someone posted this on Mikes blog
Cycloptic Hook Man is so,so(too) perfect as a bogeyman I really believe he could be a C I A plant(Wittingly or otherwise)..And,who f-in cares if he is extradited? Even if he is authentic he is per se your enemy,David,and would happily deny you your "democratic rights"(an oxymoron if I ever heard one)-and much,much more-given the opportunity..And Bush is displaying double standards..Well; fuck me...who would have thought it...and such a pleasant man,too.
------------------- -------- ---
I imagine most people think this about Hamza including Ruth (23) from Bolton and Michelle (21) from Oldham. Both page 3 girls in relevant issues of The Sun's campaign against Hamza. Have we been misinformed? I didn't get the feeling Hamza thought himself my enemy. I didn't really find him a very interesting preacher but I'm sure I would have noticed if he was threatening me. I'm sure you are right about extradition too. Very few people care if Hamza is extradited.
To some Muslims he is a religious martyr isn't he? I found myself going back over my tapes to find out what he did say. I'd love this documentary to reflect the cartoon nature of Hamza's media-isation in some way.
June 22, 2004
June 21, 2004
JON SNOW
this is an advert for Jon Snow's snowmail which comes out just before the news goes on air. As you can see it has slightly more personality than he can get away with on the news:
9/11 Commission: No evidence that Saddam aided al Qaeda:
========================================================
At last, America's own 9/11 investigating commission has come out and
said it. They ve poured buckets of cold water possible links between
Saddam and al Qaeda. There is no evidence that Saddam aided the terrorists
in attacking the World Trade Centre, said the commission. Vice
President Dick Cheney has consistently pedalled the lie, yes, lie that Iraq and
al Qaeda were closely connected. As recently as LAST WEEK repeating
that there were 'long established ties' from Saddam to al Qaeda.
Will anyone in the coalition of the willing complain? Will Dick Cheney
resign? Is the Pope a Catholic?
sign up for snowmail
9/11 Commission: No evidence that Saddam aided al Qaeda:
========================================================
At last, America's own 9/11 investigating commission has come out and
said it. They ve poured buckets of cold water possible links between
Saddam and al Qaeda. There is no evidence that Saddam aided the terrorists
in attacking the World Trade Centre, said the commission. Vice
President Dick Cheney has consistently pedalled the lie, yes, lie that Iraq and
al Qaeda were closely connected. As recently as LAST WEEK repeating
that there were 'long established ties' from Saddam to al Qaeda.
Will anyone in the coalition of the willing complain? Will Dick Cheney
resign? Is the Pope a Catholic?
sign up for snowmail
June 20, 2004
CAN ANYONE LEND ME A XXXING CAMERA?
Fantastic. First contact with the UBA is good. Looked through my footage and have their words. Was dreading someone from the UBA finding this blog but got this from Stephen:
Thanks,for your quick reply. I have read the content on your site and do find it very interesting, im sure there are many things we do agree on but also many we don’t!! What I want is for the people of this country who I feel get a very different report on many things from the British press to hear the truth, something that should not to be hard to give. It would be difficult to talk like this over the web so I would not mind contacting you or even meeting. As you can see the people on the UBA are from different backrounds and areas and many have different views but we all share the same thing, we want ourselves and family’s to be safe, and a country that we can be proud of again. As im sure you have seen we don’t want to clear the country of Muslims we simply want it clear of extremists, something you to I assume want.
I've looked into the UBA on the web. Some people just hate people from Pakistan. They call it P@kistan. But others use the forum to say that they have moved away from their racist past yet still see that they represent Britain. From my camera I hope to include these guys as I think we can have an honest debate about what it means for us now to be British.
Got a visit from the younger guys from Finsbury Park. Cheers Samir, (I didn't ask your brother's name.) Sorry.It turn's out that these guys have had dealing's with Channel 4 before. They dispute a piece called Dispatches which, they claim fabricated Abu Hamza's voice in a previous documentary. I think Mr. Abdullah thinks a Zionist will edit my documentary at the last minute.
My gut tell's me they want to do it. I'm in the interesting position of trying to give both "side's" some footage ( UBA and Finsbury Park Muslims.) but unfortunately the tape they both want a copy of is stuck. I want everyone to tell me what it now means to be British. Before Hamza was sent down he agreed to a live interview with GM T.V. which they chickened out of- allegedly. I'd have no problem's doing this live. 97% want Hamza extradited before they've heard the evidence. I've seen him move from the street into the public imagination, next stop: Southpark.
No one can speak with him or report his word's. Samir want's to use this documentary to sit opossite a certain trustee who they believe has been dodgy with Mosque funds. Who are the villans? Who are the heros? I've seen two brother's sitting opposite me in my house tell me how Hamza used to call them up all the time to check they were O.K. and give them advice on moral Islamic living. They didn't look inclined to self destruct.
I am drawn to something Hajj said last week to our Canadian cameraman. ( in a real Blame Canada southpark moment)
" Put people on the television. Show what they really say. Get rid of the politicians. "
Thanks,for your quick reply. I have read the content on your site and do find it very interesting, im sure there are many things we do agree on but also many we don’t!! What I want is for the people of this country who I feel get a very different report on many things from the British press to hear the truth, something that should not to be hard to give. It would be difficult to talk like this over the web so I would not mind contacting you or even meeting. As you can see the people on the UBA are from different backrounds and areas and many have different views but we all share the same thing, we want ourselves and family’s to be safe, and a country that we can be proud of again. As im sure you have seen we don’t want to clear the country of Muslims we simply want it clear of extremists, something you to I assume want.
I've looked into the UBA on the web. Some people just hate people from Pakistan. They call it P@kistan. But others use the forum to say that they have moved away from their racist past yet still see that they represent Britain. From my camera I hope to include these guys as I think we can have an honest debate about what it means for us now to be British.
Got a visit from the younger guys from Finsbury Park. Cheers Samir, (I didn't ask your brother's name.) Sorry.It turn's out that these guys have had dealing's with Channel 4 before. They dispute a piece called Dispatches which, they claim fabricated Abu Hamza's voice in a previous documentary. I think Mr. Abdullah thinks a Zionist will edit my documentary at the last minute.
My gut tell's me they want to do it. I'm in the interesting position of trying to give both "side's" some footage ( UBA and Finsbury Park Muslims.) but unfortunately the tape they both want a copy of is stuck. I want everyone to tell me what it now means to be British. Before Hamza was sent down he agreed to a live interview with GM T.V. which they chickened out of- allegedly. I'd have no problem's doing this live. 97% want Hamza extradited before they've heard the evidence. I've seen him move from the street into the public imagination, next stop: Southpark.
No one can speak with him or report his word's. Samir want's to use this documentary to sit opossite a certain trustee who they believe has been dodgy with Mosque funds. Who are the villans? Who are the heros? I've seen two brother's sitting opposite me in my house tell me how Hamza used to call them up all the time to check they were O.K. and give them advice on moral Islamic living. They didn't look inclined to self destruct.
I am drawn to something Hajj said last week to our Canadian cameraman. ( in a real Blame Canada southpark moment)
" Put people on the television. Show what they really say. Get rid of the politicians. "
June 18, 2004
DUMPLINGS ANYONE??
I’d like to start by apologizing for not voting. For my part in a responsible democracy I am trying to introduce the frightened masses that watch T.V. news to the evil people who attend Finsbury Park Mosque- and they are just the journalists. My documentary (if it ever gets made now) will hopefully demonstrate how they plan to blow the living shit out of us and destroy our wonderful British way of life from the pavement every Friday then go round the corner for chips all under the roving eye of a C.C.T.V. camera.
This week I actually got the main man who has been blocking my lense for the last year to talk on camera. For future reference, I will always know that the person who complains the loudest about having his picture taken is a closet star in the making. More of him later. Hajj was talking to me about skunk. I’m going to get the lowdown on what Allah thinks about weed from Hajj next week- I promise.
My main character believes George Bush sacrifices children to an Owl god. My secondary character has just been dragged off to Belmarsh and is being called The Bin Laden of Britain. Finsbury Park Islamists on the street say he has been like a father to them. Do I believe George Bush sacrifices children to an Owl God? Well I think that anyone who refuses even to ratify the Kyoto treaty must by default be sacrificing a lot of people’s children to something.
Britain is fantastic. While editors control the media from newsrooms (or the evil Zionist government if you believe Mr. Abdullah) On the street in Finsbury Park the media has been controlled for a year and a half by a small number of locals with sinister looking masks and an amazing Jamaican who has told almost every eminent TV journalist in the country to
“ Go home and cook your wife some dumplings.”
