Ramadan rioting over Fayçal matter
Third Night of Ramadan Rioting in Capital of Europe
It looks as if immigrants youths want to turn nightly rioting during the Islamic holy month of ramadan into an annual tradition. Around 8:30pm last night violence erupted again in Brussels, the capital of Europe. The riots centered on the Brussels Marollen quarter and the area near the Midi Train Station, where the international trains from London and Paris arrive. Youths threw stones at passing people and cars, windows of parked cars were smashed, bus shelters were demolished, cars were set ablaze, a youth club was arsoned and a shop was looted. Two molotov cocktails were thrown into St.Peter’s hospital…
The immigrant youths claim that they are upset by the death of Fayçal Chaaban, a 25-year old criminal, in a Brussels prison last Sunday. Yesterday morning the authorities announced they would hold a meeting with the youths to hear their grievances about security in prison, but the meeting, which was due last night, could not take place because of the riots.
The authorities are especially nervous since the Belgian municipal elections are being held on Sunday October 8th. It is likely that the elections will be won by anti-immigrant, “islamophobic” parties. Since ramadan will not be over on October 8th and many immigrants might perceive a victory of the indigenous right (as opposed to their own far-right) as an insult, Muslim indignation over the election results in major cities may spark serious disturbances.
Perhaps you will recall that five years ago, there were calls for the US to show sensitivity in the war in Afghanistan by not bombing during Ramadan: “After several days of uncertainty, the administration ruled out a pause in the campaign in deference to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which is due to begin on November 17. During his visit to Washington earlier in the week the British defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, argued that military planners should ‘have regard’ to the sensitivities of the Islamic world during Ramadan.” Now it apparently turns out that rioting and bombing appear to be an utterly common way to celebrate the holy month.