Hizb ut-Tahir march, London
Thousands of young Muslims from all over the country segregated into groups of men and groups of women. Most of the girls looked between the ages of 14 and 20. The result of the British "integration experiment."
Whilst A-B marches always have ordered slogans, non-denominational "peace marches" always have a bit of chaos around the edges. This was a march of monotheism with strict order and segregation. Overwhelmingly young Muslim's led from the front by, amongst others Yvonne Ridley.
I arrived late and caught the back end, filtering up the side as the crowd of thousands passed Downing street. Coming up on a group of maybe over a thousand Islamic girls shouting slogans was like listening to a flock of birds in the trees. Surreal.
I followed all the way, annoyed that I hadn't got a camera to record the thoughts and faces of passers by as they witnessed this strange sight. The Police, sensing no threat of violence did not enforce a strict "you're either in or you're out" policy and I was able to wander at will. I eventually parked myself at a coffee shop on Piccadilly to watch this strange procession and keep an eye out for anyone I might recognise from Finsbury park.
Sitting down I thought I noticed some Police vaguely peering at me from behind a plant I was sat next to. Sure enough, in a few minutes a F.I.T. photographer (see here and here)made it very obvious he was taking my photograph. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up for his picture and then looked at him very deliberately with righteous indignation which encouraged the original snoopers to come and question me.
"What is your name?" they asked.
"David." I told them.
"What's your last name David?"
"Unless you are arresting me, I'm not really happy to tell you anything. I haven't done anything."
"You've been following this demonstration for a long time. We don't know who you are."
I told them that I had been filming with Hamza's friends in Finsbury park for two years and that my films were on socialistwanker.com, which eased the tension a bit. I also told them that if they asked Barry Norman, he would be able to tell them who I was.
"Well we don't know who you are and you are shaking."
"I'm angry because the man took my photograph without asking who I was."
"Have you any identification?"
I pulled out my cashcard, which we had a bit of a tug of war with.
"Have you been arrested for anything before David?"
"No. Never. I am very interested in the story of British Fundamental Islam."
"So you are a self styled journalist with socialistwanker?"
I relaxed a bit when he said this. As it was the first indication that he actually understood who I was, I no longer felt myself to be at the mercy of a Policeman's imagination about who I could be. I realised that they were actually a bit nervous of me when they stopped me reaching for my pockets.
"So where do you live David?"
"London."
"Where abouts in London?"
"London in London. Look mate just ask Barry."
the questioning got a bit more peaceable as we moved on to the quality of the food in the cafe.
"So are you thinking of becoming a Muslim and joining this?" one of them asked.
"I don't believe there is a God." I answered.
He looked down, a bit thoughtful like. "OK. Thanks for your time."
I was still shaking a bit as I walked on, but to be honest I was glad to get the conversation out of the way. I should really get some sort of journalist card. The photographer still took photo's of me as I passed. In Hyde park I heard Babar Ahmed's father speak about the campaign to free him. I also heard Yvonne Ridley saying that anyone who bought Coca Cola was "Buying the bullets for the Zionists to kill Palestinian children with."
She asked for a moment of silence for the victims of 9/11, 7/7, Madrid and Bali and berated the government over their silence at thousands of Muslim deaths around the world.
she finnished:
"When the British government invaded a Muslim country we marched and it made no difference. If they dare to invade another, we won't march. We will riot."
at this point there were maybe 10 or 12 Police calmly standing at a distance from maybe 2 or 3 thousand Islamists, none of whom looked like they were about to riot.
If those 10 or 12 Police had heard what she said I don't think it registered. They were no doubt happy that because of the F.I.T. squads exhaustive work over the last 10 years those who really would riot stay at home these days and out of these well mannered shinning sucesses of the comprehensive school system they've only got to find the nervous few who would strap explosives to themselves and blow the rest of us up. Good luck.
My clue for nothing: None of them have bones in their ears or rings through their fucking shnozels.
The only broadcast crew who were filming came up to me, one of them smiled.
"The Police are taking a big interest in you. We were following that guy for a while. He came a very long way to take a photograph of you." he told me.
"Maybe the bones in my ears make them nervous." I answered.
Showing posts with label yvonne ridley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yvonne ridley. Show all posts
December 10, 2005
HAJJ'S PLACE
OK. I just got back from Hajj's place where I got to see Channel 4's dispatches programme on Extraordinary rendition. Very good stuff anchored by Andrew Gilligan. I also heard from Hajj that two ex-attendee's of Finsbury park mosque have been arrested. A couple of Algerians they want to deport but I'm still trying to work out which ones. He went into more detail about the centrality of his house to "fundamental" Islam.