Whilst standing in front of their camera. All sensitively policed by the Met. If I organized a protest in the street what sort of Police would I meet and how long would it last? Yet this is Britain and because of religion the Chief Superintendent himself comes down for a polite chat with everyone to make sure everything is O.K. and I am fine with that. Especially when I get to talk to Mr. Dumplings
This is why taxpayers are paying to keep the mosque closed:
POLICEMAN: Can you take this conversation on the footpath so that we can get the road open, thank you very much?
DUMPLINGS: You want to talk to me?
BONES: You’ve told almost every famous journalist in this country to go home and cook his wife dumplings; what would you like to ...
DUMPLINGS: The reason being, at this time the summer is drawing nigh. You know what nigh mean? Near. The Christian use near. Black people they use nigh…and the most food you can think of right now is dumplings. Go in the West Indies and get dumplings. And don’t use nothing else except salt fish. You know salt fish? Salt fish and Akee. What you think…what you eat?
BONES:Dumplings?...
DUMPLINGS: Tell you what Fish and rice. Proteins. Good for the human body...don’t eat those fish from the market...Computer fish...don’t eat those computer fish. Real Caribbean fish.
DRUNK(Who happened to be walking past): Fish makes the brain work.
DUMPLINGS: The brain work? How can the brain work without beard? The brains cannot work without beard. You got to have beard on your mout’ you know brain. You know bre-ard...You know; Beard? On your face. And you activate the brain. I tried it man. Look at me. Nine years...anything else? Please don’t ask me anything about Islam. Ask me about Black people and white people. There’s a difference. You know?
One of the most important things I like about Finsbury Park...the only quiet place in Finsbury Park? The mosque...Quiet and decent. You understand? Look at all the brothers here. All the brothers standing here, they are very rich. They are rich people. We’re not poor people. Look at he way we dress.
MYSTERY MASKED MUSLIM: Versacci, Gucci, Armani, Prada...
DUMPLINGS: You know what kind of car that brother drive?...Believe me...We come all the way here on a Friday. You know what Friday is? ...Judgement Day. Judgement day? You don’t believe that do you?
BONES: I have no idea...I don’t know. Really.
DUMPLINGS: What day do you think judgement day will be?
BONES. Friday.
DUMPLINGS: How you know?
BONES: Because you told me?
DUMPLINGS: Because Thursday? No good. Everyone wants to go pay their bills...don’t mention Wednesday. Every Christian and non-Muslim, they burry. Tuesday? You cook the most important food on a Tuesday. Monday they give you benefits? In England they give you benefits. I’m not social security. Do I look like social security? ...The last benefit I get? ...I get sentenced in court...Three weeks ago…that’s my only benefit. I was accused convicted and condemned in court…you know why? Cos I’m Black.
I’m sure we will see more Dumplings in due course. A few weeks ago when the UBA were here someone actually said to my camera
“ Isn’t the environment a more important issue?”
It’s taken a year and a half of filming for someone to actually come here and come up with that- and he was on his lunch break. Now there’s someone with the taxpayer’s interest at heart.
A picture of Mr. Dumplings is here:
June 11, 2004
HAJJ ON DOPE
Really quiet at Finsbury Park. Barry came down and spoke to everyone. A drop of sanity in an ocean of, well, calm for a change today.
“ These Zionist Jews, probably a very few people sitting round a table. They decide what is in the media.”
Mr. Abdullah was on his usual preaching vibe. A mixture of orthadox islam, Bush bashing and the internet.
He referred to www.biblebelievers.org
“ Evil rituals that Zionists do.” quoting the Talmud:
“Adam had sexual intercourse with all the animals in the garden of eden. This is in the Talmud people. The knowledge is there for you... but you want to...continue being enslaved by these people. Sanhedrin 55,3. A Jew may marry a 13 year old girl. Specifically 13 years and a day. Paedophiles!…Sanhedrin 45,3 A Jew may have sex with a child as young as 9 years old. Paedophiles! Perverts! Ruling our society and you blindly give them your allegance...Come on people get a life! These... Zionists entrap you and you give your alliegance to these, to imprison and kill my brothers and my children and to rape my sisters!”
Is this anti-Semitism? Hamza said specifically that he had many Jewish visitors to the mosque and that as Muslims they were the first to condemn the burning of synagogues. He said he didn’t like Zionists or freemasons. I don't know,look up bible believers or come to Finsbury Park to judge for yourself. I have no idea if a secret group of Zionist freemason sits round a table ruling the world. A female journalist from a Jewish newspaper carefully checked Mr.Abdullahs scriptural references with him afterwards. Anyway that’s the heaviness out of the way, and I know you all want to hear Hajj on dope...
A Canadian news team was about. A girl called Jane was interviewing. She had been in Afghanistan and said that she felt safer with the Taliban than the Northern Alliance, who were prone to raping and stealing. They interviewed Mr. Abdullah. When the interview was over everyone casually discussed Afghanistan, the difficulties of news reporting in Palestine and U.S. politics with the Muslims of Finsbury Park. Jamie had phoned me saying that Mr. Abdullah hadn’t got back to him and not to press them too hard. Mr. Abdullah was asking who Idealworld were and whether they worked for the BBC, and he was complaining again about the music I had used in my pitching piece about them.
“ Mr.Abdullah, all the T.V. about you guys say’s that you are specifically threatening the British people. Would you like something other than that to get out there? Patrick is the producer of a series on Channel 4 called The Other side. Can you imagine how many people come to him with ideas for documentaries? He can make documentaries about anything, yet he came here because of the cd I put together about you guys- music and all.”
“ Well you e-mail me a list of questions and we’ll go from there.”
“ I’ve written you e-mails before and you haven’t answered.”
The conversations continued. There were maybe 6 police at Finsbury Park all during prayers and now they were long gone. I butted in on a conversation between Hajj, my favorite Finsbury park Muslim (see THE LONG HAUL) and the Canadian cameraman.
HAJJ: We are not allowed to kill innocents.
CANADIAN: (sorry didn’t get the name) Well yeah that’s the impression I got...
HAJJ: I used to smoke weed, I used to drink, I used to gamble, I used to take speed, black bombers, yellow tablets. There used to be bluey’s in the seventies. Blue tablets.
BONES: You were taking speed tablets? You?
HAJJ: Because I was looking for some kind of happiness.
BONES: You used to smoke dope?
HAJJ: Of course.
MYSTERY MUSLIM: Doesn’t everyone?
HAJJ: Why I say that, the reason is now sometimes I get up in the morning to pray, I used to get up drunk. Do you think I am going to kill an innocent person and go to hellfire forever? The reason I told you...I used to enjoy these things. Still now I miss cannabis. Every night to look up to the sky, this and that. Living in a fantasy, but you get addicted to living in a fantasy.
BONES: Yeah, that’s true definitely...
HAJJ: My point is Allah commands us. You cannot harm innocents. Fight those who fight you. But in this country there is no way any Muslim is going to...(harm innocents)unless he is a nutter.
BONES: How long have you know Mr. Hamza?
HAJJ: A couple of years.
BONES: And you believe he is innocent?
HAJJ: Of course. Of course he is. No doubt about it.
BONES: Cheers Hajj. I still can’t believe you used to smoke dope mate.
HAJJ: I know you use it as well...
BONES: Bit easy to spot, these dope smokers...
HAJJ: If all the people smoked dope and packed up alchohol we would have a better country because people who smoke dope...they think sensible...it makes you think more but alchohol it makes you violent.
BONES: That’s fantastic Hajj. You’re the main man in my documentary! If Mr. Abdullah won’t do it I’m talking to you mate.
I don’t know who Abu Hamza is. If you judge a man by the company he keeps Mr. Abdullah and Hajj have been standing next to him the whole time I have been filming in Finsbury Park. I still hope to make this film so you can judge for yourself, and I can go sit on white sands beach, Koh Chang, Thailand before finding something more dangerous to do than fraternising with these extremists. War on terror? Well it sounds exciting.
“ These Zionist Jews, probably a very few people sitting round a table. They decide what is in the media.”
Mr. Abdullah was on his usual preaching vibe. A mixture of orthadox islam, Bush bashing and the internet.
