Lincoln mosque demo: Local residents are opposing a planned protest against the mosque set to be built in Lincoln on the former site of the Boultham dairy.
Local residents are opposing a planned protest against the mosque set to be built in Lincoln on the former site of the Boultham dairy, along with a supermarket and housing development.
As previously reported, the demo is organised via Facebook by a group called East Anglian Patriots, possibly an off-shoot of the English Defence League (EDL).
The event is planned for 1pm on June 8 at the site of the former Boultham Dairy, where the new mosque and a supermarket were approved back in November 2012.
Jean Flannery, Chair of the Boultham Residents’ Association, said: “I wish to urge everyone who opposes the views and ideology of the East Anglian Patriots to stay away.
“Please starve them of the audience they crave and any opportunity for confrontation. Let them stand alone, with only the police presence to posture to.
“Some of you may feel that you must demonstrate against the self-styled ‘patriots,’ or just find yourselves on the marching route as they pass.
“What we would then ask is that you silently turn your backs on the group in a peaceful, but we believe powerful, show of rejection. Ignore whatever they say or do.”
Dr Tanweer Ahmed from the Islamic Association of Lincoln said the protest could cause tension between communities and urged local Muslims to stay away from the protest.
Counter-demonstration
A demonstration calling for “unity against racism” will also take place on June 8 from midday near the War Memorial on Lincoln High Street.
It is organised by Lincoln & District TUC. Secretary Nick Parker said: “We oppose racist division and terror because things like these ruin the lives of working-class people.
“We call for working-class people to stick together and fight cuts and austerity policies which fuel the far-right, and not fight each other.
“Come out and let’s have a show of strength on Saturday that we reject racism and division, and are united in demanding decent jobs, homes and public services,” Nick Parker added.
Police on stand-by
As previously reported, Lincolnshire Police have warned against inciting racial and religious hatred or violence at the planned protest march against the mosque.
The force said they have engaged with the organisers to establish possible numbers and the intentions of those attending: “Should a protest event take place, ample resources will be in place to ensure public safety.”
“Any public disorder, or offences related to inciting racial and religious hatred or violence at such an event, will be met with a robust policing response.”
Police also encouraged responsible use of social media in the run-up to the planned event: “Any communications reported to us that breach law may be monitored, captured and robust police action will be considered.”
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Over a tonne of food and essential items, as well as more than £16,000, have been donated to local food banks through a Lincolnshire Co-op campaign.
The donations came after Lincolnshire Co-op launched its food bank advent calendar campaign throughout December.
An estimated 1,350kg of food and essentials, the equivalent of around 3,213 meals, and £16,675 of store dividend and cash was donated to over 40 larders and food banks in Lincolnshire.
Customers could also donate store dividend as well as cash and items. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Customers were encouraged to donate one item each day during their shopping, dropping them in collection bins at local stores.
A full collection bin at the Queen Elizabeth Road store in Lincoln. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Each day a new item was suggested by Lincolnshire Co-op, ranging from tinned goods to cleaning products, providing an advent calendar format for the scheme.
Items were suggested for donations with campaign labels in stores. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Sam Turner, Community Manager at Lincolnshire Co-op said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who donated to our Food Bank Advent Calendar campaign.
“Thanks to the generosity of our shoppers, members, and colleagues, we’ve been able to support the important work of local food banks in our area and help feed families at Christmas and beyond.”
Boston United will have no games for two weeks, as the National League North and South divisions come to a temporary halt.
It comes after a review of feedback from all clubs in the sixth tier of English football, which will see football at that level paused for two weeks.
The move is effective immediately, meaning Boston United’s home fixture against Brackley Town has been postponed until further notice.
A board meeting with the National League decided to put a stop to football at that level, amid growing concerns of rising coronavirus cases and winter financial packages.
Clubs were informed that while government funding was still likely from January to March, it would be in the form of loans rather than grants should football continue to go ahead.
Boston United chairman David Newton. | Photo: Boston United FC
Boston United chairman David Newton issued a statement on Thursday outlining the club’s stance in relation to the season, saying that he supported the decision to suspend the season.
“Clubs were also asked to give their views on a potential four-to-six-week suspension of the competition.
“After lengthy discussions within the club, we confirmed that we would, on balance, support this.
“We are a football club so, of course, we want to be playing games, but our decision took into account a number of factors.
“We are somewhat uncomfortable playing when the pandemic is at its peak and a large part of the population are locked down.
“Despite the strict Covid protocols we have in place, there is always a risk to players, staff and their families, and that has to be paramount in decision-making.
“We would, of course, need to know the detail relating to any suspension – and planned restart – before offering our final support to the proposal.”
A single week in December saw Lincolnshire deaths reach 13 times the yearly average, explained local health bosses frustrated with COVID deniers.
Lincolnshire County Council’s Director of Public Health Professor Derek Ward told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that the week including December 14 would usually see an average of 23 deaths.
In 2020, there had been 301 deaths, some 13 times the usual figures. “Anybody who says COVID isn’t real, think about those numbers,” he said.
“COVID is a killer, let’s make sure we stick with that hands, face, space message.”
Government figures say 1,241 people in Lincolnshire have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus, with 664 having died in the county’s hospitals. Nationally, 94,580 deaths have been recorded.
A chart showing COVID deaths in Lincolnshire since the start of the pandemic. | Graph: Gov UK
Professor Ward said the figure was higher than the average excess mortality rates.
“We were fortunate with the first wave, we actually had fewer deaths due to COVID than we thought we might have, given we’ve got an older population, but really sadly we’ve seen quite a lot of deaths over over the winter period.”
He said it was “hugely frustrating” that people still denied the pandemic but that they were a “tiny, tiny proportion”.
However, he added: “It’s not just about COVID, it’s about the impact… on our NHS.
“All you’ve got to do is look at the hospital situation, or listen to [the news] to realise that if you are unlucky enough to be in a car accident or have a heart attack, if all the beds are full of COVID patients you are not going to get the support that you need from the NHS.
“That’s why it’s really important that we minimise the number of people who’ve got it, because it will have an impact on people who don’t get it but need NHS care.”
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