An anti-Islamic football group is being investigated by Newcastle United lawyersThe club is taking legal advice after their black and white crest was used by English Defence League Newcastle - a right-wing group which campaigns against Muslim extremism. The EDL has made its first steps to infiltrate football in the North East by setting up a Facebook group on the internet. It has already attracted more than 600 members.
Magpie bosses are keen for people to know that the club is in no way connected to the extremist body. A spokesman said: “Newcastle United wish to make it clear this has absolutely nothing to do with the football club and are also seeking legal advice over the misuse of its crest.”
Following a probe by the Sunday Sun, the EDL removed the NUFC logo from its Facebook web page.
The group claims it is not racist, and says it is campaigning only against extremists and no one else. A statement on its site says: “The UK is faced with a Muslim extremist problem. We have to unite together and peacefully protest against the extremists that will not integrate into the British way of life.”
However, Show Racism the Red Card says the EDL is known to have links with fascist organisations. The charity, which has strong support from NUFC, has warned fans they should not become involved with the EDL.
Chief executive Ged Grebby said: “We know that the EDL are a racist organisation and since they have been set up they have caused mayhem. Wherever they have set up bases, such as in Birmingham and London, they have targeted the Asian community in a blatantly racist way. Even though they claim not to be racist, they clearly operate in a racist way.”
He is concerned that the Facebook group is the first step for the EDL to set up a base in the North East.
Show Racism the Red Card is determined to stamp the group out before it even gets started.
Mr Grebby said: “We don’t want them in the North East, they are not welcome here. This is a desperate attempt to get some kind of base here, using what they know is a fantastic symbol. This organisation does not have the support of the club, but our organisation does. We have fantastic support from NUFC. The club are doing more and more community work all the time with Show Racism the Red Card,” he said.
Sunday Sun
As an exiled Newcastle lad myself, I would suggest that Newcastle United get the family of Sir Bobby Robson to openly condemn the EDL Casuals.
ReplyDeleteIf this happened, nobody in Newcastle would support the EDL.
If Kick It Out and Show Racism The Red Card have the Robson Family's phone number, or his former agent's number, get in touch now please to nip this in the bud big-time.
Sir Bobby was a legend, and if his family speaks out agaisnt the EDL, this would be their death knell in the NorthEast.
Sir Bobby Robson would have spoken out against the EDL's racism and fascism.
ReplyDeleteWish he was alive now to speak out against them.
This is a black day for the North East.
ReplyDeleteShame on the Newcastle fans who have shamed Robson's memory by supporting the evil inheritants of Hitler and Mosley.
What the EDL are trying to do is despicable, and the government is standing by allowing this to happen.
Hell knows why as how many black and Asian voters will vote for New Labour now they refuse to protect ethnic minority communities from violence.
Something must be done about the EDL and QUICK!
ReplyDeleteSueing the ragtag army's financer and commander-in-chief Alan Lake is a serious option, for violence and vandalism. Perhaps tax evasion also, as he manages white supremacist websites around the world, and it wouldn't surprise me if he has not been paying his taxes like he should have been, if Mr Taxman bothers to investigate him, lol
Just a suggestion.
Excellent idea about Bobby Robson, and I hope Searchight have the foresight to contact his family to be brave enough to come onto the pitch at half-time in a major match, and appeal to All True Newcastle Fans to reject the evil of the EDL.
ReplyDeleteThe Facebook site would lose all of its members overnight, believe me.
Please Searchlight / Hope Not Hate, be open to suggestions for once, and do this, for the sake of anti-racism in the North.
I know everyone has their own ideas about how fascism is to be beaten, but what better way of stopping the EDL in Newcastle than inviting Sir Bobby's family to take a stand against this, and speak at halftime in a Newcastle match.
The EDL are violent, neo-Nazi, racist, devisory and downright unpatriotic, and if the Robson family were to be open and honest about the EDL on such a public stage, the fucking (excuse my language) EDL would be history.
Nobody would dare challenge the integrity of the Robson family for he was beyond reproach, Newcastle's first saint of football.
Don't know how much Hope Not Hate speak to you, Ketlan and Denise, but the idea of involving Lady Elsie Robson, and sons Mark and Paul is the best anti-fascist plan ever to be voiced on Lancaster Unity, and must be acted on please!
ReplyDeletePlease Ketlan/Denise, pick up the phone now!!!!!!
I wholeheartedly agree! The Robson family must be invited to take a stand against the EDL Casuals before it is too late, as westminster and the police are turning a blind eye.
ReplyDeleteBobby Robson was a god in Newcastle.
They would be safe - nobody would dare touch the widow of Bobby, as she, like her late husband, is universally respected by all Newcastle and England fans -
ReplyDeleteBy condemning the race hatred and fascism disguised as patriotism, the EDL would collapse overnight, and the whole of the UK could breathe a lot easier -
This has to be done -
And soon -
What does CU stand for?
ReplyDeleteIf I had Sir Bobby's widow's phone number, I'd ring her myself.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure she would like to help irradicate football of organised racism in her late husband's memory.
Hope Not Hate don't always take on public suggestions, no matter now excellent they are!
