‘We’re terrified’ say Muslim community
Anti-racism meeting hears concerns over SDL
Members of the region’s Muslim community admitted to feeling anxious ahead of the proposed SDL protest in Perth on Sunday.
At a public meeting in the Queens Hotel on Wednesday, Samira Ali – a member of Perth Islamic Society and who works at PKAVS’ ethnic minority hub – said: “I am a Muslim and we have been using the mosque [on the Glasgow Road] for many years, and we all have children now.
“What concerns us, we are respected in the community and this is upsetting for us.
“I was born and brought up here in Perth, and our current mosque is a health hazard to our children. We just want somewhere safe where we can spend some time, what’s wrong with that?”
She continued: “We have been so overwhelmed by the support here tonight. We are wondering whether we should be there on Sunday - I am clearly a Muslim, we don’t feel we should be there.
“As a community we are worried, what if one of them has acid with them? It is a risk to take and we are really terrified – so, so scared, we don’t think we should come out of our houses.
“The thought of them doing anything physical scares the hell out of all of us. So many people were too scared to even come to the meeting tonight. It is horrible what they are doing to us, it is just a mosque.
“We get attacked, only last week I was called a ‘terrorist’, and that is just petty, you get used to it.
“But something getting demonstrated against is different. As a community we try to contribute to anything and everything.”
A man from the Muslim
Perth Against Racism is planning to muster at Perth Railway Station community added the police have advised them to stay away from the city centre on Sunday.
The umbrella group ‘Perth Against Racism’ are planning to muster at Perth Railway Station at 1pm on Sunday, and to travel to the city centre for 1.30pm – although times may be subject to change on the day.
We’re really terrified - so, so scared, we don’t think we should come out of our houses