Ken Livingstone speaks out to defend Harrow mosque from anti-Muslim bigots

UAF Harrow Dec09

Ken Livingstone, chair of Unite Against Fascism and former mayor of London, spoke out today to condemn the anti-Muslim bigots who are threatening to march on Harrow Central Mosque this Sunday. UAF has called a solidarity demonstration on the day to defend the mosque, which was previously targeted by racists in September this year.

Livingstone said: “These protests and the ones by the English Defence League around the country are violent and overtly anti-Muslim. If anyone were to call a demonstration outside a synagogue or church this would rightly provoke a national outcry. There should be exactly the same response from the government, politicians, all religious faiths and the media to the call for a demonstration outside a mosque.

“The only possible meaning of this event is a protest against Muslims and Islam – a religion followed by more than a billion people across the world. People should wake up to the fact that these protests outside mosques are taking us back to the 1930s when fascist thugs marched against Jews and their places of worship. This demonstration should be condemned and banned on the grounds of being blatant religious discrimination and a threat to public order.”

Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of Unite Against Fascism, added: “Sunday’s anti-Muslim protest, the racist demonstrations by the English Defence League, and the rabid Islamophobia of the Nazi BNP are all linked together. We are seeing a rising tide of racism in society aided and abetted by fascist and Nazi groups. We have to take a stand against this poison that threatens our multiracial and multicultural society. That is why we urge all anti-racists to join the UAF solidarity protest in Harrow on Sunday.”

The UAF demonstration assembles at 12 noon on Sunday 13 December, outside Harrow Civic Centre on Station Road directly opposite the mosque (nearest tube: Harrow & Wealdstone).

UAF press release, 11 December 2009

Violence erupts at EDL demo in Nottingham

English Defence League protestViolent clashes have erupted between police and members of the English Defence League (EDL) during a city centre protest.

Some 500 demonstrators from the EDL, many of whom had been drinking all morning, marched through Nottingham shouting: “We want our country back.”

The hundreds of officers, many of whom had been drafted in by Nottinghamshire Police, surrounded the rally. Officers mounted on horses were forced to keep back some of the demonstrators with batons while some constables had dogs to try and contain the violence.

Many of the demonstrators had their faces covered with hooded tops and scarves and shouted: “Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah?”

Other protesters had Union Jacks and St George’s flags which they either waved or wrapped around their shoulders as a police officer barked instructions at the crowd from a helicopter circling overhead. Some of the group waved placards which read: “Protect Women, No To Sharia” and “No Surrender”.

Press Association, 5 December 2009

See also BBC News and Indymedia.

Lincoln EDL ‘are not racist’

Lincoln EDLFootball hooligans, or so-called “casuals”, from Lincoln are descending on Nottingham this Saturday, December 5th, for the English Defence League (EDL) demonstration, according to the EDL Lincoln Division Facebook page.

According to the group: “[The EDL] are not racist, but we want Islamic extremists off our streets!” However, one of the group’s administrators has written on the wall saying: “Let’s be out in force and do Lincoln and England proud, and show these Muslim scum we shall never surrender! For Queen and country.”

The same person has posted a link to a petition which advocates the banning of Islam.

Another member of the group made racist comments underneath a photo of some Asian men, saying: “Some nice people get let into the country… can’t believe the immigration system… all they do anyway is sell drugs and rape white women.”

A picture of a flag bearing the name of Lincoln’s gang of football hooligans, the “Lincoln Transit Elite”, has been uploaded to the page. Another picture of a flag uploaded includes a tribute to fascist organisations such as the BNP, National Front, and Combat 18. More pictures depicting football hooliganism, alongside pro-Loyalist images, have also been uploaded.

The Linc, 4 December 2009

Four arrested in protest against mosques in Wrexham

WDL WrexhamFour people were arrested at an anti-Muslim demonstration amid a strong police presence in Wrexham. Around 40 members of a group calling themselves the Welsh Defence League (WDL) shouted racial abuse and gestured towards locals, saying they were protesting against plans for a new mosque.

Four people were arrested for public order offences, and North Wales’s Temporary Deputy Chief Constable, Ian Shannon said the day passed without “significant incident”. Meanwhile Unite Against Fascism held a counter-protest, near where the WDL gathered on Saturday.

And a Wrexham Communities Against Racism festival attracted around 200 people. Residents were joined by faith groups, the Wales TUC, Searchlight, Unison and members of Wrexham Council. Searchlight Cymru secretary Ian Titherington said none of the WDL protestors were Welsh, and they appeared to be members of the English Defence League (EDL).

