Please find below link to photos from Saturday.
The peace demonstration was made up of people of all backgrounds representing Birmingham's Diversity.
It followed the Israeli attack and murder of peace activists on a convoy to Gaza. The EDL chanted racist and islamophobic abuse and attacked one of the stalls, physically
assaulted protesters and threatened further violence.
The Palestine demonstrators held their ground and did not retaliate. In doing so we forced the police to finally remove the EDL. The peace demonstration continued for another 45 minutes afterwards growing to 100 people having drawn the support of the wider public. The message is clear the EDL will not be divide or intimidate us in our city and Nazis are not welcome here.
Clearly it is a worrying development that the EDL feel confident enough to attack Palestine demonstrations but the events on Saturday clearly show their actions carried no resonance with the wider public and we should not allow them to intimidate us. Unity and numbers are the key to defeating the far right and we should continue to hold our activities without fear, actively unite all of our communities both over the question of Palestine and through Unite Against Fascism.
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If you want the full size photo just click on all sizes and download
the full image.
Kind regards
Geoff Dexter
Birmingham Ramallah Twinning Initiative.
Comments
Hide the following 18 comments
EDL certainly have Nazi links
15.06.2010 10:55
The people with the Israeli flag were either just Zionists using the EDL for their own purposes, or else they were common garden fascists (who are probably antisemitic themselves) using it because they know if will annoy Muslims.
anon
EDL - defenders of Israel
15.06.2010 11:01
Racism attracts racists, so the EDL are natural supporters of Zionism.
observer
behind the words
15.06.2010 11:01
always look a bit deeper where the SWP are involved.
look now
More info please
15.06.2010 11:14
Thanks4thesnaps
Nazis waving Israeli flags?
15.06.2010 11:22
Also, you claim they're EDL.. Where are their accessories (flags, sweaters, facemasks etc) that the EDL are so keen on? I think the EDL are knuckle dragging goons of the highest order but there's no evidence that these people are EDL. I also think it's quite clear they aren't Nazis, even if they are fuckwits.
Using such language makes you look like a bit of a tit.
"The anti-hypocracy [sic] league" Said:
"if Israel was not a Jewish state then you people would not give a damn about what Israel does. "
It's nothing to do with whether it's a Jewish state or not, that's a very childish and fingerpointing way of looking at things and stinks of either a) paranoia or b) using unfounded accusations of antisemitism to defend the indefensible.
Joe Malik
!
15.06.2010 11:42
Will you middle class arsewits all stop arguing about the EDL, and what/who they are, are they fascist, patriot, nazi etc.
"What is the specific nature of their existence?" - this isn't a poncey university fucking debating society for fuck's sake!
Who cares?
What the EDL are is a threat. They are racist, ignorant bigots. They are scapegoating Muslim communities like Hitler scapegoated the Jews. They are the useful idiots of rich bastards like Alan Lake. They are dividing the Working Class.
They are now starting to attack anti-bigotry protests (albeit soft targets, fucking cowards) and they have to be stopped!
So stop the debating and get out on the streets.
IHTF
not surprised really...
15.06.2010 12:14
I am on 'the left' (whatever that means when students like you lot hog the lime light all the time) and I go bright red (seriously!) when I see you on the streets pissing everyone off and fundamentally winning NOONE over to your point of view (whatever that is, liberalism as far as I can make out!).....
You lot should really try and understand the dynamic of things at the moment. I am signed up to one of your email lists and all I ever get is emails from some fucknut going: 'EMERGENCY NARTZIS EVERYWHERE' When in all actuality a working class white man looked at you the wrong way.
FFS just look at the state of that girl in that picture! Stop playing at wadical politics and see these people for the joke that they are!!!!!!!!!!
Your giving fuel to some narrow-minded populist fantasy, and winning noone over to anything resembling decent politics...
But I suppose you won't read this anyway, and if you do the best response you could muster is NARTTTTTTZZZZIIIIIII!!!!!!!!
david
this might shed a bit of light
15.06.2010 15:14
The above link is from the jewish chronicle. Article by Mark Israel
ben
link from above
15.06.2010 15:17
EDL step up their Jewish recruitmentExtreme-right English Defence League sets up ‘Jewish division’ to lead the fight ‘against jihad’
By Marcus Dysch, June 3, 2010
An EDL activist at a recent demo
The English Defence League, the extreme right-wing anti-Islamic-fundamentalism group, has launched a "Jewish division", encouraging members of the community to "lead the counter-Jihad fight in England".
It has signed up hundreds of followers on Facebook since the launch last week. Supporters include an ex-Community Security Trust volunteer who claims "a lot of Jewish guys want to get stuck in".
One follower wrote on Facebook "we are all Shayetet 13", in support of the IDF naval special forces unit involved in the Gaza flotilla incident.
But Jewish community organisations responded to the initiative with shock, saying the EDL intimidated Muslim communities and claiming its support for Israel was "empty and duplicitous".
The former CST member, Mark Israel, claimed Jews should back the EDL as an alternative to existing community groups.
He said: "I've been involved with groups like CST and the 62 Group for 40 years.
"At first I thought the EDL was an off-shoot of the BNP but I have been investigating them. They are very pro-active, unlike the Board of Deputies. They are our allies. We have a common cause. These guys want to have dialogue with the Jewish community.
"I know a lot of Jewish guys who want to get stuck in and want to support a physical presence. It is not your typical thing people want to be associated with, but in this day and age we need something like this. Is the CST enough?"
The EDL mission statement says the new division is for "Jewish supporters of the EDL, and supporters of Jewish people everywhere. We are non-racist/fascist and anyone is welcome if they want to live under English values and fully integrate into our way of life".
Last September the EDL brandished the Israeli flag at a demonstration and called on supporters to launch a counter-protest against a pro-Hizbollah march in Trafalgar Square.
Mark Gardner, CST communications director, said: "The EDL intimidate entire Muslim communities, causing tension and fear. Jews ought to remember that we have long experience of being on the receiving end of this kind of bigotry."
Jon Benjamin, Board of Deputies chief executive, said: "The EDL's supposed 'support' for Israel is empty and duplicitous. It is built on a foundation of Islamophobia and hatred which we reject entirely.
"Sadly, we know only too well what hatred for hatred's sake can cause. The overwhelming majority will not be drawn in by this transparent attempt to manipulate a tense political conflict."
ben
Apologies
15.06.2010 15:19
ben
Nazis wave Israel flags
15.06.2010 15:53
The leaders of the EDL wish to impose on us in England the type of state control that Israel exerts through it's watch towers, laws against inter racial marriage and so on in Palestine.
The suggestion that anyone who knows their history or is prepared to debate the present is middle class is a piece of anti working class bigotry.
Theory and Practice
worrying development
15.06.2010 15:59
fuckEDL
i.e.
15.06.2010 16:24
What a lot of unpleasant people. Next time I hope a massive Asian copper comes along and nicks you all for breaching the Queen's peace - Palestards and EDL alike.
anon
@FuckEDL
15.06.2010 16:42
But yeah, no need to blow this out of proportion but it is advisable for groups to be prepared for potential confrontations that could erupt.
antifascist casual
sap paper
15.06.2010 16:59
anybody
lollercoaster
15.06.2010 17:12
If you'd been attacked by fascists you'd know about it mate - those bastards come armed and don't mess about.
anon
EDL on Tour and coming to a town near you soon
15.06.2010 21:55
TOSSERS
Road Hog
e-mail:
infidel@EDL.com
Deb EDL Zombie in the pink jumper.
18.06.2010 20:33
anon