Proposed protest in Wootton Bassett 'should be greeted with repugnance' (From This Is Wiltshire)

Proposed protest in Wootton Bassett 'should be greeted with repugnance'

8:40am Wednesday 6th January 2010

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A proposed march by a controversial Islamic group through Wootton Bassett would be greeted with “repugnance”, Swindon MP Michael Wills has told the Commons.

Islam4UK has said it would apply to Wiltshire Police “in the next few days” to march through the town despite demands for it to be called off.

In the Commons Justice Minister Mr Wills, who is also MP for North Swinson, praised the “dignity and respect” shown by the people of Wootton Bassett.

At question time Tory Michael Fabricant asked Mr Wills to join him in condemning the “crass and dreadful plans of Islam4UK to demonstrate against the Afghan war” which would cause “so much grief and despair” to relatives of the fallen.

Mr Wills told him: “I do agree ... Anyone who has attended these repatriation ceremonies, as I have done, will have been humbled by the dignity and respect shown by the people of that town to those who have given their lives in the service of this country.

“Anything which displays anything other than the utmost sensitivity in these circumstances will, I think, be treated with repugnance by every decent person in this country including, I should say, all those Muslims who serve so gallantly in our armed services.”

MPs from across the Commons have signed a motion urging action by the Home Secretary and local authorities to prevent the Islam4UK march, which they said would be “a gross mark of disrespect to the soldiers that have died or been wounded”.

The motion, tabled by Tory Nigel Evans, calls on Alan Johnson to “urgently investigate the breaching of public order and other related offence” and urges Wootton Bassett Town Council and Wiltshire Police to ensure that any proposed demonstration that breaches The Public Order Act 1986 be rightly refused”.

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