Category Archives: English Defence League

Award-winning blogger discovers ‘untackled radical Islam’ in London’s East End

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Close East London Mosque NowTory blogger Graeme Archer, who was recently awarded the Orwell Blog Prize, has written an unpleasant article for the Daily Telegraph (“The East End villains who thrive behind a veil of multiculturalism”) in which he asserts that the “increasing Islamisation” of London’s East End has led to threats and violence against gay men, women and non-Muslims.

You might have thought the potential for right-wing scaremongering over this particular urban myth had been pretty well exhausted by now, but Archer manages to extract some further poison from the issue, even though we’ve heard most of this before from the likes of Andrew Gilligan or the Daily Mail.

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Blackpool peace vigil condemns EDL

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Anti-fascism protesters today mounted a “peace vigil” as the English Defence League (EDL) demonstrated close by on Blackpool Promenade.

The different protests were kept more than a mile apart by police who mounted a huge security operation to ensure public safety. While the larger EDL rally was held near south pier, the smaller anti-fascism rally gathered on the headland by central pier.

Weyman Bennett, national secretary for Unite Against Fascism (UAF), said: “We’re here because we believe these organisations are exploiting a tragedy to politically profit and we want to make it clear we reject racism and fascism and anyone who tries to divide our society. At a time of economic crisis we do not want to see right wing groups attacking people.”

Paul Jenkins, North West organiser for UAF, said the group had support from people across Blackpool. He added: “I think it is very important to say this is not just UAF this is an event supported by local people who have been working with groups to show that the EDL and racism is not welcome in Blackpool.”

Mr Jenkins said the EDL were using the Charlene Downes case as a respectable window dressing for a more sinister agenda. He said: “Undoubtedly they’re trying to exploit a very tragic event for their own agenda and it says a lot about a group who try to exploit such a tragic event. We want everyone to know the EDL are not welcome in Blackpool. Our problems are not caused by race or ethnicity and we will not allow our community to be divided, we will stand united.”

Around 40 people with banners and plaques gathered on the Promenade next to Central Pier to maintain a peaceful vigil. Along with UAF members, a Catholic priest and representatives from the local muslim community attended, as well as Blackpool councillor Mark Mitchell.

Blackpool Muslim representative Tasurraf Shah said: “We all should unite as one, no matter what colour or religion. Our religion – Islam – promotes love and peace and that’s what we should portray. We should be educating people of the true values of Islam. Blackpool’s diverse and has a wonderful culture here, it doesn’t matter what your colour or religion is.”

Coun Mitchell added: “It’s fantastic to be here, we’re doing something for the human spirit. Blackpool’s slogan is ‘it’s a place where difference makes no difference’. It’s deeply disappointing to see groups like the EDL here. It does nothing for tourism and it may lead to an impression that Blackpool is a home for racist hooligans.”

Blackpool Gazette, 28 May 2011

Youth sentenced for assault on Muslim policeman during EDL attack on mosque meeting

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL No More MosquesA 17-year-old youth has been ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work after carrying out a religiously aggravated attack on a police officer.

The Cherry Willingham youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was previously found guilty of assaulting off-duty Muslim police officer PC Rizwaan Chothia by Lincoln magistrates following a two-day trial held earlier this month.

He faced trial alongside Daniel Odling, 26, of High Street, Blyton, near Gainsborough, who was found guilty of religiously aggravated threatening behaviour and fined £450 and ordered to pay £500 costs plus a £15 victims’ surcharge.

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Violent attacks on political opponents by EDL and BNP are ‘classic fascist tactics’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Far-right activists have attacked trade union meetings and anti-racist groups in the past month in what campaigners and politicians say is an escalating campaign of intimidation and violence.

In the latest incident, a 20-strong group hurled concrete pillars, glass and rocks at a meeting on multiculturalism organised by Labour councillors in Barking, east London.

“It was terrifying,” said Beverley, 48, an NHS worker who was hit by a rock, leaving her hand so badly damaged that she needed surgery and was on a drip in hospital for three days. “These people seem to think they can bully and intimidate people into staying away.”

The attack last Thursday followed incidents in Liverpool, Brighton and east London involving people who claim to be supporters of the English Defence League (EDL), a far-right street movement.

Anti-racist campaigners said the attack in Barking appeared to be well organised and targeted. The group “appeared out of nowhere” as people were gathering in the foyer and had lookouts stationed outside as the assault continued.

“All of a sudden about 20 men and one woman came running across the car park screaming E-E-EDL,” said Beverley, who did not want to give her second name in case of reprisals. “We rushed to lock the glass door … but they didn’t break stride, they just ran at it and smashed into it. They were head-butting it, kicking it, throwing things at it.”

