Clarkson in new race row

Gobby Jeremy Clarkson stormed into another race row last night after making fun of drowned Chinese cockle pickers.

And his latest outburst came after the Daily Star Sunday discovered he had posed for a snap with the leader of the racist English Defence League.

The 51-year-old was slammed after joking about dead Chinese immigrants in his regular newspaper column. He tastelessly compared synchronised swimmers to the 21 cockle pickers who were killed in rising tides in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, in 2004.

The Top Gear presenter was last night branded “out of touch” by anti-racism groups. Matt Collins, from Hope Not Hate, said: “Why does Jeremy Clarkson constantly have to be so tasteless and offensive? He is not funny and all he proves is that he is out of touch with modern Britain and that he belongs in the Dark Ages. He has no right to offend communities in this country who live and work here and provide more to Britain than he does.”

The latest outrage came as a picture of Clarkson and far-right English Defence League head Stephen Lennon emerged. Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, claims he talked about Islam with Clarkson.

The 28-year-old convicted thug, who also founded the anti-Islamic movement, said: “He knew who I was. We talked about Islam. I don’t want to say anything else because he will just get stitched up. But I’m a big fan of him.”

The picture is thought to have been taken in September outside a pub in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, where EDL members were holding a meeting.

But last night Jeremy Clarkson said he did not have a clue who Lennon was. He told the Daily Star Sunday: “I have no recollection of talking to this man and have no idea who Stephen Lennon is.”

This is the latest in a long line of scandals involving the TV car fanatic. Before the New Year Clarkson was accused of mocking Indian culture in a Top Gear Christmas special. More than 20 viewers complained to the BBC after he made a series of controversial remarks about the country’s clothing, trains, food and history. At one point Clarkson rode around the country’s worst slums in a Jaguar with a toilet fitted to the boot, joking: “This is perfect because everyone here gets the trots.”

That furore followed an incident on BBC’s The One Show when Clarkson claimed striking public workers should be “executed in front of their families”.

Lennon has previously posed with glamour girl Katie Price and bad boy footballer Joey Barton and claimed that they had joined his group. But both Price and Barton were quick to deny any links with the EDL and claimed they had no idea who Lennon was.

Lennon was convicted of assault in November after headbutting a member of his group during a rally in Blackburn, Lancashire. And in July he was found guilty of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour during a football brawl in August 2010

Star

Thanks to Zaahid for the heads-up

BFP links up with Australian far-right racists

Having formalised its alliance with the English Defence League, the British Freedom Party is now keen to reinforce its international links. The BFP has posted an extended interview with Andrew J. Philips, chairman of the Australian Protectionist Party, who claims that the APP is a "sensible, moderate but uncompromising nationalist party". It is in fact a far-right group specialising in anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim propaganda.

The APP's politics can be judged by the fact that their website has reproduced material by the British National Party and featured a video of a speech by South African white supremacist Arthur Kemp, author of March of the Titans: a History of the White Race, at a time when Kemp was a leading figure in the BNP ("Another one of Arthur Kemp's excellent speeches…not to be missed").

You can understand why the BFP and APP might enjoy a warm relationship, because the two organisations certainly have a lot in common. The BFP's new chairman Paul Weston has written an article entitled "The ethnic cleansing of the English", which warns that due to "mass immigration" the "indigenous race" will be reduced to "ethnic minority status in their homeland within twenty years".

Could EDL leader Stephen Lennon have been aware of this article when he told EDL members that Weston "has charisma, can speak well, and is a jolly good bloke"? After all, Lennon recently assured his local paper that the EDL leadership's response to racists is that "we find out who they are and we kick them out". When Lennon joins the BFP next year will he be calling for the expulsion of Paul Weston?

Islamophobia Watch

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

EDL members fined over rooftop protest

A rooftop protest over the ban on the England football team having embroidered poppies on their shirts has cost two English Defence League members £3,000.

EDL leader Stephen Lennon and member Kevin Carroll flew to Switzerland last Tuesday and 24 hours later managed to get on to the roof of the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. They were demanding England players be allowed to wear poppies on their shirts for their friendly against Spain after the governing body ruled emblems were not allowed because the poppy was seen as a political emblem.

The compromise of allowing the teams to wear black armbands with poppies on was reached after interventions from Prince William and David Cameron. But Mr Lennon claims his protest was the tipping point.

“FIFA changed their mind after two hours of us being up on that roof,” he said. “Everyone’s saying it was David Cameron but it was us.”

The pair were arrested when they came down from the roof after four hours, and were fined £2,300 and had to pay £700 court costs.

“They said our reasons were just but obviously it was against the law,” said Mr Lennon. “They put us in a grimy prison for three days.”

