Hope not Hate take a sensible position on the EDL, who are deliberately trying to provoke unrest:
Later this month English Defence League supporters hope to parade their hatred through the streets of Bradford and the HOPE not hate campaign is pulling out all the stops to prevent them. One thing we will not be doing however is to support a counter-demonstration. Nick Lowles explains why.
The English Defence League is calling its protest in Bradford “The Big One” and with good reason. There are few other places in the country where an EDL protest will be seen as more provocative. Despite pretending to be opposed only to Islamic extremism, the EDL is going to Bradford to provoke the city’s large Muslim population.
Almost a third of the people of Bradford are Muslim, the second highest proportion anywhere in England outside London. More significantly, the city experienced race riots in 2001 for which 200 people went to prison. The city’s reputation was destroyed, divisions between communities widened and deepened and the only beneficiary was the BNP, which began to make significant breakthroughs in council elections.
The scars of the 2001 riot run deep and the city cannot afford another. That is why we are doing everything now to prevent the EDL protest from taking place.
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Anti-fascists have a responsibility to those attending demonstrations and to the communities we are supposed to protect. Another riot is the last thing the people of Bradford need and we owe it to them to do everything we can to prevent one. And that means stopping the EDL from coming to Bradford in the first place.The EDL is coming to Bradford to provoke another riot. Let’s not give them one.
Sadly, I predict a riot.
“We have seen groups of people, predominantly associated with the UAF, engaging in violent confrontation,” he said. “It is clear to me that a large number have attended with the sole intention of committing disorder and their actions have been wholly unacceptable. They acted with, at times, extreme violence and their actions led to injuries to police officers, protesters and members of the public.