He referred to www.biblebelievers.org
“ Evil rituals that Zionists do.” quoting the Talmud:
“Adam had sexual intercourse with all the animals in the garden of eden. This is in the Talmud people. The knowledge is there for you... but you want to...continue being enslaved by these people. Sanhedrin 55,3. A Jew may marry a 13 year old girl. Specifically 13 years and a day. Paedophiles!…Sanhedrin 45,3 A Jew may have sex with a child as young as 9 years old. Paedophiles! Perverts! Ruling our society and you blindly give them your allegance...Come on people get a life! These... Zionists entrap you and you give your alliegance to these, to imprison and kill my brothers and my children and to rape my sisters!”
Is this anti-Semitism? Hamza said specifically that he had many Jewish visitors to the mosque and that as Muslims they were the first to condemn the burning of synagogues. He said he didn’t like Zionists or freemasons. I don't know,look up bible believers or come to Finsbury Park to judge for yourself. I have no idea if a secret group of Zionist freemason sits round a table ruling the world. A female journalist from a Jewish newspaper carefully checked Mr.Abdullahs scriptural references with him afterwards. Anyway that’s the heaviness out of the way, and I know you all want to hear Hajj on dope...
A Canadian news team was about. A girl called Jane was interviewing. She had been in Afghanistan and said that she felt safer with the Taliban than the Northern Alliance, who were prone to raping and stealing. They interviewed Mr. Abdullah. When the interview was over everyone casually discussed Afghanistan, the difficulties of news reporting in Palestine and U.S. politics with the Muslims of Finsbury Park. Jamie had phoned me saying that Mr. Abdullah hadn’t got back to him and not to press them too hard. Mr. Abdullah was asking who Idealworld were and whether they worked for the BBC, and he was complaining again about the music I had used in my pitching piece about them.
“ Mr.Abdullah, all the T.V. about you guys say’s that you are specifically threatening the British people. Would you like something other than that to get out there? Patrick is the producer of a series on Channel 4 called The Other side. Can you imagine how many people come to him with ideas for documentaries? He can make documentaries about anything, yet he came here because of the cd I put together about you guys- music and all.”
“ Well you e-mail me a list of questions and we’ll go from there.”
“ I’ve written you e-mails before and you haven’t answered.”
The conversations continued. There were maybe 6 police at Finsbury Park all during prayers and now they were long gone. I butted in on a conversation between Hajj, my favorite Finsbury park Muslim (see THE LONG HAUL) and the Canadian cameraman.
HAJJ: We are not allowed to kill innocents.
CANADIAN: (sorry didn’t get the name) Well yeah that’s the impression I got...
HAJJ: I used to smoke weed, I used to drink, I used to gamble, I used to take speed, black bombers, yellow tablets. There used to be bluey’s in the seventies. Blue tablets.
BONES: You were taking speed tablets? You?
HAJJ: Because I was looking for some kind of happiness.
BONES: You used to smoke dope?
HAJJ: Of course.
MYSTERY MUSLIM: Doesn’t everyone?
HAJJ: Why I say that, the reason is now sometimes I get up in the morning to pray, I used to get up drunk. Do you think I am going to kill an innocent person and go to hellfire forever? The reason I told you...I used to enjoy these things. Still now I miss cannabis. Every night to look up to the sky, this and that. Living in a fantasy, but you get addicted to living in a fantasy.
BONES: Yeah, that’s true definitely...
HAJJ: My point is Allah commands us. You cannot harm innocents. Fight those who fight you. But in this country there is no way any Muslim is going to...(harm innocents)unless he is a nutter.
BONES: How long have you know Mr. Hamza?
HAJJ: A couple of years.
BONES: And you believe he is innocent?
HAJJ: Of course. Of course he is. No doubt about it.
BONES: Cheers Hajj. I still can’t believe you used to smoke dope mate.
HAJJ: I know you use it as well...
BONES: Bit easy to spot, these dope smokers...
HAJJ: If all the people smoked dope and packed up alchohol we would have a better country because people who smoke dope...they think sensible...it makes you think more but alchohol it makes you violent.
BONES: That’s fantastic Hajj. You’re the main man in my documentary! If Mr. Abdullah won’t do it I’m talking to you mate.
I don’t know who Abu Hamza is. If you judge a man by the company he keeps Mr. Abdullah and Hajj have been standing next to him the whole time I have been filming in Finsbury Park. I still hope to make this film so you can judge for yourself, and I can go sit on white sands beach, Koh Chang, Thailand before finding something more dangerous to do than fraternising with these extremists. War on terror? Well it sounds exciting.
June 10, 2004
YEMEN OBSERVER
I don't usually put things other people have written on this site, but I found this from Mohammed Al-Asadi, the editor of the Yemen Observer under the title "defining a terrorist" full article available here:
From my experience and follow-up on the war against terror in my country and the rest of the region, I have been able to come up with a definition of the terrorist as it has been put into practice:
A terrorist is a long-bearded Muslim who frequently visits mosques.
A terrorist is a person who hates the United States or plans to oppose its policies.
A terrorist is a person who morally or materially supports the Palestinian resistance.
A terrorist is a child who throws a stone at an Israeli tank.
A terrorist is a freedom fighter who tries to free his land from foreign occupiers.
A terrorist is an abused prisoner and a raped mother or sister.
A terrorist is anyone who makes charitable donations to the orphaned, hungry, poor or outcast, if the recipients are Muslim.
A terrorist is a person who names his baby Osama.
A terrorist is an immigrant who sends money to his family back home.
A terrorist is a detainee who refuses to inform for the FBI.
A terrorist is any Arab or Islamic state that allows charitable organizations to exist on its soil.
A terrorist is anyone who has been to Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia and is of Yemeni origin.
The list goes on, and as it does so, the situation gets worse.
The people making decisions in governments around the world have failed to define terrorism; each has come with a version that serves its own interests....
Journalists have been recruited from throughout the region to report to the international news machine on developments in the fight against terrorism. Media agencies themselves are the ones who benefit most from reporting on terrorism. It is obvious how terrorism has become an essential source of livelihood; thus it is obvious how this cycle will feed itself and continue. That it will not is unimaginable.
------- ----- -------
I would just like to say that my media organisation socialistwanker.com has not so far in any way benefited finantially from the war on terror. Abu Hamza's lawyers have not got back to Patrick (our producer) Mr.Abdullah has not got back to me.If I do in anyway benefit from this war on terror by making a documentary about anyone involved in Finsbury Park Mosque I promise to reinvest this money in either an earthship or a bio-diesel space cruiser kitted out for further documentary work.
From my experience and follow-up on the war against terror in my country and the rest of the region, I have been able to come up with a definition of the terrorist as it has been put into practice:
A terrorist is a long-bearded Muslim who frequently visits mosques.
A terrorist is a person who hates the United States or plans to oppose its policies.
A terrorist is a person who morally or materially supports the Palestinian resistance.
A terrorist is a child who throws a stone at an Israeli tank.
A terrorist is a freedom fighter who tries to free his land from foreign occupiers.
A terrorist is an abused prisoner and a raped mother or sister.
A terrorist is anyone who makes charitable donations to the orphaned, hungry, poor or outcast, if the recipients are Muslim.
A terrorist is a person who names his baby Osama.
A terrorist is an immigrant who sends money to his family back home.
A terrorist is a detainee who refuses to inform for the FBI.
A terrorist is any Arab or Islamic state that allows charitable organizations to exist on its soil.
A terrorist is anyone who has been to Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia and is of Yemeni origin.
The list goes on, and as it does so, the situation gets worse.
The people making decisions in governments around the world have failed to define terrorism; each has come with a version that serves its own interests....
Journalists have been recruited from throughout the region to report to the international news machine on developments in the fight against terrorism. Media agencies themselves are the ones who benefit most from reporting on terrorism. It is obvious how terrorism has become an essential source of livelihood; thus it is obvious how this cycle will feed itself and continue. That it will not is unimaginable.
------- ----- -------
I would just like to say that my media organisation socialistwanker.com has not so far in any way benefited finantially from the war on terror. Abu Hamza's lawyers have not got back to Patrick (our producer) Mr.Abdullah has not got back to me.If I do in anyway benefit from this war on terror by making a documentary about anyone involved in Finsbury Park Mosque I promise to reinvest this money in either an earthship or a bio-diesel space cruiser kitted out for further documentary work.
June 09, 2004
DO I LOOK LIKE A MUSLIM?
I really wanted to put this onto the United British Alliance Site but I don't want the Police to ban me from Finsbury Park. I think what these guys are trying to do is interesting, I just think that if they are looking for terrorists they might be in the wrong place. The Police didn't find any terrorists here for 16 months. Granted, they then suddenly found the British Bin Laden was here all along, but they only found that out with the help of their U.S. friends who seem to have convinced them that they weren't looking hard enough.