Their spell behind bars meant the pair were not in London on Friday when 170 English Defence Members were arrested at a pub near the Cenotaph because police believed they were headed for the protest camp at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Mr Lennon said: “They dragged everyone out of the pub and held them for four hours. There was no trouble. The police said they were preventing a breach of the peace so they arrested everyone, men and women. But no-one was charged with anything, they were all just released after four hours.”

Luton Today

EDL leader sentenced for headbutting fellow protester

Stephen Lennon given 12-week term suspended for 12 months for common assault and judge rejects asbo application

The leader of the far-right English Defence League has been given a suspended jail sentence after he assaulted one of the group's members at a rally. Stephen Lennon, 28, from Luton, was given a 12-week term, suspended for 12 months, at Preston magistrates court.

At a day-long trial, the court heard that Lennon launched a tirade against Alan McKee, 33, calling him a "degenerate mug", at a rally in Blackburn in April. McKee later confronted Lennon, whostepped forward and headbutted him.

McKee refused to give evidence against Lennon, but the court heard from two police officers who said they clearly saw the incident.

An attempt to prevent Lennon from organising or attending rallies outside Bedfordshire was rejected by the district judge Peter Ward at the sentencing hearing. The CPS and Lancashire constabulary jointly applied for an anti-social behaviour order against Lennon that would have effectively prevented him from involvement in the EDL. But Lennon's legal representatives said an asbo would be "disproportionate" and claimed the police were "desperate to stop him being involved with the EDL at all costs".

Outside the court, Lennon said: "This was an attempt to silence me and take away my democratic rights. I respect the judge for this decision. If the asbo had been imposed, it would have meant me going to jail. I would have broken it and broken it."

Lennon was warned he would be brought back before the courts if he committed another offence within 12 months. He will be required to perform 150 hours of unpaid work for the common assault conviction and pay £200 costs.

Thirteen arrests were made at the Blackburn rally, which cost £500,000 to police. The court heard that Lennon had been in charge of or assisted in the control of 70 such demonstrations nationwide.

Guardian

Tommy Robinson breaches bail (again)

Tut-tut, Tommy - another pitiful 24 hour hunger strike coming up?

Stephen 'Tommy Robinson' Lennon continues to break his bail conditions. Here he is at the Bedfordshire EDL meeting last night.

Cheers to Everything EDL for the pic

EDL protest in East London sees 60 arrested

Not quite the trip of a lifetime for a heavily kettled EDL mob
Thanks to Paul Maul for the image link

Sixty people have been arrested after English Defence League (EDL) members clashed with police in East London.

Police said 16 arrests were made during a demonstration by the group, while 44 people on a coach were held later on suspicion of violent disorder. The protest went ahead despite a ban on marches in the area, with police estimating 1,000 EDL supporters and 1,500 counter-protesters had gathered. Missiles were thrown by activists as 3,000 police tried to maintain control.

The supporters of the EDL, which says it is protesting against Islamic extremism in the UK, assembled near Aldgate Tube station, with the counter-protesters gathering in nearby Whitechapel Road. The EDL protesters were later led to Tower Bridge by police to disperse.

The 16 arrests during the demonstration were for offences including assault on a police officer, common assault, drunk and disorderly and affray. The later arrests came after a coach taking EDL supporters away following the protest broke down outside Stepney Green Tube station, at about 18:30 BST. Police said there had already been one altercation with local youths after the vehicle stopped in Whitechapel Road and some passengers got off the coach. When the coach broke down outside the station there was a further disturbance, the Metropolitan Police said, and all the passengers were arrested.

Officers from London were joined in patrolling the protests by colleagues from around the UK. Vans from forces as far away as Cumbria, Lancashire and Grampian were in action, with riot police, mounted officers and dogs also employed.

EDL founder Stephen Lennon, 28, breached his bail conditions by attending the protest in Aldgate, but was not one of those arrested. He stood to address the crowd disguised in a wide-brimmed hat and fake beard before revealing his identity.

He said: "I'm meant to sign on at a police station on a Saturday, I'm not doing that. I'm not allowed to go to a demonstration, I'm not doing that. The credible outcome is I will be put on remand in prison for my democratic right."

Lennon was convicted in July of leading a street brawl with 100 football fans in August last year.

Home Secretary Theresa May had imposed a ban on marching in Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Islington, Hackney and the City of London. The EDL had claimed the ban on marching sent out "completely the wrong message" and insisted a static demonstration would go ahead.

The activists were supposedly prevented from chanting or waving their flags while walking as that would constitute a march. The protest was moved however, at the behest of police, as the EDL protesters were led towards Tower Bridge by mounted and riot police. They were held on the bridge for about 40 minutes before being allowed to disperse.

