Fascists rally in Nottingham
Notts IMC | 09.12.2009 18:41 | Anti-racism
The English Defence League (EDL) are a small fascist organisation which has been demonstrating against "Islamic extremism" in towns across the UK in recent months. Anti-fascist organisations say the group is anti-Muslim and fascist.
On Saturday 300-400 EDL members descended on Nottingham where most were held in a police pen near the castle all day. Their presence was opposed by a number of organisations including Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) who rallied in Market Square and then marched down Friar Lane. A large number of autonomous anti-fascists and local youths managed to avoid being kettled by the police.
The EDL demonstration repeatedly attacked police lines on Castle Boulevard but failed to escape their escorts. Fighting also broke out several times outside pubs in which EDL members were drinking, and photographs have been published showing EDL demonstrators urinating against the walls of Nottingham Castle.
On the newswire: Running Rings Round the EDL | Piss-Poor EDL Defending England's Heritage | Saturday and the EDL: Whose Streets? Our Streets! | The EDL & The Far Right | EDL Violence In Nottingham | Can Police or BBC Count? | EDL: soldiers of the state? | EDL Nottingham - Photos | report from anarchists in nottingham who fought fash today.... | Wetherspoons (and the Police) Allow Drunken Nazis Onto Roof | Confronting the EDL - our historic duty! | Weatherspoons warned not to host EDL | Why do the police accept the EDL/CU line? | Weatherspoons Advised dont hold EDL demo in Notts! | We WILL be in Market Square! | Police tell UAF to change anti EDL demo | Saturday's Events and The Stop the War Coalition | Join us and stop the EDL in Nottingham, Sat 5th Dec | Nottingham Stop the EDL march: Useful info and tactics | EDL in Nottingham: Information for Action
Links: Antifa England | Nottingham Stop the BNP | Unite Against Fascism
Unsurprisingly, the police drafted in officers from surrounding counties and spent an estimated £1m on policing the day's events. Roads were closed and trams into town did not go beyond the Royal Centre, while the statue of Robin Hood was boarded up for protection.
The EDL emerged in the aftermath of protests against British troops held by Islamic groups in Luton. They continue to claim that they are neither racist nor fascist. Seig heiling supporters at EDL demos and death threats to journalists who report their protests critically, tell a different story.
Anti-fascists are claiming the day as a victory saying that "the EDL were hassled and flanked everywhere they went."
Notts IMC
Comments
Display the following 7 comments