Police keep predominantly Muslim protestors away from EDL
Despite the defection (to a state-funded pro-Muslim group) and later jailing (for mortgage fraud) of the English Defence League leader, 'Tommy Robinson', the EDL held a very successful demonstration in Rotherham, in south Yorkshire, at the weekend against the Muslim grooming gangs that have plagued the predominantly English working class town recently.
The success of the demo has been confirmed not just by the EDL itself, but by one of the left-wing activists who turned out to oppose them.
Writing on Urban 75, a "left-leaning" internet forum, the activist said:
"The Rotherham EDL demo looked big. About 500 I reckon. And fairly disciplined - no arrests as far as I know (at the demo at least) and lots of stewards who stopped them from attacking the police/throwing things effectively. I actually heard snippets of their speeches for a change as well - which included grievances against social services and tuition fees, as well as the usual sharia law bollocks."
The activist continued: "Our side were a fucking embarrassment. On one side, the usual UAF frenzy (complete with Labour councillors claiming there were "no problems in Rotherham" and someone else calling for "unity among people of all classes"!) On the other, the rather sullen AFN (Anti-Fascist Network/Antifa) types chanting in Spanish. I hate these demos but I consider it a point of pride to get to them when they're on my home turf. I don't really know why I bothered today. At most we numbered 150 and we were very divided - it was obvious half the anti-fash there hate the UAF."
Although the demo was relatively peaceful, due to a heavy police presence, a group of black-clad and masked AFN attempted to attack a pub in the area used by nationalists but were given short shrift by some locals who objected to their obvious trouble-making and weird foreign chants.
Another commentator on the Urban 75 forum, who is based in the north east of England, said in response to the events in Rotherham: "There's a big difference between London/Brighton/Bristol, where there is a counter culture of some description. And up north, there is no 'left' up here. There is very, very small numbers of anti-fash who will actually turn out but you're talking incredibly small numbers. Meanwhile, NF and EDL get 100-300 fighting types regularly with limited or no opposition at all."
The disgruntled north east leftist concluded: "The Labour/UAF lot would rather grass antis up than work with them and there's the older veterans who just slag the youngsters off. The vast majority of the population up here just don't care about politics at all, but the minority who do, who are on the streets, who walk around without any hassle are the far-right. Don't know why they don't move that March for England to Newcastle. They would love that shit up here!"
This coming weekend the local EDL has called a protest in Newcastle against Muslim grooming gangs in the city.
The far-left, divided and demoralised as it is, has called for a counter-protest, distributing leaflets with the headline "Newcastle Untes Against the EDL" (sic).
The EDL in the north east of England is one of the best organised and popular of the independent-minded regional EDL groupings now taking shape across large parts of England.
The Rotherham protest has illustrated that the EDL has a future as the premier militant nationalist street protest movement and the forthcoming Newcastle event can only confirm that process.
Report by: Civil Liberty
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