Protester jailed for race attack in Luton

Luton riotA 19-year-old man has been jailed for 16 months after he was found guilty of racially aggravated assault during a protest in Bedfordshire. Kier McElroy hit an Asian man with a banner in a shop doorway in Chapel Street, Luton, on 24 May last year.

Jurors at Luton Crown Court found McElroy guilty of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm on student Venkateswara Muppalla. He had earlier admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. However, he denied he was racist.

He also pleaded guilty to a second charge of affray, which resulted from his actions that day when he said he was drunk.

The assaulted Asian man was cornered by a group of people marching in protest over an earlier demonstration by a group of Muslims at a parade by the Royal Anglian Regiment in Luton.

BBC News, 26 March 2010


The protest was organised by United People of Luton, the direct precursor of the English Defence League. Although the supposed subject of the demonstration was Muslim extremism, this didn’t prevent McElroy from randomly targeting a Hindu.

Islamophobia is a threat to democracy

The following letter appears in today’s Guardian:

We are concerned by the rise of Islamophobia, the negative coverage of Muslims in the media, the violent street mobilisations of extreme rightwing organisations like the English Defence League, and the rising electoral support for the British National party (The battle for Barking, Weekend, 13 March). Following Channel 4’s recent inflammatory documentary, Britain’s Islamic Republic, which saw concentrated attacks on the East London Mosque, the English Defence League marched through central London with placards including the demand “Close the East London Mosque now”.

The East End of London is not new to having its communities attacked by fascists and the media. The 1930s saw the Battle of Cable Street when Oswald Mosley’s blackshirts attempted to march into the Jewish community in the area. We cannot allow this terrible history to repeat itself. Further, the documentary, and articles since, have attacked the participation in politics by the Muslim community. We cannot stand by and watch this continue without remark or action.

In the runup to the general election, all parts of the population should be actively encouraged to exercise their votes. That is democracy. We welcome the work of organisations who work to this end. We call for solidarity and support for those organisations that work to encourage political participation from all sections of society, including Muslims, and condemn those who seek to undermine it.

Ken Livingstone
Bonnie Greer
Dr Abdul Bari Secretary general, Muslim Council of Britain
Brendan Barber General secretary, TUC
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC
Dr. Edie Friedman Executive director, Jewish Council for Racial Equality
Diane Abbott MP
Neil Jameson Executive director, London Citizens
Jagtar Singh Sikh Secretariat
Tony Woodley Joint general secretary, Unite the Union
Bruce Kent
Baroness Helena Kennedy QC
Professor Eric Hobsbawm
Louise Christian Christian Khan solicitors
Billy Hayes General secretary, Communication Workers Union
Rabbi Lee Wax
Anas Altikriti Spokesperson, British Muslim Initiative
Caroline Lucas MEP
Professor Avi Shlaim
Lord Nazir Ahmed
Kate Hudson Chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Andrew Stunell MP
Ismail Patel Co-ordinator, YouElect
Claude Moraes MEP
Rev. Alan Green Chair, Tower Hamlets Interfaith forum
George Galloway MP
Musleh Faradhi Central president, Islamic Forum Europe
Jean Lambert MEP
Salma Yaqoob Leader, Respect party
Jenny Jones AM
Steve Hart Regional secretary, Unite London Region
Andrew Murray Chair, Stop the War
Bell Ribeiro-Addy NUS black students officer
Sabby Dhalu Joint secretary, Unite Against Fascism

Update:   Response from EDL here.

The battle of Bolton and the media

EDL Bolton

Anti-fascist protesters emerged victorious on Saturday after holding Bolton’s central Victoria Square against the racists from the English Defence League. But mainstream national media reports are presenting it as a contest between two violent groups – and blaming the anti-fascists for the violence.

Anti-fascists faced brutality from police with dogs and on horseback. There were over 60 arrests – 55 Unite Against Fascism and 9 EDL, according to Sky news – including UAF leader Weyman Bennett “on suspicion of conspiracy to commit violent disorder”. The police commander made disgraceful allegations about the protesters.

Video on the Bolton News website makes it clear, however, that the violence was not coming from the anti-fascists. It shows an elderly veteran of World War 2 who had joined the protest, and UAF stewards can be heard urging protestors to stay calm in the face of apparent police efforts to provoke a riot.

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Bolton mosque attacked

Racists have attacked a Bolton mosque on the eve of the mobilisation by the English Defence League in Bolton tomorrow.

Four people with knives jumped out of a car and attacked people coming out of Friday prayers at the Makka mosque in Grecian Crescent, near Bolton university. They also targeted activists leafleting for the anti-fascist protest. No one is believed to have been hurt and all four were arrested.

Shortly before 2.15pm on Friday 19 March 2010, police at a mosque on Grecian Crescent received a report of a man with a knife. A local man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a bladed article and breaking into a vehicle.

Sergeant Rachel Bedford said: “Two men noticed a man trying to break into a car some 500 yards away from the mosque, detained him and presented him to officers.

