Portsmouth EDL has announced it's intention to march in the city on Saturday 17th August.
This time they are upset as they have found out that a disused building in Portsmouth has been sold to someone who is going to turn it into an Islamic School (click link for the site). There are quite a few people who do not like the idea of private schools, or religious schools for that matter, but the fact is that if it was any other religion the EDL wouldn't care (have you ever seen them outside a Catholic School?) - They see this as an opportunity to stir up racial tensions in our city, just another stick to beat our peaceful Muslim neighbors with.
ONCE AGAIN THE ENGLISH DEFENCE LEAGUE ( EDL ) ARE INTENDING ON MARCHING THROUGH TOWER HAMLETS. ONCE AGAIN WE WILL OPPOSE THEM ON THE STREETS.
Before the killing of British Army solider Lee Rigby in Woolwich, the EDL were a spent force, with the organisation losing its momentum. After the killing, the EDL has grown, exploiting public outrage to swell their demonstrations.
The EDL see themselves as a patriotic, nationalist street movement that protests against Muslim extremism and Islam. They say they are not racist but their record proves otherwise. They easily expand the target of their hatred to anyone who isn’t white, to immigrants and those who don’t fit their crude definition of ‘English’. Their supporters have gone on the rampage and attacked Asian owned businesses, students demonstrating against tuition fees and have been convicted of arson attacks on mosques.
WHY WE OPPOSE THE EDL?
The EDL are part of a wider shift to the (far) right in British politics that scapegoats Islam and immigrants for the problems we face. They want society to return back to a mythical “golden age” where everyone knew their place. This is fantasy and nonsense. The EDL are a product of misinformation and lies fed through over a decade of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant scare stories in the tabloids and papers like the Daily Mail. Whenever the EDL have marched unopposed, they run amok and attack people.
In recent months there has been a sharp rise in racist attacks and attacks against mosques, including firebombs and nail bombs. EDL marches are helping to create and sustain a climate where such attacks are possible, giving confidence to the bombers by making them think they are part of a growing popular movement. It is important that we stand up and stand united against their presence.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
We are calling for as many people as possible to come on to the streets on Saturday 7th September. The more people that attend, the safer and more empowering it will be for all of us. On the day we aim to be mobile and fluid in order to disrupt the EDL’s plans. Wherever they end up, ban or no ban, we want to make sure that the EDL DO NOT get to intimidate people and parade their hatred through the streets unopposed.
LOOK OUT FOR THE AFN BANNER ON THE DAY AND MARCH WITH US TO OPPOSE THE EDL.
More details nearer the time.
Called by London Anti-Fascists & AFN
fb.com/londonantifascists
follow us at: @THstopEDL
London Anti-Fascists, part of the national Anti-Fascist Network, are calling a mobilisation for the day that will aim to be mobile and fluid in order to disrupt the EDL’s plans as much as possible.
Join us for a public discussion on how to build that mobilisation, as well as discussion of the politics and tactics necessary to beat the EDL and other racist organisations.
The Anti-Fascist Network (AFN) is a country-wide network of local grassroots anti-fascist and anti-racist groups which fight the EDL, BNP, and other racist and fascist organisations on the basis of direct action and working-class politics.
Details:
7.30pm Tuesday July 30th
Oxford House
Derbyshire Street
London E2 6HG
map link: google maps link
Facebook Event: Organise to stop the EDL march in Tower Hamlets
London Antifascists
w: londonantifascists.wordpress.com
fb: facebook.com/londonantifascists
e: ldnantifascists@riseup.net
On 27th July, the English Volunteer Force (EVF) – a far right group – plan
on demonstrating against ‘Islamification and mass immigration’ outside
Lunar House, the UK Border Agency HQ in Croydon. We will be there to
oppose their racist demagoguery and to show solidarity with migrants.
A group of antifascists consisting of the SWP/UAF, PCS representatives
from the UK Border Agency, and others intend to hold a
counter-demonstration. However, joining forces with anyone from the UK
Border Agency – whether the thugs in uniform or the ones in suits – is
collaboration with institutionalised racism. It is a betrayal to all those
who have suffered directly or indirectly as a result of its work and
merely serves to legitimise state racism.
As with fascism, the state’s apparatus of immigration control:
- Illegalises an entire population based on arbitrary laws and perceived
otherness
- Keeps this population in constant fear of discovery, disqualifying them
from access to the basics of survival available to others, such as work,
benefits, emergency shelter
- Tears apart families, friends and lovers
- Reduces human lives to a chain of numbers
- Maintains a system of surveillance and reporting, with arbitrary and
serious penalties for non-compliance
- Indefinitely incarcerates 3300 people at any one time, including
children, in its many detention facilities
- Relentlessly collectively expels unwanted people
- Inflicts widespread physical and psychological harm, and sometimes death
upon these communities
- Naturalises its practices to the extent that few question its legitimacy
The UK Border Agency cannot be reformed. This is a call for all radical
anti-fascists to recognise and oppose both state- and street- sponsored
racism on 27th July and beyond. We call on people to join us in front of
Lunar House at 11.30am on 27th July, to stand in solidarity with migrants
going through the hell of the deportation machine, and against the fascism
of the far right the EVF.
See you in the streets.
No Borders London
—
In memory of all those who have lost their lives at the hands of UKBA
staff or hired thugs. To name a few:
Jackie Nanyonjo
Khalid Shahzad
Alois Dvorzac
Jimmy Mubenga
Prince Kwabena Fosu
Brian Dalrymple
Muhammed Shuket
Eliud Nguli Nyenze
Bereket Yohannes
Manuel Bravo
Ramazan Kumluca
Kenny Peter
Tran Quang Tung
Sergey Barnuyck
Kabeya Dimuka-Bijoux
Olga Blaskevica
Mikhail Bognarchuk
Robertas Grabys
Kimpua Nsimba
Siho Iyiguveni
