Harrow Central Mosque
Encyclopedia
Harrow Central Mosque is a mosque
in Harrow
, England
. The current mosque is located in a pre-existing building, while a new, purpose-built construction is taking place on the site, to provide a larger mosque, with ancillary space for religious and community facilities. These include a library, mortuary, commercial standard kitchens and IT resources.
The mosque has several times been the focus of demonstrations and street violence. It was targeted for a protest activity in August 2009, by organisations who believed that the new mosque would contain a Sharia Court. The action was subsequently called off, when the allegation was found to be false.
However, an attempt two weeks later by the English Defence League
and Stop Islamisation Of Europe to organise a demonstration outside the mosque, to mark the 8th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, resulted in violence. The demonstration was called off in the face of a large group of counter-demonstrators, many of them Asian youths, who went on to attack police with bricks and bottles. There were 10 arrests.
A further demonstration on 13 December 2009 was planned by Stop Islamisation of Europe, with the campaign group Unite Against Fascism
threatening to hold a further counter-demonstration. In the event, the demonstration was attended by only 40 members of Stop Islamisation of Europe, and passed off peacefully.
Harrow Council later won an award for Crisis Management communications at the LGCommunications Reputational Awards, for its response to the repeated protests.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Harrow
Harrow, London
Harrow is an area in the London Borough of Harrow, northwest London, United Kingdom. It is a suburban area and is situated 12.2 miles northwest of Charing Cross...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The current mosque is located in a pre-existing building, while a new, purpose-built construction is taking place on the site, to provide a larger mosque, with ancillary space for religious and community facilities. These include a library, mortuary, commercial standard kitchens and IT resources.
The mosque has several times been the focus of demonstrations and street violence. It was targeted for a protest activity in August 2009, by organisations who believed that the new mosque would contain a Sharia Court. The action was subsequently called off, when the allegation was found to be false.
However, an attempt two weeks later by the English Defence League
English Defence League
The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK. The EDL uses street marches to protest against Islamic extremism...
and Stop Islamisation Of Europe to organise a demonstration outside the mosque, to mark the 8th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, resulted in violence. The demonstration was called off in the face of a large group of counter-demonstrators, many of them Asian youths, who went on to attack police with bricks and bottles. There were 10 arrests.
A further demonstration on 13 December 2009 was planned by Stop Islamisation of Europe, with the campaign group Unite Against Fascism
Unite Against Fascism
Unite Against Fascism is an anti-fascist pressure group in the United Kingdom, with support from politicians of all mainstream UK political parties...
threatening to hold a further counter-demonstration. In the event, the demonstration was attended by only 40 members of Stop Islamisation of Europe, and passed off peacefully.
Harrow Council later won an award for Crisis Management communications at the LGCommunications Reputational Awards, for its response to the repeated protests.