Regular visitors to this site will remember how Bradford’s St George’s Day pageant was cancelled following objections from both the police and city council last month. Originally the excuse was that the parade, with hundreds – if not thousands – of St George “Crusader” flags, would go through some of the streets central to the race riots of a few years back. Then further excuses were offered – such as lack of planning (despite the organisers working hand-in-glove with the police since January) and that part of the proposed route was hazardous due to heavy traffic. Finally the suggestion was made to parade organisers that they should opt for a modified route at a later date – any date, in fact, other than St George’s Day. The “wisdom” of this being that such a deferred parade would not be a St George’s Day and there would, consequently, be no excuse to fly the “provocative” St George’s flag!All this, of course, just days after the city’s Sikh community held a lengthy parade around miles of city streets without any comment from either the police or local council.
Today we lean that Bradford’s huge Islamic community have held a religious parade through Bradford – again without the slightest comment from the “usual suspects” in respect of planning or road safety.
And, we should add, still no news on when Bradford’s native British community will be permitted to hold their deferred St George’s Day parade along the route of their choosing!
The Bradford Telegraph and Argus reports on the Islamic parade thus:
One of the biggest events in the Bradford area over the weekend was the annual holy procession organised by the Naqshbandia Active Development Association which took place today.
Up to 400 people took part in the procession to commemorate the life and works of the Great Sufi Shaykh. The Great Sufi spent many years in Bradford prior to his death in 1999.
Adherents from around the UK attended the event which set off from Hollings Terrace in Manningham at 1pm.
The Naqshbandia Active Development Association is a local youth organisation which describes itself as being “involved with the regeneration of misguided people by way of Islamic teaching and spiritual guidance on the principles of Peace, Love & Purity.”
Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus, Naveed Ahmed said: “This procession and event is held as a ceremony of respect and commemoration of the life and works of a Great Sufi Shaykh and spiritual leader of the World Naqshbandia Spiritual Order who marked a spiritual revolution in this country from the 1960s onwards through his traditional teachings and methods of the Prophet Mohammed.
“His teachings have influenced and benefited thousands of people, especially the youth who were involved in the Bradford riots a few years ago and transformed their lives completely.”
BNP News Team
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