Demonstrators rally their respective groups for Norwich

As written from Edl East Anglian Division Page:

well for 3 years you asked and moaned why cant we have a demo in norwich well we pulled out all the stops and got one so are you turning up and putting your feet on the street

From Nick O'Brien of We Are Norwich:

Good morning; it's here - demo day. The day on which we tell the EDL in numbers, peacefully but with determination that they are not welcome in Norwich. 

This is a list of all our supporters. Each one of these groups is bringing a group of people. We will be many, they will be few. UNITY

Norwich Labour Party
Norwich Green Party City Council Group Chapelfield Mosque

Norwich Progressive Jewish Community
The Norwich Pride CollectiveIan Gibson
Richard Murphy
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)
Unite Eastern Region
Unite Aviva Norwich Branch
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)
Trade Union Friends of Searchlight
Matthew Fulton (Compass Youth)
Tim Knight Hughes (Norwich SWP)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hear Nick explain the reasoning behind the We Are Norwich celebration of our diversity at this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01048fr

Coalition of the willing

I spent almost a decade in the Middle East, most of it working for an Arab airline based in a Gulf country.  I lived and worked and travelled with Muslims, visiting almost all of the countries of the region and beyond.  It was a time full of adventure and challenge that I will never forget, with a political education thrown in for free.

Time has passed, and sixteen days ago I saw the representatives of two Jewish groups in Norwich sitting together in the same hall as the representative of a Norwich mosque and a representative of the Norwich Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

It was extraordinarily moving for me to hear a Jewish speaker alternate with a Muslim speaker at the We Are Norwich public meeting.  It would be almost unthinkable in much of the Middle East to have such speakers together in the same room.  How wonderful then that something has brought together this astonishing event in our small city of Norwich. 

The messages from each speaker were similar - beware of those who scapegoat and blame a segment of society for all the ills of that society.  Beware the bullyboys who speak and act in violent ways towards others.  Remember history, and how small acts of cruelty and hatred and division can become a vicious evil.  Beware the fascists.   

The Jewish and the Muslim representatives were brought together by a common cause, that is, in a resolute opposition to the policies of hatred of the far right, and in response to the threats of the English Defence League (EDL) to march on Norwich 10 November - tomorrow.

Representatives of all the main Christian churches of Norwich have already registered their objections to the EDL.  

Representatives from the Norfolk Humanist Group have also expressed support for We Are Norwich.

Opposition to the far right bigotry of the EDL has brought together the citizens of Norwich in all our glorious diversity.  Not only the religious, but the political, with messages of support from all the major political parties.  Representatives of huge political parties, and representatives from small local community groups.  

We are young and not so young; gay, straight, bi, and passed bothering; athletes and disabled; religious and irreligious;  political and apolitical;  students, trade unionists, housewives, professionals, priests, soldiers, artists, pensioners and labourers; people of every hue united in this rainbow coalition.

Our main leaders teethed their organisational skills on the annual Norwich Pride events, and we are united in admiration for what Nick O'Brien, Julie Bremner and the Norwich LGBT group have achieved.

Speaking on behalf of We Are Norwich, secretary Nick O’Brien said:

The EDL has held countless demonstrations across the country where they have rampaged through towns – attacking mosques, businesses and individuals. More recently it has begun to attack peaceful demonstrations, multicultural events and trade union demonstrations. Its leader Tommy Robinson, who has a string of convictions and was formerly a member of the British National Party appeared of a Channel 4 programme praising Anders Breivik, the fascist terrorist, responsible for killing 76 people in Norway. 

(Tommy Robinson is now in prison awaiting trial for allegedly travelling on a false passport).

No rampaging for the EDL in Norwich tomorrow.  I trust the Police, their superb planning and fencing, and I trust We Are Norwich to keep the peace.

I am proud to be a part of this coalition and look forward to the celebrations tomorrow.  

