At previous events, the SDL and its parent organisation the English Defence League, have met in pubs to get drunk before their racist demonstrations. As such the Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance have contacted over a hundred Edinburgh pubs, asking them to ban the SDL from their establishments, and to report any meetings of the SDL to the police.

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance said: "We are sure that Edinburgh pubs are welcoming to anyone of any ethnic or religious background, so we thought it best to warn them that the racist SDL might take advantage of their hospitality on the 20th of February."

The SDL are an offshoot of the English Defence League, and have strong links to racist and fascist organisations including the National Front, and the British National Party. They often make Nazi salutes at their demonstrations, and chant racist slogans.

A spokesperson said: "We are a group of local people who are opposing the Scottish Defence Leagues demonstration planned for Edinburgh on the 20th February. We urge everyone who hates racism and fascism to join with us in opposing the SDL."

An annoyed spokesman for the SDL is reported in the Sunday Herald as saying: “Who are the fascists, telling people they can’t go into a public house? On what basis can you ban a group of people from going into a pub? These pubs are scared of these people, who come up and smash them up if they are not intimidated enough to close. No matter what happens we’ll be there in Edinburgh.”

Dozens of pubs have already agreed to ban the racist SDL, however Whetherspoons are tacitly supporting them, saying that they wont stop the SDL meeting in their pub. Their press spokesman said in the Sunday Herald today, "What anti-fascists think is right, corporations don’t".

Sunday Herald Article:
 http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/campaigners-ask-capital-s-pubs-to-ban-far-right-group-1.997370

www.edinburghantifascist.org.uk
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