I agree with the point that a series of stagnant marches could see support/interest in the EDL wane. I do get the impression that half the people who go are there mainly for a few beers, the social aspect and/or a fight with the political reasons playing second to that.
EDL
- Thread starter crackerjack
- Start date
Slothrop
Tight but Polite
EDL march in Cambridge today managed 200 people, of whom 180 were bussed in from outside.
TUC / UAF counter-demonstration had about 1500 locals.
So yeah, stagnant marches looks like it.
Which leaves you with the broader issue of islamaphobia in general. Presumably British Muslisms as a whole can't bring a class action against the tabloid press for defamation or something? You'd think we ought to be able to get some decent use out of our libel laws...
TUC / UAF counter-demonstration had about 1500 locals.
So yeah, stagnant marches looks like it.
Which leaves you with the broader issue of islamaphobia in general. Presumably British Muslisms as a whole can't bring a class action against the tabloid press for defamation or something? You'd think we ought to be able to get some decent use out of our libel laws...
crackerjack
Well-known member
A group of them were chucked out of the Salmon & Ball pub by Bethnal Green tube by the police earlier today. If the "Islamic Republic of Tower Hamlets" (as the scaremongers are calling us) can only bring out enough to fill a pub, it's not looking good for tommy & his boys.
crackerjack
Well-known member
Supposed to be in Tower Hamlets today. Big police presence down Cambridge Heath Rd already and quite a few antis too. According to HNH, the EDL are congregating round Islington before coming here for their static protest.
edit: apparently there's 150 of them in the Big Chill bar, of all places
edit: apparently there's 150 of them in the Big Chill bar, of all places
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computer_rock
Well-known member
any idea where the static protest is? i went an had a look down whitechapel earlier and it's all swp an uaf bods
crackerjack
Well-known member
near Sainsburys and the market on Whitechapel Road, I believe
edit: HNH now saying round the back of Aldgate East tube - your best bet for updates is to 'like' their Facebook page. They're pretty regular.
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computer_rock
Well-known member
i'm basically there now so i'll have a look around. this live stream appears to be king's cross:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/historyhistory#utm_campaign=t.co&utm_source=8660369&utm_medium=social
it's blurry but I think there is a group of people penned in by the rozzers outside keystone
crackerjack
Well-known member
Matthew Taylor on Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/mrmatthewtaylor) says EDL look like they're being kettled in Kings Cross, which, if true, is obviously a terrible denial of their freedom to demonstrate
There's another 200 of them round Liv St though.
Also read the UAF counter-demo has been kettled too, though dunno where that is - edit: Valance Rd, by the sound of it, so best avoided
crackerjack
Well-known member
Police now talking of 1000+ EDL heading this way
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Where's Valance Road? Just came from the demo on Whitechapel Road....
oh scrap that, just saw it on the map - yep, that's where it was. Well, we left about 2.30-3ish, and nothing but Nitin Sawhney playing a DJ set. No kettling, but lots of police.
From the twitter feeds, seems like we missed a lot of the action five mins down the road: http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=#uafeastend
oh scrap that, just saw it on the map - yep, that's where it was. Well, we left about 2.30-3ish, and nothing but Nitin Sawhney playing a DJ set. No kettling, but lots of police.
From the twitter feeds, seems like we missed a lot of the action five mins down the road: http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=#uafeastend
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crackerjack
Well-known member
according to HNH, they never made it into the borough, which is a nice symbolic victory, I feel, despite the large EDL turnout
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/blog/article/1382/1600-they-did-not-pass#.TmJES0VNqVw.twitter
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/blog/article/1382/1600-they-did-not-pass#.TmJES0VNqVw.twitter
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
I think the depressing thing in hindsight after today, is that with the governmental system we have at present, the NF/BNP/EDL/ANOther fascist movement are going to recurrently reach points where they have the kind of membership/support to become a threat again. And it must be really fucking boring if you've had to go on these marches every few years or so for decades - the problem hasn't been sorted in any meaningful way, not at all.
And first of all, of course, we have to identify what the problem exactly is, as in why a sizeable number of people attach themselves to such lunatic fascist movements - the answer to which I guess depends upon your view of humanity... :/
Obviously the fact that the EDL has targetted Muslims is not distinct from the Islamophobic discourse that has penetrated a lot of society over the past decade, aided and encouraged by the abject stupidities of the war on terror (and other abstract concepts) and the discourse around it. And that's my starter for ten....
One woman when interviewed as to why she joined the EDL: "I don't want my children growing up under Islamic law". Seriously. She said that.
And first of all, of course, we have to identify what the problem exactly is, as in why a sizeable number of people attach themselves to such lunatic fascist movements - the answer to which I guess depends upon your view of humanity... :/
Obviously the fact that the EDL has targetted Muslims is not distinct from the Islamophobic discourse that has penetrated a lot of society over the past decade, aided and encouraged by the abject stupidities of the war on terror (and other abstract concepts) and the discourse around it. And that's my starter for ten....
One woman when interviewed as to why she joined the EDL: "I don't want my children growing up under Islamic law". Seriously. She said that.
crackerjack
Well-known member
is it definitely all done? - fucking sirens and helicopter haven't stopped for a minute and I'm right over on the east side of Bethnal Green. Mind you, they've barely let up for a minute since the riots.
crackerjack
Well-known member
Amused by all the 'They shall not pass' posts when it turned out they hadn't got inside TH. Shades of Retromania.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Yeah, some of the speakers made broad comparisons with Cable Street, rightly so.
Fucking mental: . How little has really changed, esp re the police.
Fucking mental: . How little has really changed, esp re the police.
computer_rock
Well-known member
after spending some time at liverpool street and watching the kettle (and having bangers thrown at me) i somehow found my way onto the EDL 'march' to aldgate where the static protest was. actually ended up inside part of the EDL cordon, with the EDL between where i was and the UAF protest. saw it kick off a couple of times when people heckled EDL protesters who then broke the police line and chased them. after a while i noticed every single way out was blocked by a police line, and a battalion of fully suited TSG had arrived so it was time to leave. managed to get out the cordon - i guess this one was just it keep people out, not in.
all in all a thoroughly entertaining day out in the sunshine.
all in all a thoroughly entertaining day out in the sunshine.
mistersloane
heavy heavy monster sound
It's having to go through 'official' police checks to join the EDL that bugs me the most about them. I think the fascists seriously need to separate from the police if they're in any way to be taken seriously.