I am the documentary maker that one of you said was
“ With the hook.”
I would just like to clear things up a little. I am not
“ With the hook.”
I am a documentary maker. Some of the police and media are saying you are racist. I have on film you saying that you are not racist. I would not like to see you misreported. Some people believe that the Muslims of Finsbury Park are a threat to the British people. I have on film them denying this. Whether they are secretly terrorists or you are secretly racist I don’t know. I only know what people say to my camera. Now I have been frequently abused by Muslims at Finsbury Park, it disturbs be to be abused by you guys. I would like to report your views.
As for your allegations that I
“ Take it up the arse.”
I would like to say that I am not a homosexual but I have nothing against homosexuals at all and am glad that I live in a society where they are not victimized. I had an amicable debate (on camera) with Mr.Hamza’s best friend who quoted me Leviticus 12 vs 20 which says that homosexuals should be put to death. Maybe that is something you agree with him about. Maybe you all secretly would like to live under al shariah law where such things might occur. I don’t want to put words in your mouth. I want to record what you say.
If you read my blog you will see that in Pakistan I narrowly avoided being forcibly dragged off with the mullah because of what I look like and because I dared to play the guitar in Peshawar. All over Pakistan I was called an Infidel and a heretic. You can see what I look like. I thought it might just occur to you that I am not a Muslim. I am a documentary maker.
The person who most inspires me as a documentary maker is Nick Broomfield. I would recommend his documentary about Eugene Terrablanche THE LEADER, HIS DRIVER AND THE DRIVERS WIFE. This depicts the members of a sad white racist group in South Africa. When I met Nick Broomfield I told him that this film was the reason I was inspired to make documentaries. I told him I was filming in Finsbury Park and he wished me the best of luck. If I make a documentary a quarter as good as his I will be very happy. If I complete a documentary at all I will be very happy. He told me that to make documentaries you have to be able to get people whose views you do not necessarily share to talk to you with a camera running.
If I was making a documentary about the U.B.A. I would do it in exactly the same way as I have worked in Finsbury Park. Because Nick Broomfield makes a documentary about a racist does that put him on the side of a racist? Does that mean that he takes it up the arse? He is a documentary maker. To get a clearer picture of what I am about I would recommend a cartoon called
Transmetropolitan. I want to record what Finsbury Park’s Muslim community thinks on film. I also want to record what you think about Hamza on film. I have you guys saying that
“ He is going to fry.”
This is your view. I would like to record it. Things may not be how they seem to you. One of the people who has been encouraging me the most in this documentary process writes for the Sun. A lot of people are looking for the truth about Finsbury Park. I have been doing so for a year and a half.
I realize that you have come to Finsbury Park because you are proud to be British and you care about your country. Me too. Fear of being bombed encouraged me to come down and assess this “threat” for myself. I have a suspicion that if you have come to Finsbury Park looking for terrorists you may be disappointed. I may be wrong. We are just a slightly different kind of British person. You like to stand behind Police lines singing songs together, I like to stand in front of them filming. Maybe you would like to fight with people you disagree with. I like to try and talk to them with a camera running. Many different people make up British society now, with many different views. Some of them are documentary makers.
I am the documentary maker that one of you said was
“ With the hook.”
I would just like to clear things up a little. I am not
“ With the hook.”
I am a documentary maker. Some of the police and media are saying you are racist. I have on film you saying that you are not racist. I would not like to see you misreported. Some people believe that the Muslims of Finsbury Park are a threat to the British people. I have on film them denying this. Whether they are secretly terrorists or you are secretly racist I don’t know. I only know what people say to my camera. Now I have been frequently abused by Muslims at Finsbury Park, it disturbs be to be abused by you guys. I would like to report your views.
As for your allegations that I
“ Take it up the arse.”
I would like to say that I am not a homosexual but I have nothing against homosexuals at all and am glad that I live in a society where they are not victimized. I had an amicable debate (on camera) with Mr.Hamza’s best friend who quoted me Leviticus 12 vs 20 which says that homosexuals should be put to death. Maybe that is something you agree with him about. Maybe you all secretly would like to live under al shariah law where such things might occur. I don’t want to put words in your mouth. I want to record what you say.
If you read my blog you will see that in Pakistan I narrowly avoided being forcibly dragged off with the mullah because of what I look like and because I dared to play the guitar in Peshawar. All over Pakistan I was called an Infidel and a heretic. You can see what I look like. I thought it might just occur to you that I am not a Muslim. I am a documentary maker.
The person who most inspires me as a documentary maker is Nick Broomfield. I would recommend his documentary about Eugene Terrablanche THE LEADER, HIS DRIVER AND THE DRIVERS WIFE. This depicts the members of a sad white racist group in South Africa. When I met Nick Broomfield I told him that this film was the reason I was inspired to make documentaries. I told him I was filming in Finsbury Park and he wished me the best of luck. If I make a documentary a quarter as good as his I will be very happy. If I complete a documentary at all I will be very happy. He told me that to make documentaries you have to be able to get people whose views you do not necessarily share to talk to you with a camera running.
If I was making a documentary about the U.B.A. I would do it in exactly the same way as I have worked in Finsbury Park. Because Nick Broomfield makes a documentary about a racist does that put him on the side of a racist? Does that mean that he takes it up the arse? He is a documentary maker. To get a clearer picture of what I am about I would recommend a cartoon called
Transmetropolitan. I want to record what Finsbury Park’s Muslim community thinks on film. I also want to record what you think about Hamza on film. I have you guys saying that
“ He is going to fry.”
This is your view. I would like to record it. Things may not be how they seem to you. One of the people who has been encouraging me the most in this documentary process writes for the Sun. A lot of people are looking for the truth about Finsbury Park. I have been doing so for a year and a half.
I realize that you have come to Finsbury Park because you are proud to be British and you care about your country. Me too. Fear of being bombed encouraged me to come down and assess this “threat” for myself. I have a suspicion that if you have come to Finsbury Park looking for terrorists you may be disappointed. I may be wrong. We are just a slightly different kind of British person. You like to stand behind Police lines singing songs together, I like to stand in front of them filming. Maybe you would like to fight with people you disagree with. I like to try and talk to them with a camera running. Many different people make up British society now, with many different views. Some of them are documentary makers.
June 07, 2004
LOCAL POLICE, LOCAL ISLAMISTS
Wow. What a day. I arrived in Finsbury Park and passed a copy of my cd on to Barry the Boss. I rambled at him about making a documentary. He advised me to lie down. I then filmed Mr.Norman and Mr.Abdullah talking in the street. It was like two people politely talking across a canyon 3 foot wide. On one side you have Barry, the Borough Police Commander, who just wants the mosque to go back to how it was 2 years ago, on the other you have a man who believes George Bush sacrifices children to an Owl god and that his sheik, who is facing 100 years in a U.S. jail on terrorist charges is an innocent man who has been framed by Zionists and Freemasons.
“ There might come a time when if we are making no progress, we might have to force the issue a bit. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” said Barry.
For the first time, the image of Riot Police removing worshippers from the street loomed.
“ If the worst did come to the worst, you may have to make arrests… Its something we believe in and is very hard to walk away from if we are going to be arrested or bullied by who ever the government chooses to send down on top of our heads. We don’t want to make things complicated for the Police…I think the British public and the government should address the issue delicately instead of forcing you to force your hand.”
“ Just a bit of feedback from what you said though, Mr.Abdullah… I don’t necessarily expect you to believe me but from my perspective there is no pressure on me. It’s up to me. I’m the Police commander round here. And I don’t want to end up with us having to make lots of arrest and all of the huge disruption that causes… there’s other things we should be getting on with. But we have spent 16 months allowing you to have your protest.”
“ Allah allows us…with respect.” Mr. Abdullah interjected pointing to the sky.
“ We’ve spent 16 months without intervening… which we could have done 16 months ago... There has to come a time when things have to be revued and a decision taken as to whether we carry on as we were or things change. That’s all I’m saying… That doesn’t mean we want to get into a confrontation.“
“…To be honest from your point of view it is more delicate for you than it is us because even though there are moderate or soft muslims… they wouldn’t take it kindly that Muslims are removed from there place of worship, and they know the story is that we are the ones who have been evicted from the mosque.”
To any foreigner who is reading this it might be helpful to explain that my country is insane. Totally fucking barking. I had to interject at this point, just to see what would happen.
