Trade unionists, community groups and local MP Kelvin Hopkins are backing a ‘We are Luton’ march to oppose the racists and fascists of the English Defence League on Saturday 5 May.
UAF is mobilising nationally for this demo.
>> Why you should be in Luton on 5 May
>> Download demo leaflet here
A man who wielded knives, broke down his neighbours’ front door and threatened to kill them, has been jailed.
Leeds Crown Court heard how Daniel Smith [on left of photo] had 167 previous convictions before he was locked up for 10 further offences today.
The 39-year-old was not present for his sentencing because he was taken back to Armley prison from the court at lunchtime after destroying two toilets in the court cells.
An EDL thug who stormed a peaceful protest before hurling a lit firework has walked free from court.
Anthony Crawford sparked pandemonium when he lobbed the explosive at anti-jubilee protesters as they gathered for a rally in Newcastle city centre.
It landed in the hood worn by Barnaby Drew, from Byker, Newcastle, who was left with burns after it exploded on his shoulder and set fire to his hair. The 19-year-old’s pals patted down his body to stop it spreading, and the force of the blast burned a hole in his jumper. He was left partially deafened when the firework perforated his eardrum.
But now, after admitting one charge of assault by beating, Crawford, 22, of Elmway, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has escaped a prison term after magistrates handed him a 15-week suspended sentence.
Councillors will not be calling on the Home Secretary to ban the English Defence League from marching through Bristol.
Campaigners gathered at the Council House last night to protest at the far-right group being allowed to stage the event in the city on July 14. About 20 people rallied outside the College Green building ahead of the meeting of the council’s cabinet.
They held placards and banners bearing the words “defend our multicultural city of Bristol” and “No to racism, EDL is not welcome here”. Some chanted slogans against the EDL, which describes itself as an anti-Islamist organisation.
Paulette North, one of the organisers of the rally, was armed with a megaphone during the protest, shouting: “We should be saying the EDL are not welcome here and if they do come they should be concentrated in the open area behind Temple Meads, do whatever they want there and then go home. That’s what Tower Hamlets and Milton Keynes did and that is what we are asking this council to do – but they have done very little and really need to do more.”
Last week the right-wing press made a big splash over the arrest of two Muslims who had been reported to the police for “acting suspiciously” while sailing a dinghy on the River Lea at Waltham Abbey in Hertfordshire, near to the Olympic canoeing venue.
While articles in the Guardian and the Evening Standard were quite measured, the Daily Telegraph reported this under the shock-horror headline “London 2012: Two Muslim converts arrested over Olympic terror plot”.
The Daily Mail did at least refer to the plot in inverted commas (“Muslim converts who ‘plotted to attack Olympic canoeing venue’ arrested after police see them acting suspiciously in a dinghy”), but as you can see, the Telegraph didn’t even bother with that formality. In any case, the two individuals had been arrested on suspicion and had not been charged with an offence. So, in the absence of actual evidence, talk of any kind of plot was premature to say the least.
The leader of the Bristol branch of the English Defence League (EDL) has claimed he is getting death threats over plans to march in the city.
Micky Bayliss said he had received “numerous threats” and had also had a concrete slab thrown through his car windscreen while out campaigning. “I’ve also been actively tearing down various stickers and posters put onto my car,” he said.
A petition with more than 2000 signatures calling for a ban on the English Defence League’s march next weekend, will be handed in to Bristol City Council tomorrow.
It includes names from trade unionists and faith groups across the city, asking to prevent the march taking place on the 14th of July .
Similar EDL marches in Telford and Luton have been banned. There will also be a lobby outside of the Council House, College Green at 5.30pm before the Cabinet meeting.
Update: See also “Campaigners lobby for Bristol EDL march to be called off”, Bristol Post, 4 July 2012
Members of Luton’s Muslim community packed into the Crescent Hall in Bury Park on Saturday night for a meeting aimed at tackling Islamophobia.
Guest speakers included journalist Yvonne Ridley, and Cherie Booth’s sister Lauren Booth, both converts to Islam. Also speaking was political commentator Mohammed Ansar, and Luton Borough Council leader Hazel Simmons.
Luton, February 2011: Sikhs demonstrate against the EDL
The national press has belatedly latched on to the English Defence League’s attempt to exploit a Sikh protest that took place in Luton over a month ago. The Mail on Sunday has published an extended piece on the issue (“The far-Right leader in a Sikh headscarf and a very disturbing anti-Muslim alliance: EDL joins protesters angry at ‘grooming of girls'”) and the story has also been taken up by the Daily Mirror.
EDL thug Anthony Crawford was today facing prison after hurling a firework at peaceful protesters.
Crawford lit and then lobbed it at anti-jubilee protesters as they gathered for a rally. It landed in the hood worn by Barnaby Drew, from Byker, Newcastle, who was left with burns after it exploded on his shoulder and set fire to his hair.
Crawford, of Elmway, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has been warned he could face custody after launching the terrifying attack.