We Are Norwich updates

From We Are Norwich website:

All running smoothly

Looking forward to seeing everyone at Chapelfield Gardens at 11am on Saturday morning. New groups pledging to support us every day. Disabled People against the Cuts have contacted us today and stewards will invite disabled supporters to move to the front of the march should they wish.

Weather forecast looking good – we will have some brilliant acoustic music – Red Flags, ACivilianInvention, Jonathan Williams, Dandelion and the Rockets and loads of speakers – keeping very tightly to 3 mins each to warm everyone up.

Then we will march peacefully to City Hall and drown out and demoralise the EDL with our chants, our diversity, our positivity, our unity.

When we know that they have gone we will march joyously back to Chapelfield Gardens. See you all there.

Desperate measures

Just to head this one off at the pass: The EDL have put out a blog and a facebook post this evening saying that a group of four people giving out WAN leaflets threatened a war veteran in the city today.

I know, as secretary who has been leafleting, have spoken to them since and have EVERY confidence that this did not happen at all. Desperate last measures.

Had this happened – we can be sure there would be photos and video footage everywhere. We are not the kind of organisation that needs to tell people not to chant racist slogans or bring weapons to demos. What a desperate attempt to smear our reputation.
If the EDL can prove this happened, they need to go to the police and deal with it officially.

Stay strong, stay calm. There are many, many more of us than them.

Nick (Secretary WAN)

Personal Note from Barbara:  

A young artist called Lily and I have been leafleting together, and we have had absolutely no trouble at all from anyone. 

I would say 99% of those we spoke to were positive and supportive, and the ones who weren't were simply busy or preoccupied. 

And by the way, EDL, both of my parents and all of my uncles are/were WWII war veterans and my two grandfathers were WWI veterans.  The same is true for many of the We Are Norwich group.

It is highly insulting of the EDL to assume we who oppose the EDL are not respectful of veterans.  We remember those who served this country and fought against the forces of fascism in the past very well, probably much better than you do. 

I loathe the way you of the far right try to exploit sentiment towards the Armed Forces and seek to give love of our country a bad name.

You started by attempting to bully three women in a fast food shop on Prince of Wales Road.  You threaten and lie in the social media.  You scapegoat fellow citizens and blame them for everything wrong. 

How dare you pretend it is freedom of speech that brings you to Norwich to cause such trouble, nuisance, expense, and loss of business?  On the day before Remembrance Sunday too. 

Well, enough is enough. 

Tomorrow we see you off.  Peacefully, of course.  We outnumber you, we outsing you, we outpeace you and we see you off, you miserable bunch of bullying EDL bigots.   


Fencing being prepared for tomorrow



EDL to demo in Norwich to support a homophobic reverend

From EDL News:

Earlier this year the English Defence League's East Anglia division decided they wanted a demo in Norwich to protest against the City's several hundred Muslims.

After pressuring the leadership, they finally relented and an excuse to have a demo was sought. The best they could come up with was to support a reverend of a fringe church who had been banned from distributing anti Muslim hate literature in the market place.

Such was the interest by leadership, their original date was scuppered to make way for the return to Walthamstow which never happened in the end.

The reverend has been ostracised by all the other clergy in the city for his extremists views which closely reflect those of the Westboro Baptist Church in the United States, which in turn closely reflect those of Muslim extremists who they are supposed to be against. To put simply, he is a tea party type loon.

However not many EDLers know why they are going and what the demo is all about. We spoke to several and they think that are going to shout abuse at Muslims, which considering few live in the city, they are going to be sorely disappointed.

The Reverend Alan Clifford, leader of the The Norwich Reformed Church, is not just against Muslims, he also has it in for gay people as well which makes us wonder what the EDL's LGBT Division think about all of this and how many are attending. We also wonder how many of the LGBT Division who are attending, know they are going to support someone who thinks they are an abomination.

Here are the Reverend Clifford's views on gays:

Loving sexual relationships are to be confined to heterosexual marriage. Fidelity within marriage is the ultimate antidote to AIDS and other STDs."

