Saturday
27Oct2007
Murderous assault on SIOE activists
Saturday, October 27, 2007 at 01:04AM 
Yesterday I attended the SIOE demo in London. I may write more about this tomorrow, but at this point I will say that, despite the apparent threats of violence emanating from certain quarters, the demonstration passed off peacefully.Regrettably, the same cannot be said for a SIOE demonstration held in Copenhagen last Sunday, the 21st October. On that day, the Danish organiser of SIOE, Anders Gravers, his partner, and two other SIOE activists (one of them a seventy-four year old woman) were subjected to a vicious, sustained, and murderous attack by a gang of thugs. As Mr Gravers' car, in which they were all travelling to Sunday's demo, pulled into a car park in Copenhagen, it was surrounded by a gang of men brandishing iron bars. They proceeded to smash the windows of the car, attempted to haul Mr Gravers from the vehicle, and beat him and his passengers with the iron bars. Mr Gravers sort to defend himself with the best makeshift weapon that he could lay his hands on - a fire extinguisher - and in the struggle one of his assailants attempted to stab him in the chest with a knife. Had Mr Gravers not been wearing a stab proof vest, it is probable that he would have been killed. The thugs also attempted to stab one of Mr Gravers' colleagues, before beating a retreat. Full details of the assault, as well as some quite graphic images of the injuries sustained by the SIOE activists during the course of the attack, can be found at SIOE's website here, and I would strongly recommend having a read. So far as anything is known about the attackers, it is believed that they were members of the pan-European extreme-left group Antifascist Action, rather than Muslims.
Despite the severity of this attack, Mr Gravers flew to London to attend yesterday's protest. I must say that it is something of a salutary experience to find oneself in the presence of a man who, just five days before, literally came within an inch of being murdered on account of his political views. The implications of the attack also give one pause for thought. First, it is simply shocking to think of this kind of anti-democratic, fascistic, thuggery taking place in 21st century Europe. Secondly, it is a reminder of the risks which some, if not all, of those who actively challenge Islam, and its far-left allies, are running. This incident could very easily have ended with the deaths of one, or indeed, all, of the SIOE activists who were attacked, and, from the actions of the attackers, it appears likely that they actually intended to kill Anders Gravers, at least. It should also be remembered that this attempted murder comes almost three years to the day after the actual murder of the anti-Islamist Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, by the jihadist Mohammed Bouyeri. Of course, the fact that people like Mr Gravers and his colleagues are prepared to take such risks in order to resist the very real threat that Islam poses to Europe should simply spur the rest of us on to work harder to support the same cause. If Mr Gravers is prepared to put his life on the line, then it surely behoves all of us to at least do something to attempt to defeat the kind of people who attacked the Danish activists last Sunday.
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Reader Comments (22)
It seems the internet is the only place to find dreadful news/photos like this. The stunned look on the girls face says it all. Poor lass.
With wide open borders and a short hop across the channel, it's a fair guess our own 'Antifascist' lot will feel encouraged by this event.
Noted.
Disturbing, but important reading.
Holy Crap. I don't know what else to say.
I thank God they survived.
Perhaps she now has an inkling that fighting for freedom, is something more than just an excuse for a 'gathering', and needs to be taken far more seriously...
They were quite prepared to kill her, I doubt if she feels even remotely the same way about them. Little wonder she looks stunned...
Can any lefties who visit this site explain why they support or respect islam? I do see the similarities (totalitarianism etc) but I can't see why the left (pro-gay, pro-feminist etc) can support a doctrine which would demand death for those whom the left apparently support.
Lefties only, please.
Allan
You won't get the explanation you seek because as far as I can tell none of the 'lefties' (whoever you label as such) who regularly comment on ATW support Islam and it's intolerant strictures against gays women etc.
Has this story been given any significant cover by the European big media?
