Jump to content

English Defence League: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
m Reverted edits by Johnsy88 to last revision by Ghmyrtle (HG)
This edit stands, NPOV will be added shortly to article and consultation with other members of wiki to resolve issue
Line 23: Line 23:
The British press has described the group as "[[far right|far-right]]",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/4553713.Mosque_protest_called_off_after_Sharia_court_denial/|title=Harrow mosque protest cancelled after Sharia court denial|work=[[Harrow Times]]|publisher=Newsquest Media Group|date=2009-08-19|author=Jack Royston}}</ref><ref name="disarray">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6790067.ece|title=Far-right group, the English Defence League, in disarray after Birmingham fracas|author=Nico Hines and Costas Pitas|date=2009-08-10|work=[[The Times]]|publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd.}}</ref> and four specialist national police units involved in policing hooliganism, extreme violence, and terrorism are currently investigating the group.<ref name=BBC1 /> The [[British National Party]] have sought to distance themselves from "the sort of confrontation in which the EDL seems to seek"<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://bnp.org.uk/2009/09/the-english-defence-league-a-statement-from-the-bnp%E2%80%99s-national-organiser/|title=The English Defence League &mdash; A Statement from the BNP's National Organiser|publisher=[[British National Party]]|date=2009-09-03}}</ref> although the EDL's website was built by BNP activist Chris Renton.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6794080.ece|title=Former football hooligans regroup in far-Right Casuals United|date=2009-08-13|author=Russell Jenkins|work=[[The Times]]|publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd.}}</ref>
The British press has described the group as "[[far right|far-right]]",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/4553713.Mosque_protest_called_off_after_Sharia_court_denial/|title=Harrow mosque protest cancelled after Sharia court denial|work=[[Harrow Times]]|publisher=Newsquest Media Group|date=2009-08-19|author=Jack Royston}}</ref><ref name="disarray">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6790067.ece|title=Far-right group, the English Defence League, in disarray after Birmingham fracas|author=Nico Hines and Costas Pitas|date=2009-08-10|work=[[The Times]]|publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd.}}</ref> and four specialist national police units involved in policing hooliganism, extreme violence, and terrorism are currently investigating the group.<ref name=BBC1 /> The [[British National Party]] have sought to distance themselves from "the sort of confrontation in which the EDL seems to seek"<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://bnp.org.uk/2009/09/the-english-defence-league-a-statement-from-the-bnp%E2%80%99s-national-organiser/|title=The English Defence League &mdash; A Statement from the BNP's National Organiser|publisher=[[British National Party]]|date=2009-09-03}}</ref> although the EDL's website was built by BNP activist Chris Renton.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6794080.ece|title=Former football hooligans regroup in far-Right Casuals United|date=2009-08-13|author=Russell Jenkins|work=[[The Times]]|publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd.}}</ref>


The UK's [[Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government|Communities Secretary]] [[John Denham]] attacked the group claiming their tactics as similar to those of the [[British Union of Fascists]] in the 1930s, though he stressed that they did not present anything like the same "potency, organisation or threat".<ref name=BBC4>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8251958.stm|title=Denham condemns right-wing groups|date=2009-09-11|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref name=AP1>{{cite news|title=UK troubled by anti-Islam rallies, counterprotests|author=Raphael G. Satter|publisher=Associated Press|date=2009-09-12|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_ANTI_ISLAM_PROTESTS?SITE=IADES&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT}}</ref><ref name=Mercury2>{{cite news|url=http://sundaymercury.net/news/sundaymercuryexclusives/2009/09/13/minister-likens-birmingham-riot-thugs-to-oswald-mosley-blackshirt-fascists-66331-24672911/|title=Minister likens Birmingham riot thugs to Oswald Mosley Blackshirt fascists|author=Paul Cole|date=2009-09-13|work=[[Sunday Mercury]]|publisher=Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited}}</ref>
The UK's [[Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government|Communities Secretary]] [[John Denham]] who is also a member of the Executive Committee for the [[Fabian Society]]<ref>http://www.fabians.org.uk/contact-31</ref> attacked the group claiming their tactics as similar to those of the [[British Union of Fascists]] in the 1930s, though he stressed that they did not present anything like the same "potency, organisation or threat".<ref name=BBC4>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8251958.stm|title=Denham condemns right-wing groups|date=2009-09-11|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref name=AP1>{{cite news|title=UK troubled by anti-Islam rallies, counterprotests|author=Raphael G. Satter|publisher=Associated Press|date=2009-09-12|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_BRITAIN_ANTI_ISLAM_PROTESTS?SITE=IADES&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT}}</ref><ref name=Mercury2>{{cite news|url=http://sundaymercury.net/news/sundaymercuryexclusives/2009/09/13/minister-likens-birmingham-riot-thugs-to-oswald-mosley-blackshirt-fascists-66331-24672911/|title=Minister likens Birmingham riot thugs to Oswald Mosley Blackshirt fascists|author=Paul Cole|date=2009-09-13|work=[[Sunday Mercury]]|publisher=Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited}}</ref>


== Activities ==
== Activities ==
Line 42: Line 42:
[[Category:Anti-Islam sentiment]]
[[Category:Anti-Islam sentiment]]
[[Category:Nationalist organizations]]
[[Category:Nationalist organizations]]

this is relevant. Please stop warring and use the discussion page before making edits

Revision as of 14:28, 17 September 2009

English Defence League
TypeAnti-Islamism
Key people
Tommy Robinson
Trevor Kelway
Websitewww.englishdefenceleague.org

The English Defence League (also known as the EDL and the English and Welsh Defence League)[1][2][3] is a British political group whose professed aim is to oppose the spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic terrorism in the United Kingdom.[4][5][6] The group has organised various protests in the United Kingdom. The group says it has around 300 active supporters[5] and has 3,043 internet followers according to Facebook groups as of the 17 September 2009[7] The English Defence League's spokesman Trevor Kelway was quoted on August 2009 stating that British Muslims and Jews who are against militant Islam can join the League "as long as they accept an English way of life".[5]

History

According to the English Defence League's official website the group exists "Precisely because extremist Muslim groups are being allowed to tour the UK unchallenged, corrupting the minds of young and impressionable people, undermining community cohesion and causing gratuitous offence to non Muslims"[8].

