July 31, 2004

JERRY! JERRY!

I started watching the democratic party convention on TV in the early hours.It's wierd, I try not to get caught up in this strange personality facade they call elections but its hard to keep away. Michael Moore might just have done it for the democrats, with a little help from Jerry Springer in the wings. People told me that under Clinton nothing was different. I'm sure they are right but it definately felt different. It was great to see a different "face of America" come forward on TV. I'm so sick of Rumsfeld, Bush and co but I remember Blairs words when he was first elected and Robin Cook's "ethical defense policy." Could the democrats do it with a war on? Would anything change? Maybe all this my country right or wrong bullshit isn't the real America.

July 26, 2004

TOURISTS AND TERRORISTS

Ridiculous. Al-Muhaajiroun call a protest in Trafalgar square and who turns up? Well first a group of Sikhs maybe 50 strong with blue turbans. Apparently Al-Muj have been slagging off Sikhism on their website, prompting all these people to organise themselves to come down without even a communal website.

The next group to turn up were the National Front, the smallest protest group here who had a flag saying that Britain should be for whites. I tried to talk to them, to get their views but they were unforthcoming.

"We've got photo's of you just the same as you have of us. We know what you are doing."

" What am I doing?"

I hoped they would enlighten me as I am not sure myself. I don't see anything wrong with recording peoples views. Do I look like a journalist? Do I look like a Muslim? They made further derogatory comments about my piercings and asked if I knew Graham Norton and if the spots on his arse had healed up yet. They also had a banner saying "British and Proud"

It was such a beautiful day, the square seemed to be teeming with beautiful black women, and a small pen full of pale faces who would rather they were not here. I'd love to be racist but I'm afraid I can't help thinking that mixed race women are often the most beautiful things about this planet, besides I am half second generation immigrant myself. Are these guys really only attracted to white women? One of the reasons I wouldn't move out of London is that I would be surrounded by white English people.

The NF site is interesting though. Along with a plan to peacefully repatriate people of colour over a 15 year period they also advocate workers running their own factories and believe there should be as diverse media as possible without monopoly ownership from abroad. It's a shame these people wont talk to me.

A larger group of UBA guys (and one or two girls) turned up. They had the largest "British and proud" banner by far. I recognised a few of them and was hoping to talk to them. I asked for Stephen ( the UBA guy who made contact with me) and said that I had arranged to talk to him.

" Course you have..." they said, instructing each other not to talk to me.

There were two minor scuffles, I think one person from the UBA was arrested and one from the NF. And Al-Muhaajiroun? I've heard a rumour they were in Essex.

July 23, 2004

EVICTION, EXTRACTION AND EXTRADITION

Another amazing day. Spent the morning in court myself. The judge bent over backwards to be nice but had to evict us again. The prosecution started off angry but we left on good terms. He was genuinely interested in our intention to become an official itinerant security service. If we can convince Camden councils surveyors that we wont hinder their work there could be continued life in the squat yet. Just got to enjoy it while it lasts.

I cycled up to Finsbury park. I knew Hamza's case was starting today but was unsure whether the brothers would be in Finsbury park or outside Belmarsh. When I arrived one of the brothers told me that they had all decided that I was unwelcome to film anymore. The only person in the entire country who is trying to get what they believe on TV and they don't want me. I asked why and he just told me to stop or else. I said that I didn't believe they were terrorists or that he was threatening me.

" We are people." he told me.

Fair enough. I tried not to take it too personally, they must be really paranoid of TV.

I've got a lot of film of this guy and I didn't want him to think that I was trying to stitch him up. Maybe he saw Secret Agent about the BNP and thought I was on the same tack. For the record, and for anyone who reads this- I am not. If any of the guys told me they were terrorists or intended harm to anyone in the UK I would film it, but I dont expect them too and have no intentions of making it up. I have been after the other side of this story for almost 2 years now. Its only because I got contact I could work with from the UBA that I ever considered showing both sides of this strange British situation at all. I was originaly exclusively after their side.

I was worried at how angry the guy was and checked with Abdullah, Hajj and Samir if I had upset them. They didn't seem worried, or to have any derogatory information about me.
Mr. Abdullah started asking why I had piercings again.I don't know if in the back of his mind he is thinking something he's not saying. That maybe my piercings are connected with something evil? I don't understand why with his friend in Belmarsh he is talking to me about my piercings.
It's almost like they don't want their side of the story to be out there, or they cannot accept that a non muslim like myself would be interested in the other side of the story.

Hajj actually helped me out by trying to explain to Mr. Abdullah what a hippie was but I think Mr. Abdullah was unhappy with my previous filming with Hajj( see HAJJ ON DOPE)

" Hippies have died out!" said Mr. Abdullah.

