Category Archives: English Defence League

EDL plans South Shields protest march

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The right-wing English Defence League (EDL) is planning a protest gathering at the heart of the Muslim community in South Tyneside.

Up to 500 members of the organisation have been invited to the proposed demonstration in Ocean Road, South Shields, on Saturday, August 31. The meeting is said to be a reaction to an ongoing court case involving three former South Tyneside College students accused of raping two 14-year-old girls.

Today, a Muslim community leader expressed his alarm at the plan, and he is calling on the authorities to make sure it does not go ahead.

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Kingston Mosque attacker back in jail over knife attack

Posted on by Bob Pitt

David MorrisA racist thug jailed for attacking Kingston Mosque is back in prison months after being released – this time for brutally stabbing a man during a wake. David Morris knifed construction worker Edminas Samulionis at Hart’s Boatyard in Surbiton on December 13, 2012.

In what police described as a “deeply disturbing” act, Morris – who had played no part in the fight up to that point – was captured on CCTV leaving the Portsmouth Road pub and walking to his van in the car park.

He returned with a 7in blade and stabbed Lithuanian-born Mr Samulionis repeatedly, before leaving in his van at speed. The victim suffered a punctured lung and has still not fully recovered from the attack. It is understood he has since returned to his home country.

On Friday at Kingston Crown Court, Morris, 22, was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm. He had originally been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

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EDL planning march against Islamic school in Portsmouth

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A March through Portsmouth has been prompted by the proposed opening of a Muslim school. The English Defence League (EDL) will be marching from Fratton to the Madani Academy, in Buckland, to show their disapproval of such a school being built in Portsmouth. The Muslim-only school is expected to open later this year.

Mickey Bayliss, the EDL’s regional organiser for the South West said that the school will cause Muslim children to be segregated from the community.

The 46-year-old said: “We have decided to hold a protest because of the new school opening in Portsmouth. We do not agree with having a school just for Muslims. The parents have chosen to bring their children to England or have them brought up here and they shouldn’t be left segregated to a one-faith school. We will have Sikhs and black people at the protest so we are not about being racist.”

The EDL will not be the only group protesting on Saturday. The Unite Against Fascism group will also be holding a march in the city centre from midday.

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Counter the EDL/SDL across the country this Saturday

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The EDL has called a number of regional demonstrations across the country this weekend, with the obvious hope of building for a big turnout in Tower Hamlets next month. They plan to march in Edinburgh, Hull, and Portsmouth this Saturday, 17th August. Local UAF groups are mobilising with broad forces to ensure that there is an anti-fascist/anti-racist presence in these areas on the day.

In Edinburgh we are urging activists from across Scotland to stop the SDL from marching upon the annual Edinburgh Festival. This is a clear affront to the multicultural and diverse nature of the festival and must be resisted!

Below are assembly details for each protest:

Edinburgh:
Oppose the SDL march through the heart of Edinburgh during the festival.
Saturday 17 August
Assemble 12pm
Chambers Street, Edinburgh city centre. Scotland-wide mobilisation.

Hull:
Saturday 17 August
Assemble 11am
Pearson Park Mosque, (corner of Park Road & Pearson Park). Supported by Hull TUC.

Portsmouth:
Saturday 17 August
Assemble 12pm
Meet at the Fountain, Commercial Road, Portsmouth.

UAF news report, 13 August 2013

‘This is a Muslim area and we don’t want to see that’: Mob pelts brothers-in-law wearing mankinis on sponsored walk with stones and accuses them of being paedophiles

Posted on by Bob Pitt

That’s the headline to another Muslim-bashing article in the Daily Mail. Over at Zelo Street Tim Fenton expresses scepticism about the whole story, noting that the Mail has overlooked the far-right links of the individuals involved.

NWI and fascist allies to stage anti-immigration march in Leigh

Posted on by Bob Pitt

NWI Leigh protestPlans for a far right march through the borough this weekend have caused outrage.

The North West Infidels – a splinter group from the controversial and violent English Defence League – have announced that they are to parade through Leigh town centre on Saturday. Organisers say around 200 members of the shadowy group will march in what they are calling an “anti immigration” rally outside the town hall.

Anti-fascist groups across the borough are now planning a counter-demonstration, leaving traders fearful of disorder and unrest that could well hit takings during difficult times.

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Fresh calls for home secretary to ban EDL march through Tower Hamlets

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A letter calling for the home secretary to ban far right group the English Defence League from marching through Tower Hamlets has been circulated to trade unions, faith and community groups. The borough’s mayor, Lutfur Rahman, is calling on interested parties to sign the letter to Theresa May to stop the EDL from going ahead with a planned demonstration on September 7.

Mr Rahman expresses fears that the group intends to bring a “message of hate” to Tower Hamlets in the wake of the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich in May. “Their protests invariably result in violence against property, the police, or local communities,” Mayor Rahman wrote. “We have real fears that the EDL presence will act as a catalyst for further violence, disorder and destruction of property. There must be no place for hatred in our communities. The home secretary must act, and act now, to ensure the EDL is not able to bring its tour of hate to the streets of east London on September 7,” the letter concludes.

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EDL supporter spared jail over ‘Lee Rigby’ riot

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A family man involved in riots that followed the murder of soldier Lee Rigby has been given a suspended jail term.

Paul Lloyd was singled out from a group of men who clashed with police when a supposed peace walk turned violent, Bristol Crown Court heard. The court was told members of the English Defence League, as well as supporters of United Against Fascists, converged in Kingswood for the social-media-sparked event. Police arrested Lloyd in a melee that resulted and spotted him mouthing “EDL” during a stand-off in a pub in St George, the court heard. Lloyd, 39, of Farley Close in Little Stoke, pleaded guilty to threatening unlawful violence.

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Jews stand in solidarity with Muslims against fascist SDL

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Edinburgh’s Jews will not stand by while fascists threaten their Muslim neighbours, a leading figure in the capital’s faith community said today. Sukkat Shalom chairman Norman Crane offered words of support today after the city’s council said it would let the far-right Scottish Defence League march down the Royal Mile next month.

The SDL, known for taunting nazi salutes and racist attacks, plans a provocative march through the heart of the international Fringe Festival on August 17 – and councillors have approved the demonstration, saying police had reported “no significant public order issues” in recent years. Mr Crane said he could not understand why the march had been allowed – “freedom of speech, I suppose.” But he had attended an emergency meeting with anti-racist activists on Monday evening and would “strongly support” any counter-demonstration.

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