Police had not requested powers to stop marches in London since the Brixton riots 30 years ago.

BBC

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Beds bozo breaches bail...

Click on image for full-size

Tommy Robinson AKA Stephen Lennon AKA Stephen Yaxley-Lennon breaching his bail conditions by attending a meeting of Wolverhampton EDL last Saturday night, the naughty boy. Want to report him? Bedfordshire Police non-emergency number is 01234 841212.

Cheers to @everythingedl over on Twitter

Determined to exploit riots, EDL promises to defy police

Tommy Robinson, seen here at a rally in Blackburn in April

The controversial English Defence League will go ahead with its march through the Shropshire town of Telford today, despite the Home Secretary's decision to ban it yesterday, citing the need to "protect communities and property".

But whatever unrest the group's mobilisation there may engender, it is as nothing to that which will erupt if its planned march through the London borough of Tower Hamlets goes ahead in three weeks' time.

The group, whose supporters number in the tens of thousands, gained attention this week when it co-ordinated efforts to defend the streets of Enfield in north London and Eltham in south London from would-be looters and rioters. The police did not welcome the "assistance".

The group's founder, Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Lennon, said of the Tower Hamlets march: "The police have told us that it will be the most hostile environment they have seen in this country in 20 years. They say marching through there will be absolute suicide. The Met have told us it'll be absolute suicide, but we will go ahead with it, whether it is banned or not."

The English Defence League claims not to be a racist organisation, and was set up with the declared aim of protesting against the spread of Islamic extremism in England.

Its previous marches through Luton, Birmingham, Bradford and Oldham have typically involved young white males singing pro-English football chants, but have occasionally descended into violence.

Tower Hamlets, which is to the east of the City of London, is one of the capital's most ethnically diverse boroughs and contains many of its most impoverished neighbourhoods. It is also home to the large East London Mosque, capable of holding 5,000 people.

"Why do they want to come here?" asked Abdul Azim, 34, emerging from the Mosque after Friday prayers. He is a stallholder at the Whitechapel Road street market, which runs through the area. "They are not from here. They just want to antagonise. They say they're not racist, but there are many thousands of them. How can they say there are not many in their group who want to attack us?"

It is an argument that Mr Robinson does not accept. "There's racists in the Met, there's racists in the Labour Party. When we find racists we kick them out."

The police have agreed to a 1.2-mile route for the march. The Home Office can only move to ban the march when it receives a request to do so from the police or the local council. So far no such request has been made. Mr Robinson believes that if the march is banned, the trouble will be worse. Salman Farsi, a spokesman for the East London Mosque, said: The EDL is an extreme far-right organisation. On their marches many of their members cause disorder and unrest, and they seek to stir up hatred and tension within communities. From our point of view we have advised the local authority to ban this march from taking place. If it does go ahead we can expect to see a repeat of some of the scenes we saw earlier this week."

IoS

EDL ashamed and angered by London riots

The EDL leadership have expressed their dismay and anger at the crowds which trashed, burned and looted parts of the capital and other areas of the country.

Their leader, Tommy Robinson said in an interview "we just can't do it like that, we feel inadequate, I've been watching it unfold on the news and there are some genuinely impressive scenes, masses of people trashing anything in sight, there is passion, there is energy!" Robinson vented his frustration and took notes on the way in which the riots were organised, he said "how they mobilized themselves is beyond me, we set up coaches, arrange stewards, meeting points, and yet we could only dream of causing such damage, we pale in insignificance, we'll be the next BNP and me the next Griffin. Oh fucking hell. I'm genuinely ashamed of my organisation, we've let ourselves down massively, all I can do is apologise to my followers and try to better these riots on our next demo".

The EDL, despite claiming to be a peaceful organisation, are notorious for their drunken town centre smash ups, which they arrange to protest against militant Islam and to stand up for true British values. In the past they have attacked shoppers, smashed windows and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. On their website they list their crowning achievement as smashing up a family restaurant and chasing its customers into the back.

Robinson has vowed to do one better, adding that "any looters or arsonists are welcome to come and join us, show us how it's done lads!!".

Turkey Breath

EDL founder denies rally assault

The founder of the English Defence League (EDL) has denied assaulting a man during a rally of the far-right group in Blackburn.

Stephen Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was arrested and charged with the offence this month following the alleged incident at an EDL gathering in Blackburn on April 2. He is said to have committed common assault against Alan McKee.

Around 2,000 members of the group gathered in the centre of the Lancashire town in April as they were kept about 150 yards apart from a counter-protest by up to 500 anti-fascists. About 50 EDL supporters gathered at Blackburn Magistrates' Court to support their leader with a visible police presence outside.