“ Can I make a suggestion? I don’t know how both of you would feel. Obviously you don’t want to block off the street anymore and you seem to be getting along. Could the mosque be reopened? Maybe with Muslim police and media attention ?”
“ No that is not possible at all” said Mr.Abdullah. “. ..this is not acceptable in Islam to have the Police policing us within our own mosque…Its not Islamic for us to give our brother up for something petty…( was he referring to Hamza’s arrest as for something petty? ) that he may go to prison and face persecution and his family to be harmed as well…”
I wanted to point out that Police had been supervising them quite ammicably for the last 16 months, often for their own safety. As Mr. Norman gave a calm and rational interview to the BBC Mr. Abdullah was screaming in the background over the P.A. about police intervention and persecution. I wouldn’t swop jobs with Barry. He behaves like a classic “ This is my patch” Policeman and gave Mr.Abdullah his word that no one from the government or the mosque had said anything to him. I asked him if he would be happy reopening the Mosque with Mr.Abdullah in it as he obviously had such an exemplarily relationship with him. He explained that it wasn’t his decision but a matter for the trustees. I felt like egging him on.
“Go on.” I felt like saying. “ Use some force. Open the mosque, send them all in and supervise them with Police. Go on Barry. Heres a bunch of Muslims, heres a mosque, put one inside the other then go home and put your feet up. It’s your patch. It’s your decision…”
His alternative is to send in the riot squad and have them all arrested.Every time I have seen Barry in Finsbury Park he had looked as scared of the supposed "terrorists" here as I was.The gap between what was happening in the press and the courts and what was happening on the street had never been so apparent. The local Police have always treated the mosque as eccentrics. It seemed bloody obvious that Barry didn’t think Mr. Abdullah was a terrorist yet he was talking politely to a man who’s best friend is being called the Bin Laden of Britain. I think Hamza would have loved that but very much doubt if he would deserve it. Although Barry and his police get on fine with the Muslims outside there would be pandemonium in the press if they were let back into the mosque.
As prayers continued an interesting debate started between an irate UBA sympathizer and a Moslem who regularly sets up his table selling Muslim books and expounding conspiracy theories. The UBA guy said he wasn’t racist but was against people who take out of the country without putting anything back. He said that the national health service was in the state it was in because of these people. The guy with the table said that most of British taxpayers money went to support Israel.
" How can you say that? " asked the UBA guys friend.
A masked Muslim came through and a scuffle almost started. Mr.Abdullah came steaming through a Policeman holding him back.
“ Take your hand off me copper. Cos it’ll be on your head if it kicks off round here…They’’ll be blood shed here and it’ll be because of them idiots there and this copper here…”
There was no "scuffle" between UBA and Muslims,as some of the press reported. The muslim bookseller said it was a fuss about nothing. The UBA were very unhappy to be reported as racists. Barry was standing in the background through all this. And he had an appointment to speak further with Mr. Abdullah in the week. I don’t think I’m going to hassle him with any more questions.
After prayers Mr.Abdullah ralied the troops
" Right lets go to the American embassy. If any brother knows the nearest tube station, can they inform the other brothers."
I followed the Muslims to their protest outside the American embassy where Mr.Abdullah started telling me how the Policeman manhandled him. The Police had intervened before any punches were thrown and it looked to me like the policeman was just holding Mr. Abdullah back from joining in the non-existant scuffle. Patrick and Jamie had been in Finsbury Park, where I had tried to introduce him to Mr. Abdullah, he also came down to the U.S. Embassy where I was amazed to see him slip instantly into polite conversation with “ the short guy ” as I have referred to him in previous blogs. He had hayfever and I stepped back in wonder as they talked. I spoke afterwards to him, Aziz I think his name is and told him honestly how difficult I had found him and how I had never had a decent conversation with him. He looked really surprised. I was surprised how approachable he now was. I have seen this story turn on its head a few times. Patrick’s conversation with Aziz, which I wasn’t able to film was another of these bizarre moments.
It was bizarre to see this little group off their turf outside the U.S. Embassy.I wondered whether one of the masked guys with a sign saying " release our father " was actually one of Hamza's kids. I went to try and talk to the UBA guys but they turned ugly and accused me of being
“With the hook”
I wanted to record how they felt as I thought they were making some points I wanted to include in my story. If a previously racist white group was now accepting black members who were "proud to be British" I think thats a very British story in itself.
Finsbury Park Mosque. Terrorists or misunderstood local worshippers?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/05/international/05brie.html
http://www.itv.com/news/404598.html
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/00002055-.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=528440
the dangers of voting...
http://www.al-muhaajiroun.com/
“ There might come a time when if we are making no progress, we might have to force the issue a bit. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” said Barry.
For the first time, the image of Riot Police removing worshippers from the street loomed.
“ If the worst did come to the worst, you may have to make arrests… Its something we believe in and is very hard to walk away from if we are going to be arrested or bullied by who ever the government chooses to send down on top of our heads. We don’t want to make things complicated for the Police…I think the British public and the government should address the issue delicately instead of forcing you to force your hand.”
“ Just a bit of feedback from what you said though, Mr.Abdullah… I don’t necessarily expect you to believe me but from my perspective there is no pressure on me. It’s up to me. I’m the Police commander round here. And I don’t want to end up with us having to make lots of arrest and all of the huge disruption that causes… there’s other things we should be getting on with. But we have spent 16 months allowing you to have your protest.”
“ Allah allows us…with respect.” Mr. Abdullah interjected pointing to the sky.
“ We’ve spent 16 months without intervening… which we could have done 16 months ago... There has to come a time when things have to be revued and a decision taken as to whether we carry on as we were or things change. That’s all I’m saying… That doesn’t mean we want to get into a confrontation.“
“…To be honest from your point of view it is more delicate for you than it is us because even though there are moderate or soft muslims… they wouldn’t take it kindly that Muslims are removed from there place of worship, and they know the story is that we are the ones who have been evicted from the mosque.”
To any foreigner who is reading this it might be helpful to explain that my country is insane. Totally fucking barking. I had to interject at this point, just to see what would happen.
“ Can I make a suggestion? I don’t know how both of you would feel. Obviously you don’t want to block off the street anymore and you seem to be getting along. Could the mosque be reopened? Maybe with Muslim police and media attention ?”
“ No that is not possible at all” said Mr.Abdullah. “. ..this is not acceptable in Islam to have the Police policing us within our own mosque…Its not Islamic for us to give our brother up for something petty…( was he referring to Hamza’s arrest as for something petty? ) that he may go to prison and face persecution and his family to be harmed as well…”
I wanted to point out that Police had been supervising them quite ammicably for the last 16 months, often for their own safety. As Mr. Norman gave a calm and rational interview to the BBC Mr. Abdullah was screaming in the background over the P.A. about police intervention and persecution. I wouldn’t swop jobs with Barry. He behaves like a classic “ This is my patch” Policeman and gave Mr.Abdullah his word that no one from the government or the mosque had said anything to him. I asked him if he would be happy reopening the Mosque with Mr.Abdullah in it as he obviously had such an exemplarily relationship with him. He explained that it wasn’t his decision but a matter for the trustees. I felt like egging him on.
“Go on.” I felt like saying. “ Use some force. Open the mosque, send them all in and supervise them with Police. Go on Barry. Heres a bunch of Muslims, heres a mosque, put one inside the other then go home and put your feet up. It’s your patch. It’s your decision…”
His alternative is to send in the riot squad and have them all arrested.Every time I have seen Barry in Finsbury Park he had looked as scared of the supposed "terrorists" here as I was.The gap between what was happening in the press and the courts and what was happening on the street had never been so apparent. The local Police have always treated the mosque as eccentrics. It seemed bloody obvious that Barry didn’t think Mr. Abdullah was a terrorist yet he was talking politely to a man who’s best friend is being called the Bin Laden of Britain. I think Hamza would have loved that but very much doubt if he would deserve it. Although Barry and his police get on fine with the Muslims outside there would be pandemonium in the press if they were let back into the mosque.
As prayers continued an interesting debate started between an irate UBA sympathizer and a Moslem who regularly sets up his table selling Muslim books and expounding conspiracy theories. The UBA guy said he wasn’t racist but was against people who take out of the country without putting anything back. He said that the national health service was in the state it was in because of these people. The guy with the table said that most of British taxpayers money went to support Israel.
" How can you say that? " asked the UBA guys friend.
A masked Muslim came through and a scuffle almost started. Mr.Abdullah came steaming through a Policeman holding him back.
