'Anti-islamisation' group marches in Dudley: Your questions answered

The march will be the third this year opposing plans for a new mosque in the town, following demonstrations by the English Defence League and Britain First groups.

Posters showing members of the group with faces covered and others punching fists in the air, with the Union Flag in the background, are plastered all over the group's official Facebook page and have sparked fear among those living and working in the town.

Organisers have denied the protest will be violent and claim they merely want to exercise their right to protest.

Event organiser Kevin Smith has created a Frequently Asked Questions section on the group's blog in a bid to allay the community's fears.

The Express & Star has put the group's claims to leading figures in the town - to get their views on this latest protest.

Amjid Raza is the spokesman for Dudley Central Mosque and Dudley Muslim Association, Len Lenihan is chairman of Dudley Market Traders' Association and Jerry Langford is behind a Unity Rally rival protest being held tomorrow.

Q1 - What are the plans for Saturday? Why and when are AFFFAI coming to Dudley?

Kevin Smith: "Our plans for June 13 are to travel to Dudley, meet the supporters, walk the march, have speeches and go home. We hope what we have got to say will reach all parts of the community and allow them to think about it.

"We are coming to oppose the 'mega-mosque' that may be built in Dudley and we know that large numbers of locals don't want.

"Their community is divided, half of the town is overtaken by Muslims. Also, we want to draw the attention to growing problem of Islamisation of our country."

Amjid Raza: "From our point of view this group is coming here to spread hatred in the town and fragment the excellent relationships we have here.

"We would strongly object to the idea that the town is being taken over by Muslims. We live in harmony with the community."

Q2 - What is meant by Islamisation?

Kevin Smith: "It is a process of taking over of a society. I'm born in Britain as were my parents and grandparents. I remember how our country used to look, it's changed and I don't like it. I'm not the only one.

"The number of mosques grows, Some of them are proven to be spreading extremist views. Half the food products you buy from shops, even big shops like supermarkets is now halal. People buy it without thinking.

"We are a Christian country and Christians should not eat 'meat sacrificed to strange gods'."

Amjid Raza: "We respect out colleagues, our neighbours and our friends. We enjoy a fantastic relationship with all of them.

"We do not want Britain to have Sharia law. We have faith and confidence in British society and the legal system as it is.

"We are British Muslims and we want to be British. I would strongly condemn extremism in all shapes and forms."

Q3 - Will Dudley be open for business on Saturday?

Kevin Smith: "If the future of their country means less than two hours of trading then we can clearly see where the problems we face today are coming from - people ignoring the slow decay of their own national identity.

"We invite them to walk with us on the day and listen to what we have got to say. But if they prefer not to, then we strongly encourage them to carry on as normal."

Len Lenihan: "I am not sure if every single retailer will be open but the market will be open on Saturday, there is not any issue there.

"From our point of view it is business as usual. The only thing we are worried about is whether the general public have the same confidence.

"We are trying to instil confidence in people by saying we are the most vulnerable people on the market, we can't pull the shutters down if there is trouble, and we think it will be a non-event so we are opening."

Q4 - Do AFFFAI intend to hold a peaceful protest on the day?

Kevin Smith: "We are not coming to cause trouble or violence. But we will be talking about issues that half of our society prefers to see as non-existent, purely out of fear of causing offence.

"If there is a problem we have to be able to talk about it, if not, then freedom of speech is well and truly dead."

Len Lenihan: "We do not expect there to be any problems with violence. In the other two marches the police have proven they are able to handle the situation.

"I just cannot conceive that this group will be able to bring more people than the EDL managed to. They have not got their profile or level of organisation."

Q5 - How many people are you expecting to take part? We have heard from police that it could be 2,600 people.

Kevin Smith: "It could be more or less, we have no way of knowing exact number."

Len Lenihan: "I would be absolutely amazed if they managed to get 600 people here like the EDL were able to do.

"The police advised us at our last meeting they were not aware of any coaches having been booked.

"A lot of the stuff you see on the internet is all just chatter. It is a different thing when they have got to spend money and come to Dudley to march."

Q6 - Where will supporters be coming from on the day? Across the country or mainly the West Midlands?

Kevin Smith: "We are proud to say supporters are coming from all over Great Britain."

Jerry Langford: "As far as we know they are coming from outside the town. That is not to say some people from the town don't support them, but I do not know anyone personally.

"The EDL, when they came, were certainly substantially supported from people outside of Dudley and the Black Country."

Q7 - What do you say to people who claim AFFFAI are mainly from outside the area and don't know the issues at the heart of the dispute?

Kevin Smith: "Britain as a whole is at the heart of the dispute, Dudley is just another piece of our beautiful land being taken over.

"Besides we have been approached by Dudley residents who told us they don't want another mosque and we have a massive support here."

Jerry Langford: "Clearly there is an issue of anti-Islamic feeling in part of the country and parts of the community.

"There were some who opposed the mosque here but how genuine that feeling is here is hard to tell.

"Here in Dudley there is no major issue between the different communities and in fact there is a lot of common ground."

Q8 - What is your view on people's opinions that these protests are damaging Dudley's reputation?

Kevin Smith: "Dudley used to be a beautiful English town, right now it's very visibly divided. There is a huge Muslim community that clearly don't want to integrate with the rest.

"If the people of Dudley cannot speak up against it and stand up for preserving what their ancestors left them, then what can be more damaging than that?"

Jerry Langford: "Dudley's reputation is not diminished by these visits because people from the town are actively rejecting them.

"Rather than welcoming them with open arms people across the spectrum are standing up and saying there is nothing for you to say to us.

"Dudley should be proud to be a town which has produced the likes of Lenny Henry and which has got multiple ethnic groups living happily together."