Eln report: Thousands of anti EDL protestors turned out to form a ring of steel intended to prevent an EDL foray into Tower Hamlets.
At least one member of the EDL, who was recorded racially abusing a member of our team was arrested. The East London News representative declined to press charges or take further action.
The English Defence League planned to meet in Hainault and then travel by tube to Liverpool Street station, from which the police would escort them to the place where their static protest was to be held. But members of the rail union the RMT put a block on that, saying that they would stop work on health and safety grounds if the EDL were allowed to gather at Liverpool Street.
Denied the use of that assembly point, the EDL announced last night that they would be gathering at two pubs in Euston – O’Neills and the Euston Flyer. However, after being informed of the situation by Unite Against Fascism management declined to host the EDL and said they would close the pubs tomorrow if the EDL turned up.
Lutfur Rahman, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets toured toured Whitechapel and Brick Lane.
Speaking to the Guardian, the Reverend Alan Green, of St John on Bethnal Green and one of the organisers of United East End, a coalition of groups opposed to the EDL entering Tower Hamlets, said: “The vast majority of the population are very happy to live together in such diversity.
“We need to show the extent of opposition to the EDL and how the things they say about the area, their rhetoric, is so wrong.”
Weyman Bennett of Unite Against Fascism told the crowd that the EDL said they’d come to Tower Hamlets—but the movement stopped them meeting at Sainsbury’s and the RMT union stopped them gathering at a station. “And if they ever manage to get here, there are thousands here to stop them,” he said.
“What is happening here gave [Tory home secretary] Theresa May a real migraine. She put out a plan. She wanted to keep us off the streets. But these streets belong to anti-racists and anti-fascists.”
He added, “You have to challenge the thugs—you can’t hide behind your curtains permanently. It wasn’t a virtual campaign that stopped the EDL today, it was knowing that people will stand shoulder to shoulder.”
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU firefighters’ union, said, “This October is the 75th anniversary of Cable Street. People have to come out to stop the fascists.”
Denis Fernando from the Lesbian And Gay Coalition Against Racism said, “If they get away with singling out Muslims today it will be LGBT people later.”
Alex Kenny brought greetings from East London NUT teachers’ union. He said, “We have a great tradition of standing up against racism. Our local president Blair Peach was murdered on an anti-fascist demo.
“We will stop the EDL by force of numbers on the streets—not through the laws or courts.”
Rima Amin of the NUS Black Students Committee told the rally, “The EDL are not just confused. They promote dangerous bigotry. That’s why it’s important to be here today.
“[Norway killer] Anders Breivik targeted young people who were the next generation fighting Islamophobia.”
Broadcaster and author Michael Rosen closed the speeches with a moving poetic tribute to his parents, who fought at Cable Street, and a reading of Pastor Niemoller’s warning about the threat of fascism.