Muslim Women in Britain Learn Self-Defence Amid Riots And Unrest
New Age Islam News Bureau
13 Aug 2024
·
Muslim Women in Britain Learn Self-Defence Amid
Riots And Unrest
·
Iranian Woman, ArezooBadri, paralysed from The
Waist Down After Being Shot Over Hijab by Police
·
Two detained on suspicion of assaulting Arab
women and child in West Bank outpost
·
South African Women Condemn Death Sentences ForPakhshanAzizi,
Sharife Mohammadi
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
Muslim
Women In Britain Learn Self-Defence Amid Riots And Unrest
Aug 12
2024
Muslim
women in Britain have enrolled for self-defence classes, amid riots and unrest.
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Muslim
women in Britain have enrolled for self-defence classes, amid riots and unrest.
Self-Defence
Classes
Maya
Hassan, a martial arts expert has reached out to Muslim women as also those
from ethnic minorities, to learn self-defence.
The
28-year-old martial arts expert looks on with pride as around 30 women, mostly
Muslims and from ethnic minorities, join a self-defence class.
She
organized this class at a London sports ground, in response to a wave of riots
where Muslims and migrants faced violent and racist attacks.
The
riots have largely targeted migrants, Muslims, and Asian people, spreading fear
through ethnic minority communities.
Empowering
Women Of Colour
Maya is
determined to help women of colour to learn how to deal with abuse and build
connections and confidence.
This
initiative is praiseworthy as U.K. has faced more than a week of unrest aimed
at mosques, asylum seeker hotels and the police.
Maya
said, “It gives you a little bit more confidence.’’
“You
kind of know what to look for, how to be socially aware, how to spot things and
how to get out of a really bad situation.”
Muslim
and ethnic minority communities have expressed shock over the disorder sparked
by false information online regarding the identity of the suspected killer of
three young girls.
It said
that an Islamist migrant was behind the
knife attack in Southport, northwest England.
Good Response
To Self-Defence Classes
Martial
arts instructor Stewart McGill said he had seen more women signing up for
classes since the unrest started.
He told
them how to defend themselves with tactics including kicks and impromptu
weapons such as belts.
Self-Defence
Training Is Useful
Significantly,
Elza Annan, a 24 year-old lady said she felt more confident after attending the
classes.
“I
obviously don’t want to have to use these techniques but it is useful and
beneficial to have them.’’
Elza
said that the classes are important as in recent incidents, far-right racists
have come out and targeted people of colour.
Tell
MAMA UK, a group that monitors anti-Muslim incidents, said hate directed at
Muslims was growing in Britain for some time.
The
group said that hate increased especially after October 7 last year, the start
of the conflict in Gaza.
Since
the riots began, it had received more than 500 calls and online reports of
anti-Muslim behaviour across Britain.
The
riots have largely stopped since thousands of anti-racism protesters turned out
to protect potential targets.
Targets
Those
targeted include Immigration advice centres, mosques, and hotels housing asylum
seekers.
Maya
Hassan’s background
Hassan,
who wears a hijab and is a Swiss national of Somali origin, moved to Britain in
2008.
She felt
that London was more welcoming to ethnic minorities than many parts of Europe.
She
wants to organize more classes.
A
similar event was planned for Manchester, northern England.
The
Three Hijabis, a campaign group, has held a large online conference call with
Muslim women
The
group intends to discuss the psychological impact of Islamophobic violence.
Shaista
Aziz, the group’s director, said some women feared that the violence could
unleash confrontations or abuse and prompt many to stay close to home.
“Today I
advised a sister I dearly love to consider removing her hijab to stay safe as
she travels through the Northeast …” she said on X.
Steps
Taken By Keir Starmer
Prime
Minister Keir Starmer, who has ordered extra protection for the Muslim
community, described rioters as “far-right thugs”.
So far,
the authorities have arrested almost 800 people.
The
anti-racism protests are likely to continue.