He said: “This was the final humiliation for the EDL’s disastrous visits to Wales. The only way they could hold an event was to bus in 30 from Bolton, who on arrival went to the nearest pub, got drunk and bawled out racist chants. The EDL gathering did not exactly sell any local links, by displaying a Bolton Wanderers FC English flag and singing God Save the Queen.”

The WDL was formed in June 2009 as an off-shoot of the EDL, which claims to campaign against Islamic extremism. The group insists it is not fascist. But at a march in Swansea in October, onlookers were confronted by jeering men giving Nazi salutes, and one was arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence.

Daily Post, 23 November 2009

Scottish Defence League routed in Glasgow

Glasgow demo

Standing precariously on a bin as thousands of people swarmed into George Square banging drums and chanting, anti-racist campaigner Aamer Anwar yesterday proclaimed a victory for the people of Glasgow over “racism, fascism and the Scottish Defence League (SDL)”.

His celebration followed a day in which the far-right group’s threat to march on Glasgow Central Mosque came to nothing, as police penned its members into a pub before bussing them to various spots on the periphery of the city, extinguishing the chances of a conflict before it had the chance to ignite. There were a few minor skirmishes in and around the city centre between the tiny SDL contingent and rival demonstrators, who were out in their thousands. Five people were arrested.

Although both sides claimed to have achieved their aims, the sheer numbers that mustered under the banner of Scotland United, a broad-spectrum alliance of political parties, trade unions and civil society groups, demonstrated that most of Glasgow has little truck with the ‘anti-Islamic’ policies of the SDL and its English counterpart.

Mr Anwar, speaking at the head of a thousand protesters as they marched into George Square, said: “Just over 100 members of the Scottish and English Defence Leagues came to Glasgow today, skulked in a pub and were then bussed off away from the city centre. We proved that the only group that the people of Glasgow would tolerate on their streets were Scotland United. I would call this a victory.”

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Fascism, not Islam, is the enemy

SDL badge“It caused quite a stir when it was built more than two decades ago, but now the distinctive domes of Glasgow Central Mosque are an unremarked-upon feature of the Clydeside skyline. The large modern building is a landmark of the transformed Gorbals, no more foreign than the nearby Citizens’ Theatre, with its reputation for staging highbrow European plays.

“Locals found the mosque more pleasing on the eye than the monolithic Sir Basil Spence tower blocks the council forced them to live in for decades. The quiet men and women who worship there were no trouble at all – and the Gorbals certainly knows trouble when it comes visiting.

“Trouble will visit this Saturday, in the form of an organisation calling itself the Scottish Defence League (SDL). It plans to protest near the mosque against what it says is the rise of Islamic extremism. There has never been any suggestion that Glasgow’s mosque gives succour to extremists – it does not. But that will not stop the SDL….

“Over on the social networking site Facebook, the SDL page includes the usual bulldog profile pictures. But the use of Scottish symbolism is more worrying – a lion rampant logo and phrases such as: ‘Let us rise now and be a nation again. We must unite the clans against the extremists.’ … All this fascism lite is intended to whip up hatred and will lead to more racist attacks….

“The choice is stark. A liberal society protects minorities. It allows collaboration between people who might disagree on some issues but find common ground when it matters – in this case opposing fascism. This is why I intend to join the counter-demonstration on Glasgow Green at noon this Saturday….

Scotland United 2009 is a combination of churches, politicians and individuals who want the country to tell the far right they are not welcome here. Annabel Goldie, the Conservative leader at Holyrood, will speak alongside the SNP deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon.

“It is encouraging that the Scottish-Islamic Foundation is one of the main drivers. It has been criticised in the past for being too radically religious and the SNP government has been criticised for supporting it – Osama Saeed, one of the party’s prospective candidates, is one of its leading lights.

“But let’s be pragmatic and look at its record. The foundation has gone out of its way to vocally oppose terrorism, organising a spontaneous rally after the Glasgow airport attacks. By engaging young Muslims in the political process, by collaborating with the Holyrood government and cross-party organisations like Scotland United, it places the Muslim community firmly in middle Scotland. It builds bridges….

“Far from appeasing Islamists, as some claim, the close co-operation between civic Scotland and Muslim Scotland fostered by the foundation appears to be paying dividends. By demonstrating that Scottish national identity can embrace all faiths and ethnicities, you neutralise the alienation and resentment that drives young people towards the jihadists.”

Joan McAlpine in the Sunday Times, 8 November 2009

EDL threatens journalists

EDL in BirminghamTough and urgent action is needed in response to violence, intimidation and death threats targeting journalists covering far right demonstrations.

