August 13, 2014
Young Muslims today defended the flying of a black flag above the gates of an east London council estate. Youths at the gates to the Will Crooks estate, in Poplar, branded objectors to the flag – which has been adopted by some jihadist groups – as “racist”. The flag was removed yesterday for the second time following two visits from Met officers in as many days. It was hung there alongside the Palestinian flag as part of an “end the siege in Gaza” protest.
Today one youth outside the estate said: “It’s just racists complaining. If it was the St George’s flag, it would be alright. But this is our version and there’s this big reaction.”
Another added: “I don’t understand why it has caused so much reaction. All it is a declaration of the belief in Allah. It’s not the ISIS flag.”
A Met spokesman said they first attended on Friday but the flag had been removed when they arrived. “It was not an ISIS flag. There are no criminal offences arising from this incident.”
