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English Defence League

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English Defence League
Formation27 June 2009
TypeFar right, Anti-Islamism
Key people
Tommy Robinson
Trevor Kelway
WebsiteEnglishDefenceLeague.org

The English Defence League (EDL) is an English far-right group formed in 2009. Its stated aim is to oppose what it considers as the spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in England, although the EDL's political direction is being debated within the group.[1][2]

The EDL uses street-based marches against Muslim extremism to attract attention to its objective.[3][4] It presents itself as being multi-ethnic and multi-faith,[2] and states that it opposes only "jihadists", not all Muslims.[5] Nevertheless, EDL members were reported to have chanted "We hate Muslims" at pro-Palestinian demonstrators in London on 13 September 2009.[6]

EDL membership figures have been disputed. In October 2009, the EDL claimed to have "thousands" of members in scores of branches,[7] a claim contradicted by the organisation's spokesman Trevor Kelway, who said it has about 300 active supporters who attended demonstrations with strong support from Cardiff, Swansea, Luton and Portsmouth.[3] At the time "an analyst" believed the group to have 300 to 500 active supporters that it could mobilise at any given time.[1][3] Police estimated 1,500 to 2,000 EDL demonstrators marched in Newcastle upon Tyne in May 2010.[8] The Scottish Defence League is an offshoot organisation formed to hold demonstrations in Glasgow[9], while the Welsh Defence League was formed to demonstrate in Swansea and Newport.[10] The EDL also incorporates a "Jewish Division" which has its own Facebook page.[11] The EDL was the subject of a 2010 BBC documentary, Young, British and Angry.[12]

Formation

The EDL originated from a group named "United Peoples of Luton", formed in response to a March 2009 protest against Royal Anglian Regiment troops returning from the war in Afghanistan[13] organised by the extremist Islamist Al-Muhajiroun and including members of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah.[14] The EDL evolved from the football casual subculture and is loosely organised around figures in hooligan firms. One of the organization’s principal strategists is Alan Lake, who has also advised the Sweden Democrats on tactics.[7]

When the Luton counter-demonstration led to arrests, local football supporters, using social networking websites, collaborated with other football casual groups, including those associated with hooliganism and the far right. A major turning point was a June 2009 demonstration in Birmingham by Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah that featured an 11 year old white boy from Birmingham being converted to Islam.[2][5][15]

According to Searchlight, as reported in The Times, the EDL website was developed by Chris Renton, a British National Party (BNP) activist.[16] EDL member Paul Ray has accused Renton and others of hijacking the group.[17]

The BNP has sought to distance itself from "the sort of confrontation which the EDL seems to seek".[18] In September 2009 the BNP officially declared the EDL a proscribed organisation, and made it a disciplinary offence for any BNP member to be involved with the EDL.[19] Searchlight has said that proscription is BNP standard practice when attempting to establish 'deniability'.[7]

Activities

The group states that its aim is to demonstrate peacefully in English cities,[7] but conflicts with Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and other opponents have led to street violence and arrests, resulting in some EDL marches being banned.[5] Journalists that have covered EDL marches have received death threats.[20] Guardian journalist Jason N. Parkinson wrote about receiving a death threat by email from someone he described as an EDL organiser, as well as death threats sent to Marc Vallée, a fellow journalist.[21] The National Union of Journalists also released a statement about journalists who had been intimidated after covering EDL marches.[20] Four specialist national police units involved in policing hooliganism, extreme violence, and terrorism are investigating the EDL.[5]

On 8 August 2009 the EDL and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) clashed at a protest planned by EDL in Birmingham, resulting in 35 arrests.[22][23] Later that month, the EDL, Casuals United (an affiliated group),[24] and two other groups were banned for three months from marching in Luton under the Public Order Act 1986.[25] Further violent clashes between the EDL and socialist protesters[26] occurred on 5 September 2009 at another EDL-planned Birmingham protest, resulting in 90 arrests.[27][28][29] Negotiations between the EDL protesters and the West Midlands Police over a police escort from Broad Street to the protest site at Lancaster Circus had been unsuccessful.[26][30] According to Assistant Chief Constable Sharon Rowe of West Midlands Police: "Really, there was no intent to protest. It think they knew that the community was very much against them coming to the city, which...potentially would generate violence".[31]

On 13 September 2009 the EDL attended an annual multi-faith, pro-Palestinian rally held in London organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission. There were several brief confrontations as EDL activists chanted "We hate Muslims" and "Muslim bombers off our streets". There were no arrests.[6]