The call by NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear comes in the wake of specific email threats against photojournalist and investigative reporter Marc Vallée, and video journalist Jason N. Parkinson.

The emails follow verbal threats and intimidation aimed at photographers covering a march by the English Defence League in Leeds at the weekend and other EDL protests this year. Professional journalists covering the events have filed reports with the NUJ detailing physical violence, including one being punched in the head, verbal threats, and attempts to seize cameras and smash equipment. The union is to file complaints to the police.

Jeremy Dear said: “These are not idle threats made by kids – these are direct, named threats made by individuals who can be traced – in one case an individual already convicted of stabbing someone. They are designed to silence the media and stop photographers showing the true nature of the protests and protestors. The police must act now before a journalist is killed or seriously injured”.

Jason N. Parkinson said: “It is ironic the English Defence League claim they are protesting ‘peacefully’ against Muslim extremism. Then late Saturday night, after returning from covering the Leeds protest, I receive a threatening email from one of their Welsh and English division organisers entitled ‘Fatwa’. This is exactly the behaviour and tactics of extremism the EDL claim they are against.”

NUJ news report, 2 November 2009

Via Lancaster Unity

Update:  See also Comment is Free, 4 November 2009

Leeds – EDL again outnumbered by anti-fascists

EDL Leeds2More than 2,000 demonstrators gathered in Leeds city centre amid a heavy police presence as a group staged a protest against Islamic extremism.

Police said about 900 English Defence League (EDL) supporters joined the rally in City Square. They were penned in by a ring of officers.

A rival protest of up to 1,500 Unite Against Fascism (UAF) supporters took place nearby in Victoria Gardens.

BBC News, 31 October 2009

See also From Leeds to Palestine, 31 October 2009

Stop the racist English Defence League in Leeds

UAF_logoThe racist English Defence League is planning to descend on Leeds this Saturday 31 October.

Initial reports suggest that they are building heavily for this event to make-up for a poor showing in Swansea earlier this month and a complete no-show in Newport last weekend. On both occasions Unite Against Fascism organised successful counter demonstrations to show that the EDL and their affiliates are not wanted in Wales.

We need to get as many people as possible to Leeds on Saturday to send a clear message to the EDL that their brand of noxious racism has no place in Yorkshire either. Every UAF supporter in the North of England should try to get to Leeds with their friends, family and workmates. On every previous occasion where the EDL has tried to march it has been blocked by a much larger contigent of anti-racists. The presence of a multi-racial crowd standing in solidarity with Muslims against the EDL is the most powerful force stopping them from growing further.

UAF protest against the racist EDL
assemble 12 noon, Saturday 31 October
Leeds Art Gallery, The Headrow, Leeds LS1 3AA

Islam is biggest threat to Sweden since World War II says far-right leader

Jimmie Akesson2With their party conference just barely over, the ultra right wing Sweden Democrats are creating headlines in Sweden again. In an article in Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet Jimmie Åkesson, party leader, writes that Islam is the greatest threat against Sweden since WWII.

According to Åkesson “today’s multicultural Swedish power elite is completely blind to the dangers of Islam”. He goes on to say that there are 10 Muslim terror organisations established in Sweden today, that Sweden has the highest number of rapes in Europe and that Muslim men are highly represented among the offenders. He concluded his article by saying that if the party is elected into parliament in 2010, he will do everything in his powers to “change the trend”.

Per Hultengård, lawyer for the Swedish Newspaper Publishers’ Association, told Aftonbladet that the article can be read as a warning to Swedish Muslims, not in the least due to Åkesson’s promise at the end. “I would take that as a threat,” said Per Hultengård to Aftonbladet. According to Jan Hjärpe, Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Lund, the rhetoric used by Åkesson has clear racist undertones. “This is the same kind of propaganda that was used by Nazi anti-Semites,” Hjärpe told Aftonbladet.

Aftonbladet‘s Jan Helin decided to print the article against the advice of legal experts. “I have decided to take that risk. Åkesson’s text is important because it shows clearly on what values a party, on its way into Parliament, rests on. You may think that he is right or wrong in his views. But through reading this article you get a chance to consider what the Sweden Democrats actually believe,” Helin writes in Aftonbladet.

In the latest opinion polls the Sweden Democrats received 4.7% of votes. This means that if elections were held today the party would get in to Parliament.

Radio Sweden, 19 October 2009


See also the response by Anna Waara, chairperson of Swedish Muslims for Peace and Justice, “What do the Sweden Democrats want to do with us Muslims?”, The Local, 21 October 2009

You can watch Alan Lake, the businessman who bankrolls the English Defence League, speaking at a Sweden Democrats meeting here and here.