“ Take your hand off me copper. Cos it’ll be on your head if it kicks off round here…They’’ll be blood shed here and it’ll be because of them idiots there and this copper here…”
There was no "scuffle" between UBA and Muslims,as some of the press reported. The muslim bookseller said it was a fuss about nothing. The UBA were very unhappy to be reported as racists. Barry was standing in the background through all this. And he had an appointment to speak further with Mr. Abdullah in the week. I don’t think I’m going to hassle him with any more questions.
After prayers Mr.Abdullah ralied the troops
" Right lets go to the American embassy. If any brother knows the nearest tube station, can they inform the other brothers."
I followed the Muslims to their protest outside the American embassy where Mr.Abdullah started telling me how the Policeman manhandled him. The Police had intervened before any punches were thrown and it looked to me like the policeman was just holding Mr. Abdullah back from joining in the non-existant scuffle. Patrick and Jamie had been in Finsbury Park, where I had tried to introduce him to Mr. Abdullah, he also came down to the U.S. Embassy where I was amazed to see him slip instantly into polite conversation with “ the short guy ” as I have referred to him in previous blogs. He had hayfever and I stepped back in wonder as they talked. I spoke afterwards to him, Aziz I think his name is and told him honestly how difficult I had found him and how I had never had a decent conversation with him. He looked really surprised. I was surprised how approachable he now was. I have seen this story turn on its head a few times. Patrick’s conversation with Aziz, which I wasn’t able to film was another of these bizarre moments.
It was bizarre to see this little group off their turf outside the U.S. Embassy.I wondered whether one of the masked guys with a sign saying " release our father " was actually one of Hamza's kids. I went to try and talk to the UBA guys but they turned ugly and accused me of being
“With the hook”
I wanted to record how they felt as I thought they were making some points I wanted to include in my story. If a previously racist white group was now accepting black members who were "proud to be British" I think thats a very British story in itself.
Finsbury Park Mosque. Terrorists or misunderstood local worshippers?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/05/international/05brie.html
http://www.itv.com/news/404598.html
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/00002055-.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=528440
the dangers of voting...
http://www.al-muhaajiroun.com/
June 02, 2004
ALLAH HAS BEEN INFORMED
Fuck it. In reality there has ALWAYS been a blanket ban on talking to the media in Finsbury Park. Everything I have has been through a total blanket ban. The choicest things I have through this blanket ban include Mr.Abdullah saying
1. The truth stands clear of all falsehood.
2. If ever I meet Tony Blair I will personally arrest him for war crimes.
3. We thank the people who have protested against the war. We really want to thank you people from the bottom of our hearts…My advice to you is to come a step closer, debate with us on neutral ground so you may find that we are not people who set bombs for innocents.
4. We ARE NOT a threat to the British People.
5. For many years Non Muslims lived under Muslim rule in a Zacca System, and no harm was done to them.
Some of the things Mr.Abdullah has said that I disagree with are
1. Quoting Leviticus 12 vs. 20 If a man lies with another man he should be put to death.
2. I will neither add to nor take away from the words of the scripture.
I’ve just opened the Koran at a random page and read:
Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon, each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is informed of what ye do?
That’s good to know I suppose.
1. The truth stands clear of all falsehood.
2. If ever I meet Tony Blair I will personally arrest him for war crimes.
3. We thank the people who have protested against the war. We really want to thank you people from the bottom of our hearts…My advice to you is to come a step closer, debate with us on neutral ground so you may find that we are not people who set bombs for innocents.
4. We ARE NOT a threat to the British People.
5. For many years Non Muslims lived under Muslim rule in a Zacca System, and no harm was done to them.
Some of the things Mr.Abdullah has said that I disagree with are
1. Quoting Leviticus 12 vs. 20 If a man lies with another man he should be put to death.
2. I will neither add to nor take away from the words of the scripture.
I’ve just opened the Koran at a random page and read:
Hast thou not seen how Allah causeth the night to pass into the day and causeth the day to pass into the night, and hath subdued the sun and the moon, each running unto an appointed term; and that Allah is informed of what ye do?
That’s good to know I suppose.
CAN I DO A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT YOU MR.ABDULLAH?
I wrote Abdullah an e-mail. I aksed him to watch documentaries about people, to pray about it. I wrote that if people could see his personality they might get a totally different view of what is was to be a British Fundamental Islamist. Over the bank holiday weekend, I missed out on loads of opportunities to get shit faced.There was an impromptu trance festival in Kent, a 3 day party just south of the river.
I knew after reading the papers on Friday that I was in a far too volatile mental state to do anything stronger than a bottle of wine. Instead I went to a “ European creative forum visioning meeting. “ These are the people who are going to take over the world. (see NEW SOLUTIONS NEW PROBLEMS) The discussion was focused around the theme “ Visions of another world.” A decorative glass ball was taken by each person in turn as they wished to speak.
Late into the night I broke down about my situation. I have been to a few of these meetings and most people knew what I was doing.
“ Basically I’ve been filming, quite flippantly in Finsbury Park because I thought it was the hardest place to test our theory that another world is possible. All of a sudden they’ve arrested a guy who I’ve chosen to spend a year and a half in the company of and the U.S. government want to put him to death. I have no idea what he’s done. I’m going to see if I can visit him and I want help from everyone here. If you believe another world is possible and wanted to apply that belief to reality what would you ask a Fundamental Islamist like Abu Hamza?”
I stayed the night. The next morning after breakfast the discussion for the first hour or so focused around an arguement between two people as to whether the “visioning” would continue inside or outside. I left with a really nice girl I met there for the Kingston green fair. We drank a couple of bottles of wine and I began to relax. For a long while there was an upside-down rainbow in the sky. Never in my life had I seen this before. I’ve seen rainbows touching the ground on both sides through the rain but never high up in the air, a peculiar reaction between sun and sky. I wondered if this was a sign, A change came over everyone as it was pointed out. The Samba band Rhythms of Resistance came through. They played the most exciting set I have ever seen them do.
This morning (Tuesday) I woke up and arranged to meet Patrick at Idealworld H.Q. near Old street. It was good to meet up with Simon and Jamie again after Friday. We spoke about events at Finsbury Park and I admitted that I missed being me on my own with a camera and spoke about the difficulty in introducing anyone to Mr. Abdullah at this stage. We went for dinner.
“ The trouble is, if we had done this a few weeks ago, we could have made a relaxed doc about Mr.Abdullah’s beliefs but now everyone watching will be screaming at the T.V. Are you a terrorist?? And if I make anything depicting Mr.Abdullahs actual beliefs do you think it would get on T.V?”
“ You’re kidding, “ said Patrick. “ When I told the commissioning editor at Channel 4 what you had she almost shat herself and said that was everything Channel 4 was about.”
In my head I’ve been suffering for a long time beating myself up. As a film maker on my first real project, with my first little camera listening to what Patrick had just said made me stop beating myself up a little.
“ But, I mean, if I make anything showing these guys views, its going to be seen now as me vs. the U.S. government, and if they want to shoot the messenger I’m a pretty easy target. I don’t know what I’m doing, but if Mr.Abdullah and Hajj are terrorists I will eat Michael Moore’s baseball cap.”
We went back to Idealworld H.Q. and with baited breath I phoned Mr. Abdullah. I wanted to introduce him to Patrick, Patrick wanted to meet him.
I asked him how things were going. He said Hamza was allowed no visitors for 2 weeks and that when he was allowed visitors his family would take priority. He said he had been in a meeting with the Police commander.
“ Barry?” I asked.
“ Yeah, Barry Norman. He asked us to stop our protest. He said it was costing too much public money. “
“ I’ve also got him on film saying that you’re protest wasn’t causing any problem..” I said.
“ Yeah, we told him that it wasn’t our fault and that our protest would continue..”
“ A meeting between yourselves and Mr. Norman is just what I’d want to film..” I said.
They were a small group with a lot of attention. I asked him again about making a documentary and told him of the interest in his life shown by the guys at Idealworld. I asked him if he would meet Patrick, just to talk to him. He said that would be out of the question. He didn’t want to be in a situation where even inadvertently he might affect Mr. Hamza’s case. Patrick passed me a note
NOONE IS PUTTING FORWARD THEIR VIEWS. WE WANT TO DO THIS.
I read it too him but he said he didn’t even want to meet Patrick.