"al-Faisal used to call this his second home."
Hamza had been round, all the neighbours know Hajj well.
"Meetings with these people and up to sixty people happened here all the time for years. This is a dawa house."
The Police have never, ever questioned Hajj once about anything.
"Someone drew the curtain once. I said brother why do you draw the curtain? My house is open, the door is open. Nothing in here is secret. If anyone has secrets, take them somewhere else."
After the film I watched Yvonne Ridley on the Islamic channel for a bit. I told Hajj I had met her once but she didn't seem to like me very much. He said that all of them had thought something bad about me when they had first seen me.
"What- you thought I was MI-5?"
"Worse."
"A Satan worshipper?"
"Worse. I don't want to say and insult you..."
"Ahhh... You thought I was gay because of the bones in my ears..."
"Yes. That was the discussion we had. Its not because of what you look like in itself..."
"And being gay is worse than worshipping Satan?"
"Do you think homosexuals are naturally born that way?"
"Yes. I think so." I said. "Although I am not gay myself, I agree with the rights of gays and lesbians who live here in peace. The world is over populated anyway..."
"So how would God make something that isn't perfect?"
It is hard talking to someone with a God concept when I don't have one. Its strange talking in such a peacable manner about such emotive things. Hajj has taken a step back from all things "fundamental" including, I fear further participation in my filming. If I could I'd have a camera on him 24/7 and it wouldn't be for security reasons. I want to film him on his step-machine.
"al-Faisal used to call this his second home."
Hamza had been round, all the neighbours know Hajj well.
"Meetings with these people and up to sixty people happened here all the time for years. This is a dawa house."
The Police have never, ever questioned Hajj once about anything.
"Someone drew the curtain once. I said brother why do you draw the curtain? My house is open, the door is open. Nothing in here is secret. If anyone has secrets, take them somewhere else."
After the film I watched Yvonne Ridley on the Islamic channel for a bit. I told Hajj I had met her once but she didn't seem to like me very much. He said that all of them had thought something bad about me when they had first seen me.
"What- you thought I was MI-5?"
"Worse."
"A Satan worshipper?"
"Worse. I don't want to say and insult you..."
"Ahhh... You thought I was gay because of the bones in my ears..."
"Yes. That was the discussion we had. Its not because of what you look like in itself..."
"And being gay is worse than worshipping Satan?"
"Do you think homosexuals are naturally born that way?"
"Yes. I think so." I said. "Although I am not gay myself, I agree with the rights of gays and lesbians who live here in peace. The world is over populated anyway..."
"So how would God make something that isn't perfect?"
It is hard talking to someone with a God concept when I don't have one. Its strange talking in such a peacable manner about such emotive things. Hajj has taken a step back from all things "fundamental" including, I fear further participation in my filming. If I could I'd have a camera on him 24/7 and it wouldn't be for security reasons. I want to film him on his step-machine.
May 14, 2004
PITCHING AND BITCHING
When I first started filming in Finsbury Park, I had no serious intention of approaching TV companies with my story. I was just having fun. I suspected the media to be totally controlled. As I found out for myself that it didn't seem to be, the idea of approaching production companies became more serious. The most encouragement I got from the scene was from a newspaper journalist, who I sometimes caged ciggies off of, and who gave me a contact for documentary making. I asked him why he never asked Hamza questions one time, to be told that he was
“ Out of favour with the Muslim brothers. “
He was such a nice guy I thought about asking them to reconsider. I finally got round to asking him who he wrote for.
“ The Sun and The Express “ he told me.
With that statement the whole ludicrous nature of what I had become involved with seemed to spin full circle. One of the original reasons I had come down was because of The Suns coverage of this mosque, and the journalist I had received the most encouragement from wrote for them. Even though I had been at times flippant, I believed I had the other side of what the right wing press, and the London TV News had deemed to be one of the most important stories in the UK.
I joined a filmmakers website called shootingpeople and began answering production company calls for new documentary makers. My film about the kids protest had been well received by those who were in it, but totally mulched by a couple of serious film maker friends, some of whom actually seemed to be telling me off for making such a low quality film. Although I suspected this was out of frustration with their own lack of success I still became loath to show what I had to strangers.
I met was a guy who actually helped run the shooting people web site. He was great, we shared an interest in meditation and he lent me a book by a Canadian guy who worked on monster movies called Hardcore Zen. He wished me all the best. I think he would have loved to produce something involving a few peoples footage, and had his eyes on making the British Bowling for Columbine.