ReplyDeleteWhoever made this suggestion, if Newcastle United do get his family to speak out against the EDL at half-time, it's bound to work.
Please Hope Not Hate, give it a try. You've nothing to lose!
Bobby Robson was an English hero.
ReplyDeleteThe edl casuals are racist cowards who bring shame on the nation of England.
Nice idea:)))
ReplyDeleteSomeone get in contact with Bobs family
Im sure theyd love to help defeat the neonazi EDL to stop them bringing shame to Newcastle and England
I think some of the posts here are missing the point. I would much prefer it if people made the effort to kick the EDL off the streets rather than hope that someone might make a public statement that might be echoed by some other people and their reaction may embarrass the EDL. The EDL are trying to be the new NF and there was only one way of dealing with those scumbags.
ReplyDeleteI would also like the EDL to give me a laugh by explaining the link between Islam and football.
Nobody would dare challenge the integrity of the Robson family for he was beyond reproach, Newcastle's first saint of football.
ReplyDeleteI've been to newcastle games were the Newcastle crowd roundly booed Robson,which got him the sack. Now you say he was a god. Hypocrites.
Echo what everyone else says. Although he never managed my own team, Bobby Robson is one of those people who make me PROUD to be ENGLISH. The EDL/BNP most certainly do not.
ReplyDelete'What does CU stand for?'
ReplyDeleteCasuals United. Football hoologans.
'Hope Not Hate don't always take on public suggestions, no matter now excellent they are!'
Bear in mind that suggestions may simply be impossible to implement for any number of reasons. I know our friends at HnH are doing all they can to fight the EDL and co in any way they can and I'm damn sure any suggestions for advancing that fight are at least very carefully considered.
Football rivalry doesn't come into this. Sir Bobby was not universally popular when he was with Newcastle, but now he's gone, everybody realises how important he was to the club.
ReplyDeleteThe E.D.L. are a detriment to the club, and celebrities must be used in the fight against fascism.
Street-level campaigns are different, and obviously driving fascists from the streets on Manchester is of the utmost importance.
Mosley was driven out from the East End of London, and the National Front were driven off the streets in the 70s and early 80s, so hopefully this next saturday the neo-Nazi EDL fascists will be run out of Manchester peacefully yet decisively.
PMSL
ReplyDeleteIf this bunch of racists were any kind of Barcode fans they'd know that without foreign players their shite championship team would be languishing somewhere in the blue square league..... thay are not (as much as pains me to give any praise to NUFC) anything to do with true NUFC supporters, they simply hide behind it as a way of recruiting members.
I hope that all true supporters give them the shit they deserve.
Ha way the lads, eh Kev!!!
Newcastle's footie firm, will always stand behind the family of the late Sir Bobby. If Sir Bobby's wife was to speak out against the E.D.L, the only waiting for them in the North East would be the Newcastle Gremlins:)
ReplyDeleteremember the biggest edl supporter who was at newcastle , he served time ? come on lads cant you say his name then
ReplyDeleteTalking about Mike Bell, has anyone seen this from Birmingham news site The Stirrer:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thestirrer.co.uk/bnp-bell-pleads-for-second-chance-0210091.html
"You repeatedly allowed members of your forum to use insulting language towards me, main example :- allowing people to call me 'bellend' which obviously a reference to the male genitalia"
I pissed myself laughing at that!
"The EDL is a right wing group which campaigns against muslim extremism"
ReplyDeleteWhat? What?
Brawling in city centres, with posters saying "No More Mosques" isn't campaigning AGAINST muslim extremism --- it encourages it!
The Labour Party has let down its voters seriously by allowing the EDL Casuals to cause fights and riots unhindered by the police, even though their actions are criminal.
ReplyDeleteAre a bunch of racist and Islamophobia football hooligans somehow useful to shore up the War In Afganistan?
Why are the government turning a blind eye "Greek-style" to this dangerous bunch of neo-Nazis?
If you look at the lastest blog by Nick Lowles, you soon realise that there is more than meets the eye to the EDL Casuals and their secret relationship to the actions of both the Home and Foreign Office.
ReplyDeleteWhen most of the public want the troops to leave Afganistan, through their crude courting of the white working class, and their controversial street-fighting tactics, one does indeed wander if their violent racism is welcomed by the Labour Government to keep the public interested in burkas, Al Quaida and the Taliban, when the British public have far more important things to worry about such as the economy.
When a left of centre government has to rely on violent street-fighting fascists to prop up an unpopular foreign war, it proves how out of touch New Labour have become with the British people!
In the news today is a case of a hearing about people who finance terrorism.
ReplyDeleteMost surely Alan Lake should enter that category!
Seems like the Green Arrow now loves the EDL Casuals violent Street Army.
ReplyDeleteWhat's happening to the loyalty of BNP members to their particular fascist grouping?
Has Green Arrow joined the neo-Nazi EDL against the wishes of his beloved fuhrer Nick Griffin?
ReplyDeleteDespite expressing firm support for the EDL ahead of his beloved BNP, you are hardly likely to see the "Goon Arsehole" arming himself with a half-brick at EDL riots, as GA is merely a stay-at-home Odinist keyboard warrior.
ReplyDelete