Religious tensions were raised in the centre of Wood Green at the weekend as Islamic activists set about trying to convince shoppers that “Jesus was a Muslim”.
Police stepped in to calm the situation as bystanders were confronted with up to 70 activists aiming to give them a taste of a Britain under Shari’ah Islamic law.
The activists, who have held similar “roadshows” in south, east and west London, set up outside fashion chain H&M in Wood Green High Road on Saturday afternoon, but tensions were soon strained.
One onlooker said: “They unfurled this huge banner proclaiming that Jesus was a Muslim, which understandably raised some people’s heckles.
“These people were slagging off Britain and trying to convert people to Islam. They were quite confrontational.
“The police moved in twice while I was there. They didn’t take people away but they stepped in to calm them down.”
A website publicising the roadshow, originally scheduled for July 4, said Wood Green had been chosen because of the “perpetual malaise” the community suffered - crime, fuel poverty and a high rate of mental health problems.
The activists intended to show how Shari’ah law would combat “gang crime, poverty and promiscuity” in the borough.
A Haringey police spokeswoman said the force had not been informed about the roadshow beforehand, and attended at 3pm to “ensure that there was no breach of the peace”. No arrests were made.
Inspector Eric Monk, of Haringey’s Community Engagement Team, said: “This is a diverse borough and I doubt that this activity will have any significant impact on the strong, positive inter-faith relationships that exist in Haringey.