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Government ramps up bigotry: don't let them divide us
After the resignations: is the English Defence League finished?
'United We Stand' Unite Against Fascism Wales Newsletter email: secretary@uafwales.com
web: uaf.org.uk
Autumn 2013 tel: 07704 356894
'A VILE RACIST ATTACK...A SHAMEFUL, UGLY STAIN ON THE COMMUNITY' In September the Mosque in the quiet Neath village of Tonna was attacked. When two white local residents attempted to restrain the young man responsible for the attack, he attacked them too. The attack demonstrates Wales is not immune from the backlash of bigotry against Muslims following the murder of soldier Lee Rigby. Local MP for Neath and former Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain said:'This is a vile racist attack. Tonna, a quiet village with a reputation for caring and tolerance, has been shocked to the bone. It is a shameful, ugly stain on the local community. We will not tolerate Islamophobia or racism in our communities. But I am proud of the two local residents who sought to restrain the young man during his attack on the Mosque. The fact that he turned and attacked them violently just shows what an unspeakably vicious incident this was.
Birmingham in July: an EDL member shows-off his tattoo supporting the bombing of Mosques. Racist attacks against Muslims and Mosques have rocketed since the killing of soldier Lee Rigby, in London in May.
I have spoken to the local Police Inspector and I am reassured that the Police will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the man responsible is brought to justice and that such vicious racist thuggery will not be tolerated. I am absolutely horrified at what happened and it just shows that racism lurks under the surface of even the most respectable neighbourhoods in our country. Politicians of all parties must provide a strong lead in fighting it.' A man has since been arrested and remanded in custody until December.
EDL defeated in Tower Hamlets, yet again On September 7
. The EDL planned to march into the London borough of Tower Hamlets and hold a rally in Altab Ali Park. Tower Hamlets is home to a large and vibrant Muslim community, mainly of Bengali extraction. Is also houses the East London Mosque. The motives of the EDL leaders in targeting Altab Ali Park become clear when it is recognised that the park is named after a young Bengali social worker stabbed to death by racists in 1976. th
to make it necessary to hire a coach to take us there. This was done with financial assistance from the local government workers' union, Unison. The EDL was not only prevented from using the Park to spread hatred, and to intimidate the Muslim community. It was actually prevented from even entering Tower Hamlets, so great was the resistance to their presence.
Members of South Wales UAF gave the following thoughts on the day: A demonstration to occupy the Park was organised jointly by “We arrived at the Park shortly after the start and immediately East End United and Unite Against Fascism. Enough anti- I was impressed by the numbers gathered. I moved to a position fascists from South Wales wanted to support the demonstration page 2
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supported by:
Islamic Society for Wales
2 unite against fascism wales continued from front page where I could see the speakers and was absorbed with the mix of great speeches, fantastic weather and the geniality of the crowd, which I estimate at about 5000. A speaker who grabbed my attention was Max Levitas who had stood up to Moseley's Blackshirts in Cable Street in 1936. It was a privilege to listen to his impassioned talk about the fascists, and how they've changed their targets through the years, but still maintain their messages of hate and intolerance.” (Alex). “I had to be persuaded to go. Now I'm really glad I went. I believe that the thousands of us gathered there really made a difference”. (Ali). “We came together in Solidarity and in doing so, in strength. A local GP took the platform and talked about her experiences of living in a community, working and living together in peace, which contrasted with the EDL fascist scare-mongering. We listened to music by local artists, held our 'Muslims and Gays Against the EDL' (one that stood out!) and our trade union banners, high and proud. We were together in peace and celebration.” (Kat). “It was utterly outrageous that the fascist EDL would try to have a rally at a site where a racist murder took place in the 1970s. I felt strengthened from sharing the day with others of different faiths and backgrounds opposing hateful ideas. I also visited the Mosque and local people were pleased to hear of how far the Wales coach had travelled to oppose the EDL.” (Pete). “A peaceful victory march to the East London Mosque rounded off a successful day showing the EDL and other fascists they are not welcome.” (John).
the end of a fascist street gang?
