On Saturday the East Anglian Patriots bussed a couple of hundred fascists into Lincoln for a demo that threatened violence against Muslims and sought to deny freedom of workship in the city. An anti-fascist counter demonstration was also held. The fascists, led by a Lincoln Infidels banner, chanted “Burn the mosque” and “Allah is a paedo”. The Infidels are an openly Nazi splinter from the EDL.

They also listened to speeches from people including “Wolfie” Smith, a man whose speciality seems to be inciting racial violence. He recently posted “DEATH TO ALL MUZZIES KILL THEM ALL” and “BURN EVERY MOSQUE IN THE COUNTRY … BURN THEM ALL WITH THE MUZRAT SCUM IN THEM”. He has also referred to Muslims as “SAND NIGGER[s]“. The local organiser was an EDL supporter called Alex Banos who has previously said that if the mosque is built it will be “coming down”.

The march was organised by a group of former EDL members calling themselves the East Anglian Patriots. The EAP and their supporters clearly share Wolfie’s views. On hearing the news about the murder of Lee Rigby the EAP posted about Muslims that “THEY’VE KILLED ONE OF OUR BOYS IN WOOLWICH … KICK THE BASTARDS OUT NOW!” When reporting that Gillingham mosque had been attacked in revenge their followers posted “Throw boiling tar over them set fire to them” to which EAP responded “Happy days!”. “Great news keep on lads” posted another fan, “yes this is a start in the right direction” and “I would be out whipping some muzzie ass all over town tonight”. Other responses on the page included this from Wendy Wooley: “Kill the fucking lot off them if you want just give me a gun and I will do it point blank straight in the head”. Lj High: “march on the muslim areas and kill them all…..”

These are people who support arson, murder and genocide as a response to the Lee Rigby murder. Just like how the men who killed Rigby saw all British soldiers as the enemy, these “patriots” see all Muslims as the enemy and would be happy to see them ethnically cleansed.

The EAP were pleased with the turnout in Lincoln and have said they will be back. They are also organising a demonstration against the Skegness halal slaughterhouse on Sat 6th July.

We cannot sit back and let these fascists gain support and win the argument simply by shouting the loudest. There has been a 10-fold increase in attacks against Muslims since the Woolwich murder, including numerous arson attacks against mosques. The threats being made by groups like the EDL and the EAP are not idle talk – these people mean to act on them.

We need a well-organised anti-fascist response to forthcoming demos by working in the local communities and linking up with wider anti-fascist networks for support to prevent these people getting a platform for their sick views and incitement to violence.