A couple of months later I answered a call from a Swedish production company working in the U.K. They thought the stuff I had amusing, but I rambled nonsensical stuff about how I wanted to make it really off the wall, and how I wanted to be painted red head to toe if I was going to present it. I watched some of the stuff they had made. Although it was socially conscious, it was a bit A B C in presentation, and they seemed a bit straight for what I was after, with no idea of Hamza's status in British society. They all looked down as I shook their hands when I left and I didn't hear from them again.
A company called Idealworld had put a call out. I phoned them, but stuttered so much I thought I had completely fucked my chances. After phoning back a couple of times to find them in meetings, I gave up, feeling sorry for myself. I wondered why I had dedicated so much time to all this.
I thought of what I would like to have in my documentary if money was no object. I wanted to include an interview with David Icke, and possibly a phone conversation with the guy who runs infowars where the allegation of George Bush worshiping an Owl God was actually made. I wanted to blue screen an image of George Bush on his lawn in front of his helicopter with me running into frame and falling over, hounding him with questions about his alleged owl god worship and child sacrifice.
In my Internet research I had come up with the name Yvonne Ridley. She was a journalist who had been captured in Afghanistan by the Taliban. She had been set free, without harm, speaking of having been well treated by her captors. She had later actually converted to Islam. I read in some of her writing that she had met Abu Hamza. They had both been guests at a student debating society. I thought what she would have to say might bridge the gap of understanding between Islam and the west.
I went to a small demo marking one year since the invasion of Iraq. I saw George Galloway but although I had my camera I still didn't ask him about his indefatigable comments. As I went round filming I bumped into a friend I had made who makes a living animating in 3D. He was standing next to Naz, a rapper from the band Fundamental who looks like a younger version of Bin Laden. He had grown up a Muslim in the north of England, had lapsed into western society and was now reclaiming his Muslim faith. I had earlier put him in my film about the kids and he was really complimentary about it. We were joined by an older woman who he introduced as Yvonne. She had a sharp sense of humour and the two of them obviously knew each other well and had a banter going.
" You know who this is? " said Naz.
" Yvonne Ridley! She was taken prisoner by the Taliban!"
" You don't know how long I have been wanting to talk to you. " I told her about my filming in Finsbury Park and switched my camera on hoping she would have something to say.
I had previously spoken to Naz about my frustrations getting Muslims to talk on camera about Fundamental Islam or Abu Hamza. I instantly had the same trouble with Yvonne, as she didn't like to be in front of a camera either.
I filmed Naz saying something like "The Taliban had to let her go because she was too much of an extremist for them."
She said that according to her religion, it was wrong to criticize fellow Muslims. I told her of my dislike for the seemingly power crazed lunatics who ran the stop the war movement and how I had no problem criticizing them. It was decided that we would go for a coffee, but I lost them all trying to film the stage through the spray of Trafalgar Squares fountains. I later heard from my friend that she had said of me
"I don't want to talk to that stone worshiper.“
Fair enough I suppose. I thought she would have something more useful to say than that though. It was interesting that only 3 of the Muslims I had met in Finsbury Park judged me by the way I looked, and yet a recent convert like Yvonne would be on my case so soon.
After about a month I got another call from Idealworld. The researcher who had originally contacted me left a message saying that a new documentary producer was on the scene, and they were eager to see what I had. The night before I was really nervous. A years work on the line, to be judged by the people who made Location, Location, Location seemed to be even more ludicrous than Finsbury Park. The meeting was good. They had got back to me because they had been reading the right wing press and realised how big a story I was on to. After a year standing in the cold with Islamists it was great to be sitting in front of a producer who was in a position to make this into a documentary who really wanted to do it.
We spoke of the politics surrounding the situation. With the predicted expansion of Muslim communities in Europe I wondered whether someone with Hamza’s views might one day be standing for mayor of Dusseldorf or something. They liked my approach, and wanted to see the human side of Mr Abdullah. I was relieved that they preferred to make a film about him rather than Hamza. They were totally up for it, but had to get a commission from Channel 4, and I have to get the agreement of Mr. Abdullah.
“ Out of favour with the Muslim brothers. “
He was such a nice guy I thought about asking them to reconsider. I finally got round to asking him who he wrote for.
“ The Sun and The Express “ he told me.
With that statement the whole ludicrous nature of what I had become involved with seemed to spin full circle. One of the original reasons I had come down was because of The Suns coverage of this mosque, and the journalist I had received the most encouragement from wrote for them. Even though I had been at times flippant, I believed I had the other side of what the right wing press, and the London TV News had deemed to be one of the most important stories in the UK.
