One Law for All is calling for a rally in defence of free expression and the right to criticise religion on 11 February 2012 in central London from 2-4pm.
We are also calling for simultaneous events and acts in defence of free expression on 11 February in countries world-wide.
The call follows an increased number of attacks on free expression in the UK, including a 17 year old being forced to remove a Jesus and Mo cartoon or face expulsion from his Sixth Form College and demands by the UCL Union that the Atheist society remove a Jesus and Mo cartoon from its Facebook page. It also follows threats of violence, police being called, and the cancellation of a meeting at Queen Mary College where One Law for All spokesperson Anne Marie Waters was to deliver a speech on Sharia. Saying ‘Who gave these kuffar the right to speak?’, an Islamist website called for the disruption of the meeting. Two days later at the same college, though, the Islamic Society held a meeting on traditional Islam with a speaker who has called for the death of apostates, those who mock Islam, and secularist Muslims.
Whilst none of this is new, recent events reveal an increased confidence of Islamists to censor free expression publicly, particularly given the support received from universities and other bodies in the name of false tolerance, cultural sensitivity and respect.
The right to criticise religion, however, is a fundamental right that is crucial to many, including Muslims.
Clearly, the time has come to take a firm and uncompromising stand for free expression and against all forms of threats and censorship.
11 February is our chance to take that stand.
You need to be there.
Enough is enough.
NOTES:
Contact us for more information or with details of actions or events being organised outside of London:
Maryam Namazie
Anne Marie Waters
Spokespersons
One Law for All
BM Box 2387
London WC1N 3XX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 7719166731
onelawforall@gmail.com
www.onelawforall.org.uk
To help with the costs of the rally and donate to the crucial work of One Law for All, please either send a cheque made payable to One Law for All to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX, UK or pay via Paypal.
The One Law for All Campaign was launched on 10 December 2008, International Human Rights Day, to call on the UK Government to recognise that Sharia and religious courts are arbitrary and discriminatory against women and children in particular and that citizenship and human rights are non-negotiable. To join the campaign, sign our petition here.
Blogged – http://freethoughtblogs.com/tokenskeptic/2012/01/23/token-skeptic-transcript-interview-with-rhys-morgan/
The link to the petition is not working!
I know. Grrr. They keep suspending us and we are talking to them.
“Suspending”? This is weird. Possibly even ironic. Why?
I wish I could be with you.
Here at least is a Jesus and Mo (x2) cartoon which should be quite safe because there are no human depictions and there are clear warnings against worshipping the images. Can’t imagine what anyone could complain about…
Calligraphied – a “halal” Jeez & Mo cartoon.
I can make this. And I will. It’s important.
Where are we meeting?
we’re waiting on the police. they will hum and haw until the cows come home but we will get there in the end.
Have been reading the thread on Islamic Awakening. Disturbing and weird. Do they realise we can read that stuff?! Odd mix of stuff with typical fixation on how bad some behaviours may appear rather than whether they are inherently wrong. Camera-threats boy gets general support but chastisement because now his actions can “used”.
There’s a perverse irony at play throughout: there’s anger that the kuffar dares to discuss the subject paralleled with basic acceptance of the premise of the debate. Weird to see the cognitive dissonance so naked. They also riff on classic “they’re telling lies about Muslims being threatening so let’s go there and threaten them” which is basically Sam Harris’ “Islam is the religion of peace and if you say it isn’t we will kill you ” in different clothes.
All in all fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. Good luck and goodnight.
PP88, sorry to break this to you but you are not the first dumb racist to develop an ideology of vengeance.
A bunch of morons in the desert did this hundreds of years ago but at least they went to the effort of using some nice prose: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
This ideology benefits no-one. Apart from the eye surgeon and the dentist, obviously.
I’ve told Nick Cohen he has to attend.
It is with deep regret that I cannot join you all on that day, however, Maryam, Anne Marie Waters and everybody at OL4A will always continue to receive my sincere support.
I have just set up a standing order for £10.00 per month to help the cause.
It’s little, but I hope it contributes all the same.
Keep up the good fight all.
Thanks for that Martyn! Sorry you can’t be there on the day.
Secularism for Iran, Sharia for the UK.
That’d be my dream as an Iranian Atheist, the English dogs overthrew our secular democracy in 1953 and destroyed our nation, now I hope the hadjis in their country overthrow their government.
English dogs, your centuries of genocide, slavery, and colonialism will come back to bite you in the end. I despise you as much as I despise the Arabs.
Glory to Scotland!
Glory to Wales!
Glory to Eire!
HAIL VICTORY
Well then you sir are a racist scumbag filled with hatred. My ancestors did some terrible things, its true. But their actions are not my actions. It is completely illogical to blame the citizens of entire nations for the crimes of their ancestors. I hope you see the futility of your bigotry someday.
I was four years old in 1953 and while rumour has it that I was an unruly tearaway, I don’t think my skills at motivation were quite good enough to have contributed to any action of the UK in Persia.
Blaming the present generation for the past is as nonsensical as that stupidity called ‘orginal sin’.
Excellent. See you there.
The more people and organisations who support this, either by physical attendance at the rally or by making clear statements in support of freedom of speech and expression, the better. The Islamists can’t threaten everyone. Well not easily, anyway.
When our press and our politicians – left, right and middle – refuse to defend one of the defining characteristics of a democracy, it not only displays moral cowardice but it makes those who do take a stand even more exposed.