He told me that if I was on my own I wouldn't have piercings, so they must be for how I appear to others. Maybe this is true. Their views on how I as a product of British secular society look to them are really good for my film. Maybe we all misjudge each other. I hope so.

I am looking forward to seeing all sides of the story tomorow. The Police will be keeping UBA and Muslims apart. I hope I can get to speak to both sides this time. The icing on the cake for me would be to film a conversation between Mr. Abdullah and Stephen from the UBA. Presuming it could be kept under control I think these two could learn a lot about each other's perspective. Its a tricky one which will be hard to organise with the Police.

I am seriously wondering whether I may have wasted the last couple of years. I've put so much effort into this, should I just give up and do something else? Maybe only I and people who read this will have any idea of the sort of Muslim who really attends Finsbury park mosque- and everyone else will have to remain content with what the Sun says about them. Most people probably are.

July 19, 2004

MICHAEL MORONS

Just watched Farenheit 9/11 four times in a row. I borrowed a cracked div-x with shite sound so right wingers reading this will be pleased to know Moore didn't get any of my money. What an amazing film. I’ve been following and contributing to a debate about it on the shooting people website. Some (jealous) people have been criticizing Moore for “dumbing down” documentaries. For fuck’s sake, if my target audience was the sort of person who signs up for the US military I would speak very slowly too. Moore calls Bush exactly what he is. What would be the point of calling him an orifice usually associated with female reproduction just to keep intellectual documentary makers happy? Fuck them.

http://slate.msn.com/id/2102723/#ContinueArticle
http://www.mooreexposed.com/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/322qvfeb.asp
http://www.f411.com/challenge.html
http://film.guardian.co.uk/fahrenheit911/0,14736,1254483,00.html

NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS..ITS NICK GRIFFIN!

Very much enjoyed Mr. Griffins recent contribution to British Society. I’d like to pick out his reference to “ Punk Islamists” in our community. I think he was saying this in reference to young people of the Islamic faith from ethnic communities who would propagate the faith by rape. No idea who he is thinking of. How many of these people does he believe exist? I would love to introduce him to Samir and his brother or any of the young fundamental Islamists who pray in the street here. Maybe follow it with a phone in vote as to who is more proud to be British.

Listening to Mr. Griffin live on TV made me miss Mr. Hamza. What is it about the eyes? Blunkett is nuts and his eyes go all over the shop, Hamza is quite strange and has one glass eye and bloody hooks, Now we get Griffin with one Davaros eye. What the fuck is happening? It feels like Men in Black. Is David Icke right? Are aliens disguises malfunctioning before us on our TV screens? Can I get arrested for saying any of that? Relax guys! Everything is O.K. Most British people get on fine, now if we can just eliminate world poverty…

Maybe I have already witnessed a fight between Hamza, Griffin and Blunkett in Finsbury park, but someone in a black suit with sunglasses zapped me. I will search my tapes.

I’d love to send Barry the Boss in to arrest Mr. Griffin and co. They would have a very polite conversation then Barry would offer to come round Griffins house for tea. Fuck. I heard Hamza say that he had long conversations with Mr. Griffin and that he had some interesting theories. I’d like to get his take on Hamza for my film. If anyone reading this can lend me a camera…..HELP!!!
This war on terror is the ultimate nothing continued to happen story. Where are these waves of Islamic rapists? Keighly?
Hey! Maybe the Finsbury Park security guys are really masked because THEY are also aliens whose disguises are slipping!
My question for Mr. Griffin: Are you an alien? I wished I had asked Abu Hamza that.

July 16, 2004

SNOWING AGAIN

I havent been able to attend Finsbury park mosque for a couple of weeks, so not a lot to update except for it seems impossible to get Hazma's lawyers to meet channel 4 lawyers. With Hamza's trial so close I wish I was further into the middle of it. If I had never approached a production company maybe I would be. Getting evicted was quite uneventful. Its nice to be back home, even though we are in court again within the week for the "new" place.

I've got to hand it to Jon Snow again for his snowmails. Apparently the Evening Standard are printing them. Probably for very different reasons to mine:

Lord Butler himself was at the very top of the Mandarin tree before his resignation and remains there tonight, not one of his mandarin fruit has been bruised by his deft weaving of fault and no fault, though his team found such fault with the new head of M16 John Scarlett that they have had to plead for his continuance.British establishment in full bore. Forget that people died for these 'mistakes' and 'misjudgments'. That was never mentioned today. More at: http://www.channel4.com/news/2004/07/week_3/14_butler.htmlEveryone survives. Only Dyke and Davies of the BBC had to go. Shoot the messenger. The rest ride out to fight again. The full monty at seven. What indeed would Monty have made of it? Biggest failure in the 'cousi belli' since Suez? Well hang on, even then, Nasser had actually seized the Suez Canal! At seven as ever is, see you then..in haste..Jack straw beckons me to the FCO,

Jon Snow

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