Telford shop attacked in 'absurd' Britain First race hate video
A businessman today revealed his staff have been left terrified after his shop was targeted in a far-right online video that makes "absurd" claims about support for terrorism.
Wehid Iqbal, director of the Silicon Valley mobile phone shop in Wellington, said: "If it was not so scary it would be laughable".
He was speaking after members of the far-right group Britain First produced a video that highlighted an Islamic symbol on the Silicon Valley shopfront, and claimed the store was sporting the symbol of terrorist group Isis.
The video has been viewed nearly 400,000 times on Facebook, and has been shared around 5,000 times. It comes as Britain First is planning a march in Telford later this month.
Although the symbol in question does appear on the Isis flag, the terrorist group has appropriated the image, which is around 1,500 years old, and used it as part of its standard.
Mr Iqbal said the symbol has been used on his business for the past 13 years, before the creation of Isis, and has absolutely nothing to do with the terror group. It is a replica of the seal the prophet Muhammad would use on letters he sent out to foreign dignitaries. It states three words translated as 'God's messenger Muhammad'.
He said: "We have been in the county doing business for nearly 13 years now and that symbol has been used for 13 years so it pre-dates any use by any particular group. That symbol has been around for more than 1,500 years. We are not going to allow Britain First members to hijack it to use it to promote their march."
It is understood that the police and the Home Office have been monitoring the situation.
Mr Iqbal said that the shop has been on the receiving end of threats since the video was posted online.
He said: "We have had real nasty messages come through, people saying they are going to firebomb the place. But we have had some nice messages of support from people in the community too. People coming into the shop and saying it is appalling and it does not represent Christianity or themselves."
The business director said that members of the group had visited the shop twice, and had made the video on the second occasion.
He said: "I have been worried for the safety of staff. The staff themselves were left shaken by the incident."
The video shows a Britain First member comparing the symbol on the shop sign with the Isis flag. He claims the similarities are proof of Islamic extremism in Wellington and also accuses a man who attempts to confront him about the video of being an extremist.
Mr Iqbal said the claims in the video were wrong and absurd. He said: "I was born and raised in this country and so are all my staff.
"There is nothing we can do about the video but we won't allow them to take our religion and for them to represent it the way they want.
"We want to show it is not about that. We are British taxpayers, educated in the UK. Our tax is going to the the benefits they probably have. Going around in working hours to harass staff and trying to disrupt our community in Shropshire. It is absolutely absurd. If it was not so scary it would be laughable."
Mr Iqbal said that the video was exploiting people's lack of knowledge.
He said: "They are praying on people's ignorance and hoping that people will put two and two together and make five."
Mr Iqbal said he was also concerned about the effect the upcoming march would have on local shopkeepers and the community.
He said: "Shops around us will lose a day's worth of business because of these clowns.
"People will have to board up just to listen to this nonsense."
