Category Archives: English Defence League

Bristol: police seek ‘missile throwers’ from EDL march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Bristol wanted picPolice are looking for seven men, believed to have been responsible for throwing missiles on the day of the English Defence League march.

On Saturday, July 14, the English Defence League marched in the city centre and counter-protesters held demonstrations.

The event was mostly peaceful, but Avon and Somerset police ended up responding to a number of incidents and 16 people were arrested for offences including going equipped to cause damage and assaulting a police officer.

An investigation was also launched to identify other offences committed and those responsible.

Detectives investigating the throwing of missiles have identified seven men who might have important information which could help with their enquiries.

Bristol Post, 2 August 2012

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The Swedish allies of Geller, Spencer and the EDL

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Isak Nygren and friends
Isak Nygren in Aarhus with EDL leaders Kevin Carroll and Stephen Lennon

As Pamela Geller never ceases to remind readers of her Atlas Shrugs blog, this Saturday a demonstration carrying the grandiose title of the “First Worldwide Counter-Jihad Action” will be held in Stockholm. A joint initiative by Geller and Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch together with the anti-Muslim thugs of the English Defence League, the demonstration has attracted support from a number of associated organisations, including the Swedish Defence League (who “chose an English name to show our support and gratitude to the EDL”).

The leading figure in the SDL, who has acted as the group’s spokesman, represented it at the EDL’s Aarhus protest in March, and according to the Swedish anti-fascist magazine Expo has been directly involved in organising the Stockholm demonstration, is an individual named Isak Nygren. Although still only a young man, Nygren has already acquired some political notoriety in Sweden.

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Waltham Forest public meeting pledges to defy the racist EDL

Posted on by Bob Pitt

We are Waltham Forest public meeting

Waltham Forest has sent a message of defiance to the racist English Defence League (EDL), which plans to march in the east London borough next month.

Over 120 people packed into a We Are Waltham Forest public meeting on Tuesday evening. They pledged to build the biggest possible counter demonstration and to prevent the EDL from taking to the streets.

Speakers included local MP Stella Creasy, Weyman Bennett from Unite Against Fascism, and author Owen Jones. They talked about how the EDL targets areas with Muslim populations and uses its demos to spread hatred and fear.

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Police response to Scottish Defence League protest probed

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Police are investigating allegations that officers allowed an extreme right wing racist group to protest illegally in Glasgow city centre after it hijacked an organised demonstration backing asylum seekers.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie raised the issue with Alex Salmond, branding the Scottish Defence League (SDL) “obnoxious and disgusting”.

Mr Harvie said the allegations centred on a council-approved protest by the Campaign to Welcome Refugees in George Square. He said the SDL disrupted the event, leading to police telling organisers it had to end early for public order reasons.

Mr Harvie said the SDL was then permitted by police to hold a short demonstration in the square despite having no prior official permission and then marched down Buchanan Street before leaving the city centre.

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Dudley Muslim Association granted appeal over rejection of mosque plan

Posted on by Bob Pitt

No mosque here 3Muslim leaders have been granted an appeal against the High Court’s decision to throw out plans for a new mosque – meaning the long-running dispute is heading back to the courtroom. It comes just weeks after council chiefs in Dudley thought they had reached a conclusion to the seven-year wrangle.

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EDL demonstration in Chelmsford: protestors chanted ‘You burn our poppy, we burn your mosque’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL in Chelmsford (2)

Three men from an anti-Islamic group were arrested on Saturday during a march against plans for a new mosque in Chelmsford.

More than 30 members of the English Defence League waved placards saying “no to radical Islam”, while others shouted racial slurs during a rally from the Plough Inn in Duke Street to the High Street.

The controversial right-wing group was marching against plans for a new mosque in Regina Way, Chelmsford, as part of the Waitrose supermarket development.

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Glen Jenvey joins the British Freedom party

Posted on by Bob Pitt

British Freedom Glen Jenvey

Glen Jenvey, the self-styled terrorism expert responsible for the Sun‘s fabricated “Terror Target Sugar” story about a supposed Muslim extremist hitlist (although he now denies this), recently posted a glowing account of the English Defence League and its membership (“I was amazed at the grass root support of EDL and the British Freedom Party which is a new political party which has been now merged with the EDL leadership … it was made up of every race as they have a open membership which is not reported in the UK media”).

And now it appears that Jenvey has taken his admiration one step further and joined the British Freedom party. They have crossposted an article by Jenvey on their website denouncing the sale of halal meat, with an introduction describing him as a British Freedom member.

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We Are Bristol and South West TUC hit back at Lib Dem attacks on anti-EDL protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Bristol anti-EDL protest

Trades unions and protesters have called on a Bristol City Council cabinet member to withdraw his claim that the Labour mayor candidate was “weak and naive” in his handling of the English Defence League (EDL) march earlier this month.

Gary Hopkins, the executive member for community safety, said Labour councillor Mike Woollacott was “totally irresponsible” for ignoring police advice and encouraging a counter-demonstration in the city centre. He added Marvin Rees, the party’s nomination for elected mayor, was weak, easily led and naïve for supporting him if he did not think violence would follow. Cllr Hopkins also attacked Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy for calling for a ban on the EDL march.

But at the weekend, the We Are Bristol group – made of trades unions and community groups – hit back, asking whether the Liberal Democrats were “playing the race card”.

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BNP and EDL join forces to back racist crank

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Margaret Walker and supportersSupporters and anti-racist campaigners turned out at court for the latest hearing in the case of a pensioner who has been ordered to stop sending racist letters in the post.

Margaret Walker who has admitted sending out up to 500 anonymous letters and leaflets filled with vile abuse, has had an interim Asbo order extended until her case goes to a full trial in September.

The order was made at a hearing at Fareham Magistrates’ Court last month. Yesterday’s hearing was to arrange time for legal arguments and set a trial date.

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