Decision smacks of 'double standards' claims anti-EDL group

Members of the British Sikh community say they are disappointed that Guramit Singh, one of the self-styled leaders of the English Defence League (EDL), will now not face charges on suspicion of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

His arrest related to the speech that he made at the EDL protest in Peterborough. The video of his speech is freely available on the internet.

The police decision not to proceed further with his case comes only days after the uproar in the media when Emadur Choudhury, an Islamist extremist, was fined only £50 after burning poppies during Remembrance Day last year.

Balwinder Singh Rana from ‘Sikhs Against the EDL’ said, “This smacks of ‘double standards’. While the media was right to protest against the lenient treatment given to Choudhury for causing an offence to the memory of the fallen soldiers, I think now they should show the same vigour in demanding that Singh should not be allowed to get away for insulting a whole community. Guramit Singh, by fronting the EDL, has only brought shame and embarrassment to the Sikh Community, but most of the community is united in condemning his actions."

Varinder Singh, organiser of the ‘Sikhs Against the EDL’ said, ”At the Luton demonstration against the EDL there was a very strong message sent from the Sikh community that he (Guramit Singh) is an embarrassment. I feel immensely proud seeing the Sikh community unite against the EDL and hold individuals such as Guramit accountable for their actions."

Hillingdon and Uxbridge Times

People ‘living in fear’ of EDL demo

Leading councillors have issued a desperate plea to the government ahead of the English Defence League march planned for Feburary 5, saying the event is likely to cause “serious disorder”.

The leaders of the local Labour, Tory and Conservative groups wrote to Theresa May on Friday, asking for her support should they choose to pursue a ban on the march. They said the image of Luton had suffered following the Stockholm suicide bombing by Luton man Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, and that forthcoming march had compounded the “negative media coverage”, causing “deep dismay and anxiety among the wider community in Luton – of whatever background, faith or outlook”.

Councillors Hazel Simmons, David Franks and Michael Garrett wrote: “We recognise that a ‘banning order’ on the EDL and counter demonstrators, would not prohibit them from holding a static demonstration. However a march is – in our opinion – provocative and not conducive to the public good at this time and would risk serious disorder. Further to this, the presence of the EDL processing through Luton has generated significant plans for visible and voluble counter-protests by other groups.”

The letter prompted the EDL to accuse the council of “trying to silence free speech and democracy”.

Spokesman Guramit Singh said he believed stopping the march would only cause more problems. He told the BBC: “When you ban marches you take away a key element of the demonstration and the logistics of the demonstration crumble and you get a lot of trouble.”

But Dr Fiaz Hussain from the Luton Council of Mosques said ordinary Muslims were “living in fear” at the prospect of the EDL coming back to the town. He said: “People are wondering what they have done to deserve this. Some people are living in very deprived areas and the last thing they want is groups coming to town and throwing abuse and hate around. People here just want to get on with their lives. My message to the EDL would be let’s sit round the table and talk about this. Let’s look at the grievances and see how we can address them.”

Other groups including Unite Against Fascism and the Muslim Defence League (MDL) are planning counter-protests on the day. A member of the MDL who contacted the Luton News said he was certain the EDL’s protest would turn violent, and that MDL members were aiming to “march peacefully, protect the Luton Asian community and to protect religious buildings”.

Luton Today

Police arrest EDL protest’s leader

ONE of the leaders of the English Defence League (EDL) has been arrested after police received complaints about his speech during their protest in Peterborough on 11th December.

Guramit Singh (28), from Nottingham, was arrested yesterday (22nd December) on suspicion of intentionally causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

Cambridgeshire Police received two complaints after Mr Singh, an unofficial leader and spokesman for the EDL, gave a speech during the EDL’s two-hour protest in the city on Saturday, December 11.

Mr Singh was addressing around 1,000 EDL supporters and hundreds of onlooking members of the public during his speech, which was delivered outside Peterborough Magistrates’ Court and has since been uploaded onto YouTube.

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Police said: “A 28-year-old man from Nottingham was arrested on suspicion of intentionally causing religiously aggravated harassment alarm or distress, under section four of the public order act 1986.

“He was questioned in Nottingham and has now been bailed.

“Police are investigating whether any further criminal offences were committed during protests in Peterborough.

“The arrested man will return to a police station in Cambridgeshire in February.”

The EDL held its protest claiming to be against Islamic extremism and its perceived rise in England.

The protesters went from outside the Peterborough United Football Ground, in London Road, to Peterborough Magistrates’ Court in Lower Bridge Street, where they gathered for a static protest and were addressed by Mr Singh.

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the other unofficial leader of the EDL, confirmed that Mr Singh had been arrested.

Mr Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, said: “Guramit was arrested in the morning.

“The EDL are fully behind him and we don’t think there was anything wrong with his speech.

“It doesn’t surprise me that he has been arrested but it does disappoint me.”

The EDL’s decision to come to Peterborough to march and protest sparked the biggest policing operation in the history of the city.

Around 1,000 officers from 18 forces across the country were drafted in to police the EDL march as well as the counter demonstration which was organised by Peterborough Trades Union Council.

The operation cost Cambridgeshire Police an estimated £750,000 to pay overtime and draft extra officers in for the day. It resulted in 10 arrests on the day.

Police investigations are ongoing following the marches and officers have asked anyone with information to contact them on 0345 456 4564 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Peterborough Today

EDL - Nazi Salutes, Guns and Knives

People oppose the EDL because of what it is, not because of what some EDL activists say they'd like it to be, and the facts are simple - the EDL is being used as a Trojan Horse by Nazis and BNP activists.


Whether EDL leaders planned it that way is a moot point, but EDL leaders Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and Chris Renton (aka John Sheridan) are BNP, Jeff Marsh (aka Joe Casuals) promotes Nazi music in his blog and says he supports voting BNP, Paul Ray says he's NOT anti-BNP but he was shunned by EDL leaders for opposing Renton linking with Nazis, Joel Titus says he opposes the BNP but accepted BNP activists as friends on You Tube, and EDL poster-boy Guramit Singh is a proven racist.
Other movers and shakers in the original EDL include NF activist David Tull and BNP activist David Cooling. With that kind of leadership, of course it's the EDL's fault Nazis turn up at EDL demos!



Thanks to UK Fightback