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EDL’s rally fuels unrest fears

3:20pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in News

RESIDENTS are being urged to stay away from Dudley town centre on Easter Sunday, as far right group the English DefenceLeague is set to descend on the town.

The extremist party claims to be bringing around 3,000 supporters on April 4 to protest against the planned £18million mosque.

The demonstration has been opposed by all four party leaders of Dudley Council.

Council leader and Tory councillor, Anne Millward, Labour party leader Cllr David Sparks, Liberal Democrat Cllr David Tyler and UKIP’s Malcolm Davis have put aside political differences to join forces and sign a statement in opposition to the march, which calls on the group to abandon its plans.

A spokesman for the English Defence League (EDL) claim they are coming to Dudley because “laws have been bypassed to promote one section of the community over the concerns of others”.

But Cllr Malcolm Davis, who has vehemently led the protest against the mosque, said the EDL will be “most unwelcome”.

He said: “They have sent me an email and it seems to me they think I will support them, but I don’t.

“I think they are targeting Dudley because they think there is a problem, but there isn’t a problem as far as I’m concerned.

“I’m still opposed to the mosque, but we are dealing with this in our own way and we don’t need violent outsiders.

“There is going to be a lot of trouble and I hope people keep away and let the police deal with it.”

Council leader, Cllr Anne Millward, said she was angered that the EDL want to come to the “peaceful town”, as West Midlands Police confirm there will be a “robust police presence” on the day in case of trouble.

Cllr Millward said: “I think it is very important that the four political party leaders have all signed this statement.

“We are very concerned that the EDL say they welcome people from all creeds and colours and hold peaceful protests, but there has been violence and major disruption from their recent events in Birmingham and Stoke.”

She added: “They say they are coming to protest against the planned mosque, but we’ve had a mosque in Dudley for over 30 years. So what is the point of them coming?

“We don’t want them and for them to come on Easter Sunday, one of the most important days in the Christian calendar, I think is an absolute travesty. I just urge people to stay away”.

The council leader also confirmed town shops would already be closed for the day, because of Easter Sunday, but council and police officers are approaching all town licencees to voluntary close as well, adding “as they may not have a business on the Monday”.

Cllr Millward has also condemned plans announced by anti-fascist group Unite Against Fascism (UAF) who have confirmed they will be holding a counter-demonstration on the day, with fears that thousands of outsiders could angrily clash in the town centre.

Cllr Millward said: “The plans for the anti-fascist group to outnumber the EDL I think is highly irresponsible. This group just need to be completely ignored.”

But UAF officials said they are organising the “largest peace protest to counteract” the EDL, whose protest will just be “thuggery and hatred”.

Martin Lynch, Black Country spokesman for Unite Against Fascism (UAF), said: “We don’t think people who believe in racism and hatred should be allowed to come to Dudley town centre or anywhere else for that matter.

“At a recent demonstration in Stoke they ran amok smashing property and hurting people.

“There is no way this is a legitimate protest of any kind. It will just be thuggery and hatred.

“If this does go ahead we will seek to call the largest peace protest to counteract theirs.”

Meanwhile, Jim Warner, spokesman for Dudley’s Trade Union Council (TUC) said members had passed a resolution supporting UAF’s counterprotest.

Mr Warner said: “We are calling on all our local union branches to encourage members to turn out with their union banners for a peaceful protest.

“We have also put together a unity statement which has been signed by all our trade union branches, community and faith groups supporting this decision and calling for the protest to be abandoned.”

But an EDL spokesman said the protest “will take place” because of the belief that “many wrongs have been committed.”

Let us know your views about the march by posting a comment below.

Comments(35)

barry mcsherry says...
9:42am Thu 11 Mar 10

its the UAF and union agitators that cause the trouble ,they stir up the local muslims to fight the EDL then leave them to fight it out

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Spaghead says...
1:38am Sat 13 Mar 10

I think if you look at the videos from Stoke you'll find the EDL needed no encouragement from anti-fascists or local muslims to go rampaging through the streets attacking the police, shops, cars and innocent bystanders. True colours and all that...

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Havildar says...
3:13pm Mon 22 Mar 10

A buch of right-wing hooligans!

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Arthur1 says...
7:54pm Mon 22 Mar 10

Can I reassure people that EDLs stewards will be in control of the protest and will be working with the police to keep order.

We in the EDL are not Nazi's, not racist, you will see black and brown protesters within our protest.

We invite the good people of Dudley, black, brown,white, Hindu, Sikh and moderate muslims to join us in this protest and see for your selves that we will welcome you with open arms.
If you love England, join us.

Arthur.