Like adulterers and murderers, homosexuals must repent of their particular sin if they wish to be part of Christ's Church and be saved. As there is no limit to the transforming power of God's grace and Holy Spirit, so those with homosexual tendencies may be delivered from them.

Leaders of all the main Christian denominations in Norwich have spoken out against a march by the English Defence League in Norwich.  Church leaders from the Church of England, Roman Catholic, Methodist and Baptist churches, Salvation Army, United Reformed Church and the Quakers have united to issue a joint statement against the march.

We have asked demo organiser, Anthony Bamford why they are supporting a homophobic reverend but each time he has dodged our questions. Bamford has previously been outed on YouTube when him and a gang of thugs videoed themselves intimidating two young female takeaway workers because the establishment that they worked at sold halal food.

The details of the demo have just been released and yet again the organisers have had to tell their members not to get drunk or sing racist songs.  The English Defence League remain the only organisation we have encountered where their members have to be told not to be drunk and racist before each demo, even though the instructions are widely ignored by the average member.  Advice to EDL members includes:

Please ignore any provocation and let’s get our message across peacefully. We need to show the city that we are not ‘racist thugs’ (or whatever else). We can go to ANY city to get our message across and leave with as little disruption as possible.

The only other rules to remember are:

No ‘racially-motivated’ banners/flags/placards or chants (all banners etc can be inspected by police)

No weapons, smoke canisters, fireworks or marbles! (seriously, who brings marbles?  and who advises against weapons, fireworks and smoke cannisters?)

No alcohol to be carried during the march as the city of Norwich has a drink exclusion zone

No face coverings

Strangely they forgot to advise that if any of their members are LGBT, they should probably not turn up for this one.

There seems to be very little interest in this demo amongst their Facebook pages, much like there was very little interest in the return to Walthamstow which saw around 80 drunks stood outside the Houses of Parliament looking cold and dejected.

With Christmas coming and the fact that the English Defence League have already fleeced all they can out of them this year, Norwich is out of the way for many of them who will simply decide that travelling that distance to support a bigoted revered who many have never heard of, is simply not worth their time.

The other reason few are likely to turn up is the fact that the next day is Remembrance Sunday and many already have plans to attend that event in London. Last year they were mass arrested as they fought each other in a pub near the cenotaph and racially abused the staff.

With demo numbers already looking bleak, things have taken a turn for the worse as it has been discovered one of Walsall Division's members has done a bunk with the £200 deposit for their coach leaving them either stranded or having to fork out £78 for a train.

If the EDL organisers really do not want racists to turn up, they have a job on their hands because neo nazi and white supremacist leader of the Millwall Divisio, Trudie Toker, has vowed to turn up. She is a violent alcoholic who turned up at a school in Croydon and threatened some black children and their teachers.   (Her Facebook racist filth is too vile to be reproduced on this blog).

She also has an intense dislike for Jews and gays so it will be interesting to see how this one pans out

We have a poke around their groups and found this discussion between the organisers where they share their concerns that the EDL will be turning up and singing racist songs.
 
Further reading

East Anglia Division invite crazed knifeman to meet and greet

EDL East Anglia threaten Ska band

Casuals United/EDL Millwall Division Leader outed as a white supremacist


And here the EDL shamelessly exploit Remembrance sentiment for their own ends.

EDL "hate merchants" not welcome in Norwich

A Norwich MP has attacked the English Defence League as “hate-merchants”, ahead of a march tomorrow which will bring parts of the city to a standstill.

From Norwich Evening News 24 by Tom Bristow:

MP: EDL “hate-merchants”
not welcome in Norwich

The EDL is holding its first protest in the city, while a counter demonstration organised by a group called We are Norwich, is also taking place, sparking a big police operation.

Castle Meadow, Bethel Street, Chantry Road and Theatre Street will all shut at various points in the afternoon.

