England: Muslim Protesters Disrupt Royal Anglian Parade

As 200 soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment marched through Luton in a Homecoming Parade from their tour of duty in Iraq, the Telegraph reports that:

A group of around 20 men in traditional Islamic dress held up banners and placards that read: "Anglian Soldiers Butchers of Basra", "Anglian Soldiers Criminals, Murderers Terrorists" and "Baby killers".

As the battalion, which is nicknamed The Poachers, reached Luton Town Hall the small group shouted and yelled "Terrorists" and "Anglian Soliders Go to Hell."

The protesters then had to be protected by police as angry supporters of the soldiers turned on them shouting: "Scum" and "No surrender to the Taliban."

Here is the parade video posted by lutonloyal at Youtube:



And here is the altercation video posted by lutonloyal at Youtube. (You will notice that the Telegraph did not report the obscene language):



The Muslim protesters were within their rights to behave in this despicable way. The BBC reports that police arrested a few from the pro-soldier crowd who were violating the protesters rights. And as someone who really does believe in free speech, I think it is a good thing that the police protected the small group of protesters from the crowd and arrested those who violated their rights.

I just wish that the Muslim protesters had an ethic of reciprocity, so that they recognized the right to free speech of those who do not believe in God in the way Islam presents God or chose to leave Islam. In Islamic Law, the first is called blasphemy and is punishable by death. (Remember the fatwa against Salman Rushdie?) In Islamic Law, the second is called apostasy and is punishable by death.

I also wish the police will evidence a belief in reciprocity and arrest Muslims who violate the free speech of those who protest against Islamic terrorism, or for Israel, or against Sharia Law, etc.