Category Archives: English Defence League

South East Alliance to hold protest against Muslim Brotherhood in Cricklewood

Posted on by Bob Pitt

SEA anti-MB protest adA far-right organisation is planning to hold a protest outside the headquarters of a major Egyptian political group in Cricklewood on Saturday.

Members of South East Alliance (SEA) are due to demonstrate outside the headquarters of Muslim Brotherhood (MB) which is based in a flat above shops in Cricklewood Broadway.

MB was a praised political group in Egypt but were ousted from power amid popular demonstrations. They are believed to be launching a fight-back against Egypt’s military rulers from their new home.

SEA have denied speculated links to the English Defence League claiming they are “a non-political community based street movement”. However, their Facebook page is filled with anti-Muslim posts.

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Progressive Christians should take on the Christian right

Posted on by Bob Pitt

We need to expose the truth about certain Christian groups that are happy to ally themselves with far-right politics. Foremost among them is Christian Concern (previously called Christian Concern For Our Nation).

Christian Concern claims to speak up for Christian values in public life. They are one of the main groups behind the Coalition for Marriage, which has drawn in more moderately conservative Christians and gained significant media coverage with its outrageously untrue claim that the legalisation of same-sex marriages would allow churches to be sued for not holding them. Many middle-of-the-road Christians have been happy to endorse the group’s ‘Not Ashamed’ campaign, which encourages Christians to be open about their faith.

Rumours have long circulated that the leaders of Christian Concern held a meeting by phone with Tommy Robinson when he was leader of the English Defence League. Christian Concern last month had the opportunity to get rid of these rumours, when they were asked outright by a journalist (not me) if they were true. Christian Concern’s press officer, after consulting with its leaders, told the journalist that they had no comment to make.

Christian Concern deny being party-political – they had to apologise to their supporters in 2010 when they appeared to endorse the tiny Christian party. But in 2011, the group held a meeting on ‘Dismantling Multiculturalism’ with Gerard Batten, Ukip MEP for London. Proposals they appear to have agreed on include a ban on kosher and halal food in schools and hospitals, an end to Islamic banking in the UK and a ban on non-English signs in public (Batten has since tried to play it all down, saying these were only ideas). By last year, Christian Concern’s bulletins to supporters were commenting on Ukip’s local election success in joyful terms.

Symon Hill writes at Politics.co.uk, 6 June 2014

Stevenage pub withdraws from hosting EDL members before march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Marquis of LorneA pub will no longer host English Defence League (EDL) members before they march tomorrow (Saturday).

The Marquis of Lorne, in Stevenage High Street, had agreed to allow EDL members to meet at the pub prior to their 1.30pm march through the town. They have now withdrawn and have yet to decide whether to open their doors throughout the day.

A statement on the pub’s Facebook page reads: “We at the Marquis of Lorne agreed to the EDL starting their march here purely as a business opportunity – not for political reasons. We have now withdrawn. We apologise to anyone we may have offended over this matter.”

At present the EDL is still advertising The Marquis of Lorne as a meeting place on Facebook.

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EDL thug Dean Kenney admits part in Birmingham riot

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Dean Kenney (2)
Dean Kenney (centre of photo) with fellow EDL thugs and (right) boasting about contaminating halal chicken with bacon

A right-wing thug who boasted of contaminating supermarket Halal chicken with bacon has admitted in court to committing violent disorder at a 2,000-strong English Defence League rally. Dean Kenney, 41, from Bannister Green Villas, Felsted, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to taking part in a demonstration last July which saw EDL members, 300 anti-fascists and police clash in the town centre.

They marched to Centenary Square where then EDL leader Tommy Robinson delivered a speech outside the Symphony Hall. Then the violence started between EDL supporters and police wearing full riot gear. A portable toilet was tipped over spilling waste over the street and missiles were thrown, including bottles and cobblestones. It was estimated around £6,000 of damage was caused to a sign at the entrance to the Hyatt Hotel as demonstrators again clashed with police.

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Man arrested at EDL protest set to face trial

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A 26-year-old accused of threatening behaviour at an English Defence League protest in Slough is facing trial. Daniel Jones, of Avocet Close, Rugby, was arrested by police on Saturday, February 1, after protesting at the march in Slough town centre. He appeared at Maidenhead Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, May 22, but has been released on unconditional bail to appear at the same court on Thursday.

