Category Archives: UK

EDL protester gets suspended prison sentence and CRASBO

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Peter Jelley EDLA protester at an English Defence League march in Walsall has been given a suspended jail term and banned from any demonstrations for four years.

Peter Jelley was caught on CCTV gesturing and shouting at a line of police in Walsall as trouble broke out at the rally last autumn. He was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody, suspended by a year, and given a Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order at the town’s magistrates court.

The 24-year-old from Shropshire admitted a public order offence of using threatening or abusive behaviour at a previous court hearing and was sentenced yesterday.

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Tory MEP demonstrates understanding of Islamism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Tory MEP Daniel Hannan shows that there are at least some members of his party who don’t automatically lose their grip on reason when faced with the phenomenon of political Islam (as commentators at, say, Conservative Home invariably do). In a post on his Telegraph blog Hannan notes:

Many North African governments include what might loosely be termed Islamist groups: the PJD in Morocco, Ennahda in Tunisia, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and so on. Yet the idea, sometimes promulgated by Western writers, that these parties are branches of a single Islamist movement, is quite misleading. Despite facing similar challenges, and sharing a language, they are almost wholly focused on their domestic affairs, and have little to do with one another. They vary enormously in their approaches to politics. Indeed, the more you discover about them, the more you realise that Islamist is a wholly inadequate label. To posit a continuum between salafist radicals, who want a sharia-based theocracy, and pluralist Muslim parties that see themselves as local equivalents of Europe’s Christian Democrats, is preposterous.

Paul Goodman (who holds the view that “Al Qaeda and the [Muslim] Brotherhood aren’t separated by a firewall in ideological terms. Rather, they’re like different rooms that are linked none the less by a common corridor”) might perhaps take note.

EDL ‘not expecting huge numbers’ at Cambridge demo

Posted on by Bob Pitt

English Defence League leaders are meeting police to “reduce disruption” during a demonstration in Cambridge.

The right-wing group, which disputes claims from supporters of Cambridge Unite Against Fascism that it was forced to call off a march, told the News the group had decided to hold a “static protest” to reduce disruption in the city centre.

A spokesman said: “All I can say at the moment is that it’s an awareness demo until I have my next meeting with police within the next seven to 10 days to finalise the rest.”

Police are planning their strategy to deal with the EDL demonstration on February 23. The EDL has previously protested against the building of a new mosque off Mill Road.

Almost 750 people have signed up to a counter-demonstration under the banner of Cambridge Unite Against Fascism (CUAF).

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The wit and wisdom of Nick Griffin

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The leader of the British National Party responds to news of the identification of Richard III’s skeleton with this piece of Wildean wit:

Nick Griffin Leicester tweet

According to the 2011 census, 214,403 inhabitants of Leicester were born in England – 65% of the total population. So there’s evidently a large majority of native English people living in the city. Of course, for all the BNP’s assurances that it rejects racism, when Griffin writes “Englishman” what he really means is “white person”.

Even if we were to accept that bigoted definition, there are 148,629 people living in Leicester who categorise themselves as “White; English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British” – 45% of the population. By contrast there are 61,440 Muslims living in the city – 18.6% of the total.

So, still some way to go before the Muslim hordes accomplish the Islamification of Leicester.

‘Sharia Law has no place in Britain or anywhere else’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Left Foot Forward offers assistance to the Islamophobic right in promoting sharia hysteria. (Note that the author of the piece declares herself to be a co-thinker of Maryam Namazie, whose latest contribution to rational thought has been to wonder why World Hijab Day is not being followed by days celebrating other supposedly Islamic customs such as female genital mutilation and child marriages.)

‘Racial’ messages left on Essex Police Facebook page despite review

Posted on by Bob Pitt
Southend Masjid

Southend Masjid in Westcliff-on-Sea – targeted by vandals

Some “deeply offensive” messages were allowed to remain on Essex Police’s Facebook page despite being reviewed by staff.

The constabulary placed an appeal about smashed windows at Southend Mosque on its Facebook page. But the post, to which anybody with a Facebook account could respond, led to a number of “unacceptable” messages.

The force said it would be reviewing policies following “an unprecedented level of racially emotive language”.

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Doncaster mayor quits English Democrats ‘because of BNP’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Eddy Butler EDPPeter Davies, the mayor of Doncaster, has resigned from the English Democrats claiming there has been a big influx of new members joining from the British National Party.

Mr Davies, who was elected to the post in 2009, had planned to stand for a second term at May’s local elections. He will now continue in office as an independent until the poll.

Party chairman Robin Tilbrook said he was saddened at the development but denied the party had been infiltrated.

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Community groups unite in reaction to far-right plans for Berwick demo

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Community groups from both sides of the border are preparing to unite in the face of provocation from a right-wing pressure group.

Bodies including the transport union RMT, the Berwick upon Tweed and District Trades Union Council and Unite Against Fascism have banded together to form the Berwick & Borders Anti Fascist Alliance.

The move comes ahead of a protest by the Scottish Defence League (Borders Division) scheduled to take place in Berwick on Saturday, February 16.

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Launch of anti-racist group ‘Sunderland Together’

Posted on by Bob Pitt
Northern Patriotic Front (4)

Fascists protesting in Millfield against plan for new mosque

A project that aims to unite communities across Sunderland has launched in the City.

‘Sunderland Together’ was formed as a response to a series of violent protests at the site of a new mosque on St Marks Road in Millfield, which saw far-right groups clash with anti-fascists and members of the Muslim community.

The newly established organisation hopes to provide an alternative to extremism with the aim of tackling discrimination and building understanding and tolerance.

The project launch, attended by members of the public, trade unions, politicians and representatives from faith communities, has received the backing of the public sector trade union UNISON.

Helen Coomer, Regional Organiser, UNISON, said: “Sunderland Together is about recognising the value of diversity and inclusivity and creating a city that is free from bigotry and prejudice.”

Sky Tyne and Wear, 3 February 2013

Via ENGAGE