“This man was in no way linked to the English Defence League protest in Bolton tomorrow. We understand that there are heightened concerns in communities about this protest, and in an effort to reassure communities we have stepped up our patrols.”

Socialist Worker, 20 March 2010

Ken Livingstone replies to Andrew Gilligan

EDL Close East London Mosque

In last week’s Spectator Andrew Gilligan has a typically hysterical piece entitled “Why does the BBC air Islamist propaganda?” in which he denounces the decision to hold the 5 March edition of Radio 4’s Any Questions at the London Muslim Centre, which is attached to the East London Mosque. What particularly outrages Gilligan is that a questioner was allowed to raise the issue of Islamophobia in the media, which led to criticism of Gilligan’s recent television “documentary” witch-hunting the East London Mosque. Gilligan writes:

“Listeners to Any Questions would have heard a man named Musleh Faradhi accuse the media of ‘developing hatred against Muslims’, with particular reference to a Channel 4 Dispatches investigation – also broadcast last week – into an organisation called the Islamic Forum of Europe, the IFE. One of the panellists, the former London mayor Ken Livingstone, compared the Dispatches programme to Enoch Powell’s ‘rivers of blood’ speech, accused it of being an attack on all Islam and said it incited racist violence against Muslims. With the activist audience baying and hollering their approval, the civilised Radio 4 debate turned into just another East London Mosque hate rally.”

The full programme is available online here, but will soon be deleted. So, for the record, here is Ken Livingstone’s contribution to the discussion:

“There was a hour-long programme depicting this mosque, the East London Mosque, as a centre for fundamentalism trying to gain total control of the area and impose Islam on people who don’t want it.

“If you walk through these doors you’ll see that this mosque chose to be built next to a synagogue so they all work together. In eight years as mayor I came here again and again. This is an outward-looking East London community who happen to be Muslims.

“That programme was a disgrace. And by amazing coincidence the man who made it, Andrew Gilligan, phoned me just before I came to this programme saying ‘Did you give any grants?’ I suspect we did, I honestly can’t remember. And I said, ‘Did you see what happened today in Parliament Square? Three hundred fascists and racists marched through there with banners saying “Ban the hijab” and “Close the East London Mosque”.’ He said, ‘Oh, that’s nothing to do with me.’ And I said, ‘It is. Because your paper and you pander to racism and Islamophobia.’

“And there’s nothing new about this. A hundred and four years ago the Daily Mail had a headline saying ‘Jews bring crime and disease to Britain’. And they meant down here, in Brick Lane. And then it was the blacks, and the Irish. For some reactionary elements there’s got to be a threat, there’s got to be a victim.

“When I’m in a mosque in this city, like when I’m in a Hindu temple, I close my eyes and I hear London accents and I hear Londoners facing the same problems everybody else does.

“This is something we’ve got to defeat, because it will divide us. Just like when Enoch Powell did his ‘rivers of blood’, black bus conductors were beaten up in this city. And because of Andrew Gilligan’s programme Muslims will be harassed and spat at, and perhaps some will be beaten, and Andrew Gilligan should be ashamed of himself.”

EDL exposed as racist, violent thugs

The repulsive race-hate face of the English Defence League is unveiled today by the News of the World.

A three-month probe by our undercover investigators exposes the TRUE nature of the organisation that claims to be patriotic, non-violent and non-racist.

In reality the EDL is backed by a bunch of bigots, football thugs, and BNP defectors dedicated to promoting race war on Britain’s streets.

News of the World, 14 March 2010

See also “How sectarian hooligans are killing off Scots far-right”, Sunday Herald, 14 March 2010

Peterborough: hundreds reject EDL’s hate-mongering, gather for peace vigil

Peterborough vigil

About 200 people from all sections of Peterborough society came together for a candle-lit vigil for peace yesterday (12th December). There were tears as school children from Thomas Deacon Academy, The Voyager School, Jack Hunt School and The Iqra Academy read poems and sang songs calling for unity in the city.

Speaking after the event outside the Cathedral at 4.30pm yesterday, Mayor of Peterborough Cllr Keith Sharp, praised everyone for taking part. He said: “It’s great to see so many people turn out for this. We’ve had a week of uncertainty over what would happen this weekend but this just shows no matter what faith or religion we are united against hatred.”

The vigil began with the candle of peace brought to the stage, accompanied by drummers from Bhangra Beat. Fr David Jennings welcomed everyone before pupils lit candles held by the crowd while Kumbaya was sung. Several poems were read out, songs and carols were sung and rap group Improvement Stars Entertainment performed So I Pray For A Better Day.

Rt Revd Donald Allister, Bishop of Peterborough also addressed the crowd. He said: “What we are doing today, following yesterday’s events is affirming we are one community. This isn’t just for people of faith, it’s for all people of our city to say we are proud to be diverse.”