I just did a search on google news, and only see a mocking report of the London march by "Indymedia UK" and nothing at all on the attacks in Copenhagen. Hopefully the Danish press gave it some coverage?
Phantom:
So far as I know, not even the Danish MSM has actually given this the slightest bit of attention. Which is irritating, but not remotely surprising.
The Indymedia report that you mention is quite ridiculous, but probably no more so than you would expect from such an organisation. I also noticed that the only mention at Indymedia of the attack on Gravers (which, I should say, comes in a comment rather than the main article) is supportive of the attackers.
Colm, it is a fact that the left is, in general, supportive of islam whether leftists on this site agree with that or not. So, if you may be described as being of the left but do not agree with the left's alignment with islam, could you explain from within the tent why it is so?
it is a fact that the left is, in general, supportive of islam
rightworld opinion is not a valid substitute for facts.
whether leftists on this site agree with that or not.
why would leftists support another of theocratic rightwing ideology?
they are the enemies of secular progressive democracy, which is the same that can be said of their "christian" bretheren in the west.
Allan
I don't consider myslef to be inside the tent but I will seek to answer your question. The left do not support Islam but by and large have chosen to ally themsleves with Muslim populations which they see as being the victims of American aggression/Western imperialism - Palesinians/Iraqis/muslims in Britain opposing the war. The SWP jumped into bed with muslim activists and anti war campaigners in the UK to form Respect as a way of gaining popularity which they couldn;t achieve through their old fashioned workers socialist dogma aline. Supporting muslims but not Islam by the left is done for the same reason as the Right supported the Taliban against the Soviets in the eighties. My enemies enemy is my friend.
Well said Ernest on both points.
Why is it that hard left thugs can never protest without violently ripping towns up and turning their demos into freeforall mentalist riot displays?
'They were quite prepared to kill her, I doubt if she feels even remotely the same way about them' says it all really.
The support lent by the west to the taliban was soon shown to be idiotic, although it is known that Saudi Arabia provided the greater share of funding. At the time of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, little was known of the taliban but much is known in the west of islam so it's not as if the left can claim ignorance of what they support.
The support lent by the west to the taliban was soon shown to be idiotic,
only when it was found that they would not negotiate on resource concessions.
"A carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs" was the choice given to the taliban.
More, important, DT, is -
"....but much is known in the west of islam so it's not as if the left can claim ignorance of what they support."
How ignorant can YOU claim to be of islam now? A couple of years ago, I knew nothing of their beliefs but not any more.
"....but much is known in the west of islam so it's not as if the left can claim ignorance of what they support."
its a strawman.
How ignorant can YOU claim to be of islam now? A couple of years ago, I knew nothing of their beliefs but not any more.
all i know is that for their billion odd strong numbers they are pretty much peaceful people. if their book is as violent as is suggested then id say thats proof that most people dont care too much for it. which should tell you something about humanity and morality in general.
"A couple of years ago, I knew nothing of their beliefs but not any more."
Now he knows less than nothing. He doesn't even know that "they" don't all believe the same thing, and that (just like Christians) "they" don't all interpret the texts the same way, and (just like every other religion) their beliefs are contingent on time and place and culture.
Allan
The left do not support Islam, as I explained in my comment above they , or at least certain sections of them support various Muslim populations for political reasons. There is a difference.
Alan,
You know the 'left' - support anyone or anything rather than their own!...
"all i know is that for their billion odd strong numbers they are pretty much peaceful people."
Really, DT? So why are they so violent in the civilised west? How many muslims in British prisons and as a proportion of their numbers in this country. They certainly seem to have a near-monopoly on the rape figures in Scandinavia. Suicide bombings, anyone?
"if their book is as violent as is suggested ..." Why not get a copy and read it for yourself? then it won't need to be 'suggested'.
Ernest is absolutely correct: the left hates their own peoples.
What is this "left" you speak of? Do you just divide the global population and throw people into either the left or right?
How tired. How unoriginal.