Confronting the EDL - our historic duty!

On Saturday the EDL will be attempting to rally in Nottingham city centre. They have convinced some (including the old bill it seems!) that they are not racist. In fact, they are the latest in a long line of fascists, re-inventing themselves out of expediency. Just like the BNP, they have realised that being openly racist is not getting them anywhere; times have changed, otherwise the far right would still be going on about the "jewish problem"! The fact that the EDL are threatening to beat up any of their own supporters who seig-heil shows that their leadership are aware of the need for them to evolve away from nazism and towards a new, nationalistic fascism.

Fascism has always changed its spots according to conditions; these days, they have latched on to anti-muslim fears in the wake of the terrorist outrages of 9/11 and 7/11 to feed distrust about british asian people. Fascism always needs a scapegoat, and this time it's cultural rather than (explicitly racial) - islam rather than "blacks". By thus claiming not be racist and rather claiming merely to be "nationalists" or "patriots", the far right aim to diffuse opposition, and to appeal to a wider constituency.

The EDL occupy an interesting position - as the BNP have consciously abandoned the "march and grow" strategy of the 70s, 80s and 90s, the EDL have moved into the vacuum. Provocative marches and rallies have been a cornerstone of fascist strategy since the 1930s, as the far right aim to stir up tension and fear and to boost their own morale. The antidote to this is to refuse to relinquish the streets to them, to oppose them wherever they raise their ugly heads - and this is what we must do in Nottingham on Saturday, and wherever else the EDL try to mobilise in future.

Just as jews, anarchists, the left, and ordinary working-class Londoners were there to resist Mosley's blackshirts in their marches through the east end in the 1930s, it is our duty to oppose the latest manifestation of fascism - the EDL. Just like in the 1930s, the police defend the fascists and threaten repression to anti-fascists; meanwhile, "community leaders" (then jewish, now asian) warn their youth to stay away. Unfortunately with fascism, history often threatens to repeat itself. We must not be deterred - we will be there to ensure that the streets are not yielded to the EDF unopposed. We should be proud to be part of the history of grassroots resistance to the fascist bullshit. As our comrades through history said in Spain, "No Pasaran!". See you on the streets...