Muslim family in Leicester are targeted by yobs again

[Queercommie Girl]

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/PERSECUTED/article-3627765-detail/article.html

A Muslim family have been targeted by yobs again – even as they prepared to flee from their council house.


Salim and Sabana Amod (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/person/sabanaamod) decided to move out earlier this year after they were persecuted by thugs in Saffron Lane, Leicester (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/place/leicester).


After the Mercury reported their story in April, the abuse initially died down. However, during the past two weeks it has flared up again, culminating in bricks being thrown through their window on Thursday night.


The family were today moving into their new house in Highfields, Leicester. Mrs Amod, 40, said: "It did go quiet after our story was in the paper. We thought people had realised how hurtful it was to call us names and to vandalise our home.



"But then the problems started again in the past few weeks. We are going to a new home, why can't these people even let us move out in peace?
"It is sad to leave Saffron Lane, but all the things that happened to us were my worst nightmare. We just want to live in peace."


The couple and their children have repeatedly been persecuted by thugs who have slashed their car tyres, sprayed offensive graffiti on their home in Helmsley Road, where they lived for just over two years, and thrown stones at them.


The couple, who are from India (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/place/india), were also racially abused. Some of the foul language was directed at their Muslim faith.


Last weekend, yobs again covered the family's car in paint and smashed three of the vehicle's windows.


Suleman Nagdi (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/person/sulemannagdi), spokesman for the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/company/leicestershirefederationofmuslimorganisations), said: "Leicester has a brilliant reputation in the UK and in Europe (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/place/europe) for its community relations. This case does not show our city in a very good light.


"I'm not personally aware of other cases like this recently.


"It is clearly very sad that this family has been driven from their home and we will continue to support them."


The family praised police for their handling of the case.


Earlier this year, a youth was arrested and admitted spraying offensive graffiti on the family's home and car. He was later ordered to carry out community service.


In recent weeks, officers from Welford Road police (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/company/welfordroadpolice) station have arrested four people.


Two 16-year-old boys are being investigated in connection with incidents of vandalism, while a 21-year-old man is to face trial later this year for allegedly breaching a court order which barred him from the neighbourhood.
A 54-year-old woman has been charged with using threatening words or behaviour to the family.


A police spokesman said investigations were continuing.


Leicester City Council (http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/topics/company/leicestercitycouncil) made the family a priority for re-housing earlier this year and handed them the keys to a new home in Highfields yesterday.
A council spokesman said: "We have been assisting the family with their move as a priority."

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

Ugh. What can we say? We live in an incredibly backward society and acts like this, which are more common than the media would have us believe, inspire serious cynicism.

[Ocean Seal]

And I personally think that its disgusting to hear people talk about their "civilized" countries when things like this happen. Especially the Geert Wilders crew who constantly rant about resisting the "cult of Islam" as if Muslim people were defective in some way, and yet these bastards who attack immigrants are somehow better than them. Europe and America have cults of Islamophobia which need to be exposed. We need to build solidarity in working class immigrant communities and start uniting immigrant workers to both better defend their communities, stop reliance on backward's police departments, combat bigotry, and raise class consciousness.

[Game Girl]

This Islamophobia is really starting to tick me off. TThose thugs should be punished for what they did to that poor family!

[Heathen Communist]

No one deserves to deal with this type of treatment... this is the typical nature of the right wing, and must be stopped. Those on the right who do not actively engage in such activities are silent about them. It is pitiful that crap like this is even an issue.