Speakers Corners the epitome of what democracy stands for. The right to voice your opinion about any such matters that you wish without being persecuted by any member of the public or prosecuted by the police/government.

Speakers Corner once was a place where budding personalities honed their abilities to put their views across whilst also being challenged by other academics or the wider public. The park has been graced by esteemed individuals like George Orwell. Lenin, Marcus Garvey, William Morris etc…all going to etch their names in history. However, the park is now synonymous to racist, extremist, thugs and bigots. When mixed together leads to a cacophony of intolerable noise, foul language, insults, threats and then violence. Notwithstanding the above, there are some great speakers like Mansur, Hashim, Adnan Rasheed, Mohammed Hijab, Ali Dawah and Bro Hajji who are well versed daee’s who are well worth listening to.

Why the rise of hostility in Speakers Corner?

There are a couple of variables which contribute to growing hostilities which I will touch upon below.

With the rise of the Right-Wing and the ever-growing concern of Islamophobia, the park has been rightfully used by the public to voice their concerns which is fantastic; however, there are pockets of people from different religions and beliefs that use the park to destroy the fabric of what Speaker Corner stands for. Whilst you have the right to challenge people’s views, I do believe that there are ways in which you can do this without having to raise your voice, throwing insults and exchanging blows.

YouTube:

Like with anything in life the interaction of social media is a must. Speaker’s corner does not fall foul of this exception. A lot of the going on’s of the park are now recorded on a weekly basis. Whilst some may argue that it maybe for the great good or bad of the park, YouTube has exposed the park and as a result, viewers will liken the park to a weekly soap drama.

YouTube Live:

As tradition holds Speakers Corner is observed every Sunday’s from 12am to 11:59pm, Sunday evening. However, with the rise of technology, the ‘Regular’ Speaks Corner residents are now taking their conversations and political agendas online through ‘live streams’ which then spills over to the park. These live streams can often last between 8 to 12 hours which then begs the question what do these people do with their lives.  Nevertheless, this ‘he’ said ‘she’ said adds to the extra tension in the park.

Jedi -Guiding A New Generation or Destroying A New Generation?

 Jedi Ali better known as Jedi has been a regular at the park for the past three to four years. Jedi (to the best of my knowledge) is a black separatist that advocates for black betterment by black people, which in itself is a noble cause. Jedi is part of an organization called GANG (Guiding a New Generation) mirrors that which has been mentioned above.

Since I remember being at the park or watching speakers’ corner on YouTube, Jedi is constantly surrounded by some form of controversy. Jedi is involved in heckling, shouting, using abusive language, intimidation or physically assaulting Muslim’s. So, the question remains, how can GANG achieve its goal when you have a 45-year-old man and his other group of associates behaving like a bunch of school kids in a playground?

Jedi attacking Muslims!!!

A couple of years ago Jedi was considered a friend of the Muslim community in the park. When there was hostility in the park, Jedi was amongst those non-Muslim’s who defended the Muslims. However, as the years have passed, Jedi has built himself a reputation of being verbally and physically abusive towards Muslim’s. Zakariya, Abu Talha, Oz and now Ahmed Ali have been subject of his abuse. Jedi’s attacks have become more frequent and vicious. Jedi may argue that the attacks were not against Islam but more against the individual, but that in itself begs the question, why are all his victims Muslims? Is there a Muslim agenda to attack Jedi? Stop Jedi from manifesting his free Speech? Do they intimidate, bully or heckle him? Not from what I have seen but maybe Jedi knows something we don’t know

The Ahmed Ali incident

A month ago, Jedi and his mob (Maku and Beefy) had viciously attacked Ahmed Ali in the park after Ahmed Ali was provoked in to throwing a punch towards Jedi and his gang. Ahmed Ali was viciously attacked thereafter buy three men twice his size. Prior to the altercation, Ahmed Ali was having a conversation with Steve about an incident involving Ahmed Ali earlier, Jedi and his GANG member had hijacked their conversation with constant heckling, Jedi’s agenda before punches were thrown was to provoke Ahmed Ali by insulting his mother, which ultimately lead to the ensuing incident. Ahmed Ali was banned for one year from the park and no further action was taken upon Jedi and his gang. The punishment could be considered as inconsistent as Jedi and GANG were responsible for provoking Ahmed Ali and their actions thereafter were far more dangerous.  

What people may not be aware of, an incident had occurred between Ahmed Ali and Jedi six or seven months ago.  Ahmed Ali was having a discussion about black betterment with Raven (leader of gang). Amongst many other topics covered, Ahmed Ali had questioned the violent and inappropriate behavior of certain GANG members; his position was that GANG’s main objectives of black betterment could not be achieved so long as these particular individuals are still associated with GANG. Jedi who was present at this discussion was clearly rattled by Ahmed Ali’s comment, he then heckled and verbally abused Ahmed Ali. Ahmed Ali who was aware that Jedi attacked Oz last week, reminded Jedi that he was not scared of Jedi. Since that day Jedi has been looking for a reason to antagonize him until he successfully managed to get the better of him.

