Posts Tagged ‘EDL’
How the Riots Are Being Made About Race
More than a week has now passed since areas of London, beginning with Tottenham, erupted in rioting and looting spreading to Birmingham and Manchester. Not much else is being discussed in the UK these days be it in the mainstream or through social media and the blogosphere. There hasn’t been much to add to the excellent analyses by Richard Seymour who has been providing us with daily takes on the riots from various perspectives. I am not the only one to have commented about the racial dynamics the riots are creating; Merlin Emanuel asks some crucial questions: Read the rest of this entry »
Racist EDL Behind East End Gay Pride Event
First, as I wrote a short time back, Johann Hari writes his vitriolic article inciting anti-Muslim racism by effectively labelling all Muslim people homophobic. Then it emerged that an event calling itself the East End Gay Pride was being organised in the East End of London to mobilise against homophobic stickers that had appeared around the neighbourhood. Organisations such as Imaan and the Safra Project, set up to combat homophobia in the Muslim community had suspected since the beginning that the event was being organised by members of the racist English Defence League. Now proof that that is the case has emerged thanks to work done by Imaan which can be read here. In particular, Imaan found that the organiser of the East End Gay Pride event, Raymond Berry, had had his membership of the Rail and Maritime Trades Union revoked for being a vocal member of the EDL.
Imaan is calling for a “truly inclusive community-led Pride March” to take place as the best response to these revelations and the EDL’s attempt to foment hatred for Muslims among the East End gay community. The Safra Project calls for the event to be cancelled.
The Safra Project has opened a page for comments and messages of solidarity.
EDL Appearance on Newsnight Exemplifies Postracialism
Excerpt published on the Muslim Council of Britain site
Ours is a righteous cause,” says Stephen Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) of the English Defence League, “Alright, OK,” replies Jeremy Paxman, anchor of BBC2′s flagship news programme Newsnight, “A lot of people are worried, I believe you.
The decision to invite the EDL to appear on Newsnight on February ahead of the its march on Luton planned for February 5, touted as the “the biggest demonstration in its 18-month history” according to The Guardian, was ill-informed. Those interested in engaging in the ‘no platform’ debate may do so. However, what was more striking about the Newsnight appearance was Paxman’s ultimate inability to counter the incendiary, anti-Muslim statements tripping off Lennon’s tongue. Inability or unwillingness? Read the rest of this entry »