Submitted by Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Several young adults wearing orange reflective jackets embossed with the words “Shariah Police” began foot patrols of the central district of the German city Wuppertal, harassing who they perceived to be Muslim frequenting discos and gambling establishments.
The group held that they were promoting their Salafist beliefs and chastising others who deviated from the tenets of the religion. By consuming alcohol and engaging in gambling entertainment.
The German Federal Government reacted swiftly to the reports. Members of Angela Merkel’s coalition government immediately chastised the group and declared that the German State would not tolerate ad-hoc quasi-police patrols such as these. An Interior Ministry spokesperson told the newspaper Rheinisher Post that concerning the Shariah Police “In this way they are demonstrating that they do not recognized our law-based state.” Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands, or CDU a major German political party, Security Advisor Peter Biesenbach described the situation as an “alarm signal”.
The founder of the Shariah Police, thirty three year old Sven Lau claims the Shariah Police never existed and that the group was only a few men spending a few hours bringing attention to the issue of Sharia law in Germany.
Deutsche Welle reported Lau is a leading member of Germany’s Salafist movement, advocates of a strict Sunni interpretation of political Islam. He works with a mosque in his native Mönchengladbach, not far west of Wuppertal, and used to head the fundamentalist group “Invitation to Paradise.” (Einladung zum Paradies, in German.)
The central council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD) condemned the activities. “These few teen yobs do not speak in our name,” chairman Ayman A. Mazyek told the Tagesspiegel am Sonntag newspaper. “These people are perverting the name of our religion. With this shrill and foolish action, they are really hurting Muslims.”
Authorities were notified when people complained of the Shariah Police passing out literature demanding others observe a code of conduct as well as demands that Muslims abstain from alcohol, music, dancing, pornography, prostitution, and drugs. But the matter went from there when the Shariah Police were contacted by the actual police who detained eleven of the group.
Wuppertal Police issued a statement promising to crack down on vigilantism or any other group proffering itself as a police agency.
“The state has an exclusive monopoly on the use of [police] force,” reminded local police Chief Birgitta Radermacher. “Any conduct that intimidates, provokes or makes people insecure will not be tolerated. These ‘Sharia Police’ have no legitimacy,” she added.
There have been repeated attempts, especially at night time, by members of the Salafi Islamist community to influence and recruit young people, the statement said.
The Local reported that police presence in the city center had been strengthened and citizens were urged to report sightings of the group, which has said it will expand its activities in other towns.
The group reportedly identifies itself with the Salafi movement, an ultra-conservative sub-group within Islam with a strong following in the Middle East. Most of the world’s Salafis are from Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Sven Lau has reportedly been under watch by German security agencies and law enforcement for some time. He was targeted by a prosecutor for seditious acts according to The Focus Online. Lau proffered in a television interview that he and his followers stay within the bounds of the law but that anything else is on the table. Government officials have alleged in February that Lau might be supporting, at least in advocacy, Syrian militia fighters that could be linked to ISIS.
In 2010 he declared his intent to establish a Salafi center with an Islamic School, much to the chagrin of others in the city.
Security services also believe he is tied to recruitment of jihadi sympathizers in Europe in Egypt to engage in combat within Syria.
German society, especially the government, is not going to tolerate the notion of the Shariah Police given its religious nature and alignment with a political ideal; especially given the nation’s history in the 1920’s through the 1940’s where paramilitary and parapolice organizations caused incalculable damage to their society.
Most strongly hold that the Shariah Police must be stopped before it advances further. Continuing to allow such demonstrations are likely to put a strain on Islamic relations in an increasingly mistrusting relationship of the population generally.
By Darren Smith
Sources:
Deutsche Welle
De Morgan (Flemish)
The Local
Online Focus (German)
Westdeutsche Zeitung (German) Photo Credit
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Germany, the UK and other European countries have no one to blame but their leaders. For years they looked the other way when certain Muslim groups gained traction in their country. Little by little……….they gained a foot hole. David Cameron is a hypocrite. He comes out last week with great plan to destroy ISIS; but for years he has allowed ISIS to gain traction in the UK; and now he’s concerned. Well I think he had a hand in what is going on today in Iraq and Syria. The reason he came out so forcefully was to do a “Tony Blair” to appear strong and resolute; why? In a few months he wants to be re-elected. All of this is politics; and when politics go away; it’s back to head in the sand.
Paul…I agree with you that this was a mock up or sorts, and the English worded vests sort of proves that. The long game is being played by the fundamentalists, for their own selfish reasons…e.g., power they could not acquire any other way with their 7th century mentality.