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Marcus Chiz says...
12:51pm Wed 24 Mar 10

Why would the UAF, a humanitarian anti-fascist group, cause "bad blood" between our ethnic and non-ethnic communities?? It is counteractive to all that we want to achieve. The small extremist right wing group –the EDL (fortunately they are in the minority) -are easily whipped up into a frenzy by their own fears of anything they can't comprehend and will cause trouble if left unchecked. Edmund Burke is apocryphally quoted as saying: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". I wish I didn't feel like I had to give up my Saturday to demonstrate against the hatred of these small minded yobs. I hope the council sees sense and veto’s the EDL’s rally.

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Arthur1 says...
2:17pm Wed 24 Mar 10

The UAF lies to the Asian community, calling EDL racist, Nazi and BNP knowing full well that it will inflame the Asian community.

They did this in Bolton and created a riot, attacking our police and injuring them in their attempt to break out and attack our peaceful protest.
Which is only against extreme Islam and shari'a law.
Not against ordinary muslims, who we welcome to join us.

EDL have a democratic right to protest and so do the UAF but the UAF protest should be as far away from the EDL as possible in the interest of public safety.

EDL do NOT want confrontation but peaceful protest.

Arthur.

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kf88 says...
11:46am Thu 25 Mar 10

I thought the march was on Saturday - Not Easter Sunday as mentioned in this article

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Marcus Chiz says...
12:20pm Fri 26 Mar 10

Are these the same EDL who have been blamed for an attack on a man in a pub in Manchester after the Bolton rally?? They stabbed some chap who requested they leave after their anti-social behaviour was considered a threat to other customers.

I hope they can keep their word that they will rally peacefully, and that they can control the fascist element that is attracted to their cause (as it targets an ethnic minority whom it blames for the current economic state). History repeating itself?? These tactics were employed in Germany in the 1930’s in an attempt to light the touch-paper of Xenophobia. The fact that they keep harping on about Sharia Law concerns me -no UK party politician has stated that they would like to implement it in this country, I'm not sure why the EDL believes they would. The vast majority of UK residents do not hold Islamic beliefs, I’m not convinced that all Muslim’s would welcome Sharia Law anyway -my conclusion, therefore, is that the EDL must be trying to scare the uninformed into believing it’s a possibility.

I abhor extremism in all it’s forms: the overly patriotic, who believe that there is an inherent purity in being “white”; anyone who would terrorise in order to force their beliefs on another; fascism in all it’s guises.

We are all from the same “seed”, no matter your colour or creed.

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Arthur1 says...
1:35pm Fri 26 Mar 10

EDL is not a fascist group and nothing at all to do with any likeness to Nazi Germany.

Sharia law is here in England today, please listen to Maryams one law for all speech,http://www.yo
utube.com/watch?v=WO
dEK4tZJpI

EDL are a multi ethnic pressure group, got nothing to do with being white.
If the UAF tell the ethnic communities that EDL are the BNP, when they are not, this will incite people and cause trouble and that is why the UAF are doing it.

I want the muslims of Dudley to know that we are not against them, we wish them no harm.

Arthur.

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Marcus Chiz says...
2:13pm Fri 26 Mar 10

In stating that Sharia Law is in force in the UK you are leading others to believe that Muslims have forced “their law” on the citizens of this country. This is untrue. Sharia Law is a code of conduct formulated from religious text, much like Christians use the 10 commandments and the teachings of Christ. It applies only to those Muslims who wish to believe, and is obviously not applicable to those of us who do not follow that particular dogma. I am an Atheist, and feel that all religious texts are apocryphal, but I believe that everyone should be free to follow whatever code they wish to, so long as it does not cause ill-effect on another individual. Even if it is based on teachings of a mythical creator. Your statement implies that everybody in the UK has to, or will have to, follow religious rules devised by Muslims. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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Arthur1 says...
2:35pm Fri 26 Mar 10

So what do you say to Maryam then, I take it that you looked at the video, if not why not, you can't debate the issues if you don't look at the evidence.
Maryam Namazie, one law for all and she is a communist, far from right wing.

The shari'a is not just a code of conduct, it is the law of Islam. a way of life.
But this is not the place for a debate on these issues.

My intention was to alert Dudley people that the EDL are going to peacefully protest, not riot and that any trouble will come from the UAF fighting the police as they have done on many occasions.

Arthur.

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phil1958 says...
7:48pm Fri 26 Mar 10

marcus if you abhor extremitism i take it you take your protest down to finsbury park then

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yeti75 says...
7:10am Sat 27 Mar 10

The bulk of supporters marching at EDL rally's come across as intimidating, uneducated, racist yobs. The sort that look to excuses, to blame other people for their own misfortunes in life. This is a foul organization, which is made up from people, who are predominately racist and hold anti-islamic views, moderate or not. They are just a militant wing of the BNP.

