Category Archives: Far right racists

EDL leader charged with assault

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Stephen Lennon arrestedThe founder of the English Defence League has been charged with assaulting a police officer during clashes with Islamic protesters in London.

Stephen Lennon, 27, of Layham Drive, Luton, was held by police in Kensington, west London, as the nation stopped to mark the anniversary of Armistice Day. Father-of-two Lennon, also known as Yaxley-Lennon and Tommy Robinson, has spoken on behalf of the EDL after a series of violent and intimidating confrontations.

Five others associated with his group were also arrested as members of Muslims Against Crusades burned remembrance poppies.

Press Association, 12 November 2010

Jews against EDL launch unity voice

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jews Against the EDLThe first joint initiative to combat Jewish support for the English Defence League within the community has been launched.

The “Not in our name – Jews against the EDL” campaign is backed by more than a dozen organisations, including the Board of Deputies, Community Security Trust, the Israeli Embassy, and Jews for Justice for Palestinians. More than 500 people have already pledged their support.

The initiative of the Union of Jewish Students, the campaign is a response to the creation of a “Jewish division” by the extreme right-wing anti-Islamic-fundamentalist group earlier this year, and the EDL’s pro-Israel protest outside the Israeli Embassy last month, which was supported by American rabbi Nachum Shifren.

The “Not in our name” group’s founding pledge states: “The Jewish community has always been at the forefront of anti-fascism. From Cable Street to defeating the BNP at the ballot box, we have been unafraid to speak out against those who seek to spread fear and hatred in our communities.

“Now our community faces a new threat. The EDL claims to be our allies in the fight against extremism. In reality, they are violent racists with BNP members and Nazi sympathisers among their ranks. It is time for the Jewish community to come together as one to expose the EDL as the racist thugs they are.”

UJS campaigns director Carly McKenzie said: “We felt this was a prime opportunity to bring the whole community together with one loud voice.”

Edie Friedman, director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, which is backing the initiative, said: “It’s terribly important for different sections of the community, as well as individuals, to stand up and say categorically, ‘not in our name’. It’s unbelievable that such an organisation can appropriate Jewish support.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “At the HET we educate about the dangers of racism and discrimination and it is vital that we stand up against groups such as the EDL who preach hatred and division in our communities.”

Jewish Chronicle, 11 November 2010

Wilders trial to resume

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders stands next to his lawyer in an Amsterdam court charged with inciting hatred and discrimination against MuslimsThe trial of Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders for inciting hatred will resume shortly in Amsterdam with new judges, judicial authorities have said.

Mr Wilders is on trial charged with inciting hatred and discriminating against Muslims. The trial was suspended when the defendant’s lawyer raised objections against the judges. The impartiality of one of the judges was questioned when it turned out he had had a private conversation about the case with a defence witness prior to the trial.

Although the witness in question, Islamologist Hans Jansen, was present in the courtroom when the allegations were made, the court denied Mr Wilders’ attorney Bram Moszkowicz the right to question him about the private meeting with Judge Tom Schalken.

The objections made by the defence were upheld, and the judges have been replaced.

Mr Wilders rejects the charges of hatemongering against Muslims and claims that he is speaking the truth in calling Islam an aggressive ideology which promotes terrorism.

RNW, 11 November 2010

Spiegel interview with Wilders

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Wilders in New York 2Geert Wilders’ interview with Der Spiegel, in which he accused Angela Merkel of “copying” his own anti-Islam rhetoric, has already attracted attention. Spiegel Online has now published an English translation of the interview. On the subject of Merkel’s attack on multiculturalism, Wilders states:

“My party and I are a threat to the political elite in many countries. But they will not stop us. Take a look at German Chancellor Angela Merkel who is now trying to create a copy….

“Merkel is afraid – because there are opinion polls which show that a charismatic figure, if one were to emerge in Germany as I have done in the Netherlands, could count on 20 percent of the vote. I mean a figure without a far right-wing background – in other words, not from the Republikaner (REP) or the National Democratic Party (NPD). This represents a threat to the mainstream political parties, which is why they are now trying to copy us: Merkel has declared that the multicultural society has failed….

“I have never heard her say before that the multicultural society has failed. And the majority of Germans reject the statement by German President Christian Wulff that Islam is part of Germany. This means that what we have already witnessed here in Holland is now occurring in your country as well – the political elite is in turmoil…. The head of Germany’s conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), Horst Seehofer, not only says that the multicultural society is dead, but also that he wants no more Turkish and Arab immigrants.”

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Wilders is a fascist, says Dutch philosopher

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party is a fascist movement. That’s according to Dutch philosopher Rob Riemen in an essay sent to all members of parliament. He says he cannot understand why people are afraid to call a spade a spade.

Up to the 1990s, the fascism and Nazism of WWII marked the moral limit in Dutch politics. However, since the debate about immigration and the rise of Geert Wilders, it has become taboo to mention this. Any comparison of Wilders’ anti-Islamic party with fascism has been regarded as muddying the waters.

Nonsense, says Rob Riemen, Wilders is simply a fascist. “I don’t mean that as a term of abuse, it’s an objective historical judgment. There are numerous parallels between fascism then and now. History is there to learn from and, if we don’t, we will make the same mistakes.”