Bethel Street, by the police station, and St Peters Street, outside City Hall, will close from 6am to 5pm, while Gaol Hill, Exchange Street and Bedford Street will shut from 1pm to 4pm.

The EDL is holding the march to protest at Norwich City Council banning a preacher from a stall at Hay Hill for promoting “hate- motivated” leaflets.

But its arrival has provoked strong opposition from trade unions and politicians.

Yesterday, Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North, said:

I do not want to see the EDL on parade in our city. I believe the EDL to be disreputable, divisive, harmful, and violent.

Hate-merchants like these have no place in Norwich or anywhere in Britain.

I am proud of this country’s legal freedoms and rights to take part in peaceful protest, but do not want to see them abused, and Norwich dragged down, this weekend.

EDL supporters will gather at Castle Gardens at 12.45pm and start their march at 1pm.

They will head along Castle Meadow, down Opie Street, and Bedford Street, before turning left down Exchange Street to City Hall.

A message from EDL organisers sent to supporters called for no racially-motivated banners, face coverings, or racist chants.

Organisers also told supporters to not bring “weapons, smoke canisters, fireworks or marbles”.

Those in the counter demonstration will meet at 11am in Chapelfield Gardens for music and speeches.

They will head down Theatre Street, turn left at Debenhams and along Haymarket, before turning left at Starbucks towards City Hall.

Memorial Gardens and City Hall will be fenced off.

Positive Final Meeting with the Police

From We Are Norwich:

Just back from a very interesting final meeting and walk through of the route with the police and wanted to get information out to people as soon as possible.

Firstly, the police are taking Saturday VERY seriously and will publish information in the EDP tomorrow, but were happy for me to start getting this information out (Wednesday evening).

We will assemble in Chapelfield at 11am for acoustic music and speeches as planned. Please arrive on time as we will be the first group to march.

The (We Are Norwich) march route:

We will march down Theatre Street, left at Debenhams and along Gentleman’s Walk.

There will be a heavy police cordon and horses just after Starbucks so we will move up Hay Hill (past Next) to the Forum. We will turn right and assemble on the left (as you face it) of City Hall.

Norwich War Memorial, protected

The Sterile Area: The key new info is that City Hall and the War Memorial will be a STERILE AREA – fenced off from both sides.

The EDL will march from Castle Gardens to the other side of the sterile area (top of Gaol Hill). They will hold their demo. The EDL will NOT be allowed to get in front of City Hall or near the War Memorial/ Gardens. The EDL will arrive after us and leave before us.

There will be extra police on duty in the city from 9am until the end of the evening.

It is a major victory that the EDL cannot gather in front of city hall or get to the War Memorial or Gardens. We should already be really proud of building such a large, broad coalition and this is very good news.

Now, it’s simple – the key thing now is to have numbers out and get people on the streets to counter demonstrate peacefully and make sure the day goes as planned. We want the press afterwards to report that we had hundreds/ thousands more than them.

We will be safe, we will be determined, we will be peaceful and there will be many, many more of us than them. Unite and Fight. See you on Saturday, 11am sharp in Chapelfield Gardens.

Nick (We are Norwich – Secretary)

So why are the EDL coming to Norwich again?

According to the EDL's main site, some EDL members have been breaking ranks to ask why the EDL is going to march in Norwich this Saturday, 10 November.

A very good question that many citizens of Norwich are asking too.

One answer has already been given on the EDL East Anglian Facebook page: 

Norwich next saturday quality not quantity you know it makes sense to come along and see the bootifull county of Norfolk

Which prompted We Are Norwich organiser Nick O'Brien to observe: 

Clearly we have a lot to learn in building a big demo...that's genius...

