Bishop of Dudley speaks out over mosque saga
The Bishop of Dudley today led calls for council chiefs and Muslim leaders in the borough to find a 'speedy and amicable solution' to the legal battle over plans for a new mosque.
In a letter Bishop Graham Usher joins other leading members of the community to say Dudley had become the 'focal point of protest' in light of the issue.
They say the issue over the location of the new mosque in the town has 'undoubtedly' contributed to the number of far-right protests coming to the town.
The letter comes in the wake of a group called All Football Fans/Firms March Against Islamisation (AFFFMAI) announcing plans for a protest march in the town on June 13.
These types of protest, though a democratic right when held peacefully, have cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to the public purse. They have also meant the loss of much needed income for the town's hard pressed traders, had a negative impact on community cohesion, and had an emotional impact upon many different people in our diverse community.