Lennon, 28, of Luton, Bedfordshire, will go on trial at Preston Magistrates' Court on September 29. The hearing was listed for one day. Lennon was granted bail on conditions of residence, that he reports to his local police station on Saturday afternoons and does not participate in public protests that are 12 miles away from his home town.

The Garstang Courier

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

EDL founder in court after far-right rally clashes

The founder of the English Defence League (EDL) will appear in court today accused of common assault.

Stephen Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was arrested after a rally of the far-right group in Blackburn, Lancashire, on April 2.

The demonstration saw minor skirmishes among the 2,000 members of the group who had gathered in the centre of the town. Police kept EDL supporters about 150 metres apart from a counter-protest by around 500 anti-fascists.

Lennon, 28, of Layham Drive, Luton, will appear on bail at Blackburn Magistrates Court.

Evening Standard

EDL leader Stephen Lennon faces Blackburn assault charge

The founder of the English Defence League (EDL) has been charged with assault following an altercation at a rally in Lancashire.

Stephen Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was arrested in connection with a brawl at the EDL demonstration in Blackburn on 2 April.

On Wednesday, he was charged with one count of common assault. Mr Lennon, 28, of Layham Drive, Luton, is due to appear at Blackburn Magistrates' Court on 24 June.

BBC

Thanks to Abu and Gregg for the heads-up

Theresa May ambushed at constituency meeting by head of English Defence League

Several protests involving the group have ended in violence with
opponents accusing the group of seeking to spread a message of hatred

Theresa May was last night dramatically ambushed at a constituency meeting by the head of the far-right English Defence League.

The Home Secretary fears the group – whose marches she has banned in the past - will now seek to exploit the face-to-face confrontation for a propaganda coup.

The self-proclaimed head of the EDL, who normally gives his name as ‘Tommy Robinson’, managed to by-pass security checks by posing as the companion of one of Mrs May’s constituents. He then began haranguing the Home Secretary about why the EDL – whose demonstrations have been marred by violence – was treated differently to other groups.

Mrs May says she walked away from the exchange in Maidenhead Town Hall – which comes ahead of a planned local march in the town by the EDL today.

Normally, the leader of a known extremist organisation would have no chance of getting near to the Home Secretary. She told the Mail: ‘My concern now is that he will try to make something of it, which he should not do. He did not have a meeting with me – I was completely door stepped. I did not even recognise him. This is a group whose purpose is to divide and to encourage hatred in our society and I condemn them for that.’

One concern is the group may claim to have formally met Mrs May, in a bid to gain some political legitimacy.

Normally, the Home Secretary’s meetings would be closely vetted – reflecting the fact she is not only a Cabinet minister, but in charge of national security. But MPs, under long-standing convention, agree to sit down with any constituents who have concerns in open meetings, normally held in public buildings.

Mrs May had an appointment with a man who was complaining about his treatment by the police. Constituents will often be joined by a family member or friend. When the man sat down, his colleague said to Mrs May: Do you know who I am? I’m the head of the English Defence League’. He then began complaining about how the EDL had been treated, saying it was different to Muslim groups, and demanding an appointment of his own. She refused.

Mrs May recently accepted Leicester City Council’s application to ban a planned EDL march in the city. The EDL responded by holding a static demonstration numbering 1,000. The Unite Against Fascism (UAF) group staged a counter-protest numbering 700. One police officer was taken to hospital with a leg injury and two protesters were treated by paramedics for minor injuries.

The English Defence League (EDL) formed in the wake of a demo by a small group of Muslims at a Luton homecoming parade in March 2009. Since then they have protested all over the UK against ‘radical Islam’. In recent months, there have been suggestions the group could become a political party.

Opponents accuse the group of seeking to spread a message of hatred. There have been claims the group is made up of a number of football hooligans. Leader Tommy Robinson – whose name is an alias – claimed: ‘The British people want to have their voices heard. A resistance to Islamification was always going to happen.’

A number of anti-fascist groups have attempted to unmask his real identity. The EDL has denied a string of names.

MPs surgeries have in the past been the scene of heated clashes and even violence. Last year, Roshonara Choudhary stabbed Labour minister Stephen Timms seriously wounded the Labour MP Stephen Timms. Inspired by terrorist websites, she lunged at him and stabbed him twice before being restrained by a security guard and arrested.

Mail Online

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Star no longer shines on the EDL

A tabloid newspaper has apparently switched direction after furious criticism of a front-page story widely held to have been a message of support for the English Defence League.

Last week the Daily Star, owned by the Jewish media tycoon Richard Desmond, ran a front-page story headlined “EDL to become political party.” The story said: “In the Daily Star phone poll yesterday, 98 per cent of readers said they agreed with the EDL’s policies.”

