Anti-fascists clash with right-wing protesters in Birmingham

reply to post by mr-lizard


Very true. I do think there needs to be good, balanced reporting rather than pushing what they think will sell papers.

Here is a letter of apology posted on the EDL website to a Birmingham newspaper from a former UAF member. I am unsure of it's voracity, but it is interesting none the less:

There has been a letter of apology sent to a Birmingham newspaper by a 'Former' supporter of the UAF who has vowed never to support them again.

"Dear Editor, I would like to start by apologising to the people of Birmingham for the events of Saturday evening which I am highly ashamed to have been a part of.

However, as a moderate who took part in the UAF protest I would like to set the record straight.

I, like the vast majority of people in Birmingham love the fact that our city is so diverse and vibrant. I felt that this was worth defending, especially from a bunch of trouble makers many of whom were from outside the city.

Unfortunately it turned out the UAF were no more interested in our community than the racists many of us turned out to oppose! The young Muslims who rampaged through the city streets were incited to violence by UAF activists. I was near the front of the rally in Rotunda Square and I saw how they worked and I saw how it got out of hand.

The UAF should have switched rhetoric when they saw that the young Muslims were getting restless and angry. Instead what they did was get increasingly aggressive speakers to talk about ‘smashing the BNP’ (who not directly involved with the protest) whilst sending agitators into the crowd, with megaphones, to whip up anger there.

Only a few members of the Socialist Workers party, some trade unionists and a few moderate Muslim blokes who had been recruited as marshals on the day, remained to help the Police calm the riot.

I would like to commend the West Midlands Police Force for their sensitive handling of the protest and us protesters during what was a very difficult situation. However, the ten or so members of the Muslim community who stayed with the protest whilst it was settled are the true unsung heroes of the sad event.

I never got to know their names, however, I am very proud to have worked with them in defusing the tensions that built up between rioters and Police. A true example of why our city is great.

As to the UAF well, I don’t mind announcing that I will never join one of their protests again. Once again I can only say how sorry I am that it all got so out of hand. If we had known how it would turn out then I’m sure a lot of protesters would have stayed home.

The UAF has achieved nothing except to create racial tensions were non existed before. Yours in penance, Josh Allen, Bournville"

EDIT for link: www.englishdefenceleague.org...

[edit on 6/9/09 by stumason]

reply to post by stumason


lol - exactly!! I go through a million and one hair-styles. My last was shaved to grade 3 because I was doing a 100 mile MTB cycle ride and it made the cycle helmet fit so much nicer and cooler on the head! Does that make me a thug?

I probably will keep it as I now find in the morning I can just 'get up and go'!!

Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by AlwaysQuestion

 

That's the thing, many people have short hair. Is short hair the sign of being a racist? I shave my head to a grade 2 for purely practical reasons. If I took to the streets and protested, I'm assuming that because I have short hair, I'd automatically be a "thug", purely based on my hairstyle?

A lot of men at a certain age shave their heads as there starting to go bald,I agree with you here!I know plenty of long haired rock dudes who are animals,length of hair doesnt come into it

Originally posted by noangels
England isnt lost and never will be!

BNP are scum,not sure about this EDL-will read up on them

but I expect there closet racists

LOL one coward had his hoody up in those photos,same as the extreme muslims snapped at their silly little rallies-there so alike

They are mate, I've been arguing with a few of them in a thread on here. They are absolutely bought into the Daily Telegraph rhetoric.

Can you describe (exactly)how they are closet rascists to me?

If any body puts there head up and expresses an opinion not in agreement with the left it seems to get shot off...then you describe poeple as"closet" rascists which would insinuate that they are those which wouldnt put there heads up...make up your minds

Maybe closet rascists do exist because of this?

Im very confused.....

Also the edl marched alongside Muslims against extremism in the first march in luton...how does that work if they are rascist ..Also one banner can be taken from context ,what about these unite banners and anti NF banners ,anti bnp banners seen in this video?

I suggest you visit youtube and look at the first ever EDL protest against muslim extremism in Luton. The group consists of whites, blacks, asians, males, females, the old, the young.

[edit on 6-9-2009 by gambon]

Invest in machetes

There is nothing like it to bring fear into the hearts of fascists and extremist Islamisists alike.

sounds to me like something which might have haent
in the 1930s .. when people trying to warn for the nazi's and for hitler where attacked.. today people warning against new facist dictatorship disquised as a religion are being attacked and ridiculized by the true facist ..
I hate it that peoples free speech is being attacked by left winged radicals, those people are the same to me who supported hitler and attacked all against hitler.
Why is there tendance that every time somebody is ill speaking are saying things not towards the liking of islamofacist people are being attacked portraited as nazi's and facist and being ridiculized in the media ..
And when things are going out of hand and we are supressed and living under islamofacist dictatorship people are going to say..
wie ist das mogelich , wir haben es nich gewurst.. how is this possible, we didn't know..
I don't want to life under no dictatorship especially a religious dictatorship.. christian or islamic it doesn't mind which.
I am not against people don't get me wrong but the Idea's and things people are bringing out into our society i don't like.
I have nothing with nazi's my grandparents were working with the recistance forces in ww2 , but I don't want to see the things happening again .. because then my grandparents and all other people of the recistance worked and died for nothing.. And I see the same things happening again and the new nazi's are islamist under the leading of Iran who are trying to take over nation in EU by building mosques and undermine the nations political systems , hinder integration into society of foreigners and asylium searchers.
Not warning for the signs and the things going on is more wrong then those people protesting against the things going on.. hindering and attacking protesters whom are protesting against dictatorship ect are nothing more as trators and are under mining the all we are standing for.
I rather have more chinese and korean and japanese people in my nation then people of the middle east .. and Turkish and Morrocan and Iranians are on my top of my list of not welcome. Make that me a racist saying I don't like people from those nations and rather have japanese and korean and chinese people here?
How can somebody be racist if he likes people from the far east and not of the middle east.. I am white yes but i have nothing against people with other skin colors so I have something against islam and the islam hasn't given me any reason thinking other wise. as i read newspapers online and offline , see the news different sources mass media and others all i see problems in muslim nations are in non muslim nation by muslims. Can anybody explain me that?

I'm thinking of starting a group to march against the UAF. So that when they march against "right-wing bigots & fascist's" i can march against their contradictory organization.

Its all getting a little silly.

this is all to easy to understand , and the out come is to easy to predict , and to easy to see .

it is a culture with closed doors , closed minds , and bad intent .
there is a wolf in the sheep , and the sheep dog has been locked away .

the lamb's pay the bill as the wolves raise their cub's among you .

sleep well , for some one is teaching you a lesson for others beyond your shore to learn .

this is to easy to see from a distance.

when it is all around you , it is imposable to see clearly.
welcome to 1898- 1911 and the postering of the great houses of europe .

Originally posted by SearchLightsInc
I'm thinking of starting a group to march against the UAF. So that when they march against "right-wing bigots & fascist's" i can march against their contradictory organization.

Its all getting a little silly.

I'd march against your group just to be awkward / throw a spanner in the works.

That'd confuse people eh?