Solidarity Against the EDL in Leicester

The EDL are planning to hold a demonstration in Leicester on Sat 9th Oct. We are confident that the people of Leicester will be able to defend our community against this racist provocation. However, we call on antifascists to come to Leicester and show solidarity. The EDL's recent Bradford shindig may have shown just what a joke they are but they are not finished yet. Come to Leicester and make sure the EDL are even more demoralised.

Poster: Print it and put it up in your community

The wheels have really come off the EDL wagon in recent times. Their "big one" in Bradford turned out to be all talk, with only a few hundred turning up and many having to flee from the local youth. The previous softly, softly approach of the police and some sections of the public has hardened against them after their many violent drinking sprees. It seems that Leicestershire police are following this approach, calling for a ban of their march.

Not even the most gullible people believe the EDL's "peaceful protesters" line any more. Leicestershire police say they have had intelligence that the EDL intend to attack a mosque in Leicester before marching into Highfields, one of the city's biggest Muslim communities. We have to be sceptical about "police intelligence", and this is almost certainly some wanker mouthing off on the internet, but it gives you an idea of what some of the EDL want to achieve. It would certainly be amusing to watch the EDL try to invade Highfields but I don't think they would survive.

The other laughable myth that the EDL have invented about themselves is that they aren't racist. The evidence for this is that they have two (yes - two!) Asian members (a racist Sikh and a sectarian Glaswegian) and a handful of black members. The reality is that they are founded on racist ideas about Muslims and, as a result, attract large numbers of racists as well as neo Nazis. In Leicester they think that they will be able to divide and conquer by stirring up tension between Muslims and other Asians. Most Sikhs and Hindus understand that the EDL are their enemies, as shown by the EDL attack on a Hindu temple in Dudley. Leicester has good relations between communities and the EDL will fail yet again.

This is a call out for people in the Leicester area and beyond to come on the 9th and make sure there is an overwhelming presence of people opposed to the EDL. They suffered a big defeat in Bradford, and are almost universally hated, but they are still crawling on. Let's make sure they never come to Leicester again.