Post Ahmed Ali- Mohammed Hijab challenges Jedi, Jedi runs and then escorted out by police!!!

Jedi’s aura of invincibility had risen to an all-time high. After attacking aesthetically smaller men with very little repercussion, Jedi came to the park resuming business as usual. However, the muslim community were enraged by his action and demanded him to address the incident. Naturally Jedi’s dismissive behaviour would not enable him to do so and he offered Mohammed Hijab a fight, to which Mohammed Hijab accepted.

 As is the case with most bullies, when confronted with someone who is of equal stature and not willing to back down, Jedi chickened away from the confrontation (the videos on TNT’s Greek, COE and Mohammed Hijab’s channels), all show his initial reaction when Hijab was going to fight him. Jedi spent a huge part of his time playing the victim card claiming that he was going to get stabbed and he continued pacing up and down the park anxiously. Reality hit home that he didn’t want to fight Mohammed Hijab and he did his best to leave the park was eventually escorted out by police.

‘You never did this to Raj or Tan’ but why Jedi?

Jedi in his anxious state appealed to reasoning by mentioning that the muslims never attacked Raj or Tan (both who vehemently are opposed to Islam). Well the answer is quite academic. Both Tan and Raj have never physically harmed a muslim.  Had Jedi not attacked muslim’s previously and handled the issue with respect, this situation would have never arisen.  

Quite often you hear that the muslims are always physically aggressive in the park. Well if that was the case; how is that Tan, Raj and members of DCCI ministry have not been physically attacked? DCCI are an extremist conservative Christian group that look to antogonise Muslim’s with cherry-picked and misquoted verses of Islamic literature.  Their leader, Jay Smith a self-confessed Islamaphobe, is a personal friend of Tommy Robinson.  

Stripper turned gangster? Examining Jedi.

Like with most bullies there is always some a sub-text as to why they behave the way they do. In Jedi’s case it’s quite simple. Allegedly, Jedi was bullied whilst growing up in his estate in Peckham. He went on to pursuit various careers, amongst others, as a stripper and pole dancer. What it appears, like in many cases, Jed has internalized a lot of his anger from his past coupled with his chosen career as a stripper and plastered this new persona as road-man gangster which is a far cry from ‘reality’.

Attack one, attack us all!!!

Members of GANG have often brandished their motto of ‘attack one attack us all’. The acronym of GANG has formed in to a literal gang. Allegedly Raspect who was present at the time of the Ahmed Ali incident, reverted from his original position that Ahmed Ali was wrongfully attacked by later boasting GANG’s mottot. But yet when the same principle was applied by the muslims, the race card came was used by GANG members. Hypocrisy and double standard at the highest order. For the record 50 percent of the African continent is muslim just to end that conversation.  

In Summary

What had happened in the park was a sorry state of affairs for Speakers Corner. The park should not have come to the point where people have to resort to violence. The park should be preserved as a place where people have the right to be cordial in discussion without the fear of being attacked. Nevertheless, violence begets violence. Jedi had this coming for along time and this was clearly a matter in which chickens coming home to roost.

Unfortunately, a lot of people have used the park to massage their own ego to canvass a life that they may have never have lived. Speakers Corner is not the place you look for a fight. The park is not a playground for gangsters or for those who want to have a dust up rather it is a place for people to share their views without being persecuted. Should you wish to pursuit this life, there are many other places in London which welcome this behavior, or alternatively there are MMA gyms all across London.

If GANG is to be successful in it’s objective, just to echo the words of Ahmed Ali, GANG members have to behave in a way in which the younger generation of black youth can aspire towards being. This can only be achieved by members of GANG having sound intellect conversation, behaving respectful to those in the park without resorting to foul language and violence. All of the above characteristics can be found in members like Raven.

*For the record. Am not against GANG or it’s aim’s and objectives. If anything, I think it is a noble cause and I wish that they succeed in their endeavor’s.    

A bit of advice:

Speakers Corner is an extremely toxic place where all sorts of insults will be thrown towards yourself and your religion. If you are not thick skinned and are not apt in defending Islam than do your best to avoid the park. Should you be sincere in seeking knowledge, listen to those speakers who have knowledge. Like Hashim, Mansur, Adnan Rashid, Mohammed Hijab both Hamza (Bengali and English), Abbas, Bro Hajji and Ali Dawah. Imam Malik once stated that the best form of knowledge is listening.  Also avoid the fitna of certain regulars in the park especially those without knowledge. If you are argue with a fool, bystanders will see two fools.

Also, I understand it can be tempting listening to someone like Mohammed Hijab. As relatable as he can be; in that he is young man, probably from the same streets as many of us and facing the same challenge of a working-class Londoner. However, it is important to remember that he obtained degrees and masters whilst also studying Islam. He never gained this knowledge over night and it will be naïve for us to replicate the same . This requires knowledge!!!

May Allah (swt) reward all our brothers and sisters that are involved in the dawah scene!!!