“ Look David, You’ve been patient for 15 months and I appreciate that not all the media are run by Zionists but you will just have to wait a bit longer. “ he told me.” I had a conversation with some of the brothers about what they had said to you and they pointed out that I had been doing TV with you so I have to stop too.”
For some reason he had objected to what the younger guys had said to me. I thought they had given the best interviews I had from Finsbury Park.I could imagine which people had told him to stop talking to me. I felt the mosque doors closing.
“ Look if I could just show the British public who I have been talking to..” I tried, but it was no use. “ Well, you know I am still going to be there with my camera, Mr.Abdullah.”
It looked like the locals at Finsbury would be closing ranks against all cameras. I realized that Mr. Abdullah would never meet Patrick in these conditions, but I wondered if I didn’t have an ace in the hole. G. had filmed with me before. (See MALUNG TV NEWS, FINSBURY PARK)Mr. Abdullah and everyone else had taken an instant liking to him. I wonder if we may be able to use our charms next Friday. If this doc never makes the screens it wont be for want of trying. And I still want to ask Hamza my question.
“ Why have I been doing this? “
I knew after reading the papers on Friday that I was in a far too volatile mental state to do anything stronger than a bottle of wine. Instead I went to a “ European creative forum visioning meeting. “ These are the people who are going to take over the world. (see NEW SOLUTIONS NEW PROBLEMS) The discussion was focused around the theme “ Visions of another world.” A decorative glass ball was taken by each person in turn as they wished to speak.
Late into the night I broke down about my situation. I have been to a few of these meetings and most people knew what I was doing.
“ Basically I’ve been filming, quite flippantly in Finsbury Park because I thought it was the hardest place to test our theory that another world is possible. All of a sudden they’ve arrested a guy who I’ve chosen to spend a year and a half in the company of and the U.S. government want to put him to death. I have no idea what he’s done. I’m going to see if I can visit him and I want help from everyone here. If you believe another world is possible and wanted to apply that belief to reality what would you ask a Fundamental Islamist like Abu Hamza?”
I stayed the night. The next morning after breakfast the discussion for the first hour or so focused around an arguement between two people as to whether the “visioning” would continue inside or outside. I left with a really nice girl I met there for the Kingston green fair. We drank a couple of bottles of wine and I began to relax. For a long while there was an upside-down rainbow in the sky. Never in my life had I seen this before. I’ve seen rainbows touching the ground on both sides through the rain but never high up in the air, a peculiar reaction between sun and sky. I wondered if this was a sign, A change came over everyone as it was pointed out. The Samba band Rhythms of Resistance came through. They played the most exciting set I have ever seen them do.
This morning (Tuesday) I woke up and arranged to meet Patrick at Idealworld H.Q. near Old street. It was good to meet up with Simon and Jamie again after Friday. We spoke about events at Finsbury Park and I admitted that I missed being me on my own with a camera and spoke about the difficulty in introducing anyone to Mr. Abdullah at this stage. We went for dinner.
“ The trouble is, if we had done this a few weeks ago, we could have made a relaxed doc about Mr.Abdullah’s beliefs but now everyone watching will be screaming at the T.V. Are you a terrorist?? And if I make anything depicting Mr.Abdullahs actual beliefs do you think it would get on T.V?”
“ You’re kidding, “ said Patrick. “ When I told the commissioning editor at Channel 4 what you had she almost shat herself and said that was everything Channel 4 was about.”
In my head I’ve been suffering for a long time beating myself up. As a film maker on my first real project, with my first little camera listening to what Patrick had just said made me stop beating myself up a little.
“ But, I mean, if I make anything showing these guys views, its going to be seen now as me vs. the U.S. government, and if they want to shoot the messenger I’m a pretty easy target. I don’t know what I’m doing, but if Mr.Abdullah and Hajj are terrorists I will eat Michael Moore’s baseball cap.”
We went back to Idealworld H.Q. and with baited breath I phoned Mr. Abdullah. I wanted to introduce him to Patrick, Patrick wanted to meet him.
I asked him how things were going. He said Hamza was allowed no visitors for 2 weeks and that when he was allowed visitors his family would take priority. He said he had been in a meeting with the Police commander.
“ Barry?” I asked.
“ Yeah, Barry Norman. He asked us to stop our protest. He said it was costing too much public money. “
“ I’ve also got him on film saying that you’re protest wasn’t causing any problem..” I said.
“ Yeah, we told him that it wasn’t our fault and that our protest would continue..”
“ A meeting between yourselves and Mr. Norman is just what I’d want to film..” I said.
They were a small group with a lot of attention. I asked him again about making a documentary and told him of the interest in his life shown by the guys at Idealworld. I asked him if he would meet Patrick, just to talk to him. He said that would be out of the question. He didn’t want to be in a situation where even inadvertently he might affect Mr. Hamza’s case. Patrick passed me a note
NOONE IS PUTTING FORWARD THEIR VIEWS. WE WANT TO DO THIS.
I read it too him but he said he didn’t even want to meet Patrick.
“ Look David, You’ve been patient for 15 months and I appreciate that not all the media are run by Zionists but you will just have to wait a bit longer. “ he told me.” I had a conversation with some of the brothers about what they had said to you and they pointed out that I had been doing TV with you so I have to stop too.”
For some reason he had objected to what the younger guys had said to me. I thought they had given the best interviews I had from Finsbury Park.I could imagine which people had told him to stop talking to me. I felt the mosque doors closing.
“ Look if I could just show the British public who I have been talking to..” I tried, but it was no use. “ Well, you know I am still going to be there with my camera, Mr.Abdullah.”
It looked like the locals at Finsbury would be closing ranks against all cameras. I realized that Mr. Abdullah would never meet Patrick in these conditions, but I wondered if I didn’t have an ace in the hole. G. had filmed with me before. (See MALUNG TV NEWS, FINSBURY PARK)Mr. Abdullah and everyone else had taken an instant liking to him. I wonder if we may be able to use our charms next Friday. If this doc never makes the screens it wont be for want of trying. And I still want to ask Hamza my question.
“ Why have I been doing this? “
THE NEW SCUM
I read a cartoon series recently called Transmetropolitan, on the recommendation of a friend of mine who is building an earthship in Greece. (see NEW SOLUTIONS, NEW PROBLEMS) I found it very inspiring. The story is set in a city of the future and revolves around a crazy journalist called Spider Jerusalem. I didn’t agree with his readiness for violence but wondered what he would do in my situation. The difference between his situation and mine was that his dissenting view had a pivotal effect on the political climate as the average person in the street, or The New Scum as he called them believed in what he said and voted accordingly. In my situation, if you don’t like it there is no one to vote for, and I mean no one. I don’t mind though, the time when you can put an x in a box and expect anything to change has been over for a long while. Maybe the New Scum will realize and do something about it.
Under the watchful eye of a security camera I’ve openly been filming, with idea’s of my own for social change in mind for a year and a half. My friend Mike has set up our own take on things called Socialistwanker. We’ve met a number of people who have been disillusioned with “ The Left “ and hope to provide a forum for some lively discussion. It would be pointless for me to just have a leftist bone-picking conference without a section for “Have you got a better idea?” I personally wonder whether we could interest the majority in a peaceful dismantlement of the extremist forms of capitalism from the top. We’ve also registered www.globaldomination.org.uk
No ones lives need to be revolutionized too quickly, we just have to all decide that things like Oil wealth and water are far too volatile to be in the hands of a few people, and all the revenues from such things should go towards the social welfare of the world population. If the majority of the worlds wealth is in the hands of the top 3% I wonder if the remaining 97% could be interested in legislating against this? When the media scream Anti-Capitalism nothing gets reported unless it is violent.
One Mayday I was interviewed for Channel 4 news by Mark Eastern he's switched sides recently, I think he is now the home affairs editor for the BBC.
“ The Police say you can march if you stick to their route. What are you saying?” he asked.
“ Sounds fine to me.”
He asked me something about the relationship between Police and protestors.
“ The relationship between Police and protestors in London has always been O.K. this isn’t Seattle or Prague or Genoa, this is London. “ I said proudly.
“ I don’t think a lot of your friends would agree with you..” he answered looking about.
“The fact is, if this isn’t violent you won’t report it, isn’t it?
He moved away from me. It never made the news. Boring conversation anyway.
As the Police line moved slowly back I was joined at the front , as usual by loads of people making friendly conversation with the Police who were communally called 4:3. They were nervous and everyone was talking about anything to take their mind off the situation and be friendly.
I asked the guy in front of me whether he was having a better time today than he had yesterday.
“ Well yesterday I was in court all day, waiting to be called..”