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Surbiton man faces charges over anti-Islam demo fight

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Three men accused of fighting with Muslims have been temporarily banned from attending marches organised by far-right group the English Defence League (EDL) as part of their bail conditions. The trio appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 3 to jointly face charges of affray and threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour.

The allegations followed a protest march organised by the EDL, which opposes the spread of Islam and Sharia law. All three men were at the demonstration, which began outside the Israeli Embassy in Kensington on October 24, before marching to Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, the court heard.

Christopher Long, 38, from Kent Way, Surbiton, was accused of kicking, overturning a table and fighting with an Asian man. Bryan Kelso, 28, who told the court he was homeless, was accused of grabbing a banner belonging to a counter-demonstrator and smashing it. Brian Bristow, 37, who is also homeless, has been staying on friends’ floors, having been evicted from his council house, the court heard.

All three were granted bail by District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe on the condition they did not attend any marches, demonstrations or counter-demonstrations organised by the English Defence League. A prosecution request to bar the men from entering Westminster or going back to Speakers’ Corner as part of their bail conditions was rejected by the judge.

Mr Kelso and Mr Bristow were ordered to report to their nearest police station, which the court was told was Doncaster. All three will reappear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on December 15 for their next hearing.

Surrey Comet, 8 November 2010

Wilders accuses Merkel of copying him

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders says German Chancellor Angela Merkel is copying his politics. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel, the anti-Islam MP said Chancellor Merkel is scared that a charismatic figure, like himself, who can attract 20 percent of the vote, will emerge in Germany.

“That is a threat to the traditional parties,” says Mr Wilders. “That is why she is trying to copy us; Merkel declared the multicultural society a failure.” The controversial politician criticised a pattern he also sees in the Netherlands; he thinks the political elite is in disarray. As an example he pointed out that CSU leader Horst Seehofer says he does not want any more Turkish or Arabic immigrants.

RNW, 7 November 2010

Exuberant demo says no to racism, fascism and Islamophobia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

November 2010 demo

Around 5,000 black, white and Asian people marched through central London today in a lively and spirited demonstration against racism, fascism and Islamophobia.

The march, called by UAF and Love Music Hate Racism, was supported by the TUC and the Muslim Council of Britain. But it was the presence of large number of young people, school and university students that gave the demo its exuberant character.

Marchers showed their opposition to the fascist British National Party and the racist thugs of the English Defence League – which particularly targets Muslims.

The demonstrators chanted: “Whose streets? Our streets” and “EDL, go to hell – take your Nazi mates as well” as the march wound out of the West End and down Whitehall to Westminster.

Along with the chanting, many danced along behind carnival floats, with music from artists supporting LMHR.

At Westminster, the protesters heard from a range of speakers, including George Galloway, Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary of the PCS civil service union and poet Zita Holbourne of Black Activists Rising Against Cuts.

UAF officer and LMHR national coordinator Martin Smith told the crowd that it was important for antiracists and antifascists to mobilise against the EDL, criticising those who argued that we should “stay away or hide behind doors”. He said:

If you give an inch to fascists they will come for more – we must not give an inch. We have to stand together, united.

He urged everyone to join a national mobilisation against the EDL in Luton in February.

There was more music, featuring artists including radical rapper Lowkey and up-and-coming young band Flow Dem, who caught the mood with their song Racial Ting: “It’s not a racial ting, it’s a white black mixed race Asian ting!”

Speaking after the demo, UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said:

Thousands of people turned out on a very lively demo to show they reject racism, fascism and Islamophobia. Now we need to build on that success, building bigger local groups and setting up new ones around the country.

We will also be mobilising for a national counter-demonstration against the EDL in Luton on 5 February 2011.

UAF news report, 6 November 2010

German Muslim leader calls for stand against Islamophobia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Aiman MazyekA prominent German Muslim leader expressed serious concern over the growing anti-Islam hysteria in his country, fuelled by right-wing populist politicians and the media.

Meeting with the Berlin-based foreign press Wednesday evening, the chairman of the Central Council of Muslims, Aiman Mazyek said, “I am concerned about the situation which we are facing.” He pointed out the animosity towards Muslims was “the fastest growing form of racism” in Germany. Mazyek said Islam bashing had become “socially acceptable,” even in German intellectual circles.

He added it was “frightening” to note that most Germans would support restricting the religious freedom of Muslims, according to a recent survey released by the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, affiliated to the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Mazyek warned that this hysterical anti-Islam debate would “ultimately damage Germany.” He criticized the nation’s media for not seriously questions some of the baseless assertions made about Islam. The official emphasized that it was “the duty of German society as a whole to confront this form of racism.”

The activist lamented the fact that German Muslims were facing “daily discrimination and hostility.” He referred to examples of an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim violence, including the recent brutal murder of an Iraqi Muslim by two neo-Nazis in the eastern city of Leipzig and the series of “almost monthly attacks against mosques” throughout the country. Mazyek said he had also received death threats and hate mail from right-wing populists.

He urged the government to address the challenge of Islamophobia before its gets out of control.

IRNA, 4 November 2010