The paper’s editorial was headed: “Don’t dare ignore the EDL” and said: “Whether you like them or not, Tommy [Robinson – the pseudonym of EDL leader Stephen Lennon] and his followers will have to be taken very seriously”. But after heavy criticism, the paper ran several negative stories about the EDL – including one about an ex-Marine angry that the group planned a protest “in his name” against Muslim Respect councillors in Birmingham who were unwilling to take part in a standing ovation for the Royal Marines Reserve. The Daily Star’s editor, Dawn Neesom, refused to say whether the stories were a deliberate shift in editorial stance. A spokesman said: “The Daily Star will clearly not be endorsing EDL in the future.”

Community and political leaders have warned of the dangers of giving the EDL publicity which can be misinterpreted. Danny Stone, director of the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism said: “The EDL create tension and provoke anger wherever they go. Their tactics are violent. They deserve no sympathy, rather to be shunned by the British public and media. It ill behoves any newspaper to give the EDL the oxygen of publicity they so crave.”

A spokesman for the Board of Deputies said: “Whether or not the EDL have political aspirations, responsible media outlets should be exposing their insidious agenda of intolerance and intimidation, just as surely as all extremist groups and ideologies should be exposed. If the far right chooses to reinvent itself following the humiliation of last year’s elections, the media shouldn’t become an unwitting, and still less a willing accomplice.”

Much of the negative publicity for the Daily Star has focused on Mr Desmond, who has said he knew nothing of the paper’s views on the EDL “until it hit the breakfast table”.

Harsh criticism came from the veteran media commentator Roy Greenslade, but his post on the Guardian website was hastily amended after he wrote of Mr Desmond: “As a Jew, he may well have negative views of Muslims.”

The Guardian later removed the sentence on the grounds of “inappropriate language,” but it remained visible in the reader comments. Describing the underlying agenda of the EDL as being “antisemitic”, Mr Greenslade said: “[Desmond] ought to think very carefully about letting the Star use far right politics to build sales. He should remember what happened in Europe in the 1930s where Jewish minorities were demonised in the media for their religious beliefs.”

He told the JC he was pleased the sentence had been removed: “How stupid. I didn’t mean that and I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s contradictory, isn’t it? There I was going on about stereotypes and I immediately stepped into a stereotype. I sometimes wonder at myself.”

EDL launches US partnership

The head of the EDL’s Jewish division, Roberta Moore, has announced a partnership with far-right American group Jewish Task Force. JTF leader Victor Vancier said: “The Jewish establishment in the UK, the ’self hating Jews’ have condemned the EDL because they support the Muslim invasion of England. It’s pathetic, and I’m sad to hear it includes the so-called Orthodox. They have to be politically correct, even as we go to the gas chambers. This co-operation will turn into something big.”

Jewish Chronicle

Has Richard Desmond decided to back the English Defence League?

The far-right English Defence League draws many of its supporters from football fans

'Daily Star' front page suggests media mogul wants to bring far-right [group] into mainstream

"Front page", boasted the Facebook page of the right-wing English Defence League yesterday as it triumphantly linked its followers to a headline in Richard Desmond's Daily Star that noted that the anti-Islamic organisation was to become a "political party".

It's a rare thing for the Star to "splash" on politics. And although the coverage referred to the EDL as being a "far-right group", it reported its activities in an uncritical manner and noted that, in a phone poll of readers the previous day, 98 per cent of respondents had "said they agreed with the EDL's policies".

The media website Engage immediately asked "Is the EDL the Daily Star's New Friend?" A day earlier the newspaper had run a story saying that the EDL would "fight for heroes" and claiming that two Muslim councillors had "snubbed" a soldier by not rising to their feet when he was being given a standing ovation for winning a George Cross.

Yesterday's story carried the headline "EDL Chief: Vote Us Into Parliament!" It reported the wish of the group's leader – who uses the pseudonym Tommy Robinson – to appear on the BBC's Question Time.

"The EDL boss said that, unlike bumbling BNP leader Nick Griffin, 51, he would be a surefire hit on the show," the paper said. The article appeared alongside the Star's coverage of upheaval in Egypt, a piece that began: "Thousands of illegal immigrants will flee riot-torn Egypt and flood to Britain."

The paper's report that the EDL was preparing to field MPs was accompanied by Mr Robinson's observation that the group's 74,000 following on Facebook would exceed the online support of the three main political parties by the end of the year.

Among those Facebook followers yesterday, the Daily Star's apparent warmth to the group and a lead editorial headlined "Don't dare ignore EDL", was a source of pride and exhilaration.

Stephen Martin, who uses the slogan "British by Birth, English by the Grace of God", described his morning commute. "TODAY i sat there with my daily star with PRIDE, the pictures and banners were fair, the write up was fair, the Star comment was fair and 98 per cent back us (including everybody sat with me)," he wrote. "We have a voice now, 25p a day, if they have 74,000 new readers, we have a BIGGER voice."

