A neighbourhood near a former Islamic Centre and mosque has been described as a “nightmare” as residents face round-the-clock construction work and endless street demonstrations.
Households living near the Islamic Centre of England (ICE) in Maida Vale said they simply can’t get a moment of respite since protests erupted outside the cultural centre late last year.
The centre, which doubles as a mosque, was shut down in May by the UK’s charity watchdog over concerns about its operations.
Crowds have since gathered outside every Thursday, Friday and Sunday to rally against the centre’s alleged links to the Iranian regime in Tehran.
Videos online show pro- and anti-ICE protesters clashing with police during violent protests in November. Both sides can be heard hurling abuse at each others with some protesters scuffling with police.
Other clips circulating online show scores of protesters waving flags and chanting on both sides of Kilburn High Road as far back as September last year.
In neighbouring Kilburn Gate Estate, one mum, who doesn’t want to be named, claimed her two-year-old daughter is being kept awake at night by the protests.
The 35-year-old accused staff at the centre of making matters worse by holding prayers outside between 8pm and 11.30pm on Friday, June 9, as an alleged act of defiance against its closure.
The woman, who is also a practising Shi’ite Muslim, said: “They were shouting. They wanted to show that they want to be open again… I don’t like it because it’s very loud”.
Another said the demonstrations had become a “nuisance”.
She said: “It’s a nightmare. Every Sunday evening you’ll see a protest. Everyone has a right to have a voice but I’ve never seen a protest go on for so long.”
She claims demonstrators have hurled glass bottles at the centre and called staff “murderers”.
The woman said she’s even heard her young daughter repeat some of the chants and is calling on Camden Council, which runs the estate, to do more to shut them down.
She said: “You hear things at night. We can’t have loud music playing here after a certain time so why should they be able to?”
George P, 32, said demonstrations get so loud some days it feels like they’re taking place in his flat.
He said: “It’s very annoying because they make so much noise. On a Sunday, about 20 of them gather and they bring microphones and speakers and the noise they produce comes inside the house.
“I have a two-year-old and he can’t relax in the house… It’s like someone has a loudspeaker in there."
Samira Jandoubi, 45, lives across the street in Dibdin House and said she can’t get any peace between the construction work beside her flat and the protests at the weekend.
Lisa McKinney, 70, said the impact hasn’t been “too bad” but admitted Sundays can get “noisy”.
But residents aren’t the only ones suffering - The Queen’s Arms pub, which sits directly across from the centre, had to shut its door early on Thursday (June 8) because of the noise.
Sasha, a bartender, said the protests were “quite disturbing” and have been costing the business some much-needed footfall.
She claimed people are too afraid to come in and that demonstrators are known to take up seating but refuse to buy drinks or food. When they’re asked to leave, they get aggressive, Sasha claimed.
In May, the centre was closed following weeks of efforts by the charity watchdog to take control. It said the centre was shut because of trustees’ “failure to comply with legal duties and responsibilities”.
The Charity Commission launched an inquiry in November, issuing an official warning over “serious governance concerns”
The centre, which is alleged to have links with the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader, has been shuttered “until further notice”.
According to the Telegraph, which cited unnamed sources, the Iranian regime decided to “pull the plug” on the centre rather than lose control to an interim manager appointed by the Charity Commission.
Maida Vale councillor Geoff Barraclough said: “The centre is widely believed to be an outpost of the awful regime in Tehran. It’s a scandal that the Government has allowed it to remain open for so long and it’s no wonder that the protestors are so angry.
“I fully support their right to demonstrate but the action has been going on for a very long time and I would urge the protesters to have some consideration for local residents too. If they won’t, then the police need to take action.”
A spokesperson for Camden Council said: “We are liaising with the police and the Islamic Centre for England to discuss the concerns that have been raised by residents and to agree how gathering and activities around the centre can be managed to prevent disturbances in the local community.”
The centre has been contacted for comment but did not reply by the time of publication.
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