On 10 October 2009 about 700 EDL members protested in Manchester, and about 1,400 UAF members counter-protested.[32] The two sides were separated by a line of riot police, dogs and mounted police. Forty-eight people were arrested during the protests. On the same day the EDL held a press conference, during which they burned a Nazi flag and asserted that "There is no militant undertone. We will peacefully protest but we will not be scared into silence". In the press conference, the EDL wore black balaclavas and T-shirts with the name of different EDL divisions on the back. They justified wearing balaclavas by suggesting that the burqa was just as intimidating a garment. In response to the suggestion that EDL had been described as a drinking club with a website, the members laughed.[2][7] In Swansea on 17 October 2009, Nazi salutes were made during the first demonstration by the Welsh Defence League.[33]

On 31 October 2009, about 900 EDL supporters protested in Leeds city centre against Islamic extremism, and up to 1,500 UAF supporters held a counter-protest nearby.[34][35] Eight people were arrested for public order offences after minor scuffles. West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council issued a joint statement in which they thanked the participants for their patience and consideration.[34][35]

On 5 December 2009, about 500 EDL protesters, many of whom had been drinking heavily,[36] marched through Nottingham following an earlier march by members of the 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment returning from Afghanistan. Clashes took place with Asian students carrying a Pakistan flag, and with members of the UAF. Several arrests were made and the security operation is estimated to have cost around one million pounds.[36]

On 23 January 2010, the EDL held a protest in Stoke-on-Trent attended by around 1,500 of their supporters. EDL members broke through police lines, seventeen people were arrested, while four police officers were injured (two of whom needed hospital treatment) and police vehicles damaged.[37]

On 20 March 2010 the EDL staged a demonstration in Bolton,[38] with the stated intention of protesting against "radical Muslims" and Sharia law.[39] An estimated 2,000 EDL attended the demonstration, and an estimated 1,500 UAF supporters counter-protested. 1300[40] police wearing riot gear, with dogs and helicopters, were deployed to control the confrontation,[41] at an estimated cost of £300,000.[40] 74 people were arrested in the demonstrations; at least 55 from the UAF and nine from the EDL.[42][43][44][45]

A police officer criticised the EDL for "vitriolic name-calling" and said "we have seen groups of people, predominantly associated with the UAF, engaging in violent confrontation."[45] When the rally was over, police escorted EDL supporters to bus and railway stations while the EDL supporters chanted: "We want our country back."[45]

On 3 April 2010 the EDL staged a protest in Dudley against a planned mosque in the town. The EDL say the Mosque was being built against the wishes of the people of Dudley, as 50,000 residents of the town signed petitions against the building of the Mosque. [46] It is estimated round 2000 EDL attended the protest. Several EDL supporters brought down the fencing containing their demonstration. Several EDL demonstrators then escaped the police cordon.[47] Although the plans for the new mosque have since been scrapped, the EDL are set to return to Dudley on 17 July 2010.[1]

On 1 May the EDL staged a demonstration in Aylesbury. It was reported that around 800 EDL attended the demonstration and several were arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon.[48]

On 29 May 2010 the EDL held a march in Newcastle, the UAF held a separate march to oppose the EDL.[49] Northumbria police, who policed the event estimated between 1,500 to 2000 attended the EDL march and 1000 attended the UAF march. Although there were minor scuffles, there were no arrests at either of the marches. [50]

The EDL plan to hold further demonstrations in Bradford and Tower Hamlets after the Guardian revealed that the EDL were plan to target some of the UK's highest-profile Muslim communities and "hit" places like Bradford.[51]

When journalist Ben Anderson covered an EDL march for his program Young, British and Angry, members were shown to include a Scottish Asian man with a Rangers flag. The only member of the leadership Anderson could get on camera was a British Asian, Guramit Singh, who was secretly taped stating that he hates "Pakis". [52]

The creation of an EDL "Jewish division" in June 2010 was condemned by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz[53]

On July 17, 2010 the EDL held a second demonstration in Dudley against the building of a mosque. There were riot police deployed and during the protest a group broke off and attacked a Hindu Temple.[54] The leader of Dudley council, Anne Milward, stated later "We are extremely saddened that Dudley has again been targeted by the English Defence League. Yet again this group of outside extremists have shown they are incapable of demonstrating peacefully and have brought public disorder and violence to our town." [55] There were 21 arrests on the day. 17 for violent disorder, 2 for affray, one for a public order offence and one for posessing an offensive weapon.[56]