It will be interesting to see the "quality" of marchers the EDL produces in Norwich on Saturday.  Or of course it is always possible that the "quality not quantity" phrase is simply a case of the EDL getting its excuses for a low turnout ready early -

Anyway, back to the "bootifull" answer on the EDL East Anglian Facebook page. Underneath this reasoning for coming to Norwich one EDL member calling himself Jack Laddy plaintively asks another good question:  

Are there many terrorist/islamist activity in Norwich?

And here is the reply given as written by someone called EDL (English Defence League):  

 . . hey if you want some answer here ya go norwich is east anglia in east anglia theres the biggest super mosque being built in cambridge also the doctors of addenbrookes hospital was the bombers of glasgow airport yes doctors in peterboro the only place in britain where serving soldiers are banned from wearing their uniform for fear of reprisals from the muslim community norfolk has the biggest hallal factory in europe i cant go on or i would be typing all night but the answer to your question is because you cant see it or hear about it is dont think its not there nsfe

So there you have it, several reasons why the EDL are coming to Norwich that apparently make perfect sense to the members of the EDL.  And there's more.

On the EDL's main site, an EDL member who uses the name "Pyrus" replies peevishly to the question of why the EDL is going to Norwich in this way: 

We are going to Norwich! We’ve already explained some of the reasons, but further questions have been raised that deserve some answers.

And "Pyrus" goes on to explain that the main reasons for going to Norwich is to preserve the right to free speech (this "reason" is refuted by We Are Norwch here) - and to defend the rights of the Christian community:

For instance, Islam shows very little tolerance of homosexuality. Whilst it is no doubt true that many world religions have some level of ‘hostility’ towards homosexuals, Christians, whether they consider homosexuality a sin or not, believe that one should hate the sin but love the sinner. This, we understand, is the approach of Reverend Clifford.

So here "Pyrus" has the difficult task of explaining why the Rev Clifford's Christian objections to homosexuality are different and better from the Islamic objections to homosexuality.  I think it is fair to say that he fails in this task.  

Finally "Pyrus" concludes his argument with a comment so cryptic it is incomprehensible, and here follows an exact quote: 

Extremism is not fault with appeasement and apology, but with criticism. And that is why we are going to Norwich.

Major disruptions to Norwich predicted for Saturday

The EDL announces "we can come to ANY city to get our message across and leave with as little disruption as possible".

In reality their threatened march on Norwich City Hall will cause some major disturbances to the normal routines of a Saturday in Norwich.

The police have already given notice that "Roads and car parks in the city centre will shut".

Market stalls in the City centre have been advised to close, as insurance would not cover any damage done to them by the EDL should they stay open.

And another example, is notice of disruption to bus shedules.

There has been some publicity about the EDL threatened march, but has it been enough to warn ordinary citizens that some roads, car parks and shops will be closed, and bus services suspended?

Strict rules and regulations for the EDL

From the East Anglian EDL Admin Team:

IMPORTANT: DETAILS FOR NORWICH DEMO 10TH NOVEMBER 2012
Posted: November 6, 2012

All coaches and mini-busses are to drop off at Norwich train station NR1 1EF there is a coach park around the corner, where you will be met by stewards who will then direct you to the muster pubs, you must be at the muster point by 12.45 DO NOT BE LATE!

Anybody intending to travel by car please be aware that parking may be difficult and we recommend you try to find alternative transport. If possible it is recommended that you drive to a nearby train station and finish your journey by train. Failing that try and see if you can travel in with the coaches.

Everyone must be at the muster point of Castle Gardens Norwich NR1 4EY. by 12:45 at the very latest the march will start at 1:00.

If you are not already aware ‘We are Norwich’ are planning their counter demonstration and trying to show that the EDL as a group are not wanted there by them or the city council. Please ignore them and let’s get our message across peacefully and show the city that we are not ‘racist thugs’, we can come to ANY city to get our message across and leave with as little disruption as possible.

please stick to the following:

No racially motivated banners/flags/placards or chants (all banners etc can be inspected by police).

No weapons, smoke canisters, fireworks or marbles!