For Maki
Omori, 23, who identifies as non-binary, Saturday’s class would help prepare
for counter protests.
Omori
said. “I want to make sure that if something happens, I feel ready.”
Source: stratnewsglobal.com
https://stratnewsglobal.com/europe/muslim-women-in-britain-learn-self-defense-amid-riots-and-unrest/#google_vignette
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Iranian
Woman, ArezooBadri, paralysed from The Waist Down After Being Shot Over Hijab
by Police
12-08-24
Parham
Ghobadi
A source
said a bullet fired by police had "severely damaged" Arezoo Badri's
spinal cord
--------------
A mother
of two has been left paraplegic after being shot by Iranian police over an
alleged violation of the country's strict hijab rules, a source with knowledge
of the case has told the BBC.
"She
is paralysed from the waist down, and doctors have said it will take months to
determine whether she will be permanently paraplegic or not."
ArezooBadri,
31, was driving home with her sister in the northern city of Noor on 22 July
when police attempted to pull her over to confiscate her car.
The
driver did not comply with the order to stop, prompting the officers to shoot,
the police commander in Noor told Iran's state-run news agency, without naming
Ms Badri.
The
incident comes after Iranian police announced a clampdown on women defying the
nation's compulsory dress code.
The
fresh measures included using CCTV to identify female drivers failing to cover
their heads and the confiscation of vehicles found to be carrying female
passengers with uncovered hair.
It
followed prolonged public outcry over the law in the wake of the death of Mahsa
Amini in 2022 while being detained by Iran's morality police for allegedly
wearing her hijab, or headscarf, "improperly".
It is
unclear whether Ms Badri was wearing a headscarf when she was stopped by
police, but her car had a confiscation notice against it - suggesting multiple
alleged violations of the hijab law.
The BBC
source said the police officer first shot at the car's tyre before targeting
her directly from the driver's side.
"The
bullet entered her lung and severely damaged her spinal cord."
Colonel
Ahmed Amini, Noor's police chief, said the use of firearms was permitted under
Iranian law.
After
being initially taken to a hospital in Noor, Ms Badri was transferred to a
hospital in Sari, the provincial capital, for lung surgery. A week later she
was taken to the Iranian capital, Tehran.
The
bullet was only removed after 10 days, the source said.
Both the
police and the BBC source said that Ms Badri's car windows were tinted.
Ms Badri
is now in the intensive care unit of the police-owned Vali-e-Asr Hospital in
Tehran and under tight security.
According
to the source, her family is allowed only brief visits, during which their
mobile phones are confiscated. Authorities have prohibited visitors from taking
photos or video of Ms Badri - though some have emerged.
The
heavy security measures surrounding Ms Badri's hospitalisation are reminiscent
of those of ArmitaGeravand, a 17-year-old who died in October after spending 28
days in a coma at Fajr Hospital in Tehran, following an alleged altercation
with the morality police at an underground station.
Human
rights activists said that she was assaulted for not wearing a hijab, an
allegation that the Iranian government denies.
Women
have been legally required to wear a hijab in Iran since the Islamic revolution
of 1979. Penalties for infringements of the law include fines and imprisonment.
Incidents
involving the morality police - who are tasked with enforcing the law -
continue to be reported while the Women, Life, Freedom movement Ms Amini's
death sparked remains ongoing.
Iranian
women have previously told the BBC they were still willing to defy the rule despite
the increased risk of punishment.
Recently,
CCTV footage showing the violent assault of a 14-year-old girl by hijab
enforcement officers in Tehran ignited widespread outrage.
Nafas
Hajisharif's mother told Iran’s Ensaf News that she found her daughter at a
morality police station with a "bruised face, swollen lips, a bruised
neck, and torn clothes".
Source: bbc.com
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c303ddrlzd9o
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Two
detained on suspicion of assaulting Arab women and child in West Bank outpost
12
August 2024
Police
and Shin Bet officers on Monday arrested two Israeli settlers suspected of
assaulting four Arab Israeli women and a 2-year-old girl in the northern West
Bank outpost of Givat Ronen.
