Leicestershire Solidarity Group: Report - EDL visit to Leicester

On Saturday 4th February, numerous anti-fascists withstood freezing temperatures and a bitterly cold windchill to stand against the fascist EDL’s visit to Leicester. 
Prior to this, Mayor Peter Soulsby, Leicester City Council, politicians, some ‘community leaders’ and the police had predictably told locals to stay at home and see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.  Shops were advised to close, pubs were shut, and, displaying a fine spirit of the blitz, Leicester market was closed as well.

The EDL, meanwhile, threatened to bring ‘thousands’ of drunken fascist hooligans into Leicester.  However, some of us knew better, fully aware that the splits and infighting among the EDL with its organisation literally falling apart at the seams would take its toll.  The fact that it was generally a bit nippy and the pubs would be shut was also sure to damage the EDL Special Brew Division’s turn out as well.  As it happens, the fash did manage to collect about 500 (the Leicester Mercury claims 700) dubious specimens of the ‘master race’ for their march, with the highpoint being the burning of an Argentine flag. Argentina, as everyone knows, is ‘the most muslim country in the world, probably…’ (but we reckon geography is not the EDL’s best subject).