Tom Evans ("English and Fuckin' Proud of It") agreed. "i think everyone should support the daily star and buy it a couple times a week at least lol... they are the only one to stand up for the EDL." He said other EDL followers were thrilled at the "awesome" and "amazing" 98 per cent approval rating from Star readers.

The newspaper's long-standing editor Dawn Neesom is one of Fleet Street's stalwarts. A proud East Londoner and keen kickboxer, she follows West Ham United home and away and prides herself on being in touch with the instincts of the Star's working-class readership.

The EDL draws much of its support from football followers. Sources said it was Ms Neesom's decision to give the group such a high profile, and not that of the paper's owner Mr Desmond.

Ivan Lewis, shadow Culture secretary, said: "Newspapers have a right to cover whatever they want in a democracy within the constraints of the law and their code of practice."

Independent

The faltering light of Little England

EDL supporters listen to founder Tommy Robinson speaking. Photograph: Getty Images

On Saturday, the British lion roared. The roar of monoculturalism

By train, coach and car, they came. To Luton, birthplace of the English Defence League. A journey home.

As they travelled, they were buoyed by words of acclamation from none other than their own Prime Minister. Speaking in Germany, a nation historically renowned for its unique take on muscular liberalism, David Cameron reached out. "Passive tolerance" had created a monster. Islamic extremism. Terrorism. An alien disregard for democracy, equal rights and freedom of speech.

The EDL leader, a good English Tommy (though his real name is Steven), could not contain his delight: "He's now saying what we're saying. He knows his base."

That base was now encamped in Luton town centre. Here the flower of English youth, or rather, the bramble bush of English middle age, fanned the debate on multiculturalism the country has been denied for so long: "We've fucked all of Allah's wives," they sang with gusto. Strangely, the people of Luton did not seem overly keen to participate in this dialogue, voting with their feet, and in many instances with plyboard and hammers, as the city-centre shops lay shuttered and deserted.

Others wouldn't have missed it for the world. The Swedish Defence League had arrived the night before, slumming it in the nearby Hilton. Muttering darkly about "revenge" for the actions of the Stockholm suicide bomber Taimur Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, they were on what appeared to be a sort of extremist's busman's holiday.

The German Hanover Division, by contrast, acted like typical tourists, posing happily for photographs while watching with a connoisseur's disdain the half-hearted attempts by local EDL activists to sieg heil. They were certainly happier than the coachload of Polish pensioners who were mistakenly pulled off the motorway by the police and forced to form part of an EDL convoy.

Back in the town centre, tempers began to fray as members of the Scottish Defence League – who, in solidarity with their German brothers, like to refer to themselves as the SS-DL – began taunting their English counterparts. Then, just as it seemed that British monoculturalism was facing its first schism, a frisson of excitement ran through the crowd.

Two of the "star guests" had arrived: Rabbi Nachum Shifren, the self-styled "surfing rabbi", from California, with links to Sarah Palin's Tea Party movement; and Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff, an Austrian political activist currently facing prosecution under "hate speech" laws. Within the admittedly niche circle of international Islamophobe speakers, these constituted A-list arrivals.

Then the march was under way, stuttering, jostling and meandering its way towards the reclamation of a nation and its identity. There were a couple of minor interruptions, the first when Rabbi Shifren suffered a panic attack, the second caused by an attempt at reorganisation so that the women, of whom there were a handful, were strategically positioned at the front. According to the EDL, this was to demonstrate the "peaceful" nature of the march, though the gesture was slightly undermined by the fact that your average EDL woman appears far tougher and more aggressive than her male counterpart.

On they marched, generating if not a carnival atmosphere, certainly a vociferous one. Many of those in attendance were clearly on their first demonstration, hence the confusion over the relatively novel chant "No surrender to the Taliban", and its rapid replacement with the reassuringly familiar "No surrender to the IRA". To the untrained ear, this created the spectacle of burly, tattooed men pledging with their dying breath never to surrender their tiaras.

Meanwhile, the police maintained a keen but restrained vigil, clearly relieved to be facing a crowd of hardened anti-Islamic extremists, rather than Oxbridge undergraduates.

Then suddenly, they were at the square, surging, pouring triumphantly forward. For an instant it seemed a Burberry bomb had exploded in the centre of Luton. One man rushed ahead, gesticulating exultantly, challenging someone to "come on, have a go!". But it was fake bravado. He was talking to the wall of an adjacent shopping centre. A second sprinted to the front, unfurling a giant banner of St George. Sadly, it was too large for even this son of Albion – he tripped, tumbled and lay prone for several seconds, wrapped literally in the flag, like a fallen sailor awaiting burial at sea.

