UK: Anti-Islam EDL Group Viewed as "New Face of Europe"

September 23, 2010

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/real/blog/mosque/mosque-092310-01.html

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our universal human rights of religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of worship for all people.  R.E.A.L. rejects hatred and rejects the activities of those who seek to promote hatred towards identity groups and specific religions.  R.E.A.L. rejects calls for violence and violence, vandalism, and protests to disrupt freedom of religion by individuals at houses of worship.

At blogs this week, the British anti-Islam group, the English Defence League (EDL) involved in numerous violent protests against Muslims and mosques, was alternatively being viewed by a Hudson Institute writer A.Millar as "the new face of Europe" or compared to the American "Tea Party" by the Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) leader Pamela Geller.

Hudson Institute's "A. Millar" believes that the EDL has the potential of "bringing the diverse groups of society together, in support of national tradition, liberty, and democracy -- the movement might one day be the new face of Europe." SIOA Executive Director Pamela Geller has sought to promote the EDL, and she states on the American Thinker blog that "The EDL is routinely smeared in the British media, as the Tea Party activists are smeared in the U.S. media."  An SIOA supporter claims that there are efforts to create an EDL-like group in America. The SIOA invited EDL members to join their 9/11, 2010 protest against the Park Place Islamic Center in New York City.

They ignore that the EDL has been involved in violent protests across the United Kingdom against mosques in that country.  The EDL's history of violence and hate can't be ignored, or merely dismissed as just a few troublemakers buying their "hoodies."  The repeated photographs of EDL protest violence and hatred have been captured by many in the media, including the right-wing Daily Mail, the Birmingham Mail, the AFP, the Guardian, and many others.  I urge  readers to look at such reports and ask themselves, "is this what we hope to see as the 'new face of Europe'"?

The English Defence League (EDL) group has been repeatedly associated with violence against police, chanting vulgar and hateful remarks, and terrorizing the elderly with their violent protests.  The EDL has been associated with violent protests in April 2010 tearing down police barricades, and again in July 2010 throwing bricks at police officers.

The EDL was once again involved in a violent protest on August 28, two weeks before they came to the 9/11 NYC protest.  One of those planning to come to the NYC rally EDL leader Tommy Robinson was denied access to the United States by Homeland Security.  One EDL member was even arrested for suspicion a terrorist plot against a UK mosque.  The EDL violent hatemongering has been captured on video and can been seen on YouTube.  Some EDL members proudly display swastikas and "Heil Hitler."  Some claim this is "leftist" media - the Daily Mail, the UK Sun, are hardly "leftist" media in their reports on the violence by the EDL.

On 9/11, while EDL members were joining the protesters against the Park Place Islamic Center, in the UK, BBC reported on an EDL demonstration on 9/11 in UK where "up to 50 supporters threw bottles at a police car at about 1315 BST, a Greater Manchester Police spokesman said, "leading to "eight arrests at English Defence League event in Oldham. 

Photo Below: "The New Face of Europe" Anti-Islam EDL Scream at British Riot Police (Photo: YouTube)

Photo Below: "The New Face of Europe" Anti-Islam EDL Threaten Racial Minorities (Photo: YouTube)

 
In April 2010, the Daily Mail reported on the EDL violently breaking through police barriers, resulting in the panic attack of an elderly woman who had been shopping in the area.   2,000 members of the EDL were involved in a violent protest in Dudley, UK against the plans to build a mosque there, and during the protest the Daily Mail reported on EDL clashes with riot police.

Photo Below: "The New Face of Europe" Anti-Islam EDL Breaks Down Police Barriers in Anti-Mosque Riot (Photo: PA Wire/David Jones)

The Daily Mail reported that "The EDL protesters managed to break out of the car park by pulling down fences and barging their way past riot police officers. About half the group then ran off through the town. Lines of riot police officers fought running battles with protesters as they tried to contain the mob who pulled down barriers blocking off roads. Nick Mainwood, 42, from Oldbury, West Midlands, said he tried to help an elderly woman who suffered a panic attack during the protest."

In July 2010, the Birmingham Mail reported on EDL supporters "throwing bricks and metal security fences at riot police."  

Photo Below: "The New Face of Europe" Anti-Islam EDL in Protest Where Police Officer Struck with Bricks (Photo: Birmingham Mail)



The Birmingham Mail reported that "Around 500 EDL supporters gathered on Stafford Street waving England flags and shouting anti-Islamist chants. Violence flared as police attempted to get the protesters back on to buses at the end of the demonstration as they threw bricks and metal security fences at riot police. Several shops and cars in the town were damaged and police said they would trawl through hours of CCTV footage to find the offenders."  "A witness told the Birmingham Mail the car had been surrounded by EDL supporters and the driver hit the accelerator to escape."

In July 2010, the UK Sun reported on EDL members that had been arrested and questioned on plot against a mosque, but were then released due to insufficient evidence.  The Sun reported that "Armed police opened fire on a van as they swooped on a far-right group suspected of plotting to blow up a mosque. Cops used special tyre deflation rounds to disable a Ford Escort van driven by English Defence League official John Broomfield. Officers smashed a window and hauled the suspect out while he was stuck in traffic near the picturesque tourist spot of Corfe Castle, Dorset. Police then raided Mr Broomfield's home in nearby Swanage and seized computer equipment, mobile phones and passports. Five more English Defence League members and another person were also arrested in simultaneous raids at several addresses. The suspects were questioned about an alleged conspiracy to bomb a mosque in Bournemouth. All were later released without charge."

On August 28, 2010, AFP reported on yet another EDL anti-Islam protest in Bradford, UK, where "Members of the English Defence League (EDL) threw bottles, stones and smoke bombs during violent scenes as police struggled to keep the two sides apart."

Photo Below: "The New Face of Europe" Anti-Islam EDL in Violent Protest in August 2010



The Hudson Institute's A. Millar also maintains his own blog, "European Son."  He describes his blog and himself as "European Son is the blog of neoconservative writer A. Millar. He is a regular contributor to Hudson New York, The Brussels Journal, The Weekly Blitz (Bangladesh), and All Right Magazine (USA), among others. His work has also been published by EuropeNews.dk, The International Free Press Society, and others. He has lived in the UK, USA, and Canada."  At Taki's Magazine, the Hudson Institute's A. Millar has previous written in defense of members of the British National Party and condemning the UK Race Relations Act.

Regarding the EDL, the Hudson Institute's A. Millar views the EDL with pride, concluding "with members of the EDL holding their flags with pride, putting their arms around men and women of every age and ethnicity, it seemed that the nationalism of the EDL was a cousin of American nationalism, in which everyone can be proud of his nation, and of being a citizen, under the flag of the nation."

Photo Below: EDL Members Attending 9/11 NYC Protest (Photo: Flickr/Diaper)

If the EDL are the "new face of Europe," the larger question should be where is Europe headed and where do anti-Islam European groups seek to move the United States of America?

Photo Below: Stop Islamization of Europe Screen Shot -- European Organizers Selecting Leaders to Promote Anti-Islam Activism in America (Screenshot)

Photo Below: Stop Islamization of Europe Group at NYC Protest (Photo: YouTube)