A right-wing group has threatened £500,000 action against councils in Shropshire if they hold any festive events that do not contain the word Christmas in the title.
The English Defence League has written to all major councils in the country – including Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin – warning them not to “lose the meaning of Christmas”.
The group is threatening repeat demonstrations in towns and villages it believes to be ignoring its advice. Events that may be deemed to breach the EDL threat include Christmas lights switch-ons, pantomimes and nativity plays.
In the letter, sent from the party head office and seen by the Shropshire Star, the EDL says: “As I’m sure you are aware Christmas is a long-established tradition in British history and indeed other cultures and religions and dates back as far as 400AD.
“Please keep Christmas as Christmas and not let our culture and traditions be eroded and preserve English values.
“Any council that does not keep the word Christmas in the annual celebrations and opts for Winter Festival, out of the politically correct appeasement of others to the detriment of our traditions, will have their town visited by the English Defence League throughout the following year.
“The average cost to the council is £500,000 when the English Defence League demonstrates at any given location and it is hoped this will be avoided by your council keeping the word Christmas alive. Do not lose the meaning of Christmas by changing it to Winter Festival.”
Telford & Wrekin Council confirmed it had received the letter, and had passed it onto the police.
A Telford & Wrekin Council spokesman said: “This is a generalised letter to all local authorities and there is no specific reference to Telford & Wrekin. As a matter of routine procedure, we have passed the letter to West Mercia Police for information. We are happy that Christmas celebrations will proceed in the borough as normal.”
Shropshire Council said it would not be advising county events to alter their titles. A Shropshire Council spokesman said: “Any events held by the council are named whatever is deemed most appropriate and suitable by the organisers.”
Shropshire Star
“Any council that does not keep the word Christmas in the annual celebrations and opts for Winter Festival.... will have their town visited by the English Defence League throughout the following year."
ReplyDeleteI thought blackmail was illegal.
From the top; one, two, three...
ReplyDeleteWe WISH you a Merry Winterval,
We WISH you a Merry Winterval,
We WISH you a Merry Winterval,
And a Hap-py New Yeeeeaaar!
(sheepishly shakes collecting tin...)
In the newspaper article its interesting that it describes the EDL as a party. Has it morphed recently?
ReplyDeleteIn the newspaper article its interesting that it describes the EDL as a party. Has it morphed recently?
ReplyDeleteAh, Winterval that old urban myth - maybe the EDL should be challenged to produce an authenticated example? .....
ReplyDeleteMaybe EDL's semi-evolved hominids should read this
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/dec/08/religion.communities
before sending their letters out.....
Celebrate christmas or else! hmmm i think the phrase ' GROW UP! ' is the most appropriate, but not exactly what i am thinking.
ReplyDeleteSo are there alot of councils run by islamic extremists then?
So in other words every time a local authority celebrates Xmas as per flippin' usual the EDL will pretend that's some sort of victory for them......
ReplyDeleteTTTTTOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEERRRRRS
Evidently the Extremely Dense League doesn't understand the concept of free speech.
ReplyDeleteYaxley really is up his own arse - publicity seeking prick
ReplyDeleteAhhh ... the English Defence League have discovered the spirit of Christmas
ReplyDeleteIt would really be a sight though, for 500 EDL in santa costumes to come to your local town centre/ Wetherspoons, singing carols instead of going ape about "muzzers".
ReplyDeleteAnother mulled wine, Tommy?
I guess Jim Dowson will be playing Scrooge at the EDL's forthcoming remake of 'A Christmas Carol' - I understand that in the EDL's version Jim Dowson/Scrooge gets beaten up in order to make him realise the error of his ways.
ReplyDeleteBreaking News... Griffin's claiming to have Kidney Stones.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the betting he tries for yet another adjournment?
Why the poor, poor, (kidney stones).
Kdney stones eh, all that rich living, pies, port, rooting around in the eurotrough and lack of exercise coming back to haunt him..?
ReplyDeleteThere is, contrary to what the EDL and their allies in the press may try to push upon us, one huge difference between Christianity and Aryan extremism.
ReplyDelete'Love your neighbour' appears more than once in the Bible, and one for the EDL: Empires and nations shall crumble but the word of the Lord will stay firm.
They cannot and will not hijack the Christian faith just to push their hatred of other faiths.
Trust the Shropshire Star to call the EDL a party. They are like a Midlands version of the Daily Express and hardly a week went by without a letter from the local BNP at one stage.
ReplyDeleteHuge armies of thugs taking over public houses, drinking excessively, and proceeding to smash the place up.
ReplyDeleteMarching provocatively through busy town and city centres, doing their best to incite racial hatred and spark a race war, showing absolutely no respect for local traders during tough economic times, and even less respect for local people by hurling abuse and racist abuse at passers by who are just out going about their business.
Saluting British war heroes who fought to keep Britain Nazi free by raising their right arms in the air and shouting siegheil.
AND....
dismissing as 'not English anymore' people who do not agree with the above (i.e the MAJORITY) including White people such as myself.
(now here's the one...)
Putting a huge finger in the air to local people whom they tell as they leave 'YOU CAN F***ING PAY THE POLICING BILL FOR ALL THIS TROUBLE WE'VE CAUSED TODAY'.
Now then, is THIS the actions of a POLITICAL PARTY, Mr. Shropshire Star editor???
Would even UKIP do this??
From the top; one, two, three...
ReplyDeleteWe WISH you a Merry Winterval,
We WISH you a Merry Winterval,
We WISH you a Merry Winterval,
And a Hap-py New Yeeeeaaar!
(sheepishly shakes collecting tin...)
I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, AndyMinion, and every one of my friends, family and each and every antifascist everywhere. But if you're reading this:
1. Editors of the Sun, Daily Mail and Daily Express
2. Richard Littlejohn
3. Jeremy Clarkson
4. Sammy Wilson MLA
5. Every BNP member...
(one, two, three)
Winterval time
Mistletoe and non-alcoholic EU standard grape juice
Young citizens singing multi-faith rhyme.....
Breaking News... Griffin's claiming to have Kidney Stones.What's the betting he tries for yet another adjournment?
ReplyDeleteNick 'Sick Note' Griffin!
And this malingerer wants to run the country?
But if he does have them then they are very painful :-) :-)
what a sad bunch of fame-hungry tarts they are at EDL. this is the most pathetic thing i've heard in a long time and I think everyone should urge all councils to have at least 1 event called 'winterval' just to wind up the stupid cockends in edl.
ReplyDelete@Tripeman
ReplyDeleteYou're forgetting everyone's favourite, from Slade: "Merry Winterval Everybody".
All together now - "It's Wiiiiiiinnnttteeerrrvvvaaalll!"