No alcohol is to be carried on your person as the town has a drink exclusion zone. Don’t give the police the chance to arrest you or fine you for a petty minor offence.

No face coverings.

As you know it’s Remembrance Day on Sunday, we will be by the war memorial so please respect the legacy of our fallen heros.

Directions

Train station
http://www.yell.com/s/train+stations-norwich.html

Car parking
http://www.rcpparking.com/car-park-finder#search=Norwich,+Norfolk,+UK&park=

http://www.norwich.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/Parking/Documents/Parkingplanner.pdf

Demo muster point
Castle Gardens Norwich NR1 4EY

Police ready for Saturday's "many eventualities"

Police prepared for “many eventualities” ahead of English Defence League march in Norwich

The officer organising the policing of two demonstrations in Norwich on Saturday said the force had prepared for “many eventualities”.  Roads and car parks in the city centre will shut as the English Defence League (EDL) and a counter demonstration march on city hall.

From EDP24 by Tom Bristow November 6, 2012:



Superintendent Paul Sanford

The controversial EDL are coming to the city to protest at a decision by the city council to ban a preacher from a stall in Hay Hill, for allegedly promoting “hate motivated” leaflets.

In response to the march, a group called We are Norwich, formed by politicians and trade unions, have organised a counter demonstration.

Amid fears the protest could descend into violence, Norwich District Commander, Superintendent Paul Sanford, said:

While there is no indication that these will be anything other than peaceful protests, we are aware of and understand the concerns that a small number of people within the local community have raised around these protests.

We are very aware that these protest have resulted in disorder elsewhere.

The police have been working with organisers for both protests.

Our position at the outset will be to support peaceful protest, but we will have the capability to change that policing style.

 

Royal Anglian Regiment homecoming parade in Ipswich

From the BBC:

Hundreds of people went to Ipswich town centre to welcome 250 Royal Anglian troops back from Afghanistan.

A homecoming parade took place on Westgate Street and the Cornhill where members of the Royal British Legion raised their standards.

It marked the return to the UK of soldiers who have finished a six-month tour in Helmand province.  The regiment said troops had found 150 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and 100kg of other explosives in that time.

They also found 340kg of raw and processed heroin.

Sixteen members of regiment have lost their lives in Afghanistan since the conflict began in 2001.

'Dramatic' progress

Lt Col Mick Aston, commanding officer of 1 Royal Anglians, said:

Our progress has been dramatic and we've handed over more than half of the Nad-e Ali district to the Afghan security forces where they now take the lead in security.  What that means on the ground is that there is greater freedom of movement for the population, which means greater trade and greater access to government services, which is what every person in every society wants.  We couldn't do what we do without the support we get from our home counties.

Robin Vickery, chairman of the Ipswich and District Royal British Legion, said:

Veterans enjoy supporting it and a lot of them have been through similar circumstances themselves.  The Royal British Legion does a lot of work with the dependants of serving personnel and it's a big part of our work helping those families along."

Lt Adam Peters, from Needham Market, said the homecoming parade had a "fantastic turnout".

I don't think you realise how much support you have. [The tour] can be very challenging but also very rewarding and you do notice how much the local population in Afghanistan appreciate what you're doing.

Pte Aaron McLure was killed in Afghanistan in 2007 and his mother Lorraine was at the parade.  She said:

I'm feeling really proud and honoured to be here and stand with 'The Vikings' [the nickname of the 1st battalion] and welcome them home.  That was Aaron's second family and they've now become part of my family as well.

The Royal Anglian Regiment serves as the county regiment for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Rutland and Suffolk.

Lest we forget

From HOPE not hate by: Nick Lowles:

Hnh is again displaying the poppy – the UK’s symbol of collective remembrance – in memory of the 535,000 civilians and members of the armed services of the Commonwealth who gave their lives in the struggle against fascism, antisemitism and racism in WWII.

We honour their sacrifice by continuing the war against all forms of hate and prejudice and intolerance today.