Summary Killing of UK soldier: The mosque management greeted protesters with tea and custard creams.
LONDON (Web Desk) -A small mosque in the UK is being praised for extending an olive branch to protesters from the English Defense League, a group that has helped fuel an anti-Muslim backlash following the daytime slaying of a British soldier.
When a small group of EDL supporters turned up at the mosque, they were greeted by worshippers, including children, some who held signs that read "York Mosque welcomes anyone who condemns extremist violence."
The mosque also had tea, biscuits and custard creams ready for the demonstrators, and invited them in when they arrived. After about 30 to 40 minutes of talking, the EDL supporters agreed to come inside.
The Guardian reports that tensions were defused following the invitation, and that the potential confrontation eventually gave way to an impromptu game of football.
Extremist behaviour has to stop
One protester, Leanne Staven, told the paper she had not come for trouble but wanted her voice to be heard.
"In light of what happened to that soldier in Woolwich there have to be restrictions on people learning extremist behaviour and it has to stop," she said.
Members of York Mosque agreed.
"Under the banner of Islam there are very different politics: democratic politics, the far right, left, central, all over. You can t target a whole community for what one or two people have done," Ismail Miah, president of York Mosque, told The Guardian.
He decried the hacking death of the young soldier, which one suspect called "an eye for an eye" for the British troops fighting Muslims.
"What they ve done in London is for their own reasons but there s no reasoning behind it from an Islamic point of view," said Miah.
Hope during troubled times
Online observers have sent their support to the mosque for a situation well-handled.