The crowd read the inter-faith declaration of tolerance followed by a minute’s silence before everyone sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

Peterborough Evening Telegraph, 13 December 2010

Protests force council to reject plans for giant mosque next to Sandhurst military academy

EDL protest against Camberley mosque
English Defence League supporters protest outside the council meeting

A controversial plan to build a mosque with two 100ft minarets next to Sandhurst has been scrapped to the jubilation of thousands of residents.

The £3million building would have had a clear view over the military academy and is just 400 yards from its parade ground – prompting fears it could be a security threat. A listed Victorian school building was set to be demolished to make way for the huge Saudi Arabian-style building.

More than 6,500 residents signed a petition to oppose the application because of fears it would change the Victorian character of the area.

The gigantic mosque was the idea of the Bengali Welfare Association, which worships at the al-Kharafi Islamic Centre in Camberley. The Victorian school, built in the 1860s, has been used as an Islamic Centre since 1996.

The plans for a new mosque were originally approved by Surrey Heath Borough Council’s planning committee earlier this year, but overturned on a technicality. On Wednesday night they finally backtracked after massive public opposition.

A special council meeting had to be held at the Camberley Theatre because of the volume of interest. Residents queued from 9.30am to make sure they got into the meeting, which started at 7pm. More than a thousand people sat inside the hall, while more residents who could not get in waited outside for the verdict.

All but two of the 36 councillors voted to refuse the planning application – a decision which was greeted with cheers both in and outside the theatre.

David Chesneau, chairman of the Camberley Society, said: “This was definitely the right result. They were thinking of knocking down a listed building. A mosque in its place would not have preserved or enhanced the Victorian and Edwardian character of the area.”

Daily Mail, 12 March 2011

The BNP Nazi at the heart of the EDL

Chris Renton at EDL protestThe man in this picture is Chris Renton. He was photographed on the racist English Defence League (EDL) march on parliament last Friday.

Renton is a well known member of the British National Party (BNP) – and he is also on the leadership team of the EDL. In fact, Renton was one of the group’s founders. He runs the EDL’s Facebook pages and set up the EDL website and forums.

The BNP and EDL deny any links with each other. But the fact that this BNP Nazi is central to the EDL proves otherwise.

In a radio interview in July 2009, then EDL spokesperson Paul Ray confirmed that Renton was a BNP activist. And Renton is not the only fascist central to the EDL. Davy Cooling, the administrator of the EDL’s Luton Facebook site, is also on the BNP membership list. Many other known BNP members were spotted on the EDL’s march in London.

This is more proof that the EDL is a dangerous organisation with fascism at its core.

Socialist Worker, 9 March 2010


Cf. Robert Spencer’s assurance that “the EDL is standing up for human rights, for the freedom of speech, for Western civilization, for Israel, and for the defense against the global jihad and the Islamization of Britain. There is no credible evidence that this group is racist or fascist in the slightest degree.”

Opposition grows to EDL’s anti-mosque rally in Dudley

EDL slogans BirminghamResidents are being urged to stay away from Dudley town centre on Easter Sunday, as far right group the English Defence League is set to descend on the town.

The extremist party claims to be bringing around 3,000 supporters on April 4 to protest against the planned £18million mosque.

Council leader, Cllr Anne Millward, said she was angered that the EDL want to come to the “peaceful town”, as West Midlands Police confirm there will be a “robust police presence” on the day in case of trouble. She added: “They say they are coming to protest against the planned mosque, but we’ve had a mosque in Dudley for over 30 years. So what is the point of them coming? We don’t want them and for them to come on Easter Sunday, one of the most important days in the Christian calendar, I think is an absolute travesty. I just urge people to stay away.”

Cllr Millward has also condemned plans announced by anti-fascist group Unite Against Fascism (UAF) who have confirmed they will be holding a counter-demonstration on the day, with fears that thousands of outsiders could angrily clash in the town centre. Cllr Millward said: “The plans for the anti-fascist group to outnumber the EDL I think is highly irresponsible. This group just need to be completely ignored.”

But UAF officials said they are organising the “largest peace protest to counteract” the EDL, whose protest will just be “thuggery and hatred”. Martin Lynch, Black Country spokesman for Unite Against Fascism (UAF), said:

“We don’t think people who believe in racism and hatred should be allowed to come to Dudley town centre or anywhere else for that matter. At a recent demonstration in Stoke they ran amok smashing property and hurting people. There is no way this is a legitimate protest of any kind. It will just be thuggery and hatred. If this does go ahead we will seek to call the largest peace protest to counteract theirs.”

Meanwhile, Jim Warner, spokesman for Dudley’s Trade Union Council (TUC) said members had passed a resolution supporting UAF’s counterprotest. Mr Warner said: “We are calling on all our local union branches to encourage members to turn out with their union banners for a peaceful protest. We have also put together a unity statement which has been signed by all our trade union branches, community and faith groups supporting this decision and calling for the protest to be abandoned.”

Dudley News, 10 March 2010

Update:  See “English Defence League switch date for Dudley protest”, Birmingham Mail, 14 March 2010