EDL to hit Lincoln this summer?

A right-wing group, which claims to protest against militant Islam, is planning a Lincoln demonstration this summer, The Linc can reveal.

The English Defence League (EDL) wants to protest against plans to build a mosque in Boultham Park Road. The mosque was originally rejected by City of Lincoln Council on the grounds that it would cause traffic problems, but an appeal against the decision has been launched.

A spokesman for the EDL’s Lincoln Division says: “We will be protesting against the building of the mosque in Lincoln and using it as a platform to say no to all mosques in England. You may say that this is against all Muslims [by] saying no more mosques, but it’s not.

“The reason we don’t want mosques in our country is because many of them are funded by an..extremist group, Tablighi Jamaat, which means that they will have a say in what is taught in these mosques.”

They also insist that the EDL isn’t racist because “there is [sic] muslim members within the EDL…Do you think they would be supporting us if they felt we was [sic] racist or islamaphobic?”.

One member of Lincoln EDL’s Facebook group, writing under the name “Jem England Cook”, said: “Great that all the houses will be worth 50% less around Boultham if these rag heads get their way. Wasn’t it an old chapel they was [sic] turning into a paedo palace? Sums up this fucked up country when they are taking over our religious places. Keep them out of Lincoln full stop.”

The Linc, 4 June 2010

Cardiff: taxi drivers plan strike over anti-Muslim rally

Taxi drivers are preparing to strike on Cardiff’s busiest day of the year in protest at an anti-Muslim rally being held in the city centre.

As tens of thousands of people descend on the capital on Saturday to watch Wales take on South Africa at the Millennium Stadium, the Stereophonics play Cardiff City Stadium and Glamorgan take on West Indies A at the Swalec Stadium, some of the city’s 950 hackney drivers will withdraw their services.

Estimates of the numbers of black-and-white cabbies taking part in the strike against the Welsh Defence League’s (WDL) rally range from 80 to 700, but with large amounts of sport and music fans expected Mathab Khan, chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Association, told the Echo he has warned police of the potential for “worrying” disruption. Mr Khan said he believed up to 700 drivers or more could join the strike, expected to run from 10am on Saturday to 10am Sunday.

But Robert Goddard, of Unite Against Fascism, which asked drivers to leave work and join its counter demonstration on Saturday, told the Echo he believed around 80 drivers would take part. “We have been speaking to a number of taxi drivers that would normally work on that day, but won’t be working in support of the protest we are having,” he said. “They are joining us in light of the WDL’s demonstration and also in light of the fact they experience racism.”

Mr Khan said as the Cardiff Hackney Association was a non-political organisation it had opted to take a neutral stance on the strike and had not encouraged or discouraged members to take part. But he confirmed he would not be working on Saturday and would instead be joining the Unite Against Fascism counter demonstration in an individual capacity.

Wales Online, 3 June 2010

East End stands against EDL

The English Defence League is a violent, bigoted organisation and an embarrassment to our country. They should be condemned everywhere, but will be particularly unwelcome if they come to Tower Hamlets. Most people in the East End live in peace and mutual respect for neighbours, regardless of their faith or skin colour. As residents and workers in the borough, we will not tolerate attempts to divide us or stir up hatred. The real enemies of Tower Hamlets are poverty and inequality, not Islam. At Cable Street in 1936 the people of the East End united to block the way to Mosley’s fascist blackshirts. We stand ready to do the same to the EDL.

Glyn Robbins, Cllr Helal Abbas Leader, Tower Hamlets council, Mowlana Shamsul Hoque and Musaddiq Ahmed Chair and secretary general, Council of Mosques, Tower Hamletsand 24 others

Guardian, 2 June 2010

EDL’s hatred shows that Islamophobia needs to be taken seriously

The Guardian’s brave and insightful undercover investigation into the activities of the EDL should finally persuade Westminster politicians to take the issue of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence seriously. Our own research supports the findings of the Guardian investigation, most importantly concerning the extent to which the EDL is fuelled by visceral, violent anti-Muslim hatred.

The video that accompanies the Guardian report should leave no room for doubt that members of the EDL are echoing sentiments about Muslims they have adopted from sections of the mainstream media and the BNP. It is no coincidence that Nick Griffin has been peddling exactly the same hatred towards Muslims for the last decade. Similarly, a cursory examination of the records of Islamophobia Watch over the last five years provides a sense of the extent of Islamophobia in the mainstream media.

Daily Mail commentator Peter Oborne is right to argue that it has become “permissible to fabricate malicious falsehoods and therefore foment hatred against Muslims in a way which would be regarded as immoral and illegal if perpetrated against any other vulnerable section of society”.

Robert Lambert and Jonathan Githens-Mazer at Comment is Free, 1 June 2010

Faith leaders oppose ‘crude and dangerous’ Welsh Defence League demonstration

Two of Wales’ religious leaders have issued a joint statement condemning a planned demonstration by Welsh Defence League as “crude and dangerous”. The Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan and the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Wales Saleem Kidwai say Saturday’s protest in Cardiff will “undermine efforts to promote tolerance and diversity”.

Wales Online, 1 June 2010

MP condemns EDL plan to ‘hit’ Tower Hamlets

EDL Close East London MosqueLabour MP Rushanara Ali has added her support to a campaign to stop a right-wing march in East London.

Members of the English Defence League were caught planning to ‘hit’ Tower Hamlets with a large demonstration this summer. But local politicians have reacted angrily to the proposals and a petition is already circulating to try and stop the march.

Ms Ali told the Advertiser: “Over the years many groups have come to the East End trying to foster hatred and division. The English Defence League is now attempting to join this dishonourable list. I condemn the EDL, and all attempts to divide this community and stir up hatred. Racism, Islamophobia, and bigotry have no place in modern Britain, and if the EDL insist on coming to Tower Hamlets they will find East Enders ready to stand up and reject this latest attempt to divide us.”

