London: A British minister is sounding the alarm over a spate of anti-Islam demonstrations that have descended into violence in the past month.
Communities Minister John Denham says recent clashes between white protesters and Muslim counter-demonstrators in Birmingham and London have parallels to the violence provoked by 1930s-era fascists.
Denham told The Guardian newspaper in an interview published on Saturday that the clashes reminded him of 1936's Battle of Cable Street, in which black-clad supporters of British fascist leader Oswald Mosley marched through Jewish areas, leading to clashes.
As British police chiefs prepare to meet to discuss the threat, Denham says the government will take action to defuse community tensions.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, September 12, 2009, 19:30