Activists urge Britain to oppose EDL march

Louise Nousratpour
Tuesday August 30, 2011
The Morning Star

Anti-fascism campaigners urged supporters from across Britain today to join their demonstration against the English Defence League (EDL) in east London.

Home Secretary Theresa May has banned the far-right group from marching through the multicultural Borough of Tower Hamlets on Saturday.

But EDL leader Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who is also known by the name Tommy Robinson, has promised to "still show up."

Following Ms May's announcement last Friday, he told BBC London: "We will have a static demonstration."

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Service told the Star today that while police had no legal powers to prevent a static demonstration, "we have powers to put conditions around assemblies and location."

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) and the United East London - a coalition of local trade unions and community groups - are now seeking police permission to hold their counter-demonstration outside the East London Mosque in Whitechapel.

UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said that the Met was planning "a massive police operation" to escort EDL supporters into the borough.

"The fascists' so-called static protest on Saturday is in effect a march through the heart of Tower Hamlets since the police will be escorting them from A to B," he said.

"We want the biggest possible turnout to show that the vast majority of people don't want the racists and fascists anywhere."

More than 25,000 people had signed a petition asking the Home Secretary to ban the EDL march.

And the Metropolitan Police said it feared "serious public disorder and violence" particularly so soon after the recent riots.

In response Ms May has outlawed marches by the EDL or any other groups in Tower Hamlets and four neighbouring boroughs - including Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington and Hackney - for 30 days from September 2.

Campaigners said that while the ban on EDL marches was a victory, the blanket 30-day ban on all demonstrations was a "complete overreaction."

They expressed particular concern that the decision could affect planned events on October 2 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, when more than 100,000 anti-fascists stopped Oswald Mosley and his supporters from marching through east London.