The reinforced glass came away in chunks, which were hurled at the unionists and anti-racist campaigners trapped in the foyer. Beverley said: “They were crazed on the other side of this glass wall … They started ripping pieces of glass off and frisbeeing them at us through the holes and then they started hurling rocks at us.”

George Barratt, a Labour councillor for Barking’s Mayesbrook ward, who was due to speak at the meeting on multiculturalism and racism, said: “It is extremely disturbing. We don’t want these thugs here and we won’t tolerate them attacking our meetings.”

Weyman Bennett, from Unite Against Fascism, said: “These attacks are escalating in their frequency and in the level of violence. They are now targeting trade unionists and elected councillors as well as anti-racists – it is classic fascist tactics and cannot be ignored.”

Guardian, 27 May 2011

See also “Hooded thugs attack office before meeting in Barking”, Barking & Dagenham Post, 26 May 2011

Cf. Martin Smith, “EDL now acts like a classic fascist organisation”, UAF, 19 May 2011

EDL plans confrontation with Muslim community in Tower Hamlets … with help from local Labour MP

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Following their protest against “Muslim paedophiles” in Blackpool next Saturday, the English Defence League have announced that their next demonstration will be in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, which they describe as “the heartland of Islamic terrorism” (see here and here).

Comments about the Tower Hamlets protest on the EDL’s Facebook page have included a call to rip off Muslim women’s veils – from an individual currently on bail over charges arising from an attack on Kingston mosque – and even more explicit threats of violence such as this:

EDL threat to Tower Hamlets

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EDL abuses MEPs attending anti-racist meeting in Luton

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL protest against Luton anti-racist meeting

A chorus of boos and chants greeted Euro MP Richard Howitt as he arrived at Luton Town Hall for extremism talks this afternoon.

A large group of English Defence League members had gathered at the Duke of Clarence pub after EDL leader Tommy Robinson accused the MEP of failing to tackle Islamic extremism.

With Mr Howitt were MEPs from five other European countries who have experienced far right extremism in their own countries.

Before the group arrived, EDL members emerged from the pub and lined the pavement, holding placards and chanting slogans including “Muslim bombers off our streets” and “No surrender to the Taliban”.

Emerging from the meeting to more booing, Mr Howitt said: “Not only are the EDL unrepresentative, they seek to prey upon the insecurities of normal people who are worried about their jobs and homes.”

Luton Today, 26 May 2011

A updated report adds that “MEPs from Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary and Slovakia arrived at the building for anti-extremism talks to booing and shouts of ‘scum’ from the EDL members.”

See photos by Mirrorimage at Demotix

‘Peacefully protesting against Islamic extremism’ – another EDL member is charged with affray

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A man from Birmingham has been charged with affray following ugly clashes at an English Defence League demonstration in Aylesbury in May last year.

Stuart Bates, aged 41, of Lazyhill, Kings Norton, was charged with affray by Thames Valley Police on May 5. He was bailed and appeared at Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he entered a not guilty plea to the charge. The case was adjourned and the next hearing will be at Aylesbury Crown Court in July.

Bucks Herald, 25 May 2011

According to Searchlight Stuart Bates is a regular participant at EDL demonstrations. He is also a trusted member of the BNP West Midlands security team. “In fact Bates is so highly regarded that he was drafted in to provide security for Griffin at the BBC Question Time fiasco and at his High Court appearance.”

Bates has stood as a BNP candidate for Birmingham City Council on a number of occasions. Contesting the Quinton ward in this year’s elections he got 267 votes (3.62%).

It has also been claimed that Bates acted as a bodyguard for Stephen Lennon (“Tommy Robinson”) at the EDL demonstration in Luton in February.

EDL threatens to gatecrash European anti-racist meeting in Luton

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Stephen Lennon with anti-mosque placard2A Euro MP says a bid by the English Defence League to hijack an anti-racism meeting in Luton today (Thursday May 26) will not derail the event. Richard Howitt will be joined by other members of the European Parliament to discuss racism and extremism, as part of his campaigning against far right groups across Europe.

But the EDL says it is angry at the politician’s criticism of their organisation. EDL leader Tommy Robinson says he plans to try to enter a meeting planned at Luton Town Hall to put questions to Mr Howitt.

He said: “I want to get in and talk to him. Are they going to talk about militant Islam? They need to wake up and not be afraid to talk about the real problem. The EDL hasn’t got a stall outside Don Miller’s in the town centre every week. We’re not the ones they need to stop. It’s just a political stunt by Richard Howitt so he can say that he’s stopped racism.”

Mr Howitt says the MEPs, from five European countries, have “hands-on”experience in tackling extremism, and that the aim of the visit is to show that Luton is a “centre of excellence” for combating racism and extremism. During the visit they will speak with faith leaders, councillors, trade unionists, Unite Against Fascism, Searchlight and join with the Luton Town FC Managing Director and players.