“ What was that like? “.
“ Boring..”
“ So are you having a better time today? “
“ Well I’m outside in the warm…”
“ So its better?”
“ Yes its nice out here with you lot..”
A Policeman asked where I had got my t-shirt, which had a psychedelic picture of Jesus on the front. A group of Italian anti capitalists masked up and dressed in black had a go at pushing the Police line. All the Police and anti-capitalist/pro-conversationalists nervously looked towards the disturbance and back towards each other.
“ We’re alright with you lot aren’t we?” asked the guy next to me. He had come all the way down from Yorkshire to peacefuly express his anti-capitalist views.
“Yeah, sure” said the Policeman in front of him.
The protest was really small, limited to a corner of Trafalgar Square. The media had no violence to film. I missed the final push and got pissed in a pub instead. I came back later wearing my usual devil mask. In these conditions wearing a mask makes you liable to arrest but I was able to walk right up to a line of riot Police.
“ It’s been peaceful today hasn’t it? “ I asked, mask on.
“ Yes, but if you get out of line I’ll stick you.”
“ You haven’t had anyone to stick today?”
“No..but if you piss about I’m telling you, I’ll stick you..” he was disappointed but jovial.
Later there was a screening of a film about deaths in Police custody on the wall outside
Channel 4 H.Q. The Officer in charge, who I had seen wandering about all day with a blue clipboard was there.
“ It’s been peaceful today hasn’t it. “ I asked him, mask still on.
“ Yes, its been a pleasure working with you all. Thanks very much. “
Under the watchful eye of a security camera I’ve openly been filming, with idea’s of my own for social change in mind for a year and a half. My friend Mike has set up our own take on things called Socialistwanker. We’ve met a number of people who have been disillusioned with “ The Left “ and hope to provide a forum for some lively discussion. It would be pointless for me to just have a leftist bone-picking conference without a section for “Have you got a better idea?” I personally wonder whether we could interest the majority in a peaceful dismantlement of the extremist forms of capitalism from the top. We’ve also registered www.globaldomination.org.uk
No ones lives need to be revolutionized too quickly, we just have to all decide that things like Oil wealth and water are far too volatile to be in the hands of a few people, and all the revenues from such things should go towards the social welfare of the world population. If the majority of the worlds wealth is in the hands of the top 3% I wonder if the remaining 97% could be interested in legislating against this? When the media scream Anti-Capitalism nothing gets reported unless it is violent.
One Mayday I was interviewed for Channel 4 news by Mark Eastern he's switched sides recently, I think he is now the home affairs editor for the BBC.
“ The Police say you can march if you stick to their route. What are you saying?” he asked.
“ Sounds fine to me.”
He asked me something about the relationship between Police and protestors.
“ The relationship between Police and protestors in London has always been O.K. this isn’t Seattle or Prague or Genoa, this is London. “ I said proudly.
“ I don’t think a lot of your friends would agree with you..” he answered looking about.
“The fact is, if this isn’t violent you won’t report it, isn’t it?
He moved away from me. It never made the news. Boring conversation anyway.
As the Police line moved slowly back I was joined at the front , as usual by loads of people making friendly conversation with the Police who were communally called 4:3. They were nervous and everyone was talking about anything to take their mind off the situation and be friendly.
I asked the guy in front of me whether he was having a better time today than he had yesterday.
“ Well yesterday I was in court all day, waiting to be called..”
“ What was that like? “.
“ Boring..”
“ So are you having a better time today? “
“ Well I’m outside in the warm…”
“ So its better?”
“ Yes its nice out here with you lot..”
A Policeman asked where I had got my t-shirt, which had a psychedelic picture of Jesus on the front. A group of Italian anti capitalists masked up and dressed in black had a go at pushing the Police line. All the Police and anti-capitalist/pro-conversationalists nervously looked towards the disturbance and back towards each other.
“ We’re alright with you lot aren’t we?” asked the guy next to me. He had come all the way down from Yorkshire to peacefuly express his anti-capitalist views.
“Yeah, sure” said the Policeman in front of him.
The protest was really small, limited to a corner of Trafalgar Square. The media had no violence to film. I missed the final push and got pissed in a pub instead. I came back later wearing my usual devil mask. In these conditions wearing a mask makes you liable to arrest but I was able to walk right up to a line of riot Police.
“ It’s been peaceful today hasn’t it? “ I asked, mask on.
“ Yes, but if you get out of line I’ll stick you.”
“ You haven’t had anyone to stick today?”
“No..but if you piss about I’m telling you, I’ll stick you..” he was disappointed but jovial.
Later there was a screening of a film about deaths in Police custody on the wall outside
Channel 4 H.Q. The Officer in charge, who I had seen wandering about all day with a blue clipboard was there.
“ It’s been peaceful today hasn’t it. “ I asked him, mask still on.
“ Yes, its been a pleasure working with you all. Thanks very much. “
BARRY THE BOSS
On Hamza’s first anniversary of moving the mosque to the street I filmed an exchange between a senior looking policeman who I had seen at Finsbury Park quite a bit and Hamza. There was to be a protest at Scotland Yard that afternoon. The Policeman was asking after the details of the protest. A little while later an even more senior looking Policeman quizzed him about the protest.He asked if a lot of people would be at the protest, and if they would be traveling by tube. Hamza said he hoped so. He told Hamza that he would probably put a couple of officers on the tube to travel with the protestors to make sure they didn’t become a target of anything unsavoury. As the policeman came away from the exchange smiling I stopped him.
“ I’d just like to say that I think what’s been going on up here, especially with you guy’s has been fascinating.”
“ It is isn’t it?” he said looking back towards Hamza.
“ I just wanted to tell you that I’ve been involved in a lot of protests around London for years, but filming the reality of what you guys have been doing up here makes me feel a lot less like protesting and a lot more like documenting. Would you talk to me afterwards on camera?”
“ Yes I’ll give you a few minutes later. “
I had no idea how senior an officer I was talking to but I was surprised he had agreed so readily to an interview especially as this was the week The Sun were polling their readership to try and get rid of Hamza. I certainly had no idea that I was talking to the fucking Borough Police commander himself, Barry Norman.
I like Barry the Boss, if ever there is a takeover of London by the civilized majority I would vote for him as Dictator. Here is a transcript of my interview with him:
BONES: I’m very interested, how long have you been serving as a Policeman?
BARRY: 25 years.
BONES: 25 years. And what is your rank here?
BARRY: I’m Chief Super-intendant.
BONES: So you’re in charge of whats happening here?
BARRY: Errm.. Well I’m more than that I’m the Borough
Police Commander.BONES: I’m just very interested how you feel as a Policeman and as a human being about what’s happening here and what your role is.
BARRY: Well our role is to facilitate peoples right to free speech. No part of my role is to have my own opinion about what people are saying. My opinion doesn’t count. What I am paid for is to make sure that there’s no breach of the peace.
BONES: And erm.. have you seen a lot of racial tension in this country, or..or an increase in racial tension?
BARRY: It’s very patchy isn’t it from time to time of course there is. In a cosmopolitan society like ours of course we get racism, but these demonstrations here, or these prayer meetings on a Friday have not caused us any problems at all.
BONES: None at all?
BARRY: No.
BONES: And there’s been no err… When your in the middle of err.. The Islamists and the Media, what can you do?
BARRY: Not get in the middle of them.
BONES: (laughing) Cos sometimes I’ve seen policemen err..try and get in between the media and the err.. Do you think it’s a Kangaroo court?
BARRY: No I think the media have got their own agenda, and the media aren’t necessarily supportive of anybody. They’re certainly not always very supportive of the Police are they?
BONES: No.
BARRY: But providing the media aren’t causing any aggravation, they can get on with they’re job and I’ll get on with mine.
BONES: I mean.. I’ve been involved with lots of different protests; I’ve traveled a lot with people who often have a very, very bad view of the Police. Yet I see here, err..British Police in British society, doing their job in a very, very interesting way, like. You know, it’s been fascinating.
BARRY: We don’t see our job as anything more than keeping the peace. We’re not pawns of the state. You know, we don’t have a mandate to express our point of view and we don’t wish to. All we want to do is keep the community safe.
BONES: Thank you very much.
BARRY: O.K.
As I moved away from him he turned round, was joined by his fellow officers and did a fantastic little jig on the spot. If my doc is ever made I hope you will get to see it. More police should dance like this. Why just a token gesture once a year at Notting Hill? More Policemen dancing that’s what I say.
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