The final instalment of Bournemouth University’s Islamic awareness week was interrupted on Friday as a group of EDL (English Defence League) members came into the talk held in the Marconi Lecture theatre on Talbot Campus and started questioning the guest speakers.

The talk, ‘Journey to Islam: gangs, prison and the purpose of life’ was given by two men from London, Hussein Thomas and Musa Ugandhi. They told their story about how they had got sucked into gang life from an early age, and the hardships they had to endure within this. They were explaining how they had come through the other side by discovering the religion of Islam.

Towards the end of the talk five male EDL members walked into the lecture and questioned the speakers at the front, this then turned into a debate with input from the audience members as well.

Gaz Fawkes, the Deputy Regional Organiser for the Bournemouth EDL expressed his thoughts:“We went to that event as we were concerned that our teenage kids at University were being given a whitewashed version of Islam. We stand against certain specific components of Islam that are extreme in nature and represent a very real threat to our country, culture and national identity. We challenged a few things they had said politely and treated the speakers and audience with respect.”

A member of the Islamic society committee at the University (who wished to remain anonymous) said “As one of the organisers I was happy for anyone to attend, albeit less happy for them at the end of the talk as after their entrance multiple persons conveyed to me their concern for safety.”

The evening was ended early with no violence or police attendance.