The BBC states that the group leads "anti-Muslim extremism" demonstrations, grew out of the football casual movement, and is organised around figures in hooligan "firms". The League states that it opposes only "jihadists", rather than Muslims as people,[9] although members were reported to have chanted "We hate Muslims" at pro-Palestinian demonstrators at counter-demonstrations in London on 13 September 2009.[10].

The British press has described the group as "far-right",[11][12] and four specialist national police units involved in policing hooliganism, extreme violence, and terrorism are currently investigating the group.[9] The British National Party have sought to distance themselves from "the sort of confrontation in which the EDL seems to seek"[13] although the EDL's website was built by BNP activist Chris Renton.[14]

The UK's Communities Secretary John Denham who is also a member of the Executive Committee for the Fabian Society[15] attacked the group claiming their tactics as similar to those of the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s, though he stressed that they did not present anything like the same "potency, organisation or threat".[16][17][18]

Activities

On the 8th of August 2009 the EDL clashed with Unite Against Fascism at a protest in Birmingham, resulting in 35 arrests.[19][10][20] Later that month the EDL, Casuals United (a closely linked group[10]), and two other groups were banned for three months from marching in Luton, the site of a March 2009 Islamist protest against British troops recently returned from Afghanistan by Islamic group Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah which is thought to have been formed by former members of Omar Bakri Mohammed's Islamic extremist organisation al-Muhajiroun.[21][22] Further violent clashes between the EDL and the socialists[23] occurred on the 5th of September 2009, again in Birmingham resulting in ninety arrests.[20][24][25][17] Negotiations between the EDL protesters and the West Midlands Constabulary, over a police escort from the pub on Broad Street, where they had gathered three hours prior to the scheduled time of the protest, to the protest site at Lancaster Circus, had been unsuccessful.[23][26]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Councillors split over calls to ban right wing rally in Birmingham". Birmingham Post. Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited. 2009-08-28.
  2. ^ News.STV.tv
  3. ^ EMGOnline.co.uk
  4. ^ Inayat Bunglawala (2009-08-27). "A committee against Islamophobia". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited.
  5. ^ a b c Robert Booth and Sam Jones (2009-08-11). "'Defence league' recruiting football fans to march against Islamic extremism". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited.
  6. ^ Jonathan Walker (2009-08-26). "MP opposes rally ban despite violence fears". Birmingham Post. Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited.
  7. ^ http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=english+defence+league&init=quick
  8. ^ "A message to John Denham MP" (Press release). English Defence League. 2009-09-15.
  9. ^ a b Dominic Casciani (2009-09-11). "Who are the English Defence League?". BBC News. BBC.
  10. ^ a b c Matthew Taylor (2009-09-13). "Far-right supporters confront pro-Palestinian protestors". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Cite error: The named reference "Guardian3" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. ^ Jack Royston (2009-08-19). "Harrow mosque protest cancelled after Sharia court denial". Harrow Times. Newsquest Media Group.
  12. ^ Nico Hines and Costas Pitas (2009-08-10). "Far-right group, the English Defence League, in disarray after Birmingham fracas". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd.
  13. ^ "The English Defence League — A Statement from the BNP's National Organiser" (Press release). British National Party. 2009-09-03.
  14. ^ Russell Jenkins (2009-08-13). "Former football hooligans regroup in far-Right Casuals United". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd.
  15. ^ http://www.fabians.org.uk/contact-31
  16. ^ a b "Denham condemns right-wing groups". BBC News. BBC. 2009-09-11.
  17. ^ a b Raphael G. Satter (2009-09-12). "UK troubled by anti-Islam rallies, counterprotests". Associated Press.
  18. ^ Paul Cole (2009-09-13). "Minister likens Birmingham riot thugs to Oswald Mosley Blackshirt fascists". Sunday Mercury. Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited.
  19. ^ "Luton bans marches amid fears of protests". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. 2009-08-21.
  20. ^ a b Mark Cowan (2009-09-07). "POLICE were today studying CCTV footage in a bid to identify more of the hooligans involved in the violent clashes". Birmingham Mail. Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited.
  21. ^ "Luton parade protesters 'were members of extremist group'". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. 2009-03-12.
  22. ^ "Fears of further violence prompt march ban". Luton Today. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. 2009-08-21.
  23. ^ a b Paul Bradley (2009-09-06). "English Defence League and socialist protesters in violent rampage through Birmingham streets". Sunday Mercury. Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited.
  24. ^ "Rival protesters clash on streets". BBC News. BBC. 2009-09-05.
  25. ^ "Ninety arrests over city clashes". BBC News. BBC. 2009-09-06.
  26. ^ Paul Bradley (2009-09-06). "West Midlands Police Police under fire for 'complete mess' after Violent riots in Birmingham". Sunday Mercury. Trinity Mirror Midlands Limited.

External links

Stub icon

This article related to the politics of the United Kingdom, or its predecessor or constituent states, is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

this is relevant. Please stop warring and use the discussion page before making edits

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=English_Defence_League&oldid=314533177"