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Arthur1 says...
11:12am Sat 27 Mar 10

So, do you know the bulk of the EDL to be able to say such a thing. We may be rough and rowdy but we are not racist, we are not Nazi and we certainly have no connection to the BNP or any political party.

Our people are made up of serving solders, ex service men,black and brown people, Sikhs, Hindus, we have a gay section, with over a hundred members.
Does that sound like we are BNP, no I thought not.

I hope no one reading this is taken in by UAF propaganda.
By telling people that we are the BNP then you are inciting the ethnic groups in Dudley to believe that we are against them and looking for a fight with them and we are most certainly NOT.

The UAF should stay away from our protest because where ever they go they create racial tensions and violence.
They attacked the police in London on the 5th and again in Bolton saying that the police are Nazi's, when the the police are only doing their job, controlling the violence of the UAF.

I hope the good people of Dudley are not fooled and duped into joining with the UAF in their quest for violent confrontation.

Arthur.

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hoplite1766 says...
4:32am Sun 28 Mar 10

This view, is so biased its absolute garbage. The EDL are patriots doing their best to uphold British culture and heritage and fight the extremist doctrine of Islamo fascism. Dudley council ought to be ashamed of backing the anti freedom, pro communist, pro Muslim UAF. Its an absolute travesty. The EDL or neither a "party" or "far right" there are Jewish, black and Asian members, what the EDL are is a grass roots collection of concerned citizens opposed to the Islamization of the UK and sharia law, the quasi- religious law of Islam which permits public stonings and the cutting off of limbs all permissible in that abomination the Qu'ran. The real fascism is Islamo fascism, something the UAF traitors and their state sponsored backers and the treacherous communist unions turn a blind eye to. The EDL in Bolton were applauded by the locals, whereas the ultra leftist betrayers and their trouble making crowd of unwashed ne'er do wells, hippies, and anarchists were arrested for making the trouble, 33 of these freaks were arrested by the Police. I encourage concerned citizens of Dudley to join the EDL in supporting this peaceful protest and reject the traitors and the politically correct anti freedom betrayers and politicians. Take your country back, join us the EDL!

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dudley001 says...
12:08pm Tue 30 Mar 10

UAF is not an "anti-fascist" group, its an anti-right wing group. UAF refuses to protest against those who condone violence against jews, or hold anti-semitic views. In fact it allows those on the hard-leftwho preach hate against jewish religion, people and homeland to be members. Whilst the EDL may well have extremists in its membership, so does the UAF. Perhaps they should kick the racists out of their own ranks before attacking others. Or is racism and hate only wrong when it comes from right wing groups but ok from the left? In the recent Bolton troubles it was UAF who committed the violence. Don't let them bring their hate to our town.

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paul-bolton says...
4:48pm Tue 30 Mar 10

the EDL came to bolton with the police and local council stirring up concern among the people of bolton, on the day of the demo there was a very large number of police and there was also a counter demo by the uaf, as a retail manager in the town centre i was asked to give my mobile number to the police so they could keep us informed on the day if things where getting out of hand, at 11.45am i received a text from the police stating that there had been some trouble but was now under control.. this was 2 hours before the EDL turned up , the uaf are just a group of rent-a-mob that cause trouble then blame everyone else, i hope the demo in dudley passes off peacefully but i can see the uaf attacking the police again and the reports in the papers will say there has been violent classes at the edl demo (without stating it was the uaf)

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nibbles.1 says...
5:49pm Tue 30 Mar 10