The two
suspects have been taken for police and Shin Bet questioning, and law
enforcement will ask the court on Tuesday to extend their detention, the
agencies said in a joint statement.
During
the “grave attack” on Friday, settlers threatened the victims, hurled stones at
them, and set fire to their car, the statement said.
The
victims, from the southern Bedouin city of Rahat, were driving to the
Palestinian city of Nablus when they mistakenly entered Givat Ronen. After the
attack, they were taken to Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva, some of
them with head wounds.
On
Sunday, MK Limor Son Har-Melech, of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, appeared
to justify the attack, saying settlers suspected the victims of spying on them
since the women’s car did not have an Israeli license plate.
Lamis
al-Jaer, the 2-year-old victim’s mother who was also attacked, denied the
lawmaker’s claim in an interview with Channel 12.
Later
Sunday, President Isaac Herzog spoke with the young girl’s father, saying he
was “horrified” to hear of the attack, and wishing the victims a full recovery.
“This
was a serious incident, this cannot be allowed to happen to us,” said Nufah
al-Jaer. “I appreciate and thank you for this conversation.”
Givat
Ronen, an illegal settlement outpost, is home to some 30 families and was
founded in 1999 by Ronen Harussi, a former member of the so-called Bat Ayin
Underground, which plotted terrorist acts against Palestinians in the early
2000s.
Givat
Ronen is close to the Palestinian village of Burin. It forms part of the larger
HarBracha settlement.
The area
has seen repeated clashes between settlers and Palestinians.
On March
12, Hebrew media reported that a Palestinian man armed with a knife had
infiltrated Givat Ronen and attempted to stab a resident before being scared
off by the resident’s dog.
Anti-settlement
advocacy group Peace Now reported in 2022 that a group of settlers from Givat
Ronen attacked seven peace activists with stones and clubs.
Another
left-wing group B’Tselem also reported in 2021 that settlers attacked a
Palestinian family’s home located 400 meters (a quarter of a mile) from Givat
Ronen. The settlers were said to set fire to the family’s olive groves, and
soldiers reportedly Maced the Palestinians when they tried to chase the
settlers away. It was said to be the seventh attack on the family’s home since
June 2020.
Source: timesofisrael.com
https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-detained-on-suspicion-of-assaulting-arab-women-and-child-in-west-bank-outpost/
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South
African women condemn death sentences for PakhshanAzizi, Sharife Mohammadi
12/08/2024
South
African feminists are organising a two-day workshop for International Feminist
Solidarity in protest at the death sentences in Iran of two women Kurdish
socio-political activists, PakhshanAzizi and Sharife Mohammadi.
Following
the handing down of the death sentence to Azizi and Mohammadi, global
solidarity with the two women is growing.
On the
14th anniversary of the notorious execution of Kurdish political prisoner
ShirinAllamHouli and four of her comrades in Evin Prison, Tehran, the Community
of Free Women of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) has launched a campaign titled “No to
Execution, Yes to Free Life.”
As part
of this campaign, South African feminists and women activists held a two-day
workshop for International Feminist Solidarity. On 10 August, in response to
the the death sentences of PakhshanAzizi and Sharife Mohammadi and as part of
the workshop, they held a protest march to the front of the Iranian embassy in
the South African capital Pretoria.
During
the march, activists called for global solidarity to overturn the death
sentences of Azizi and Mohammadi, and condemned the Iranian regime’s repressive
actions.
In their
statement, the activists called for women to organise, and insisted on
continuing their struggle for the freedom of all imprisoned women.
Numerous
other women’s organisations have also protested against the death sentences of
Azizi and Sharife Mohammadi.
Source: medyanews.net
https://medyanews.net/south-african-women-condemn-death-sentences-for-pakhshan-azizi-sharife-mohammadi/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/muslim-women-britain-self-defence-riots/d/132930