Police dispersed crowd of dozens after protest outside Coventry Hindu temple

The Coventry Telegraph and the West Midlands Police have managed to write an entire report, make statements and update the public with tweets without ever mentioning once the affiliation of the ‘dozens’ protesting. 

Police used special powers to disperse a crowd of around 50 people that protested outside a Hindu temple in Coventry last night. Yesterday (Thursday September 22) West Midlands Police announced there would be “an appropriate police presence” ahead of the protest outside the Hindu Temple Society Coventry in Stoney Stanton Road.

West Midlands Police also revealed it would have Section 60 and other powers in place for parts of Coventry and Sandwell between 3.30pm yesterday and 6.30am today (Friday September 23). This meant the force had extra powers to stop and search people, could oblige people to remove masks and had the power to disperse groups.

The West Midlands Police spokesman added: “The reasons surrounding the protests are complex but we are working closely with community leaders to understand and manage the issues. We continue to ask you to be mindful of misinformation and rumour on social media. This can have a serious impact on communities. Please only share information you know to be true. If you are unsure, please do not share it…”

The police also launched a criminal investigation into a widely shared video appearing to show a man making threats. A 37-year-old man has now been arrested in connection with that. The force spokesman said: “This morning (September 23) we arrested a 37-year-old man from Birmingham on suspicion of publishing material with intent to incite religious hatred. The man handed himself in and will be questioned in due course. A further video has been identified and is currently being assessed. We have local officers on the streets, and are engaging with faith leaders and other key stakeholders in our communities, to keep us informed and better understand how people are feeling.”

The Indian Press is more specific.  This is OpIndia

On Friday, the Birmingham police arrested a 37-year-old Islamist, Shaykh Muhammad Abdul Jabbar, for publishing inappropriate content on social media and inciting religious hatred against Hindus amid the ongoing Islamist attacks on the Hindu community in the UK, particularly in Leicester and Birmingham. The Coventry Central Police stated that it was searching for the suspect after he posted a video in which he used derogatory language for Hindus and called them ‘terrorists’.

This is his video; nasty piece of work doesn’t quite cover it. 

This is the Coventry Division of West Midlands Police on twitter

I know at Smethwick the young Muslim men took exception to a proposed speaker at the  Durga Bhawan temple; what their ‘excuse’ for targeting the Temple in Coventry is no one has said. Not that they need an excuse; the presence of non Muslims, or the wrong sort of Muslim is provocation enough.  It won’t be cricket.  Therefore Hindu temples in other cities are alert.