I joined a filmmakers website called shootingpeople and began answering production company calls for new documentary makers. My film about the kids protest had been well received by those who were in it, but totally mulched by a couple of serious film maker friends, some of whom actually seemed to be telling me off for making such a low quality film. Although I suspected this was out of frustration with their own lack of success I still became loath to show what I had to strangers.
I met was a guy who actually helped run the shooting people web site. He was great, we shared an interest in meditation and he lent me a book by a Canadian guy who worked on monster movies called Hardcore Zen. He wished me all the best. I think he would have loved to produce something involving a few peoples footage, and had his eyes on making the British Bowling for Columbine.
A couple of months later I answered a call from a Swedish production company working in the U.K. They thought the stuff I had amusing, but I rambled nonsensical stuff about how I wanted to make it really off the wall, and how I wanted to be painted red head to toe if I was going to present it. I watched some of the stuff they had made. Although it was socially conscious, it was a bit A B C in presentation, and they seemed a bit straight for what I was after, with no idea of Hamza's status in British society. They all looked down as I shook their hands when I left and I didn't hear from them again.
A company called Idealworld had put a call out. I phoned them, but stuttered so much I thought I had completely fucked my chances. After phoning back a couple of times to find them in meetings, I gave up, feeling sorry for myself. I wondered why I had dedicated so much time to all this.
I thought of what I would like to have in my documentary if money was no object. I wanted to include an interview with David Icke, and possibly a phone conversation with the guy who runs infowars where the allegation of George Bush worshiping an Owl God was actually made. I wanted to blue screen an image of George Bush on his lawn in front of his helicopter with me running into frame and falling over, hounding him with questions about his alleged owl god worship and child sacrifice.
In my Internet research I had come up with the name Yvonne Ridley. She was a journalist who had been captured in Afghanistan by the Taliban. She had been set free, without harm, speaking of having been well treated by her captors. She had later actually converted to Islam. I read in some of her writing that she had met Abu Hamza. They had both been guests at a student debating society. I thought what she would have to say might bridge the gap of understanding between Islam and the west.
I went to a small demo marking one year since the invasion of Iraq. I saw George Galloway but although I had my camera I still didn't ask him about his indefatigable comments. As I went round filming I bumped into a friend I had made who makes a living animating in 3D. He was standing next to Naz, a rapper from the band Fundamental who looks like a younger version of Bin Laden. He had grown up a Muslim in the north of England, had lapsed into western society and was now reclaiming his Muslim faith. I had earlier put him in my film about the kids and he was really complimentary about it. We were joined by an older woman who he introduced as Yvonne. She had a sharp sense of humour and the two of them obviously knew each other well and had a banter going.
" You know who this is? " said Naz.
" Yvonne Ridley! She was taken prisoner by the Taliban!"
" You don't know how long I have been wanting to talk to you. " I told her about my filming in Finsbury Park and switched my camera on hoping she would have something to say.
I had previously spoken to Naz about my frustrations getting Muslims to talk on camera about Fundamental Islam or Abu Hamza. I instantly had the same trouble with Yvonne, as she didn't like to be in front of a camera either.
I filmed Naz saying something like "The Taliban had to let her go because she was too much of an extremist for them."
She said that according to her religion, it was wrong to criticize fellow Muslims. I told her of my dislike for the seemingly power crazed lunatics who ran the stop the war movement and how I had no problem criticizing them. It was decided that we would go for a coffee, but I lost them all trying to film the stage through the spray of Trafalgar Squares fountains. I later heard from my friend that she had said of me
"I don't want to talk to that stone worshiper.“
Fair enough I suppose. I thought she would have something more useful to say than that though. It was interesting that only 3 of the Muslims I had met in Finsbury Park judged me by the way I looked, and yet a recent convert like Yvonne would be on my case so soon.
After about a month I got another call from Idealworld. The researcher who had originally contacted me left a message saying that a new documentary producer was on the scene, and they were eager to see what I had. The night before I was really nervous. A years work on the line, to be judged by the people who made Location, Location, Location seemed to be even more ludicrous than Finsbury Park. The meeting was good. They had got back to me because they had been reading the right wing press and realised how big a story I was on to. After a year standing in the cold with Islamists it was great to be sitting in front of a producer who was in a position to make this into a documentary who really wanted to do it.
We spoke of the politics surrounding the situation. With the predicted expansion of Muslim communities in Europe I wondered whether someone with Hamza’s views might one day be standing for mayor of Dusseldorf or something. They liked my approach, and wanted to see the human side of Mr Abdullah. I was relieved that they preferred to make a film about him rather than Hamza. They were totally up for it, but had to get a commission from Channel 4, and I have to get the agreement of Mr. Abdullah.
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