy Carrington
Photo’s in this article are taken by extremely good looking, talented photographers, who work with Vice Magazine , used without permission (sorry).
3 Counties Anti-Fascist Alliance (3CAFA) 
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