Trade unionists came together with Muslim young people to oppose the racists and fascists of the English Defence League in Dewsbury today.
Around 200 people from Dewsbury and neighbouring areas of West Yorkshire showed their support for multiculturalism and their opposition to the EDL thugs at the event organised by Kirklees UAF and supported by the local Unison branch, other trade unionists and faith leaders.
The antiracist demonstrators included trade unionists from the Unison, NUT, CWU and GMB unions among others, plus a large and lively contingent of young Muslims, standing up proudly against the Islamophobic EDL.
Speakers at the rally included NUT rep Martin Jones, Pat Jones of Kirklees Unison, CWU rep Simon Midgely, Ashiq Hussein, chair of We are Bradford, and UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett.
The EDL mobilised across the North of England and the Midlands to bring between 300 and 400 to their racist “protest”, with racist and fascist thugs coming from as far afield as Leicester, Newcastle and Merseyside.
They had attempted to assemble in nearby Bately before heading for Dewsbury, but were gathered up by police and escorted on buses into their assigned spot in a Dewsbury car park.