The EDL (with Israeli flag at right)
UAF (fighting the police)
I don’t know if it was really the socialist demagogue Huey Long who said that when fascism comes to America, it will be in the guise of anti-fascism, but whoever said it, the point holds true nowadays not only for America, but for the West in general. Yesterday’s English Defense League demonstration was a case in point: the violence was provoked by the “United Against Fascism” group, a gang of thugs bent on attacking and silencing those who are resisting the spread of Sharia of Britain — but those opposing Islamization and standing up for Israel and human rights against Sharia are the ones called fascists and even “Nazis” by one uninformed and Leftist senex in the viciously irresponsible (and unsupported) Daily Mail piece below. Apparently at least some at the Daily Mail buy the existence that desperate and fantastical invention of the libelblogger Charles Johnson, the pro-Israel neo-Nazi.
The EDL leadership has been consistent in rejecting the BNP and all racism and neo-fascism. There is no reliable indication that the EDL itself is in any way racist or neofascist, and a good deal of evidence to the contrary. The EDL is standing up to violent thugs from both the Left and the increasingly assertive Islamic communities in Britain, and they deserve the support of all free people.
Be sure to see Pamela’s report — she has a great deal more on this demonstration.
“Scores arrested as English Defence League and anti-fascists clash in violent street protests,” from the Daily Mail, March 21 (thanks to Pamela):
More than 70 people were arrested during clashes between right-wing and anti-fascist protesters which brought a town centre to a standstill.
Police condemned the violence in Bolton, Lancashire, yesterday which erupted between supporters of controversial right-wing group The English Defence League (EDL) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF).
Thousands of people took part in a rally in Victoria Square, with at least two police officers and members of the public injured.
At least 74 arrests were made, more than 55 from the UAF and nine from the EDL, police said.
Officers said UAF protesters were responsible for most of the trouble – and the organisation’s joint secretary, Weyman Bennett, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to organise violent disorder. […]
Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, from Greater Manchester Police, who led the policing operation, said his officers faced ‘a lot of hostility’ and ‘unwarranted attacks’, resulting in injuries.
And he reserved his fiercest criticism for the anti-Fascist group, who he said had turned up intent on causing trouble.
‘Today in Bolton we have seen groups of people, predominantly associated with the UAF, engaging in violent confrontation,’ he said. […]
Second World War veteran Bertie Lois, 89, who lives in Farnworth, Bolton, protested with the UAF.
He said: ‘I fought the Second World War against these Nazis. What did I fight for if we let them? The EDL are the enemy. I would say to them ‘you are the guys we fought for, what are you doing?’
‘I am also here because I am against the war in Afghanistan.’ […]
Police said there were 2,000 EDL protesters in the square, and around 1,500 from UAF.
The EDL describes itself as a peaceful, non-political group campaigning against ‘militant Islam’.
But ugly scenes also marked one of their protests in Manchester last year, with 44 arrests and 10 injuries.