Category Archives: English Defence League

Jail for racist thug who shouted ‘EDL’ when he attacked a taxi driver

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lee PrestonA racist thug who punched a taxi driver and dragged him along a street, has been jailed for 18 months.

Lee Preston, 22, targeted cabbie Mohammed Rashid, leaving him with two black eyes, a bruised face and grazes to his shoulders caused when he was dragged to the ground.

Mr John Hallisey, prosecuting, said the cabbie received a call at 9pm on April 16 to collect five men from Chaddesden. He noticed they were carrying cans of lager and told them these could not be drunk in his vehicle. But after a few minutes, the men started drinking. “Mr Rashid told them to stop and the response was to start hurling abuse. The defendant was saying ‘we are EDL,’ referring to the English Defence League,” said Mr Hallisey.

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Leicester Mercury rejects EDL’s ‘peaceful protest’ claims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Leicester October 2010
English Defence League in Leicester, October 2010

The Leicester Mercury has a good editorial expressing well-based scepticism about the English Defence League’s assurance to Leicester businesses that its planned protest against “anti-white racism” next Saturday will proceed peacefully.

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Protest against EDL racists and fascists: Leicester, Saturday 4 February

Posted on by Bob Pitt

UAF Leicester leafletAntiracists will take to the streets to show their opposition to the racists and fascists of the English Defence League on Saturday 4 February.

The EDL thugs want to stir up racism and division among the city’s diverse community. But people in Leicester have already shown the EDL is not wanted in Leicester – thousands turned out to show their opposition to the EDL and in October 2010.

Now black, white and Asian people are set to show their unity against the EDL again at a ‘Love Leicester, Hate Racism’ demonstration organised by UAF in the city centre on 4 February.

The protest against the EDL will assemble at 11am on Saturday 4 February at the Clock Tower, Leicester City Centre.

The antiracist, antifascist event is supported by CWU Leicestershire branch, Leicestershire County Unison, PCS Leicester and Leicestershire branch, Stoneygate Labour Party, Unite 0168M branch and Leicester District Trades Council.

Please join the protest against the EDL – bring your banners!

>> Get leaflets here

Last week, a packed public meeting heard UAF speakers, local trade unionists, community leaders, youth activists and Labour councillors urge unity against the EDL.

UAF news/action report, 27 January 2012

EDL supporter attacked family with knives, threatened to kill them

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A family barricaded themselves in their home as a neighbour armed with knives threatened to kill them, a court heard. Daniel Smith is said to have shouted racist abuse and English Defence League slogans as he smashed his way into the Thornhill Lees home.

Yesterday, victim Waaqas Ahmed said: “He was like a vicious animal against his prey, lunging. It’s a miracle I didn’t get hurt.”

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‘Strict Muslim’ raped four women at knifepoint to ‘punish them for being on the streets at night’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Thus the headline to an article in today’s Daily Mail. As is almost invariably the case when this newspaper reports on any issue involving Muslims, the headline is intentionally misleading.

If you read the article, you’ll see it is the rapist’s family background that is characterised as “strict Muslim” not the individual himself. In fact the judge in passing sentence made the point that the rapist carried out the attacks despite and in contradiction to his religious upbringing: “The fact that you have attacked these women not withstanding your background must represent your own wholly warped personality.”

But the headline suggests to the reader that it was the man’s strict adherence to his faith which produced the violent misogyny that led him to commit these crimes.

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The false claims about ‘two-tier system’ behind EDL’s planned Leicester protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Leicester Mercury exposes the lies and myths surrounding the assault on Rhea Page, which have been exploited by the English Defence League in order to mobilise its supporters for a protest in Leicester next month.

The Mercury argues:

One can only conclude that the reason the EDL has leapt upon the misunderstandings about this case is because it actually has a much wider agenda. It is seeking to propagate a message that white English people are becoming second-class citizens in their own country and preferential treatment is given to Muslims.

That is, of course, deeply divisive and dangerous stuff which breeds resentment between communities. And, as we have seen, its argument crumbles as soon as one carries out a detailed examination of the facts.

See also “Brilliant public meeting as Leicester unites to oppose EDL”, UAF news report, 20 January 2012

Anti-Islamic groups across Europe to hold far-right rally in Denmark

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Daily Telegraph reports that far-right anti-Islamic groups from across Europe, led by the English Defence League, will be holding a rally in Aarhus on 31 March under the auspices of the EDL-sponsored European Freedom Initiative. Swedish Defence League spokesman Isak Nygren states: “There will be speeches from every defence league in Europe. I hope we can show that there’s resistance against Islamisation of Europe, that we can inspire each other.”

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Unite Against Fascism bids to counter proposed EDL march in Leicester

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Leicester October 2010
‘Not extreme right wing’ – EDL demonstration in Leicester, October 2010

Leicester Unite Against Fascism has applied to stage a counter protest to a proposed march by the English Defence League. The group wants to stage a march and rally at the same time as the EDL on Saturday, February 4.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby and senior police officers are now considering their response to the two applications, both of which could draw hundreds, possibly thousands, of people to the city centre.

The last time the EDL held a national protest in Leicester, on October 9, 2010, it turned violent. Protesters in a cordoned area reserved for the EDL pelted police with bottles, bricks, coins and smoke bombs. Several hundred also broke through police lines and were involved in scuffles with local youths.

A spokesman for Leicester UAF said the group was recruiting local musicians to perform on stage at the conclusion of the march, adding: “We want people to be able to show they are not scared to come to their city centre on that day. We are looking to create a peaceful and safe way for people to demonstrate their opposition to the EDL.”

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EDL thugs’ appeal against prison sentences dismissed

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A South Tyneside man who was jailed after English Defence League supporters stormed a Newcastle club has lost an appeal against his prison sentence.

Colin Burton, 28, was part of a gang which surged into the Tyneside Irish Centre, believing a Socialist Workers Party meeting was taking place. Last month, Burton, of Wouldhave Road, Court, South Shields, was jailed for seven months, and Peter John Duffy, 44, of Elgin Avenue, Seaham, County Durham, was jailed for 10 months after admitting affray.

Yesterday, they appealed to the country’s senior judge, Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, but were told that there was nothing wrong with the sentences. “We are looking at a mob piling into someone’s premises, and intending to pile in because they happened to disagree with a perfectly lawful meeting, which they thought was taking place,” Lord Judge told London’s Court of Appeal.

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