Views and reactions

The British press describes the EDL as far-right.[57][58][59][60][61] This has been contested by Bill Baker, organiser of the EDL's cancelled Harrow Central Mosque protest, who said

"The protest was organised by people from all walks of life, all religions and faiths – even the local Sikhs and Hindus were concerned. It wasn't a far-right protest. Although they might have been utilising the situation they were nothing to do with us. We are opposed to extremism on both sides of the political agenda."[58]

Searchlight says the EDL poses two risks. One is the formation of a street army prepared to travel around the country to fight and provide organisational support. The other is the group's tactics of carrying placards and chanting in places that are potential flashpoints. Searchlight added that not every leader of the EDL is a fascist or hardcore racist.[5]

Trevor Kelway, a spokesman for the EDL, has denied that the group is racist. He said he had taken over as spokesman because the previous spokesman was Islamophobic. "We would march alongside Muslims and Jews who are against militant Islam," he said. "There were none on Saturday and an all-white group doesn't look good. But they can join the EDL as long as they accept an English way of life. It is the people who threaten with bombs and violence and threaten and bomb our troops – they don't belong here."[3][24]

John Denham, the then UK Communities Secretary, has condemned EDL, saying its tactics are similar to those of the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s, although he stressed that they did not present anything like the same "potency, organisation or threat". He was commenting after clashes between different groups at a new London mosque, during a demo by the group Stop the Islamification of Europe. He singled out the EDL in particular: "If you look at the types of demonstrations they have organised, the language used and the targets chosen, it looks pretty clear that it's a tactic designed to provoke, to get a response and create violence".[62][63]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "EDL Goons on Newsnight, part2". Newsnight. 12 October 2009. 1:26 minutes in. BBC. BBC2. {{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |began=, |episodelink=, |serieslink=, |ended=, |transcripturl=, and |seriesno= (help); Unknown parameter |city= ignored (|location= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d O'Brien, Paraic (12 October 2009). "Under the skin of English Defence League". BBC Newsnight.
  3. ^ a b c d Booth, Robert; Jones, Sam (11 August 2009). "'Defence league' recruiting football fans to march against Islamic extremism". The Guardian. London.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Walker, Jonathan (26 August 2009). "MP opposes rally ban despite violence fears". Birmingham Post.
  5. ^ a b c d e Casciani, Dominic (11 September 2009). "Who are the English Defence League?". BBC News Online. London.
  6. ^ a b Taylor, Matthew (13 September 2009). "Far-right supporters confront pro-Palestinian protestors". The Guardian. London.
  7. ^ a b c d e Tweedie, Neil (10 October 2009). "The English Defence League: will the flames of hatred spread?". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  8. ^ Keeping to their marching orders Northern Echo May 31, 2010
  9. ^ Leask, David (18 September 2009). "Anti-Muslim extremists plan Scots protest". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
  10. ^ "Call for anti-Islamic marches ban". London: BBC. 8 October 2009.
  11. ^ http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/32535/edl-step-their-jewish-recruitment
  12. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sh6xp
  13. ^ Urry, Allan (22 September 2009). "Is far-right extremism a threat?". BBC News Online.
  14. ^ "Luton parade protesters 'were members of extremist group'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 12 March 2009.
  15. ^ "The shocking picture of a white boy aged 11 being 'converted' to Islam by radical preacher". The Daily Mail. London. 29 June 2009.
  16. ^ Jenkins, Russell (13 August 2009). "Former football hooligans regroup in far-right Casuals United". The Times. London.
  17. ^ English Defence League: chaotic alliance stirs up trouble on streets | World news. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2010-01-24.
  18. ^ "The English Defence League — A Statement from the BNP's National Organiser" (Press release). British National Party. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  19. ^ "English Defence League "Honey Trap" Proscribed by BNP". British National Party. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  20. ^ a b "Death threats for journalists covering far right demos" (Press release). National Union of Journalists. 2 November 2009.
  21. ^ Parkinson, Jason N. (4 November 2009). "Far right embraces fatwas". Comment Is Free (blog). London: The Guardian.
  22. ^ "Luton bans marches amid fears of protests". The Daily Telegraph. London. 21 August 2009.
