January 25, 2010

Private Hire Cars Suspend Service In City Centre, Store Takings Down And Council Clean Up Begins After EDL Violence

Most of the large private hire car companies suspended service in and around the city centre on Saturday night after verbal threats aimed at their drivers by groups of right-wing extremists. The threat of continued violence was so great, that the police gave out a warning to the companies and their drivers.

It seems that some firms also got phone calls from people threatening violent acts against any Asian drivers suspected of being Muslim. One of the companies targeted was Auto Cab Private Hire, working out of Normacot . They had threatening calls over the phone, in the end the company manager, Basharat Hussein , made the decision to stop cars in the area because of the safety of his staff and customers.

Another firm, City Centre Private Hire suspended service after a call from a sergeant at Tunstall police station warning them not to go out, and that work in Cobridge was also dangerous. Other firms such as Magnum in Burslem and Lucky Seven of Longton also stopped running.

Many shops and stores in the city centre closed early as lack of trade made it the worst day many of them had ever had, some reporting takings down as much as 90%. Many of the Fountain Square stalls packed up as early 2pm. Council work began soon after the protest ended and continued though Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday to clear the debris.

Pits 'n' Pots

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

typo: valence should read violence.

Anonymous said...

That's just pure evil.

It's about time the national tabloid media got hold of stories like these to put the metraphorical boot into the death-threat-weilding neo-nazi boot boys of the EDL.

Mister Angry said...

There's no buts about it. This goes to prove that the EDL are racial terrorists and must be banned ASAP.

worried said...

This reminds me of reports of Germany after Adolf Hitler took over when Jews were targetted by Hitler's blackshirts and people were threatened and beaten up just for being Jewish.

If the EDL are not banned, soon there will be an anti-Muslim Kryslallnacht. Mark my words......

Antifascist said...

'typo: valence should read violence.'

And 'there' should be 'their' (twice).

Well spotted, thanks.

Anonymous said...

The neonazi EDL should not just be banned. Its leaders should be jailed for plotting acts of racism, violence and terror.

If it wasn't for the thin blue line of the police force plus anti-fascist protestors standing their ground, the thugish white supremacists of the EDL (plus the odd Uncle Tom) would have ransacked Asian people's houses, setting fire to homes, leading to deaths.

A mob of drunken racist thugs 500 people strong act like animals, and there is no imaging the evil things that these despicable neonazi scumbags would get up to, if given a free reign to do as they pleased.

Wetherspoons must foot some of the blame also for accomodate these neonazis on each one of their terror marches.

josephine said...

Fucking scumbags.

Feel so sorry for Asian people living in Stoke knowing that locals as well as outsiders joined in the edl'S fascist rally.

irishtony said...

'typo: valence should read violence.'

And 'there' should be 'their' (twice).

Well spotted, thanks.

Blimey Did I write this article?

Anonymous said...

"If the EDL are not banned, soon there will be an anti-Muslim Kryslallnacht. Mark my words......"

Ever thought that, maybe, the State want this? A section of the security services maybe be attempting to divert the fascist/racist Right down a violent cul-de-sac. Looking at Stoke, they are meeting with some success.

Anonymous said...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/7068693/We-are-still-in-the-shadow-of-the-Holocaust.html?state=target#postacomment&postingId=7072625

Interesting comments about the BNP at the bottom of this report.

Plane Jane said...

Good editorial in the Sentinel:

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/blogsandcolumnists/True-colours-EDL/article-1749101-detail/article.html

The newspaper also has a superb photo showing EDL protestors looking appropriately evil on its from page today, but I don't see it on the website.

Anonymous said...

worried said...
This reminds me of reports of Germany after Adolf Hitler took over when Jews were targetted by
Hitler's blackshirts

Correction "Brown shirts"
Herr Lip.

Anonymous said...

UAF scumbags will hang first.





EE EDL EE EDL.

Antifascist said...

'UAF scumbags will hang first.
EE EDL EE EDL.'

Yawn...

Anonymous said...

More death threats from EDL neo-Nazis??????

Why do you let them though, Ketlan?

Anonymous said...

I didn't realise that formally registered political parties are harder for the State to ban than loose groups like the EDL and Islam4UK.

This is why the EDL could become a political party soon, not that their provocative tactics will change any. Anyway, I doubt whether a State ban would do any good. Isn't the EDL just a flag of convinence? Wouldn't they simply re-group under another name?

Bloo said...

One of the worst nazi EDL trolls on Indymedia calls himself "Observer" but is in-fact Trevor KKKelway himself.

Kelway is trolling Indymedia telling people that the leaders of the EDL are nice and anti-racist guys.

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2010/01/445118.html

Antifascist said...

'More death threats from EDL neo-Nazis??????

Why do you let them though, Ketlan?'

Because we need the occasional reminder that these people are far more dangerous than their public face suggests. Oh, and I only let through about one threat in fifty. Believe me, we get a LOT of threats.

sputnik said...

Why does Mr Brown remain quite about this???

Anyone...