25th February 2012 - Hyde
Call off the march, urge suspected racial-attack victim's family
The family of a teenage boy who suffered serious injuries after a suspected race attack have pleaded for a march by the English Defence League (EDL) not to go ahead.
Read more: MEN Media | Family of Hyde race-attack victim, Daniel Stringer-Prince, urge English Defence League to call off protest march
"No-whites allowed"
In the run up to the Hyde demo, Bolton BNP put out an image that claimed "no whites allowed" in Hyde shops. The image and rumour went viral on far-right social media, and not one spotted that the other signs in the shop were written in German, including an advert for the Bundesliga (German Football League). Anti-EDL issued a jocular spoof showing "Hyde" Airport's racial segregation.
Duelling Dual Demos
Both British National Party (BNP) and the English Defence League (EDL) were present in Hyde, Tameside (Manchester). Prior to Hyde, the far-right duo have only ever been noticeable at Blackpool demos for missing, presumed murdered teenager Charlene Downes, with EDL holding their demo outside a pub in South Shore, while BNP members hand out leaflets in Blackpool's centre.
Left: BNP manage a measly 50; Centre: EDL March; Right: Approx 600 in a Hyde car park.
BNP leader Nick Griffin and EDL leader Tommy Robinson gave separate speeches. A desperate Nick Griffin lifted his earlier proscription on BNP members moonlighting with EDL; an act which was rebuffed by EDL's Tommy Robinson during his speech. EDL have sworn allegiance to the BNP reform party, British Freedom after their September meeting with Counterjihad Europa Project heads of the US-based Center for Vigilant Freedom.
In his speech to approximately 600 people, Tommy Robinson praised the Heywood rioters and called for more vigilantism. Robinson also claimed that white Britons were being persecuted by Muslims because they were Christians, and that they weren't racist, but had problem with "fascist ideology masquerading as a religion in our lands". He also called Islam "an invading ideology" that raped "our women".
Not once did he mention any other paedophile court cases where the groomers were not Muslim. I'll leave you to make your own minds up why EDL fail to take a stand against Priest, Scoutmaster, Teacher, Police, Child Pornopgraphy Rings or other type of "white" British paedophile.
Despite the Hyde demo having been called because of an vicious attack on two young men by a gang of Asians - an attack which the victims perceived as a racist attack, theEDL leader's focus was mainly on what EDL and BNP call "Muslim paedophile gangs", and not extremist Islam.
EDL social media was abuzz with claims that Greater Manchester Police had turned away buses in their droves. Their cunning plan to explain the 600 who turned up to the joint BNP and EDL demo was scuppered by GMPolice who confirmed that no EDL buses had been turned away.
Ever the opportunists, BNP were seen leafletting after the EDL demo had finished.
English Defence League to be sent bill for clean-up operation after rally in Hyde
Tameside Council were considering sending their bill for the pre-demo preparations and the after-demo clean-up to the far-right English Defence League, whilst Greater Manchester Police stated they might also look to charge the group for policing the Hyde event, presumably under Section 25 of the Police Act 1996. EDL promoted their Hyde demo as a community event (even though they bussed in their members from outside Hyde), and sold souvenir T-shirts and EDL-themed clothing.
Members launch EDL 2012 collection in Hyde car park
