Racist English Defence League thugs plan protests

by Esme Choonara

Racists in the English Defence League (EDL), who were chased out of Birmingham by hundreds of anti-fascists earlier this month, are planning a series of protests around the country.

The group has been banned for three months from returning to Luton, where earlier this year it rampaged through areas where many Asian people live.

The EDL whips up racism by targeting Muslims. It has said it plans to protest against the building of a new mosque in Harrow, west London, in September.

It also wants to return to cause more problems in Birmingham and Luton.

The EDL tries to claim it is not a racist group, but its organisers include right-wing thugs linked to the fascist BNP.

Its events have been promoted on the openly Nazi website Stormfront. And leading EDL activist Chris Renton from Weston-super-Mare was included on the BNP membership list that was leaked last year.

Unite Against Fascism joint secretary Weyman Bennett said, “We have proved that where we organise and stand up the EDL can be driven back.

“Mass protests can show these racist thugs that they are not welcome.”