Hundreds of Muslim extremists gathered outside the US Embassy in London on Friday, May 6th, to stage a funeral service for Osama bin Laden. Members of the anti-Islamic group “English Defence League” (EDL) staged a counter demonstration. The two groups were kept apart by police.
The rally was organised by the group “Muslims Against Crusades” headed by controversial preacher Anjem Choudry who previously made headlines by burning poppies on Remembrance Sunday. Around 300 Muslims marched on the embassy to chants of “Allahu Akbar” and anti-American slogans before kneeling to pray for bin Laden. They demanded “the release of the body of Sheikh Usama to his family to be properly buried” and held banners stating that “Shariah will dominate the world”.
A young man was knocked unconscious. It is unclear whether he was a member of the EDL or a member of the public.
A small group of EDL members chanted “No surrender” while waving St George’s Cross flags and holding pictures of bin Laden with the caption “Justice has been served”. The EDL was formed in March 2009 following a protest by Islamists during a homecoming parade of the Royal Anglian Regiment.
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