English white working class’ and ra George rather than the Union Jack of To widespread publicity, the EDL leaders 'Tommy Carroll continued these lies in th Robinson' (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) and Kevin conference. Carroll have said goodbye to the EDL - but not to the racist politics of Islamophobia. This is a change of tactics not a change At first the message had some suc of heart. Their association with the Quilliam Foundation (see pundits could be found to discuss the right) - and total lack of any admission that past racist thuggery and the ‘white working class’. Th was wrong - indicates their attacks on Muslims will continue. mainstream politics – it helped bring a Labour initiative for example. How The reason for leaving the EDL is not hard to understand – it demonstrations did not succeed in build follows the failure of their attempted Tower Hamlets much outside the football hooligans a demonstration in September. This was the third defeat in a row they started with. The vile chants for the EDL's desire to intimidate the local community. And it demonstrations made it clear to all but t was the umpteenth time the few hundred thugs they could that this was a racist organisation th gather to spread their message of hate was rejected by a united Muslims. We also saw a number of att multi-cultural community. But, as the rise of the far-right and left-wing targets as the more openly f fascists in Europe shows, it could have been different. became apparent.
the EDL – a different tactic by the far-right
the ballot box and the street - tw
The EDL began in Luton 2009. In March a small group of young Muslims had protested at a local “Welcome home from Afghanistan” march by the Royal Anglian Regiment. They and other Asians were attacked by onlookers. In April and May there were two demonstrations which led to the formation of the EDL.
There was then an attempt to graft on would have created the classic fascist c electoral politics.. The tiny British Fr over and Paul Weston, former UKIP p became its Chair. It subsequently link Kevin Carroll become its Deputy Cha
Although it has been common for fascist groups to have a 'street fighting’ wing, such as Mussolini’s “Squadristi” or Hitler’s SA, the EDL was a bit different. We now know that EDL had been backed from the beginning by a shadowy group of very wealthy business people who were active in the international antiIslamic movement. One, who used the name Alan Lake, told a conference in Sweden in September 2009 they must build an 'anti-Jihad' movement and be “ready to go out onto the street”.
But the attempt to get the EDL thug politics was a miserable failure. The str suffered a setback in September 2011 into Tower Hamlets. Then in Septe humiliated by a 4000 strong anti-fascis The police had to stop them marching
Before they could recover Robinson w false passport (and other unresolve issues) and in January he was jailed fo now claims that it was during his time leave the EDL, but there was no sign April.
At the time the EDL (and its Welsh and Scottish sections) appeared to be based on a network of football hooligans without any political aims other than supposedly being against 'Muslim terrorists'. It also claimed not to be racist and pushed to the fore the one or two black and brown faces they initially had attracted. They claimed to represent the ‘the poor downtrodden Then in May there was the killing of
unite against fascism wales
allied to the Cross of St. Both the EDL and the BNP called a number of demonstrations the BNP. Robinson and in an attempt to exploit a backlash and revive their fortunes. heir resignation press- Both were unsuccessful thanks to the opposition organised by UAF, which was helped by the dignified appeal by the Rigby family against the use of Lee’s name to promote hatred and ccess – inevitably some violence. Around Britain local UAF groups organised 'Don't Let e nature of ‘Englishness’ The Racists Divide Us' rallies. We reported on the two very his had some echo in successful ones, involving local Muslim leaders in Newport and about the short-lived Blue Cardiff in the last newsletter. wever the almost weekly ding a following that went Under the impact of repeated anti-fascist protests, Robinson and BNP supporters that and Carroll were reduced to a charade about ‘charity walks’ as s and placards on their a way around police bans. They also tried to take over or latch the wilfully deaf and blind on to a number of wreath-laying events but local demos hat hated Islam and all prevented this. In Cardiff we had 150 people turn out at under tacks on trade union and 24 hours notice ready to stop such an event from being used by fascist nature of the EDL fascists. As a result EDL members continued to form breakaway groups.
wo tactics of fascism However, far from giving up, the EDL leaders continued calling
demonstrations over the summer and gambled on building up n an electoral wing which to a march through Tower Hamlets which would have restored combination of street and their street credibility. The 5000 demonstrators who opposed reedom Party was taken them put a stop to that attempt. parliamentary candidate, ked up with the EDL and what now? air. The EDL, its splinter groups and other nazi organisations like gs interested in electoral the NF will continue to be try to be a threat. However the attempt reet demonstrations also to create fascist gangs in cities across the country capable of 1 when they failed to get intimidating Muslims, ethnic minorities and working class ember 2012 they were organisation has failed. It has failed because of the repeated st demo in Walthamstow. and united opposition that UAF, backed by the trade-union g or even holding a rally. movement and others, has been able to organise. With continued Tory austerity, imagine where we would be was arrested for using a without UAF and others opposing the Nazis? As in other ed charges on finance parts of Europe the fascists would be a far greater threat. or 10 months. Robinson e in prison he decided to Robinson and Carroll may now try to carve out new careers for of that on his release in themselves as ‘experts on extremism’ with an Islamaphobic agenda - just as the founders of the Quilliam Foundation did. It will continue to be our job to oppose them and all other Lee Rigby in Woolwich. examples of fascism, Islamophobia and racism.
