Anti-fascists in the Yorkshire town of Rotherham vowed today to maintain and build their campaign after racists targeted the community for a second time.
Twice the community has rallied in the face of demonstrations first by the English Defence League (EDL) and then by the National Front (NF). On both occasions the racists and fascists were heavily outnumbered by counter-protesters – and organisers said they were ready to mobilise again.
Campaigners against the far-right English Defence League (EDL) defied a protest ban by marching through Walthamstow after scuffles with police this afternoon.
Officers struggled to contain a crowd of several hundred who broke away from a legal static protest outside the former EMD cinema in Hoe Street at around 1.30pm. Protesters pushed through a cordon and marched several hundred metres down to the junction with Selborne Road, where police reinforcements eventually stopped them.
A former hospital worker involved with a far-right political group used Facebook to encourage people to petrol bomb an Indian takeaway at the centre of a major child abuse probe.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how Alan Clarke’s reckless comments on the social networking site led to him being sacked by bosses at the city’s Cumberland Infirmary.
He admitted using Facebook to collude with others in a way that could have encouraged people to commit criminal damage – namely by attacking the Spice of India takeaway in Botchergate, Carlisle.
A man arrested in connection with an EDL protest against a newly-approved mosque has been fined after he admitted swearing at riot police.
Gary Donaldson, 32, had been drinking at the Chesters Pub in Chester Road in Sunderland, when he was confronted by officers with video cameras.
Sunderland Magistrates’ Court heard how Donaldson screamed expletives into the camera and became aggressive towards the officer holding the device. He was one of 13 people arrested during the protest on October 6, 2012.
The leader of the far-right English Defence League is set to spend Christmas in prison after a judge rejected an application for bail. Stephen Lennon, 29, who also uses the name Tommy Robinson, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on October 20 on suspicion of possessing a false passport. He tried to use a passport in the name of “Andrew McMaster” to enter the United States on September 10 this year, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Rotherham’s councillor responsible for community cohesion has written to Home Secretary Theresa May describing the impact of the far right English Defence League’s march in the town – and calling for membership of the group to be banned.
The people of Walthamstow take to streets to defy the EDL in September
The police restriction preventing the EDL from entering Walthamstow is a major victory for our movement. The massive demonstrations planned by UAF, We Are Waltham Forest and Muslim communities, and pressure of our grass roots campaigning, helped to achieve this victory.
This has been acknowledged by many including London Assembly Member Jennette Arnold. The EDL is weak and isolated, while our movement grows stronger. This victory must be celebrated!
EDL News draws our attention to a recent Facebook comment by Kevin Carroll, who is now leading the English Defence League during the enforced absence of his cousin Stephen Lennon, and is also standing as the British Freedom party candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner in Bedfordshire.
The official EDL line is that they are opposed to Islam as a barbaric 7th-century ideology, but have nothing against its followers. In reality, of course, the EDL is a movement of far-right racists who just hate Muslims, as the vile comments that its rank-and-file supporters post on Facebook demonstrate every day. And, as Carroll shows here, even the EDL leaders sometimes allow their mask to slip.
English Defence League thugs marching through Walthamstow on 1 September
A series of marches by the English Defence League has been banned amid fears of serious public disorder.
Policing minister Damian Green agreed to a police request for the ban ahead of marches on Saturday in Walthamstow and elsewhere in north-east London.
The ban prevents all marches in Waltham Forest and nearby boroughs Islington, Tower Hamlets and Newham for 30 days.
The Metropolitan Police wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May asking for the ban two days ago.
Police are seeking to ban marches in Islington because of fears a far-right group could target Finsbury Park Mosque, a leaked e-mail has revealed.
Scotland Yard is seeking to stop the English Defence League (EDL) staging a planned protest in Walthamstow in Waltham Forest on Saturday.
Officers have asked the home secretary, Theresa May, for a temporary order prohibiting marches across Waltham Forest and three other boroughs including Islington.