A shocking video of Birmingham Muslim Imam Asrar Rashid calling for attacks on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans has caused an uproar in Britain. In a speech distributed through media outlets and social networks, he declared, "To protect the vulnerable from any kind of exploitation – this is the character of a Muslim, to show mercy and compassion. We will show no mercy toward Maccabi Tel Aviv fans who will arrive in several weeks for the match against Aston Villa."
Rashid continued his incitement, "If you meet an IDF soldier and make an intervention with him, you can take from him, but not give. If you tell him, 'If your team wins, you'll receive $10,000 and if you lose, you'll have to give me $10,000,' and your team really won – take the money from him. If your team lost – you don't pay him. This is the law that applies to people like IDF soldiers."
Video: The imam's preaching against Israelis / Credit: MEMRI
"Does this also apply to the straight Dutchman, an honest person, nice, who has no hostility toward Islam? There are so many such Europeans that we as Muslims must be a personal example to them – both to Muslims and to non-Muslims living in Europe, so they will know the true character of Islam," Rashid added. He said these words directly to the camera, in a relaxed atmosphere, without fearing consequences.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is scheduled to visit Villa Park on November 6 as part of the European League, and Rashid's shocking words evoke difficult memories from last year, when Maccabi Tel Aviv fans who accompanied the team to Amsterdam were subjected to a severe antisemitic lynching by Muslims. Approximately 30% of Birmingham's population, England's second-largest city, is Muslims. Rashid is one of the known anti-Israel figures in the area and is regularly present at rallies and demonstrations in the city.
Local Member of Parliament, Pakistani Ayub Khan, has already called to cancel the match, labeled Maccabi Tel Aviv fans "thugs" and claimed he fears they will make provocations and harm residents, "like they did in Amsterdam." Khan has been seen more than once alongside Rashid, including last month at a demonstration where the preacher called to "detonate Zionism." Rashid is extreme and dangerous, supported "preventive actions against Zionists," and claimed that prayers for Jews are treason.
Rashid received sharp criticism for his call for violence against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, and even British Muslims called the video "abhorrent," made clear that he "doesn't represent Islam's values," and accused Rashid of incitement. Until now, the local police have neither arrested him nor announced an investigation, which is causing great anger online. "Pure incitement against Jews, how is he still not in prison?" a commentator wrote.
