Riots and attacks on mosques after London attack

Mike Gallagher

May 23, 2013 - 06:14

May 23, 2013 - 06:21

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Riots and attacks on mosques after London attack

Members of the English Defence League (EDL) wear balaclavas as they gather outside a pub in Woolwich to protest after a man believed to be a serving British soldier was hacked to death by two men in the middle of a street nearby. AFP / Justin Tallis

TWO men have been arrested after separate attacks on mosques after the sickening Woolwich attack in which a man was decapitated on a London street.

British police have boosted their presence after a man, believed to be a soldier, was butchered in broad daylight on the streets of southeast London.

The two men - believed to be Islamic fundamentalists - who killed him ranted at shocked onlookers and waited for police to arrive before they were shot by marksmen.

As Muslim leaders and British leaders condemned the attack and al-Qaeda gloated on ts website, about 100 supporters of the English Defence League, a right-wing organisation, gathered near the attack site and rioted.

In a possible attempt at reprisal, a 43-year-old man was arrested suspicion of attempted arson after reportedly walking into a mosque with a knife in Braintree, Essex.

Local MP Brooks Newmark on Wednesday night tweeted: \"Local mosque in Braintree attacked by man with knives and incendiary device. Man arrested. No one injured\".

\"Just met with leaders of local mosque in Braintree which was attacked this evening. Thanked local police for their swift response,\" he added.

Essex Police confirmed a 43-year-old man from Braintree had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and attempted arson after the incident at 7.15pm local time (5.15am AEST).

And police in Kent were called to reports of criminal damage at a mosque in Gillingham about an hour later.

A spokesman said a man is in custody on suspicion of racially-aggravated criminal damage.

The terrorist attack on a soldier had occurred in broad daylight about 200 metres from the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London.

This prompted supporters of the English Defence League (EDL) to gather at Woolwich Arsenal train station near the scene and they threw bottles at police.

EDL leader Tommy Robinson, who was among a group of about 250 men, said: \"They're chopping our soldiers' heads off. This is Islam. That's what we've seen today.\"