EDL are "Facist Hooligans"

A protest by the English Defence League, in the Midlands on Saturday April 4 has been branded as “a group of organised fascist football hooligans looking for trouble.”

Sabby Dhalu, joint secretary of Unite Against Facism – which staged a peaceful protest in opposition to that organised by the EDL – made the statement in a press release on the UAF’s website.

He said, “The events in Dudley showed the real face of the EDL, they are a group of organised fascist football hooligans looking for trouble, who broke past heavily policed lines.”

Mr Dhalu said that this was in contrast to the peaceful celebration organised by UAF, the Dudley Borough Interfaith Network and local communities.

He added, "The EDL were trying to provoke a reaction, they didn't get one, more than a hundred of them were contained by riot police in the vicinity of the UAF event in order to prevent them from attacking people leaving the anti-fascist rally.

Dudley Council stated that the EDL march was not peaceful, and its Chief Executive John Polychronakis said he was “saddened to witness their public disorder and violence.”

West Midlands police arrested a total of nine people on the day, five for possessing offensive weapons, two for public order offences and two for criminal damage.

Officers are also investigating alleged thefts from shops and reports of criminal damage.

The EDL claim the march was in protest at a decision to grant planning permission for a new Mosque in the town.

Mike Hughes from the EDL said, “The mosque was not wanted or welcomed by the local people and the council decided against giving it the go ahead.

“The Muslim community petitioned 10 Downing Street to have that decision overturned and the government being willing dhimmis (to keep the Muslim block vote) facilitated the will of the Muslim community over non-Muslims.”

Mr Hughes claims 22,000 people in Dudley signed a petition against the Mosque, while 3,876 people were in favour of the building going ahead.

Mr Hughes added “The majority were ignored by the government; this was a travesty of democracy and for these reasons alone such a protest was wholly justified.

Weyman Bennett from the UAF said, "The day was a success for anti-racists and anti-fascists as the EDL were forced to huddle in a car park on the edge of town while UAF and local anti-racist groups mounted a powerful show of unity.