Barking at the EDL: East London Protest passes off peacefully

Anti-English activists from ‘Unite Against Fascism’ (UAF) have today gathered in Barking with a view to obstructing a democratic protest by the EDL (for an explanation of why the demonstration is taking place see this post by Esmerelda Weatherwax at the New English Review). Elsewhere, soi-disant anti-fascists claim that they have forced “the cancellation of a planned EDL meeting in a Wetherspoon’s pub in Stoke on Trent”. Now, how would they have done that? It wouldn’t have been via making thinly veiled threats to the landlord over the phone should the EDL meeting be permitted to take place would it? Such tactics have been used in Huddersfield and elsewhere in the past. Confirmation of this supposition seems to have been provided by the following quote later taken from the anti-EDL site 'EDL News': "Weatherspoons have told EDL news that they will be refused entry after EDL News readers tipped the management off." Tipped them off? What possible form could this 'tip off' have taken? You can well imagine the minatory tones in which this will have been delivered.

According to reports on the EDL Forum, about 200 supporters turned out (UAF claims circa 100 EDL compared to their 80 counterdemonstrators) to demonstrate this afternoon, some of them depicted in the first of the pictures below. Their generally youthful opposition from UAF is shown in the second. Although it was a fine afternoon, this looks as if it has been quite a small-scale protest. Tactics are of course under review, and it would behove the EDL to move into the sphere of promoting boycotts of businesses that pass on halal meat to unsuspecting customers as well as other forms of visible protest that do not necessarily rely upon marches and formal rallies. Although there is a place for both, the EDL needs to become more focused to achieve its goals and harness the latent mass public sympathy for its position, whilst being mindful of the potential for violent attack from some emotionally overwrought members of anti-English groups. EDL supporters need to ensure both their own safety and that of the general public whilst campaigning against Islamisation. A promotional video for what should be a large EDL demo in Leicester against anti-white racism on 4 February can be accessed at EDL Promo Video: Rhea Page Leicester Demo.

UPDATE: According to the Casuals United blog the aftermath of the protest was not as peaceful as the demonstration itself, for 15 EDL supporters were later arrested in a clash "involving several hundred people". Interestingly, there were only 15 EDL involved. Would 15 really seek to take on hundreds, or were they hounded down by a mob of Muslim residents? A lot of "Allahu-Akbars!" were chanted last night, and one EDL man was taken to hospital so that his injuries could be treated. The truth however will not necessarily out, not via the NUJ-controlled press at any rate.