Robinson and Carroll announced their resignation was hosted by the little-known Quilliam Foundation. If was founded in 2008 by Maajid Nawaz and Ed Hussain. It is usually regarded as being set up to fight Islamic terrorism with expertise based on the founder's experience of extremist Islamic groups , in particular Hizb utTahrir. In reality its target is all ‘Islamist’ organisations. It defines ‘Islamist’ as “the belief that Islam is a political ideology, as well as a faith”, and therefore includes a wide range of Muslim organisations that completely reject the use of terror and violence. The Quilliam Foundation claims that: "The ideology of nonviolent Islamists is broadly the same as that of violent Islamists; they disagree only on tactics” But surely arguing with people instead of bombing them is a huge difference?
the Quilliam Foundation
HOW THE MASS MOVEMENT BROKE THE EDL
The press-conference where
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In 2010 the Guardian revealed that Quilliam had produced “A secret list prepared for a top British security official accusing peaceful Muslim groups, politicians, a television channel and a Scotland Yard unit of sharing the ideology of terrorists. The list was drawn up for Charles Farr, the director general of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT), a directorate of the Home Office. Farr is a former senior intelligence officer. The document sent to Farr is entitled "Preventing terrorism; where next for Britain?" It lists alleged extremist sympathisers, including the Muslim Council of Britain, the main umbrella group in Britain for Islamic organisations. It also claims that a Scotland Yard counterterrorism squad called the Muslim Contact Unit is dominated by extremist ideology.” http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/ aug/04/quilliam-foundation-list-allegedextremism The Guardian also suggested that the financial problems of the Quilliam may have influenced their move to include rightwing extremism in their remit. It reported the “millions” that they originally received from the government had shrunk to £532,099 in 2012.
Government and press bigotry will fuel the far-right
The government's racist van (left) told illegal immigrants to 'go home' - echoing the vile taunts of the National Front in the 1970's to ethnic minorities. The brilliant response to this by Liberty, the campaigning human-rights organisation, is pictured right. http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/index.php
The Government seems determined to ramp up racism once
A further raft of measures to compel landlords and others to discriminate against EU migrants was also announced. This will contribute even more to the hostility already felt by migrants and They recently sent scaremongering vans round six London asylum seekers. boroughs where many immigrants live, urging 'illegal immigrants' to leave Britain. The Advertising Standards Agency has since So a Sunday newspaper can get away with a banner headline ruled that the message on these vans was dishonest, and should claiming that 600,000 EU migrants are drawing benefits when the be withdrawn. real figure is a tenth of that. The journalists in question, encouraged by the Government's bigotry, arrived at this For three years now, ministers have banged on about immigrants preposterous figure by adding in students, OAPs and the families from the EU being 'benefit tourists'. For three years the EU has of claimants. politely asked the British Government to produce evidence for this. They have been given no answer. The worsening climate of bigotry and hostility will only encourage the racists and fascists in our midst. And it will inevitably make life This may be because the Government's own research clearly tougher for ethnic and religious minorities amongst us. shows that EU migrants contribute more to the welfare state, through taxation, than they take out in benefits. And they are Migrants make a substantial contribution to the economy, enrich much less likely to claim Job-Seeker's Allowance than British- Britain's culture and improve the standard of its public services. born workers. The multicultural and prosperous Britain that exists today has been created by generations of immigration and the acceptance Nevertheless Theresa May proposes to inflict even more of refugees. draconian measures on EU migrants. In the same week that Political parties need to stop exploiting racism and xenophobia in George Osborne promised to make it easier for Chinese the hope of securing votes, and the media need to end the millionaires to come to Britain, May announced that EU workers publication of sensational and unfounded stories, otherwise all of would have to pay £3000 for the privilege of coming here. us will be worse off. Bigotry against one group, if it is not roundly challenged, is always turned against other groups. more.
Join UAF Wales! ‘The threat from the BNP and fascist groups in Wales is real and immediate.They bring division to our communities and all thinking, compassionate people should oppose them. Now is the time to mobilise on an all-Wales basis, to meet the threat from these racist, fascist thugs as it arises.’ Peter Hain MP Name/organisation ................................................................................Email.................................................................. Address ............................................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................................................ Phone ................................................................................................Union ...................................................................... UAF Wales annual membership fees are: Individuals: £5 and £2 for concessions Organisations: Local £20, Wales unfunded £40, Wales funded £100 Return to: UAF Wales, 271 Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff CF51JB
Honorary President: Peter Hain M.P Chair: Ali Ahmed Vice-Chair: Maggie Simpson Treasurer: Amarjite Singh Secretary: Jeffrey Hurford Liaison: Julian Goss