Slough Express, 31 May 2014

‘Jihad’ against Cadbury? The only threats of violence are against Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Cadbury MalaysiaThe Daily Mail and Telegraph have both run stories, originating in the Malay Mail, about the indignation expressed at a press conference yesterday by some Muslim leaders in Malaysia over allegations that Cadbury’s chocolate has been found to contain traces of porcine DNA.

The Mail headed its report: “Jihad declared on Cadbury by Malaysian Muslims after pork DNA batches”. The Telegraph originally went with the more neutral “Islamic groups angry at Cadbury Malaysia after two batches found to contain pork DNA”, before deciding this wasn’t hard-hitting enough and amending it to “Malaysian Muslim groups call for jihad on Cadbury after pork traces found in chocolate”.

The shock-horror element in both of these reports is achieved by translating jihad as “holy war” rather than the more accurate term “struggle”, in order to suggest that Cadbury has been threatened with violence. There was in fact a single Muslim spokesperson at the press conference, one Ustaz Masridzi Sat, who spoke about declaring jihad, and I very much doubt that physical attacks on chocolate factories were what he had in mind.

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Leicester man jailed for 16 months over racist rants

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Lewis Foulds with friends
Lewis Foulds (second skinhead from left wearing white t-shirt) with friends

A judge has jailed a racist who insulted a bus driver and a security guard.

Lewis Nigel Foulds, who was told his “disgraceful” views would not be tolerated in Leicester, began shouting and swearing at Judge Simon Hammond as he was sentenced to 16 months in prison. The 21-year-old, who appeared via a live television link between Leicester Crown Court and Leicester Prison, had to be restrained by guards and removed from the video-link room.

Sentencing, Judge Hammond said: “Leicester is a multi-cultural society and people in Leicester are proud of that and work hard to promote it. There’s no place in British society for people like this defendant, who holds disgraceful, disgusting views and adopts disgraceful conduct. People are entitled to go about their business without having racial insults thrown at them. People who have racist views, and behave in a racist manner and insult people with their racist views, must expect custody.”

Foulds, formerly of Hazeldine Road, Hamilton, Leicester, told the judge: “You’re just making me worse.” After his outburst, Judge Hammond said to the court: “We have just seen him storm out of the prison video-link room. He came back in and was abusive and swore. He was violent and was removed.”

The court heard that at 1pm on March 25, Foulds was on a bus in Keyham Lane, Leicester, which was being driven by a Sikh driver. There were two female passengers on the bus. Foulds told the women: “I bet the driver eats pork.” He began to chant racist comments, claiming Muslim people were paedophiles, and also announced: “I’m a racist and a fascist and proud of it.”

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EDL rally in Birmingham: Sixteen men admit violent disorder

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL clash with police in BirminghamIt was a day drenched in blood which saw Broad Street and Centenary Square ring-fenced by legions of riot police.

Windows were smashed, cobbles torn up and fences around the unfinished Library Of Birmingham were demolished. Now 16 men have pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder at the height of a 2,000-strong English Defence League rally last July.

All of the men, from the West Midlands and other parts of the country, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court. Each faced a charge of violent disorder stemming from the July 20 demonstration, in which it was said they had threatened unlawful violence. The charge stated they had acted in a group where their conduct would make others fear for their safety.

All 16 spoke only to confirm their names and to enter their guilty pleas. His Honour Judge Murray Creed adjourned their cases for sentencing to a later date.

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English Defence League set to march in Stevenage

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Stevenage protest ad

Members of the EDL – which claims to be a human rights organisation protesting about Islamic extremism but whose marches are characterised by racism, violence, death threats and arrests – plan to march through Stevenage on Saturday, June 7.

The group’s page on social networking site Facebook says the march is “to protest at grooming incidents”. More than 250 people have so far confirmed through the site that they will be taking part in the march, which is set to start at 1pm.

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EDL march through Newcastle meets anti-fascist counter-protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Newcastle Unites banner May 2014Up to 400 English Defence League supporters joined forces yesterday to march through Newcastle.

The event started at 1pm in the Bigg Market, snaked along Collingwood Street, on to Westgate Road, along St James’ Boulevard, on to Barrack Road and into Leazes Park. The procession was led to the beating of a drum and chants by its members. Supporters draped in Union Jacks and St George’s flags where hemmed in by lines of police.

The far-right group landed at Leazes Park to the sounds of a DJ in the sweltering heat. And from the bandstand they listened to a string of speakers.

Police wearing high visibility jackets flanked the crowds and in the park they carried riot helmets in case of any trouble.

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