There were speeches. Tommy Robinson, an EDL founder, insisted bellicosely that "there are no racial divisions in Luton", while Sabaditsch-Wolff – slightly misjudging her audience – chose to recite Tennyson. They were met with cheers, and chants of "E-E-EDL!". But I recognised those cheers. They were like the first 15 minutes that follows another English defeat on penalties. The voice of the defiant, rather than the victorious.

And then they were gone. The surfing rabbi and the Viennese aristocracy, the Hanoverians, the Polish tourists, Swedish busman and Scottish Nazis were no more. Like a surreal, anti-Islamist Carry On film, the march on Luton was over.

Only Tommy Robinson, and the small band of his followers who actually live in the town, remained. They retreated to a local pub to regroup and relive the day. They had made their point. Though what that point was, only they really knew. Maybe they felt had simply stood tall, raged against the dying of the light.

The faint, faltering light of Little England.

Dan Hodges at the New Statesman

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

David Cameron boards the EDL bandwagon

Bungling David Cameron was last night accused of “stoking the fires” of race hate just hours before a thuggish far right march.

The Prime Minister pledged to make Britain “a lot less” tolerant towards Islamic extremists who whip up hatred against the West. But the Tory leader was slammed by religious leaders for “vilifying” Muslims and boosting support for the far-right English Defence League who saw thousands of supporters gather for a hate-filled rally yesterday in Luton, Beds.

Tensions simmered as around 3,000 EDL members marched through the town, which was largely boarded up and ­barricaded by police for the event. Around 1,000 officers from 14 different forces monitored the protest in an operation that cost more than £800,000. There were skirmishes during the march, 19 people were treated for injuries and police said eight people werearrested, “mostly for possession of offensive weapons and assault”.

EDL leader Stephen Lennon, 26, told the Daily Star Sunday: “It is no coincidence Cameron made this speech the day the EDL held its biggest-ever march. We are a phenomenon and we have support in every town and city. For the past two years we have been highlighting the evils of militant Islam and the effect it has on our country. And we are getting more support. Cameron’s seen this tide turning against these extremists living in our towns and has jumped on the bandwagon. But he’s a politician and is all talk. He doesn’t care. And he is wrong. Multi- culturalism does work in this country. Christians, blacks, Polish, Jews, Sikhs, and people from every other background in the world live in harmony here. It’s those who follow militant Islam that cannot live side by side with us.”

Later Sabby Dhalu, from Muslim pressure group One Society Many Cultures, slammed Mr Cameron saying: “Vilifying Muslim communities on the day when they are being targeted by the EDL in Luton could not be more grotesque.”

Among the crowd, chants of: “We want our country back”, “Muslim bombers off our streets” and “No surrender to the Taliban” rang out along the parade route. One protester calling himself Dave, from Wolverhampton, said: “We want these Islam ­extremists and terrorists out. You can take your mosques and f**k off.”

The parade was led by 30 women EDL members in a bid to show people the group is not just made up of thugs.

Just 200 yards away from the EDL protests, local Muslims demonstrated against the far-right group. Imran Khan, 26, said: “If police weren’t here and the EDL came on to our streets we’d join together and fight them. And EDL blood will be spilled.”

Hundreds of United Against Fascism members also staged a protest. Sadiq Khan, 40, Shadow Justice Secretary, said ahead of the Prime Minister’s speech in Munich that he was “writing propaganda for the EDL”.

But Conservative Party chairman Baroness Warsi, 39, hit back and said: “For Sadiq Khan to smear the Prime Minister as a right-wing extremist is outrageous and irresponsible.”

Sunday Star

Luton gears up for far-right weekend march

Police from all over the country will be drafted into the multicultural town of Luton on Saturday amid fears of clashes between a far-right group and anti-fascist supporters.

Bedfordshire Police is mounting one of its biggest ever operations in a bid to prevent violence when the English Defence League (EDL), which protests against "radical Islam," stages a march through the town, home to a large Muslim community.

Previous EDL demonstrations have led to violence and Saturday's demonstration will see it bringing in supporters from across Britain while members of anti-jihad groups from Holland, Norway, France and Sweden are also due to attend. Some 2,000 officers will be on duty and transport police will be out in force on rail routes into the town, about 35 miles north of London.

"Luton will look very different to normal," said Chief Superintendent Mike Colbourne, Luton's police commander, who said the operation would cost the force some 800,000 pounds. "But the officers, their dogs and horses are all there with the same purpose -- to look after the town."

Luton has particular resonance for the EDL. The organisation was formed after a group of radical Muslims shouted slogans at British soldiers, calling for them to "burn in Hell," during a homecoming parade in the town in 2009.