  23. ^ Booth, Robert; Travis, Alan (9 August 2009). "'Patriot' league plots more clashes with anti-fascist activists". The Guardian. London.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ a b Wilson, Peter (17 September 2009). "Policing the English Defence League". London: BBC.
  25. ^ "Fears of further violence prompt march ban". Luton Today. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  26. ^ a b Bradley, Paul (6 September 2009). "English Defence League and socialist protesters in violent rampage through Birmingham streets". Sunday Mercury. Birmingham.
  27. ^ Cowan, Mark (7 September 2009). "Police were today studying CCTV footage in a bid to identify more of the hooligans involved in the violent clashes". Birmingham Mail.
  28. ^ "Rival protesters clash on streets". BBC News Online. 5 September 2009.
  29. ^ "Ninety arrests over city clashes". BBC News Online. 6 September 2009.
  30. ^ Bradley, Paul (6 September 2009). "West Midlands Police Police under fire for 'complete mess' after violent riots in Birmingham". Sunday Mercury. Birmingham.
  31. ^ File on Four, BBC Radio 4, 22 September 2009
  32. ^ "Dozens arrested during protests". BBC News Online. London. 10 October 2009.
  33. ^ Mary Evans, Catherine (18 October 2009). "Welsh Defence League show true colours". Wales Online. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  34. ^ a b "Protest policing hailed a success". BBC. 1 November 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  35. ^ a b West Yorkshire Police (31 October 2009). "Leeds Demonstrations - Saturday, 31 October 2009". WYP. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  36. ^ a b Townsend, Mark (5 December 2009). "English Defence League marchers clash with police in Nottingham". The Guardian. London.
  37. ^ "Trouble at Stoke-on-Trent English Defence League rally". BBC. 24 January 2010.
  38. ^ "Police battle to control EDL and UAF protest in Bolton". BBC. 20 March 2010.
  39. ^ "Dozens arrested as anti-Muslim English Defence League protestors battle rivals". The Times. March 20, 2010.
  40. ^ a b "The '£300,000 price' of policing protesters rallies". The Bolton News. 23rd March 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. ^ "Dozens held in clashes at rightwing rally". The Guardian. 21 March 2010.
  42. ^ "74 arrests in demo clash". The Belfast Telegraph. 21 March 2010.
  43. ^ "Police battle to control EDL and UAF protest in Bolton". BBC. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  44. ^ "55 arrests at protests". The Bolton News. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  45. ^ a b c Smith, Lewis (22 March 2010). "Police blame anti-fascists for violence". London: The Independent. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  46. ^ http://www.expressandstar.com/latest/2009/07/29/mosque-plan-wins-high-court-approval/
  47. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1263276/English-Defence-League-protesters-clash-police.html
  48. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/8656751.stm
  49. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1282483/Children-draped-English-flags-fascist-protest-march-Newcastle.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
  50. ^ http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/breaking-news/2010/05/29/no-arrests-at-english-defence-league-newcastle-march-79310-26549428/
  51. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/may/28/english-defence-league-guardian-investigation/
  52. ^ Television Review: If we have to pick sides, I know mine, Scotsman; May 20, 2010; http://living.scotsman.com/tv-reviews/TV-review-Truth-Lies-And.6306372.jp
  53. ^ "Diaspora Jews beware: Stay away from bigots, no matter how friendly they seem"
  54. ^ http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/8278277.LIVE_UPDATE___Trouble_flares_at_EDL_rally/
  55. ^ http://www.dudley.gov.uk/welcome/news-in-dudley/july-2010/dudley-council-response-to-july-17-edl-p
  56. ^ http://www.dudleynews.co.uk/news/local/8279566.EDL_UPDATE____All_arrested_men_bailed/
  57. ^ Hines, Nico; Pitas, Costas (10 August 2009). "Far-right group, the English Defence League, in disarray after Birmingham fracas". The Times. London.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  58. ^ a b Royston, Jack (19 August 2009). "Harrow mosque protest cancelled after Sharia court denial". Harrow Times. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  59. ^ Tyler, Jane (24 August 2009). "Police urged to ban far right rally in Birmingham". Birmingham Post.
  60. ^ di Paolo, Jon (11 September 2009). ""Election Campaign May Trigger Race Riots"". Sky News. London. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  61. ^ Grey, Sadie (13 September 2009). "Anti-Islamists target Palestinian rally in central London". The Independent. London.
  62. ^ "Denham condemns right-wing groups". BBC News Online. 11 September 2009.
  63. ^ Cole, Paul (13 September 2009). "Minister likens Birmingham riot thugs to Oswald Mosley Blackshirt fascists". Sunday Mercury. Birmingham.
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