Radical Isamists are suspected of a campaign to deface posters considered 'sexy' in East London'

The Religion of sexual inadequacy and mysoginistic jealousy may be attempting to bring more of its seventh century bigotry to twenty-first century London:

Street adverts featuring women in bikinis have been defaced in apparently targeted attacks.

Most show women in swimwear by chain store H&M but another features a couple kissing to promote the Bollywood film Kites.

Residents in affected London areas suggested the images, which were daubed with black paint, could have been targeted by religious conservatives or radical feminists.

Police have not linked the campaign to any religious group but the damage is similar to attacks in Pakistan on billboard ads branded “un-Islamic” and “obscene” by hardliners.

Today women’s rights and anti-censorship activists joined Muslims and Christians to condemn the vandals.

Police said 14 bus shelters around Tower Hamlets, including many in Limehouse, were hit last month.

Residents told of similar damage in Waltham Forest. One said: “It seems to be a dedicated group who obviously have some serious issues with these adverts.”

After finding the black paint could be easily removed, the vandals switched to a sticky, tar-like substance which is harder to scrub off.

Agnes Callamard, of Article 19, a London-based organisation combating censorship, said: “While one may dislike some ads and find them offensive, this cannot be a basis for blacking out’ the picture.”

Avedon Carol, of Feminists Against Censorship, said: “The idea that somehow the image of women being sexy spreads all sorts of horribleness is reactionary and anti-women.”

The bus shelters are provided to Transport for London by advertising firm Clear Channel, which said the content was regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority.

A spokesman confirmed a rise in graffiti attacks and said each one cost £130 to put right. Dr Shaaz Mahboob, of British Muslims for Secular Democracy, said: “Many British Muslims wouldn’t go to the beach in a bikini but would never think it’s their right to impose their values on others like this.”

Pastor Henry Dixon, of Poplar Baptist Church, said: “If people feel that a poster is wrong then they should complain to the ASA. Causing criminal damage is not right.”

An H&M spokeswoman said: “A picture can be interpreted in many different ways. The interpretation is always in the eye of the beholder.

Now compare this to another story from the other side of the world:

Islamists in Peshawar have conducted similar campaigns to those seen in London recently

The depiction of uncovered women is considered un-Islamic by the Taliban, whose influence is growing in the North West Frontier province.

Similar edicts were issued and posters defaced in 2003. “These multinational companies want to promote obscenity, lewdness and vulgarity,” said a furious religious leader, Shehzada Babar.

Despite these protestations, images of women gradually began to reappear and had again become a fixture of Peshawar street life until this new wave of paint jobs. Last week, notices appeared warning people against un-Islamic activities, such as watching films and listening to music.

We need to be clear that no link has yet been proven between Islamists and these defacements. However, Tower Hamlets does have the highest proportion of Muslims in any area of the country (standing at well over 36% five years ago) and East London is also home to Britain’s most radical Islamists, including Anjem Choudary’s officially-disbanded but still active al-Muhajiroun jihadists.

Such a highly-localised campaign would suggest that this is not the work of feminists – we think they’d be far more likely to conduct such protest activity in high profile central and shopping areas; aiming for maximum impact.

We further feel that this campaign, if islamist-originated, may be a double-edged one; perhaps aimed both at the advertisers and simultaneously as a coercive message to local Muslim women. If true, this would be indicative of something far more sinister.

Whoever carried out these attacks should be brought to justice under Criminal Damage charges. They should be made to pay for the damage and publicly named and shamed.

If Islamists prove to be the ones behind the campaign, any non-citizens should be promptly deported.

Any British citizens among them should further consider whether pluralistic, democratic and gender-equal Britain really is the place for them.

[Sources: London Evening Standard, The Week]

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