Forest Gate protest. posted by Richard Seymour

Following the shooting of Abdul Kahar Kalam, the arrest of his brother and the beating of his neighbours, precisely nothing has emerged to justify the raid at Lansdown Road. So, after an electric Respect meeting in Newham (which happened to have been organised beforehand), a demonstration has been called by Stop Political Terror, supported by the Muslim Association of Britain and Newham Respect.

The meeting, by the way, happened to have Moazzam Begg and Yvonne Ridley present, and it was so effective that some elements of the media have produced some crazy smears, particularly of Ridley. London Tonight, for instance, siezed on a statement of hers indicating that Muslims should withdraw their support from the police until such time as they stop arbitrarily targeting anyone with a beard or a hijab. This was offered to a few Labour councillors and Ken Livingstone for their critique. Subsequently the reporter, one Glen Goodman, decided that he would check out the feeling "on the street" rather than listen to politicians who think they're down with it (he actually said this). He copped a guy named Sharaf Mahmood, whom he didn't mention was a Labour councillor, and two other people whose carefully edited comments suggested perhaps a vaguely benign attitude to the idea of law and order. And this proved that Ridley was out of touch and that the mainstream Muslim leaders (the MCB) are in touch. Then the presenter back in the studio actually said "great reporting, Glen". They are so fucking afraid of us.

Anyway, protest details:

Forest Gate Police Station, Romford Road, London E7
2.30pm
Sunday 11th June

Nearest tubes Upton Park and short walk or Stratford followed by 25 or 86 bus