Commenting on the possibility of an EDL protest during today’s event, he said: “The demonstration against me is a typical example of the EDL shouting and screaming from the sidelines and causing upset and fear while ordinary people just want to get on with living peacefully and happily in Luton.

“My European MEP colleagues were saddened to see people from France, Germany and Denmark joining the ranks of the EDL march in Luton earlier this year. The significance of the EDL spreads far beyond the UK’s shores which is why we need a Europe-wide response and I think the EDL must be running scared if they feel they need to hold a protest on Thursday.

“Luton is resilient and Lutonians won’t let racists and extremists dictate to them. I am confident threats and intimidation by the EDL aimed at stirring up panic, racial hatred and fear will never succeed in dividing Luton.”

Luton Herald & Post, 26 March 2011

Organiser of EDL mosque protest: ‘we are not racist, we are not right winged and we are not hooligans’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Shotton protest May 2011More than 100 members of the English Defence League marched through Shotton on Saturday to protest against attempts to convert a former social club into an Islamic cultural centre. Shotton Lane Social Club, which was destroyed by a suspicious fire in February, had been earmarked as a potential site for a new multi-cultural centre by Flintshire Muslim Cultural Society.

The march was organised by EDL Deeside division member Graeme England to oppose what the group describes as “militant Islam”. Protestors met outside The Clwyd pub and marched to the site of the former social club, where speeches were made.

The group, which refers to itself as a “human rights organisation”, first marched through Shotton in protest against the planned cultural centre in January – just weeks before the social club site was torched in a suspected arson attack. No one has ever been caught in relation to the incident.

On Saturday an anti-EDL event was also held at Connah’s Quay Civic Hall, organised by the Deeside Trades Council.

Flintshire Chronicle, 23 May 2011

See also “Hain slates nationalist march against Muslim culture centre bid site as ‘poison'”, Wales Online, 22 May 2011

Expose draws our attention to a post on the Flintshire Chronicle discussion forum by Graeme England, the organiser of the EDL protest, who insists that “we are not racist, we are not right winged and we are not hooligans”.

England then goes on to assert that “Islam hates the western world and our way of life, Sharia law is already starting to infect our society, its happening because nobody will stand up and say NO!!! there are streets in our country where no non muslim would dare to walk…. i have spoken to many muslims in the country and they all say the same ‘ITS NOT YOUR COUNTRY ANYMORE… ITS OURS!’.” But then, don’t you see, “Islam isnt a race its a religion”. So how can inciting hatred against Muslims be racist?

As for not being “right winged”, the EDL’s leaders are former BNP members while their PA backs the British First Party, an openly neo-Nazi organisation. And Graeme England himself was happy to announce that the Shotton demonstration was supported by the North West Infidels, a group who make no attempt to conceal their links with organised fascism.

And to describe the EDL as mere “hooligans” errs on the side of mildness. The EDL Casuals United blog followed up the latest march in Shotton by celebrating the arson attack on the social club that was to serve as the premises of the new mosque.

In short, the EDL is a far-right racist organisation that doesn’t just engage in hooliganism but openly promotes violence. This only serves to reinforce the view that there is indeed a two-tier legal system in this country – because, if a Muslim group behaved in the way the EDL does, it would have been banned long ago.

UAF to hold anti-racist vigil in Blackpool

Posted on by Bob Pitt

An anti-fascist protest group has announced it will stage a rally in Blackpool on the same day as controversial far-right group the English Defence League.

Unite Against Facism (UAF) expects between 100 and 200 local members to attend the event which will take place as EDL members from across the country descend on the town on Saturday May 28 for a national protest.

Paul Jenkins, North West organiser for the UAF, said their demonstration will be nothing more than a peaceful “anti-racist vigil”. He said: “We want to show unity in the community is the best way forward.”

UAF will hold their protest at the public headland close to the Central Pier while the EDL demonstration is on the headline at South Pier. The timings of the UAF protest are still under discussion.

EDL members, who say they are protesting against the police handling of the inquiry into missing Blackpool teenager Charlene Downes, are due to gather near Britannia Place at 10am before setting off for a short march along the Promenade to the public headland where a demonstration will be held from 12.45pm to 2pm.

Charlene, 13, disappeared in 2003 and two Asian men were charged with her murder and disposing of the body. They were later acquitted.

Blackpool Gazette, 23 May 2011

Meanwhile, Exposing the English Defence League draws our attention to a post on the EDL’s Casuals United blog which denounced anyone planning to oppose the EDL in Blackpool as defenders of paedophiles and threatened them with physical violence. Yes, that’s the same Casuals United who have been celebrating the arson attack on a building in North Wales that was due to be converted into an Islamic centre.