Muslim women gather on Westminster Bridge to condemn ‘abhorrent’ attack

Women formed a human chain along Westminster Bridge tonight to remember the victims of the attack on March 22.

Four people were killed when Khalid Masood drove a rented SUV along the pavement, mowing down pedestrians and leaving three with fatal injuries. He then crashed into railings outside the Houses of Parliament, left the vehicle and stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death as he stood on guard.

Four days after the attack shook London, women from different backgrounds came together in solidarity to condemn the horrific crime and show unity in the face of terror.

Many of those present were Muslim, wearing blue as a symbol of hope and peace. Ayesha Malik, a 34-year-old mother-of-two from Surrey, said: ‘As a visible Muslim I think it was important to show solidarity with the principles that we all hold dear, the principles of plurality, diversity and so on.’

Sarah Waseem, 57, from Surrey, said: ‘When an attack happens in London, it is an attack on me.
‘It is an attack on all of us. Islam totally condemns violence of any sort. This is abhorrent to us.’

Fariha Khan, 40, a GP from Surbiton, said: ‘The feeling of what happened here on Wednesday was really strong.

‘We thought of the ordinary people who were here and were mown down, standing here like this, it was very overwhelming.’

People from a range of backgrounds joined the event, organised by Women’s March On London.


Ahmadiyya Muslims said they wanted to add to the condemnation of the violent attack and stand defiant in the face of terrorism.

Londoner Mary Bennett said she was present to make a ‘small gesture’.

The retired healthcare worker said: ‘I am here to show that in a quiet way we continue to go where we like and do what we like in London.

‘This is my city. It’s a very small gesture but life is made up of small gestures.’

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Gobe! Muslim women demand female-only beach in Morocco to take off their burkas

Muslim women in Morocco are demanding a female-only beach so they can enjoy the summer weather without having to worry about keeping their bodies covered. The women's rights group are campaigning to have their own beach where they can sunbathe with their burkas off - without ‘disobeying Allah’ or ‘being sexually harassed’.

But the move has sparked controversy in the country - as liberals and traditionalists have clashed over the campaign.

Feminist Noor Alhoda said they are a 'conservative' group, who want to be able to both go to the beach and conform with Islamic law - as Islam bans women from showing certain parts of their body in public. She added that they do not want to ‘disobey Allah by wearing swimsuits in front of men gazing at us’.

‘After the end of Ramadan, everyone wants to enjoy the summer holidays - but the women are not able to enjoy the party and the swimming in the same way as the men,' she wrote. The women argue that - with a coastline that stretches ‘hundreds of kilometres’ - it should be possible for the country to have both mixed-sex and women-only beaches.

One campaign supporter wrote on the Facebook page: ‘Like men, we also need a private place to cool off during the scorching summer months, without mixing with the opposite sex.’ Another added: ‘Sexual harassment is alarmingly increasing even in the streets – let alone beaches – women need a women-only beach to swim carefree.’

Supporters of the campaign claim sexual harassment is an increasing problem on the city’s streets, ‘especially at summer time’. In Morocco, attitudes towards women's bodies are conservative, which can put women who are deemed to be inappropriately dressed at risk of attack.

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Gobe! Muslim women demand female-only beach in Morocco to take off their burkas

Muslim women in Morocco are demanding a female-only beach so they can enjoy the summer weather without having to worry about keeping their bodies covered. The women's rights group are campaigning to have their own beach where they can sunbathe with their burkas off - without ‘disobeying Allah’ or ‘being sexually harassed’.

But the move has sparked controversy in the country - as liberals and traditionalists have clashed over the campaign.

Feminist Noor Alhoda said they are a 'conservative' group, who want to be able to both go to the beach and conform with Islamic law - as Islam bans women from showing certain parts of their body in public. She added that they do not want to ‘disobey Allah by wearing swimsuits in front of men gazing at us’.

‘After the end of Ramadan, everyone wants to enjoy the summer holidays - but the women are not able to enjoy the party and the swimming in the same way as the men,' she wrote. The women argue that - with a coastline that stretches ‘hundreds of kilometres’ - it should be possible for the country to have both mixed-sex and women-only beaches.

One campaign supporter wrote on the Facebook page: ‘Like men, we also need a private place to cool off during the scorching summer months, without mixing with the opposite sex.’ Another added: ‘Sexual harassment is alarmingly increasing even in the streets – let alone beaches – women need a women-only beach to swim carefree.’

Supporters of the campaign claim sexual harassment is an increasing problem on the city’s streets, ‘especially at summer time’. In Morocco, attitudes towards women's bodies are conservative, which can put women who are deemed to be inappropriately dressed at risk of attack.

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Photos: ISIS behead Croatian hostage, after vowing to execute him unless 'all Muslim women' are freed from Egyptian jails

Jihadis loyal to the Islamic State in Egypt claim to have brutally beheaded the Croatian hostage who was seen begging for his life in a chilling video message released last week. Depraved ISIS supporters took to social media to share a photograph purporting to show the body of 30-year-old Tomislav Salopek, who has been held by militants in Sinai province since July 22 after being kidnapped in the capital Cairo.

The gruesome image appears to show Mr Salopek's severed head placed on his back - a trademark of ISIS militants who have brutally beheaded at least seven Western hostages over the past year. Buried in the sand next to his bloodied corpse is the chilling black and white flag used by ISIS. So far ISIS has not released video footage of Mr Salopek's beheading, although ISIS sympathisers are speculating that one will appear online shortly.

Last week a video was shared ISIS sympathisers, showing Mr Salopek wearing a yellow jumpsuit and kneeling before a knife-wielding masked man wearing military fatigues. Reading from a note, the captive identifies himself as a Croatian national and says ISIS fighters captured him on July 22. See more photos below....

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Photos: ISIS behead Croatian hostage, after vowing to execute him unless 'all Muslim women' are freed from Egyptian jails

Jihadis loyal to the Islamic State in Egypt claim to have brutally beheaded the Croatian hostage who was seen begging for his life in a chilling video message released last week. Depraved ISIS supporters took to social media to share a photograph purporting to show the body of 30-year-old Tomislav Salopek, who has been held by militants in Sinai province since July 22 after being kidnapped in the capital Cairo.

The gruesome image appears to show Mr Salopek's severed head placed on his back - a trademark of ISIS militants who have brutally beheaded at least seven Western hostages over the past year. Buried in the sand next to his bloodied corpse is the chilling black and white flag used by ISIS. So far ISIS has not released video footage of Mr Salopek's beheading, although ISIS sympathisers are speculating that one will appear online shortly.

Last week a video was shared ISIS sympathisers, showing Mr Salopek wearing a yellow jumpsuit and kneeling before a knife-wielding masked man wearing military fatigues. Reading from a note, the captive identifies himself as a Croatian national and says ISIS fighters captured him on July 22. See more photos below....

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