Arthur1 wrote:
EDL is not a fascist group and nothing at all to do with any likeness to Nazi Germany. Sharia law is here in England today, please listen to Maryams one law for all speech,http://www.yo utube.com/watch?v=WO dEK4tZJpI EDL are a multi ethnic pressure group, got nothing to do with being white. If the UAF tell the ethnic communities that EDL are the BNP, when they are not, this will incite people and cause trouble and that is why the UAF are doing it. I want the muslims of Dudley to know that we are not against them, we wish them no harm. Arthur.
Remember where edl started from luton, There are 1000 of 1000,s of muslims who live a normal life in society, they open up there homes and all friends from junior school growing up to now, its just tunnel vision thugs who want sharia law, stopped, hello its aint going to come into law, it never will, it cost the council tax payer 60,000 quid a tim e everytime a protest goes off from the edl. this my friends goes on yr tax bill for the next year by 5%, you know that protesting does nothing, except frustration and sore feet and anger, I saw in bolton racist calling people p.a.k.i's, when they were from turkey, palastine, walesd, all because of dark skin, EDL get a life, kids of today and adults with small minds got nothing else todo but cause mayhem on the most christian day of the calendar, you should be ashamed, and shame on yr tunnel vision parents. not every brown person is a p.a.k.i. I hope DUDLEY POLICE ARREST THE ORGANISERS OF THE EDL. its yr town they arte going to rip up. we just want you to support, no to facism and no to racism, OH BY THE WAY, THERE IS NOT A TRUE ENGLISH MAN IN THE COUNTRY, WE ARE ALL MIGRANTS. Just look at the england team the you love to shout out. DOH. emile heskey, David James, Ashley Cole, and all those who support a team with black, asian and chinese muslims, you support them, but I dont like extremist's, or sharia law, however i love colour and have loads of muslim friends, if it was not forr the corner shop you lot would be stuck, english jew, hindu, muslim sihk, christian, we all support eachother, who do you support,

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Asiya says...
2:23am Wed 31 Mar 10

The EDL are a bunch of racist hypocritical yobs.if they can have an opinion then so can I.there going on like nazis as far as were concerned.an im sayin hypocritical because they cause riots,hurt innocent people,intimidate people,damage property,completely uneducated,cant even respect the law and have no evidence into backing up what they are trying to prove by these protests.shariah law is a law which muslims will do voluntarily in this country and is not forced on anyone .so the fact that you take things like that blown out of context no wonder ur uneducated of fiction.There like the BNP they just want all coloured people out the country wel im sorry to say its year 2010 and you need to stop living in 1946.i love england just as much as yourselfs but unlike you I have broadand my mind and respected every1 around me regardless of there race. judging by the videos I have seen of stoke on trent they shouldnt even be allowed to step foot in our multicultural community.. i think i am more worried about the aftermath of there visit..causing distruption..i hope every1 stays home on that day..and EDL you are certainly not welcome in our town im sure i speak for 99% of Dudley..the 1% is the person who called you..I support my community and will hold you fully responsible for the damage you are going to cause..

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hoplite1766 says...
4:22am Wed 31 Mar 10

NO MORE MOSQUES
This is England not Pakistan, join with the EDL. We want our country back!

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Pensnett Wammel says...
8:41am Wed 31 Mar 10

There is no reason for a 'counter' protest to be staged on the same day as the EDL demonstration. The counter protest could take place a week later or in nearby Wolverhampton, for example, if they want to assemble on the same day. The UAF are therefore merely assembling for a confrontation and causing unrest that we can do without in Dudley. So for people like Marcus from Liverpool who have posted here I'd say, don't come to Dudley - we don't want you and we don't need you. Without your presence the EDL will have no one to fight with and the EDL protest will be largely ignored. This patronising view that the people of Dudley have to be protected from listening to the EDL as we would naively accept their point of view (presumably because we're all intrinsically racist) is insulting.

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Arthur1 says...
9:16am Wed 31 Mar 10

EDL have no opinion on immigration only on extreme Islam and shari'a law.
We are not a political party we are a pressure group.
EDL are not looking to be elected or gain any power, we just want our voices heard.
EDL are against racism, we are a multi-ethnic group.
The UAF should stop trying to stir up racial tensions with their lies and hype.

Arthur.

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The Villan says...
4:00pm Wed 31 Mar 10

Nibbles 1, Luton.

Totally agree with your point of view except for one very important comment. We are not all migrants in this country, there are a large majority of English people still living here who can trace their ancestory back many, many generations. Therefore, on that comment you are misinformed and incorrect.

I'm an Englishman first and British second and for that I make no apology. An ideology the Scottish and the Welsh woud concur with.

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Marcus Chiz says...
3:07pm Thu 1 Apr 10

To Pensnett, and the residents of Dudley, I apologise if, by my comments, I have implied that the people of your locale are racist, this was never my intention. I do not agree, however, with your assertion that the EDL will have “no-one to fight with” should there be no counter-protest. It has been reported that when the opportunity has presented itself, the EDL have attacked local people, either for being of a different ethnic background than themselves, or for supporting the human rights of said communities. In Bolton this did not happen, because the Police where forced to shepherd the EDL wherever they went. I believe it is important to be counted as one who opposes the hateful ways of the EDL, and visibly support our multi-cultural society.

To “Nibbles1, aka The Villan (sic. –I presume you mean “Villain”?)
The British Isles have been invaded time and again, and I would think it highly improbable that anyone in the UK is of a pure-bred “English” stock!
Our diverse genetic makeup is a wonderful thing, it has protected us from many a plague that would have otherwise killed us all.

