On Sat 1st March the EDL organised “memorial events” up and down the country in a disgusting and exploitative attempt to make political gain out of a brutal murder. One of those was held in Nottingham. In the Nottingham Post’s write up of the event they chose to focus on the question of whether it really was the EDL organising the event or not, rather than the exploitation of a man’s murder to whip up hatred against the Muslim community. The fact is that the event was timed to coincide with a load of other events organised by the far right group and was openly advertised on the Nottingham EDL Facebook page.
EDL march organiser, Jay Clark
Let’s be quite clear – there is no doubt that this was organised by the EDL. The organiser, as quoted by the Post, was none other than Jay Clark, former organiser of the Nottingham EDL division who is still very much involved in the group’s politics. Despite his attempts to disassociate himself from the EDL, Clark led their contingent at Nottingham’s St George’s Day march last year and organises St George’s Day events in Clifton with East Midlands EDL members. He has threatened to “wipe out” independent media websites in the past for making clear the links between himself and fascists.
EDL members Adam Bilyk (left in green hoody), Donna Walker (carrying wreath) and Emma Laker (glasses and pink shirt)
Alongside Clark were other prominent Nottingham EDL members. Donna Walker laid their wreath flanked by Adam Bilyk (last spotted at the English Volunteer Force launch in Birmingham) and Emma Laker. Whether these people still consider themselves EDL or just fellow travellers, their anti-Muslim agenda differs little from that of the official EDL line.
June 14th, 2013 at 11:12
We are not being daft – we are pointing out that this was an event organised by the EDL, a group renowned for its racism and xenophobia who were desperate for support before Rigby’s death and are milking this tragedy all they can. Something we find disgusting.
The media have painted this to be about the EDL because it is them who have organised it. There’s no conspiracy here.
And as to whether patriotism is a bad thing, it certainly can be. German patriotism in the 1930s was a bad thing because it led to WWII and the holocaust. Likewise Italian patriotism and Japanese patriotism led to their respective fascist dictatorships. Greek patriotism in the 21st Century has produced the rise of Golden Dawn and a war on migrants. Patriotism and fascism are often hard to tell apart.
June 13th, 2013 at 22:24
I was there no racist chants banners or even tentsion. It was just to show respect for a brave soldier who shkuld never have been killed in his own country in such way. The media have painted such a peacefull patriotic thing and made it out to be about the edl! PATRIONISM IS NOT A BAD THING!