Category Archives: Far right racists

Tower Hamlets: Mayor and MPs call for ban on EDL mosque march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

UAF Tower Hamlets demo adThe Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, along with dozens of other MPs and community leaders are calling on the Home Office to ban a planned march by the English Defence League, organised to take place on September 7 in Tower Hamlets.

Those calling for the ban, who have signed an open letter sent to the Guardian newspaper today, include former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, leader of Unite the Union, Len McCluskey, former cabinet minister Clare Short and MP and Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz.

Faith groups including the Islamic Forum of Europe and Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum have also signed the letter. There is particular concern that the EDL have openly declared they will target the East London Mosque.

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Luton residents’ fears over EDL’s plans to march at charity event

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Residents fear there may be “blood spilt on our doorsteps” as a row over charity football matches culminates in a planned English Defence League (EDL) protest on Bank Holiday Monday.

The far-right group say it is “unfair and hypocritical” that Goals 4 Gaza is allowed to take place at Play Football in Stopsley when their fundraising tournament for a young girl in July was cancelled. Worried Stopsley residents contacted the Luton News after receiving leaflets from the Safer Neighbourhood Team advising them of the demo.

A St Thomas’s Road resident who did not wish to be named said: “I am absolutely horrified that a march is taking place in such a small peaceful community and in such a small road. It’s crazy. If trouble kicks off, it could be terrible for the residents. We don’t want blood spilt on our doorsteps. We just want a peaceful Bank Holiday.”

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EDL leaders charged over attempt to stage provocative march past East London Mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL leader arrestedTwo leaders of the English Defence League (EDL) have been charged with obstructing police officers in east London. The men allegedly tried to defy a ban on marching to the scene of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby via a major mosque.

Tommy Robinson, 30, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier. His co-leader Kevin Carroll was also charged after answering police bail. Both men are due to appear at the same court on 11 September.

They were arrested on suspicion of obstructing officers outside Aldgate East Tube station on 29 June. The pair, both from Luton, were attempting to stage what they claimed was a charity walk to Woolwich Barracks in south-east London via the East London Mosque, in breach of police restrictions put in place to avoid “serious public disorder and serious disruption to the life of the community”.

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‘Counterjihad’ supporter who launched smoke grenade into mosque is jailed

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Geoffrey RyanA man launched a smoke grenade into a mosque and threatened to kill Muslims after he “snapped” following his brother’s death. Geoffrey Ryan, 44, approached the Al-Falah Braintree Islamic Centre, in Silks Way, Braintree, armed with two knives on the evening of May 22.

He was jailed for nine months on Monday after admitting two charges of having a bladed object in a public place and one charge of affray.

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Bail terms ban EDL marchers from Hull

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Hull Daily Mail reports that four men have been charged with various offences after they were arrested in connection with Saturday’s English Defence League march in the city.

A 46-year-old Derbyshire man was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm after a man was attacked in the city centre. A 46-year-old man from Mansfield has been charged with using threatening words or behaviour after police broke up a scuffle. He is also accused of possessing a Class A drug. Another man, who is 43 and from West Yorkshire, was charged with being drunk and disorderly and possessing a Class B drug. Police also arrested a 52-year-old man from Essex who has been charged with using threatening words or behaviour.

The four men have been bailed on condition that they must not come back to Hull or meet in groups of more than five people until they appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court next month.

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Bad news for far right – Skegness halal abattoir isn’t closing after all

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Skegness halal protest (2)
English Defence League protesting outside the Skegness abattoir last month

Speculation regarding the possible closure of a Skegness abattoir has been circulating the town after several notices from a bailiff company were seen pinned on the building.

However, a member of management for the halal slaughterhouse has claimed business will be “back to normal” tomorrow. “There was a dispute with the landlord. It’s all sorted now; we will be working and back on Wednesday,” said Mr Patel for Premier Halal Ltd.

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EDL organiser threatens to hold another protest in Portsmouth

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Mickey Bayliss (2)The leader of a fascist group has said there will be another protest. Mickey Bayliss [pictured], the English Defence League’s regional organiser for the south west, has announced another march against a Muslim school will take place in Portsmouth.

The call for a second protest comes after Mr Bayliss was unhappy with what Portsmouth City Council leader, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, said after the weekend’s protest. Cllr Vernon-Jackson said it was unacceptable that fireworks were thrown during a supposedly peaceful protest.

Mr Bayliss said: “The council cannot not tell us what we can or cannot do. We have the freedom to do what we want and we will be holding another march this weekend. We will not be announcing when or where and we will not be co-ordinating with the police. The march will be against the Madani Academy again as well as the council.”

Portsmouth News, 20 August 2013

Call for ban on EDL marches after thuggery in Hull

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL assault victim Hull

Calls have been made to ban any future English Defence League (EDL) protests in East Yorkshire. It comes after a man was injured in front of horrified shoppers and families at St Stephen’s in Ferensway.

A member of the 300-strong EDL protest broke free from police and hit the man yards from where children were on a funfair roundabout. The man was injured moments after unfurling a banner promoting multicultural Hull.

Today, Daren Hale, deputy leader of Hull City Council, said he would be seeking a meeting with police to discuss having these marches banned from the city. He said:

“It is completely unacceptable and this is the sort of thing we were worried about. I think these should be banned now. I will always want to defend people’s freedom of speech but, in my opinion, the intention of this march was to cause distress and upset in our community and that is exactly what happened. They would not have had the opportunity to do this had the march not proceeded.”

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Mélenchon accuses Valls of adopting ideology of far right

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jean-Luc MélenchonLe Monde reports that in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the Parti de Gauche candidate in last year’s French presidential election, has attacked interior minister Manuel Valls.

Endorsing a description of Valls as representing the “extreme right” of the socialist movement, Mélenchon accused him of falling under the influence of Marine Le Pen and trying to compete with the Front National in appealing to anti-Muslim bigotry. Mélenchon stated:

“Madame Le Pen is on the verge of winning her bet. Not only has she seduced most of the right but she has also contaminated Manuel Valls. And it is he who sets the tone for the government. See how he has polluted part of the summer over the question of the veil. Muslims in our country are the object of unbearable stigmatisation.”

Mélenchon added: “He decided cynically to use this unhealthy situation to establish his personality as a hard and violent man who is hunting on the territory of Madame Le Pen.”