Harlow Strong organiser Leo Hartley plans to press ahead with Sunday’s (June 23) march – despite mounting opposition from community groups who fear the event will attract right-wing extremists.

The rally, which was originally set up under the banner of the controversial Woolwich Strong movement, is described as a “peaceful t-shirt charity march” by Mr Hartley.

But critics, including the Harlow branch of Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and local trade unionists, fear the event is a front for far-right political group the English Defence League and have urged organisers to call it off.

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A union leader will today address worshippers at two mosques to take a message of support to the Muslim community and condemn recent attacks by extremists. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey will visit two mosques in East London and meet Muslim community leaders.

He said: “Unite condemns the recent attacks on Muslim men and women by far right extremists and racists and offers the hand of friendship. Unite believes that every person in our community should live without fear and intimidation. Trade union values of fairness, justice and respect are what guide us and why we refuse to let our communities be divided by people pushing an agenda of hate and discrimination.”

The visit is the latest in a series of events aimed at easing tensions following the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby closer to the Royal Artillery barracks in south-east London in May.

Asian Image, 21 June 2013

See also “‘No place for EDL on our streets’ – McCluskey in solidarity visit to mosques”, Union-News, 21 June 2013

A seafront pub landlady has defended her decision to let members of the far-right English Defence League meet in her pub. Nicola Tiney, who runs the Borough Hotel, in Marine Parade, Southend, spoke out in the face of a social networking website campaign, urging drinkers to shun the pub.

Police were out in force at the weekend in Southend in response to reports the group’s Essex branch was planning to meet in the town. It later emerged members spent Saturday afternoon in the pub, prompting the setting up of a “Boycott the Borough Hotel” page on Facebook.  The reggae band Goldmaster Allstars have cancelled their July 6 gig, saying they “feel they can no longer be associated” with it.

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Members of Shropshire Council’s planning committee voted in favour of proposals to change the use of the former register office at Column Lodge in Preston Street.

The building was sold by Shropshire Council to the Shropshire Bangladeshi Welfare Society in a £215,000 deal. The group wants to turn the site into a prayer centre and community room.

But the scheme has strongly divided opinion with Shropshire Council receiving more than 500 letters about the application prior to the latest petition, with 227 in support and 278 against. It has also led to the English Defence League protesting in the town outside the planned prayer centre.

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A former police authority chairman has accused the English Defence League (EDL) of “fascist street thuggery” after a march in Hull that led to 10 arrests.

Trouble flared when about 75 people took part a march along Spring Bank on June 8, although those arrested were protesting against the event. Police said the men were held for public order-related offences when a “small disturbance” happened just after 1.15pm. Eight were released without charge, while a man aged 19 received a police caution for possession of a class B drug, and a 23-year-old was charged with possession of an offensive weapon in public.

Hull councillor Colin Inglis has now called on police to ban any further marches. In a motion going before a meeting of the authority tomorrow, Coun Inglis, a former chairman of Humberside Police Authority, wrote:

“Council notes the so-called ‘English Defence League’ march along Spring Bank. It further notes the deliberately provocative nature of this event with participants engaging in crude and racist behaviour clearly intended to elicit a response from local residents in a typical display of fascist street thuggery. Council believes that the residents of Myton ward, the City in general but of Spring Bank in particular, deserve to be protected against such blatant attempts to incite communal hatred and calls upon the Police to ban any further such planned marches.”

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