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hoplite1766 says...
4:47pm Thu 1 Apr 10

Utter garbage above, the UAF is a bunch of leftist thugs who always start the trouble. Why not try it, go somewhere else and lets see shall we.

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Arthur1 says...
5:54pm Thu 1 Apr 10

EDL defends English values and considers all who were born here and love their country are English, we are a mult-ethnic group and as a presure group we have no opinion on so called English stock. Your racist theories will find no home in the EDL Marcus.
Arthur.

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The Villan says...
6:07pm Thu 1 Apr 10

Marcus your English stock comment is a poor excuse of semantics. That was over 900 years ago!
I was born in England and therefore I am 100% pure bred English.
Lastly if you were local to the area you would understand Villan is a pseudonym for supporter of a local football team.
Assumptions are the mother of all **** ups!

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therightway says...
11:58pm Thu 1 Apr 10

Freedom of speech.
This is what is great about england. Our laws allow it. I hope the protest goes peacefully. Why are the UAF joining the protest on the same day...why can;t they choose to protest on a different day. If their cause is great then shout about it on a day when you can have your say and your say ONLY. It seems to me the UAF are joining this protest to jump on a bangwagon and to cause friction. let EDL have their say and have a peaceful protest. then you have your peaceful protest. I do not support or condone the EDL or UAF but both groups should be allowed their say.All protests carry risk..remember the poll tax riots..no religion/race was involved in those protest yet there was still arrests/violence.

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dasa48 says...
8:46pm Fri 2 Apr 10

I find the U.A.F very too faced when it comes to holding a counter protest against the English Defence League this saturday in Dudley.
If it was Islamic extremists having a rally instead calling for sharia law and for non believers to be murdered(aswell as spewing out anti semitic views)What are the chances that the leftist U.A.F would have been nowhere in sight!I say no more!

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dadada says...
12:04pm Sat 3 Apr 10

dasa48 wrote:
I find the U.A.F very too faced when it comes to holding a counter protest against the English Defence League this saturday in Dudley. If it was Islamic extremists having a rally instead calling for sharia law and for non believers to be murdered(aswell as spewing out anti semitic views)What are the chances that the leftist U.A.F would have been nowhere in sight!I say no more!
My thoughts entirely ,never once have i seen the uaf anywhere near an islamic march even when they were calling for jihad against non muslims and condoning and gloryfiying the london tube bombings the uaf utterly disgust me.

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syrah says...
12:20pm Sat 3 Apr 10

Its a shame that the Asian/Black communities are being so thoroughly duped by UAF.
After seeing an Asian guy speaking on behalf of English Defense it was easy to see that the wider black & Asian communities are being manipulated for ulterior motives as it is quite obvious that the EDL are not racist. Evidence shows that it is the UAF that act like fascists, thugs and raving nut jobs. The English Defense League seem to be only "on the street" voice for the 33.000 + Dudley people that voted against the mosque. The reason being is because those voted into power that "supposed" to represent the wider community have totally and utterly ignored the wishes of the majority! Cant wait for the election.

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Dalit says...
12:53am Sun 4 Apr 10

Hi comment for Villan - first evolved human found to be in Africa, this makes us all migrants, unless your an African citizen with a complete African ancestory, I guess.

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hoplite1766 says...
1:14am Sun 4 Apr 10

Well whats apparent here is the EDL cant do wahts required on their own, make sure that the next time you vote it counts. The Lie-bour betrayers went against the people of Dudley, Cameron endorses the UAF, that leaves only one alternative if you want to be respected and heard. BNP

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smhinks@hotmail.co.uk says...
9:46am Sun 4 Apr 10

I think it is terrible that £18 million is being spent on a mosque that no one wants or needs, £18 million pounds should be spent on bringing Dudley out of poverty, enchancing better services for education, better health care services and reviving Dudley brining business back to the area, the council have their priorities wrong and when we try to make a stand against this we are classed as 'racists', im not 'racist i just want Dudley to be a better area for us all, and there are plenty of Mosques, churches and places of worship for us all, lets concentrate on whats important and make Dudley a better place to live.

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Dalit says...
6:23pm Tue 6 Apr 10

smhinks - the mosque is being funded by Saudi Arabia, not Dudley council. Maybe you should take up your gripe with them. EDL need to organise their members and put some controls in place for these marches, pieceful demonstrations only gain respect if they remain peaceful and don't end up like Saturday with hooligans breaking shop windows, police barriers and carrying bricks and other dangerous objects!!!!

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