From We Are Norwich:
- We strongly oppose plans by the English Defence League to demonstrate in Norwich on the November 10.
- We believe that Islamophobia or bigotry against Muslims is as unacceptable as racism and we are strongly against any scapegoating given the backdrop of economic depression, unemployment and public spending cuts.
- We believe that the EDL are a racist and fascist group with many links to the BNP (including their leader Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon of the BNP who has a string of convictions for violence).
- We fear that if the EDL come to Norwich there will be fear, violence and disruption to local business. We note that the EDL have recently disrupted Trade Union events, threatened Black and Asian people and attacked LGBT people at a Pride event in Bristol.
- We find it deeply hypocritical that the EDL are coming to Norwich because of the banning of a stall run by the Norwich Reformed Church - whose literature is Islamophobic and is the only group ever to protest at the city's Pride event.
- We will do all we can to prevent the EDL from coming to Norwich by leafleting and stalls/ exposing them through the media/ online/ holding multicultural events in the city/ and a LoveMusicHateHomophobia gig at Open and Public meetings.
- If the EDL still decide to come we will organise a peaceful counter demonstration in the centre of Norwich, working with the police and the local authorities.
The following people have signed up to our mission statement in a personal capacity so far and pledge support:
Norwich Labour Party
Norwich Green Party City Council Group
Chapelfield Mosque
The Norwich Pride Collective
Ian Gibson
Richard Murphy
Josh Bowker (Union of UEA Students)
Kings Lynn Trades Council
Great Yarmouth Trades Council
Norwich Trades Council
Norfolk Coalition against the cuts
Norwich Stop the War Coalition
Unison Norfolk County Branch
USDAW (various branches)
David Peel (NUJ)
Norwich Unite Central LE/1880
Unite Great Yarmouth & District LE/142
Andrew Osborne Unite Norfolk & Suffolk Area Activists Committee
Unison branch (Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust)
Norfolk Division NUT
PCS Eastern Region
Julie Bremner (Unite against Fascism)
Matthew Fulton (Compass Youth)
Tim Knight Hughes (Norwich SWP)
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The English Defence League are intending to hold a demonstration in Norwich to protest at Norwich City Council’s unfair treatment to the Norwich Reformed Church regarding ‘equality issues’.
ReplyDeleteA complaint was made by one member of the public to the Police, who took no action against Dr Clifford, but the Council decided to adopt their own politically correct appeasement to this one member of the public.
Where in this statement does it say the EDL are demonstrating against any ethnic minority/faith/religion? they are demonstrating against Norwich City Council, the only people making an issue of this demo are 'we are norwich' falsly reporting through pre-conceptions as to why the EDL are there. As you celebrate the citys diversity should you yourselves not be asking the council why they are dealing with cases in such a way?
Have you got this message saved in a template somewhere? Pretty sure I have seen this on the Evening News and on Facebook.
DeleteFact is that the EDL is an organisation with proven links to the BNP, National Front and Combat 18. It is a racist organisation and thus any mobilisation, regardless of the initial motivation, is an opportunity for people to stand together and publicly oppose the EDL. It doesn't matter if it isn't in the statement, it's what the EDL stands for year round.
The point is, like it or not, the EDL has a bad reputation that recent marches have done nothing to dispel.
ReplyDeleteLast weekend's kettled parade in Rotherham was pointless and expensive (MP McShane says six-figure expensive); in Walsall a pub had a window and bottles broken and outdoor furniture broken up to throw at the police; EDL members have been jailed for attacking staff at office buildings which had hosted anti-EDL meetings; EDL members have also attacked a bookstall in Sandwell; on 7 December 2011, EDL activist Simon Beech was one of two men jailed for 10 years for an arson attack on a mosque; on 5 June 2012, EDL members attacked and threw firecrackers at a group of people protesting against the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. They were also filmed giving Nazi salutes
No wonder We Are Norwich has attracted such a lot of support from people of all political persuasions. We don't want people representing this sort of trouble in Norwich.