News
Bethan McKernan
Feb 29, 2016
Britain First recently started a newsletter. It calls itself the "voice of the silent majority".
The latest edition's splash would be huge if it were true. But, of course, it isn't:
BRITAIN FIRST EXPOSES MUSLIM NO-GO ZONES
Luton, East London and Derby are apparently off limits to non-Muslims in the nightmarish Sharia-based society Britain First thinks is knocking on the UK's door.
BF has a bit of an axe to grind with Luton, at least: it emerged last week that leader Paul Golding and deputy Jayda Fransen were arrested there for wearing uniforms with political objectives while campaigning, and are now banned from the city centre.
So in the interests of fair and impartial journalism, we asked people from the UK's three so-called 'Sharia zones' what they thought about Britain First's claims:
East London
Well that's hilarious. I mean it's not the first time they've said this but I have lived in East London for 35 years and I totally disagree with that.
We have good relations with the local church and synagogue, we have evenings and open events with them.
It’s a free country... Britain First can come visit themselves if they want.
- Sajjad Miah, Chair of the Brick Lane Jamme Masjid Trust Committee
Luton
Probably not any Muslims hereIn a word 'NO'. This claim is absolute rubbish.
I can say categorically that there is no area of Luton I would hesitate to visit either for work or leisure reasons.
The only time I feel uneasy in Luton is when organisations such as Britain First march in the town... apparently only with the desire to make trouble.
- Lynn Herron, owner of local fair trade shop 'My Fair World'
We don’t recognise in any way these comments about our town.
In a recent visit of Britain First to our town I was pleased to see the way communities rose above the provocation.
- Councillor Hazel Simmons, Leader of Luton Borough Council
Derby
Probably a few hereI certainly don't see Derby the way Britain First does, I find their views alien and [I'm] someone that's lived in multicultural areas pretty much all my life.
- Jack David Brown, Derby resident
Britain First clearly didn't learn from Fox News' mistake last year, when a commentator claimed that Birmingham is a 'no-go' zone for non-Muslims, and that in parts of London there are "actually Muslim religious police that actually beat and actually wound seriously anyone who doesn’t dress according to religious Muslim attire."
David Cameron later called the 'Islamist terrorism expert' in question, Steve Emerson, a "complete idiot".
More: Britain First's leaders have been arrested and are now banned from Luton
More: We fact-checked a laughable Britain First email about immigration
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