East London Advertiser, 1 June 2010

See also “Politicians attack right-wing group plan to ‘hit’ London’s East End”, East London Advertiser, 1 June 2010

EDL cancels protest against Walsall mosque … because Muslims are against it too

EDL Manchester5The controversial English Defence League have called off a planned demonstration against a proposed mosque in Walsall after learning that the biggest single group opposed to the scheme are Muslims. George Makin reports.

The anti-Islamic EDL had announced they would hold a demonstration on June 19 against a scheme to build a new place of worship in Vicarage Close which had previously been denied planning permission by the Walsall council.

Proposers of the development have announced their intention to appeal the decision.

The EDL’s proposed demonstration led to a joint statement by the leaders of all three party leaders on Walsall council, fearful of a repeat of violent clashes which have occurred at other EDL events, that the rightwing group was not wanted in the town.

During negotiations with police EDL organiser were surprised to learn the original planning application had been opposed by many Muslims in Walsall who claim there are enough mosques in the borough already.

The EDL are now planning for a demonstration in Dudley on June 19 and for another in Alum Rock in Birmingham at a later date.

The Stirrer, 27 May 2010


The mosque the EDL were intending to protest against is the one the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association is hoping to build, planning permission for which was denied by Walsall Council last December. The Ahmadis have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and a decision is expected in the summer.

The Muslims who campaigned for the council to reject the Ahmadis’ application did indeed do so on the formal grounds that there are “enough places of worship in the area”, along with complaints about potential traffic congestion. However, as Inayat Bunglawala pointed out at the time, the real reason was obviously orthodox Muslim hostility to the Ahmadis, who are regarded as a heretical sect.

I have to say, the paranoid thought did cross my mind that the EDL might be able to find one or two Muslim opponents of the mosque whose hatred of the Ahmadis might lead them to ignore the EDL’s racist ideology and support the protest. But that was giving too much credit to the intelligence of the EDL. They are, after all, a gang of mindless Islamophobic bigots who can’t tell an Ahmadi from a Sunni, or a Sunni from a Shia.

Racist march due on day of music and rugby in Cardiff

WDL SwanseaSaturday 5th June is gearing up to be a busy day in Cardiff, with Wales hosting South Africa at the Millennium Stadium and the Stereophonics preparing to rock the Cardiff City Stadium.

Resources are bound to be stretched and many fans will be arriving by train to the city centre, and could be greeted by a march by the Welsh & English Defence League (WDL/EDL).

The group is due to be marching at lunchtime in the city centre and massing outside Cardiff Central Station. A rival march has been setup by campaign group Unite Against Fascism and will be marching through the city centre at the same time in opposition to the protest.

Unite Against Fascism are arranging a rival march and are calling on Cardiff City fans to support them. A leaflet from the group states: “Cardiff City fans have been linked with the WDL/EDL. Bluesbirds vs the Nazis has been set up to show that the majority of CCFC fans are opposed to racism and facism.”

Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS union, said: “The WDL/EDL hold their demos to intimidate and divide us. As a Cardiff City fan, I call on everyone to unite and protest against the WDL/EDL’s attempts to whip up racism.”

The Unite Against Facism protesters are due to meet at 11 AM at Roald Dahl Plas on Saturday 5th June 2010 and march through Butetown and the city centre, finishing at City Hall with a rally at 1 PM.

Wales Online, 25 May 2010

Calls to ban EDL march in Newcastle

Far-right group the English Defence League are planning a march through Newcastle, sparking counter protests. The EDL, which claims to protest against Muslim extremism, will march from the city’s Central Station to the Bigg Market, on Saturday, May 29. Members of anti-fascist groups and trade unions are planning counter demonstrations for the same day. Some councillors have called for the EDL’s parade to be banned.

Coun Dipu Ahad, Labour member in Elswick, said: “Do we really want this kind of thing in our city? Relationships between communities in Newcastle are very good and harmonious and this can only stir up hatred. It’s all very well saying a demonstration will be peaceful, but it only takes a few individuals to cause trouble and you have a riot. Newcastle is billed as a City of Peace, so how can this march be allowed to threaten that? I’ve had many emails and phone calls from the Muslim community and they are extremely worried. This march can only serve to break up bonds built up and increase tension.”

ChronicleLive, 18 May 2010

‘The EDL targeted the Muslim community with their hatred’

The Bucks Herald has published a statement by the Aylesbury Muslims group in reponse to the EDL protests at the weekend

The EDL targeted the Muslim community with their hatred.

Despite their best efforts, the EDL was unable to break the harmonious coexistence between different ethnic and religious groups in and around Aylesbury. We believe that our diversity is also our strength and a reason for celebration.

We accept that during Saturday the majority of EDL protestors followed due process and protested peacefully. But as a community we’re extremely worried and angered by the actions of a significant minority of EDL supporters who targeted and intimidated people from the Muslim community.

We would like to make it clear that the police did deal with these situations, but on the whole this suggests that the EDL has a serious problem in not being able to guarantee or control the behaviour of significant numbers of their members and begs the question whether they should be allowed to protest again.

Here’s an account of some isolated events from witnesses:

1. As the coaches in convoy drove into New Street bottles were hurled at a group of Asian men including bottles thrown at the feet of two Aylesbury councillors.

2. A few people in coaches were swearing at Asian children and making hand gestures.

3. A significant group of EDL supporters came into Oxford Road and charged at a group of Asians of different ages including the elderly before the police came and dispersed the EDL group.

On hearing about these and other isolated incidents, hundreds of Muslim youths gathered outside the Mosque became enraged and wanted to confront the EDL. Despite this, the Muslim leadership fortunately managed to persuade them not to do so.