The Islamist suicide bombers responsible for the deadly 2005 attacks on London met at the town's rail station beforehand, and locals have been involved in a number of counter-terrorism investigations. Taymour Abdulwahab, who carried out a suicide attack in Stockholm in December, had studied at the local university.

"We're fed up, we are the people living in these towns and cities," said the EDL's founder and leader 26-year-old Steven Lennon, who goes by the name of "Tommy Robinson" after a infamous football hooligan. "We are the people crossing paths with terrorists, we are the people who have to live next door to them, our kids have to go to school with them," he told Reuters.

"We ... are trying to get the politicians to listen to us, because at the minute they are just bowing to Islam and appeasing Islam, everywhere, all over, they are too scared to even talk about Islam."

In the town's high street, where "Luton in Harmony" banners fly, locals are worried. A counter-demonstration by the Unite Against Fascism group, which is also bringing in supporters, will be staged on Saturday at the opposite end of the street and police fear there may also be unofficial protests by local Muslims.

"Sometimes it goes beyond the limit. Some people take it to the next level, so yeah, it does make me worried. Big time," said young mother Afiah Husnain as she pushed her baby around the predominantly Muslim area of Bury Park.

About a sixth of Luton's 185,000 population is Muslim and the Imam of the Central Luton Mosque, Syed Gulzar Bukhari, has been handing out leaflets advising his community not to react.

"The EDL can not be defeated if a few Muslim hot-heads are allowed to represent the whole Muslim community," it reads.

It's not just Muslims who are worried.

"We don't want them, we don't want them here. I mean they might have something they believe in but I don't think we need it. Luton's getting a bad image," said one elderly woman who did not want to be identified.

Hazel Simmons, leader of Luton Council, said the protests would effectively shut down the town.

"It's going top be a challenging day and I'm sure that many people, including myself, would rather this event was not coming to Luton," she said.

Whatever the outcome on Saturday, the EDL are promising more demonstrations and the evolution of an anti-Islamist political force.

"People say we are football hooligans. No, we are not football hooligans, but we are not backing down at the same time," Lennon said. "You are not beating us into submission, you are not beating us into silence, we will keep on coming."

Reuters

EDL founder Stephen Lennon's police assault charge dropped

The founder of the English Defence League (EDL) will no longer face a charge of assaulting a police officer.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has dropped the accusation against Stephen Lennon, 27, of Luton, Bedfordshire, after new evidence emerged. The CPS said Mr Lennon would now face an offence under the Public Order Act.

Mr Lennon was arrested as members of the Muslims Against Crusades group burned a poppy during a two-minute silence on Armistice Day in London. A police officer suffered a head injury during the clashes in Kensington, west London, as about 50 men linked to the EDL were kept away from the protesters. Five other people associated with the right-wing organisation were arrested and two Muslim protesters were held on suspicion of public order offences.

Two men, aged 30 and 26, have since been charged with public order offences and are due to go on trial later this year. The CPS and the Metropolitan Police were unable to say immediately if the remaining five would face charges. The CPS said Mr Lennon had not yet been formally charged with the new offence.

Mr Lennon described this potential new charge as being "out of a Christmas cracker" and said he would deny it. He said: "This is a joke, a farce. It completely shows they are trying to pin anything they can on me. I will plead not guilty to the public order. I was trying to prevent a crime of burning poppies. I was trying to do the police's job because they failed to keep the rule of law on the streets of London."

The Metropolitan Police said it would not be commenting on Mr Lennon's remarks.

BBC

EDL’s Moore Joins Price Defence Late

Roberta Moore, leader of the EDL’s Jewish Division despite defining herself as a Pagan, has weighed in on the Richard Price scandal and thrown the EDL’s credibility into turmoil again.

The Brazilian has performed an unexpected u-turn and made a string of bizarre excuses, in a series of posts that will further upset and panic EDL leader Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who has spent the past 24 hours doing all he can to shake off his initial defence of convicted sex offender Richard Price.

In the posts, Moore reverts back to Lennon’s earlier stance of defending Price, claiming that the images found on his PC were not of an indecent nature, and implies that hew has been set up by the authorities.

In an astoundingly bad judgement call, Moore claims that another individual may have put the images on Price’s computer, implying that the police and CPS did not conduct a thorough and proper investigation. This claim is at odds with the fact that Price later signed the sex offenders register; a move he would almost certainly not have made had there been reasonable evidence that the pictures were not his.

She seems to offer no explanation as to why Price signed the register, and also overlooks the fact that if the CPS had been unsure of the originator of the images, no case could have been brought against Price.

As our previous articles have confirmed, Price was found guilty of possessing level 1 images of child pornography. He has also signed the sex offenders register.

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