Category Archives: English Defence League
Salma Yaqoob | Birmingham united against fascism
Birmingham city councillor Salma Yaqoob, joined by Adrian Goldberg, Khalid Mahmood MP, John Hemming MP, Cllr Judy Foster, Chief Insp Adrian Atherley and Apache Indian, calls on the West Midlands Police to ban a march by far-right groups planned for September; following the violence erupted amidst an EDL-Casuals United demonstration on 8th August in the city.
Date: Sunday 23rd August 2009
Venue: Birmingham Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1.
Call for ban on anti-Muslim demonstration in Birmingham
West Midlands Police have been urged to step in and ban a far right group from holding a march in Birmingham next month to avoid a repeat of the shocking scenes of violence witnessed earlier this month.
White nationalist organisation The English Defence League (EDL) and an associated group, Casuals United, are due to hold a rally against Islamic extremism in the city on September 5. Their first demonstration on August 8 ended with violence and bloodshed as supporters clashed with anti-racism campaigners.
One of those calling for a ban was Respect councillor Salma Yaqoob, who expected more street violence if EDL returned. “When it comes to public safety we have every right to intervene,” she said. “But the ‘just stay away’ message we are hearing won’t wash with today’s Muslim youngsters who won’t put their heads down and carry on walking when they are subjected to racist taunts – they will react and fight back.”
Fears of further violence by EDL prompt march ban
The Home Office has issued a ban on any unofficial marches taking place in Luton for the next three months. The ban was granted to Beds Police and Luton Borough Council, who feared a planned “anti-extremism” march on September 19 would mean a repeat of violent scenes from earlier in the year.
Several “marches” have taken place in Luton in response to disruption caused by Islamic extremists at the homecoming parade for the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment, nicknamed the Poachers, on March 10. The most recent, in May, saw protestors clash with police and cause damage to cars and a takeaway shop. A man was also assaulted.
EDL plans provocation in Harrow on September 11
A Harrow mosque leader says he is “sad” about plans for a 9/11 far-right protest outside its building.
The English Defence League (EDL) has organised a demonstration in front of the building, in Station Road, on September 11, and plans to make it a memorial event for the 2001 terrorist attacks. The event will take place on a Friday, the Islamic holy day.
Ghulam Rabbani, general secretary of the mosque, said: “We also believe that September 11 wasn’t right. We have a policy of anti-extremism. If people have something against us, they probably don’t know us. If you are Christian or Muslim we can still be friends. We hope the local community and our friends and the local government and police will be there to try seriously to defend everybody.”
Members of EDL clashed with anti-fascist campaigners in Birmingham on August 10 with police in riot gear struggling to control the situation. Officers made 35 arrests.
The original protest outside Harrow Central Mosque was organised for August 29 on the back of claims there were plans to hold Sharia court meetings in its new building. Mr Rabbani says there are no such plans but a statement on the website of the far-right coalition the British Defence Leagues says they do not believe him and do not “want any more mosques in this country”.
The statement reads: “It has now been rescheduled to September 11th, which is a Friday, but will incorporate a 9/11 anniversary commemoration. This is now being organised by the EDL.”
Mr Rabbani said: “We have worked very hard with the local government and the local police to keep community cohesion and partnership. All of the community can live together peacefully. Most of the community is happy with us. This group is coming from outside.”
EDL switches Luton march date to up support
A march against extremism has been rescheduled for next month – so more than 1,000 protesters can take part.
The right-wing English Defence League (EDL), which had originally organised the march for August, said it put it back as a direct result of our front page story last week revealing the Royal Anglian Regiment would deliberately avoid Luton on its 150-mile charity walk. The regiment said it was doing so because of the abuse it received from extremists on its homecoming parade in the town centre in March.
Harrow Central Mosque rejects ‘Sharia court’ claims
Harrow Central Mosque has hit back at suggestions that the new building will host a Sharia Law Court after protesters against extremism released plans to rally outside the centre. Last week the Observer revealed the English Defence League’s plans to protest outside the Station Road based Mosque on August 29, after suggestions it would host a court on the site. But Ghulam Rabbani, general secretary of Harrow Central Mosque, said:
“It is important to make clear that there are no plans to hold Sharia court meetings at the new Mosque. We have never considered any such plans and it is a matter of public record from our planning applications. We are confused as to why the protesters ever thought this was the case. The new Mosque is a building which will be open to all and has been welcomed by other faith communities and we reject attempts to divide us. We are proud to be British, Muslim and Harrow residents, and we embrace all three of these identities.”
It is thought that the protests will go ahead irrespective of this and as a result an emergency meeting between senior council officials and community leaders has been scheduled for Friday, August 21.
Former football hooligans regroup in far-Right Casuals United
They see themselves as the vanguard in a battle for the soul of Britain against extremist Islamist forces – the “enemy within” bent on imposing Sharia. Casuals United announced their arrival on Saturday when a small army of shirt-sleeved, middle-aged men with beer bellies clashed in a flurry of punches and kicks with young Asians in Birmingham city centre.
The group, which is closely affiliated with the far-right English Defence League, insists that it is a peaceful movement representing ordinary working people angered by the sight of Muslims hurling insults at British soldiers on homecoming parades. But if the chants of “England, England” and the aggressive posturing appear familiar, it is because they are.
The members of Casuals United are largely former football hooligans drawn from the terraces and, according to their critics, are essentially the BNP and National Front repackaged. The groupings have attracted the support of BNP activists including Chris Renton, who created the English Defence League website.
Video coverage of Birmingham clash
Saturday 8 August 2009: The English Defence League (EDL) and Casuals United attempted to march through Birmingham. Both groups claim they are not racist and are only concerned with peaceful protest against militant Muslims. Some scenes in this video rush clearly show racist abuse from those in these groups.
Unite Against Fascism held a counter demonstration, to oppose these groups, both being involved in clashes with police and residents earlier in the year in Birmingham and Luton.
This time, as the video shows, the EDL members that avoided being “kettled” by police went straight for the anti-fascist protest, goaded the Birmingham youth, then got beaten and chased out of town.
By Jason N. Parkinson, via Sunny Hundal, who comments:
“The video is shot really well and much better than anything on YouTube. Shows to me there wasn’t a big brawl really, just mostly some EDL twats looking for a fight running away as soon as they got chased. One runs off shouting ‘dirty pakis’ in the video. This kind of raw journalism is way better than even the national broadcasters.”
See also Sunny’s piece at Comment is Free, 12 August 2009
Police bid to defuse possible clashes in mosque protest
Police have held a series of meetings in a bid to prevent possible clashes in Harrow after protests against the borough’s new mosque were scheduled for the end of August.
It is thought thousands will flood to Harrow to demonstrate outside The Harrow Central Mosque, in Station Road, on August 29, in opposition to a Sharia Law court building within the new site.
The demo has been endorsed by The English Defence League (EDL), a group against “militant Islam”, who were involved in clashes in Birmingham over the weekend, which led to 35 arrests and injuries to three people.
It is thought that members have been recruited though various internet sites and one social network group already has as many as 3,000 people backing plans to protest in Harrow.