NO ROOM FOR EXTREMISM IN EAST LONDON

ELN Report: Politicians in Tower Hamlets are calling for the proposed demonstration by the EDL in Whitechapel on 3rd September to be banned amid fears it may provoke violence against ordinary people.

The Mayor of Tower Hamlets has called on the Home Secretary to ban a proposed march through the borough by the far-right English Defence League.

The group, led by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, convicted this week of a violent offence, has a history of staging provocative hate marches in areas with large Muslim populations.

Lutfur Rahman, who was elected last year as the borough’s first executive mayor, said “This organisation relishes the opportunity to reap destruction and division on one of the most diverse communities in Britain. They wish to incite religious and racial hatred and turn this borough’s residents against one another.”In the past few days, shocking links have emerged between the EDL and Anders Behring Breivik, the racist who massacred scores of people in the worst atrocity in Norway’s recent history. Breivik references the EDL liberally as an inspiration in his 1500-page manifesto published on the internet. The attacks in Norway are a grave illustration of the lengths to which people of this extremist mindset will go in their pursuit of division and conflict. Mr Rahman has written to the Mayor of Oslo on behalf of the borough to express his deepest sympathies and condolences in the aftermath of this tragic event.Tower Hamlets has always welcomed generations of immigrants, dating back to the French Huguenots in the seventeenth century, and has long been home to a vibrant mix of cultures. The overwhelming majority of residents are proud of the borough’s diversity, and communities sit side by side largely harmoniously.

However, far-right fringe elements are keen to forge racial divisions, and efforts to sustain unity in diversity have not been helped by a handful of local politicians and bloggers stoking the flames with an unrepresentative narrative that seeks to paint the borough as an ‘Islamic republic’ and its mayor as a ‘fundamentalist sympathiser’. Shadwell councillor Alibor Choudhury said “That’s not a picture anyone living here would recognise, and it’s deeply irresponsible of them to stir up fear and racism in this way.

They should ask themselves why EDL and BNP websites are adorned with their quotes”.Mayor Rahman said, “In October, we will mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street. The day is remembered for violent clashes between residents and Oswald Mosley’s fascists after the government refused to ban the march. It would be tragic for us to fail to learn from the mistakes of history.“In 1936, the East End said to Oswald Mosley and his Blackshirts, ‘They shall not pass!’ In 2011, East Enders are gathering to proclaim that we are one Tower Hamlets, multicultural and proud of it. Tower Hamlets is no place for hate.”The mayor has assembled a broad coalition of local groups, from every faith and non-faith background, trade unionists and community activists aimed at uniting local residents in opposition to the demonstration.At a press conference organised by the Labour Group of councillors on Tower Hamlets the proposed EDL demonstration was roundly condemned and the Labour councillors called on the march to be banned as a risk to public safety.John Biggs, the London Assembly member for City and East joined these calls by writing to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, calling on her to step in. In his letter sent last Tuesday he wrote: “I have real concerns that, if this march goes ahead, groups opposed to the far right EDL will also take to the streets and that the results will be huge public disorder, a risk of injury to residents and damage to property.”Peter Golds, the leader of the Conservative Group at Tower Hamlets, was the only politician prepared to comment on specifics. He labelled both the English Defence League and “their distorted mirror image” Muslims Against Crusades as “unpleasant [and] offensive groups”.

However, he struck a libertarian tone defending the right to protest in general, saying,“The UK has a wide range of laws designed to prevent discrimination and race hatred. However these should not and cannot be used to stifle legitimate dissent, where the law remains unbroken…a march can only be banned by government on the recommendation of the local police force on the grounds that it will cause disorder and crime. Government cannot ban people assembling, as long as they do not break the law.”He went on to say, “The EDL has negligible support in Tower Hamlets [and] many of those threatening to march come with no knowledge of our borough, or its people. Likewise the MAC seems to attract followers from far and wide. Neither group represents the decent majority in this borough”, concluding, “The EDL and MAC will not steal what is good about our country from us.”A police spokeswoman commenting on the posters said: “Officers are working closely with the local authority to have the posters removed as soon as possible.”Two national unions have joined local union branches and community leaders in backing a demo to celebrate diversity and oppose the racist English Defence League in Tower Hamlets on 3 September.The Communication Workers Union and the civil servants’ PCS – have joined Tower Hamlets Unison, East London NUT and Tower Hamlets College UCU to support a rally event organised by UAF and the United East End coalition and backed by One Tower Hamlets – No Place for Hate.The event is also backed by community leaders and campaigners including Hanif Osmani, chief executive officer, Council of Mosques (Tower Hamlets); Sirajul Islam, East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre; Dilowar Khan, director East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre; Denis Fernando, One Society Many Cultures; Rev Alan Green, chair Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum; Azad Ali, Islamic Forum of Europe; Muhammad Rabbani, Aasha Gang Mediation Project; Glyn Robbins, secretary United East End; Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary UAF, secretary One Society Many Cultures; Weyman Bennett joint secretary UAF; John McLoughlin, Tower Hamlets Unison; Alex Kenny, branch secretary East London NUT; Richard McEwan, Tower Hamlets College UCU; Sarah Creagh, Tower Hamlets UAF.It remains to be seen whether the police will heed the calls of politicians and recommend either march is banned.

UAF Demo Details:Assemble from 11am, Weavers Fields, London E2 6HW – Saturday 3 Septmber