I am reminded of a neighbor’s sobbing comments to me over my back yard fence on 9/11/2001, when I’d just come home early due to the shut down to the federal building and my Army offices. They all knew where I worked. Her words were: “I am so sorry. What we fled has caught up to us. Where is safe now?” I had no answer then, but today I’d say right here, but only so long as you do NOT give in to fear of fundamentalists. That battle is being wagged now and I am paying attention….because I am part of it, in the midst of it.
Multiculturalism at it finest.
Civil Rights turned wrong.
Immigration exactly as conceived by Thomas Jefferson.
–Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.VIII, 1782
“Is rapid population growth by as great importations of foreigners as possible… founded in good policy?… They will bring with them the principles of the governments they leave, imbibed in their early youth; or, if able to throw them off, it will be in exchange for an unbounded licentiousness, passing, as is usual, from one extreme to another. It would be a miracle were they to stop precisely at the point of temperate liberty.
These principles, with their language, they will transmit to their children.
In proportion to their number, they will share with us the legislation.
They will infuse into it their spirit, warp and bias its direction, and render it a heterogeneous, incoherent, distracted mass…
If they come of themselves, they are entitled to all the rights of citizenship: but I doubt the expediency of inviting them by extraordinary encouragements.”
*******************************************************************************************
Thomas Jefferson on Politics & Government – Immigration Policy
“The first consideration in immigration is the welfare of the receiving nation. In a new government based on principles unfamiliar to the rest of the world and resting on the sentiments of the people themselves,
the influx of a large number of new immigrants unaccustomed to the government of a free society
could be detrimental to that society.
Immigration, therefore, must be approached carefully and cautiously.”
Doglover … I understand your intent, but you are a bit naive about “Sharia” per se. I live an majority Arab Muslim community (90+%) and the few Sharia advocates here instill fear in those who came for the freedom the USA represents. I have witnessed this fear turn nearly assimilated immigrants in to 7th century acolytes. In fact, some actually leave to return to their homelands, and why not…if it is the same here. This idea of Sharia Police is intended to generate fear, not morality. Do not deceive yourself; in the end “Sharia” kills people, all you need do is read what ISIL is doing in the Levant now. I understand those who don’t live among the community of Muslims not understanding what motivates them. However, please realize they came here (or Germany) to escape fear and when it arrives behind them, they have no place to go.
Aridog – there is no reason to believe that this little group was not a ‘test’ to see what the authorities would do. Some Muslims are playing the long game here. Sharia law in 10 years not today. That is acceptable. It is the nose of the camel. In this case, the nose of the camel did not get in, but I am still concerned by the writing on the vests in English.
It appears that the German authorities are taking the proper measures to nip this paramilitary group in the bud.
They think they are doing the right thing. Why not work with them on the goals of controlling alcohol, pornography, prostitution, and drugs. Killing people is never a good answer. Working with people can be a win-win for all.
They could always send them to live in any of these countries listed in the article, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia.
If your not happy here just leave
Seem very similar to the black panthers. did the Muslims immigrate to the U.S. to destroy it or look for more freedom. I know not all Muslims are terrorists but it seem all terrorists are Muslims
arrest them, cane them and kick them out of Germany.
Re-open Buchenwald. Sharia has to go. We might need a German American Bund to mess with Sharia over here.
The Israeli Mossad intelligence agencies keeps a close eye on Germany.
Especially after WWII and the Munich Olympics massacre. If Germany slacks off, things will go bump in the middle of the night.
Darren, thanks for the concise, brief article. I like your style of reporting, not preaching; informing, not inflaming.
Reblogged this on Centinel2012 and commented:
The Germans above all others should be very careful here for the last time this kind of situation reared its ugly head they got Hitler!
Oh, have you looked @ these bozos? WTF are they going to enforce? Let them walk around and ridicule the losers.
Good research, Darren. I think there needs to be a counteroffensive w/ Gay Police walking the streets showing young Germans how to “work it.” Then Hooters needs to put together a police force showing German women the power of cleavage. You could have a Drinking Police, Cannabis Cops, the list goes on. You answer speech w/ more speech.
WIIAI – you raise an excellent point. The words on the vest should either be in German or Arabic. Although English is the international language. This would give them the most coverage internationally.
I do think it should be Falsch Polizei on their vests.
Reblogged this on The Grey Enigma.
Why are the Schariapolizei — I think that’s how it would be rendered in German — identifying themselves in English?
Once a group goes beyond its mosque into the street, it should be stopped. The problem with these groups is that they rely on The Western policy of tolerance. Tolerance is one thing but allowing any group to go on the street to enforce its alleged religious beliefs is wrong no matter what that religion is.
If Mr. Lau wishes to live in a country where his religious beliefs rule the streets he should move to Saudi Arabia. They wouldn’t tolerate him for a millisecond. I’ll he wouldn’t like living there either. Look at the disasters those countries are.