A planned protest by the far-right English Defence League caused the cancellation of a football match in Luton at the weekend.
The far-Right English Defence League (EDL) forced the postponement of Luton Town’s home game with York city at the weekend with Police saying they were unable to patrol both the match and a planned EDL march.
The disruption in Luton follows confrontations between the EDL and anti-racism campaigners in Harrow and Central London the previous week. Among the slogans being chanted by the EDL were “terrorist bombers off our street”, “we hate Muslims, we hate Muslims, we hate Muslims” and “no surrender, no surrender, no surrender to Is-lam”.
They were also filmed assaulting photographers and giving ‘Sieg Heil’ salutes.
Although largely under-reported and under the radar, the EDL are beginning to be placed under scrutiny. Yesterday Radio Five broadcast an interview with one of the ringleaders of the EDL, named only as Wayne, who said his organisation were not racist and even made the claim that they had black and Asian members, and were hated by the BNP because “negroes march with them”.
There was no evidence, however, of any non-white protesters supporting the EDL in a video of the demonstration on the Guardian website.
Listen to the interview with Wayne below and download it here:
Interviewer Allan Urry’s full investigation into the EDL can be heard tomorrow night on File on 4 on Radio Four at 8:00.
6 Responses to “EDL protest causes football cancellation”
Shamik Das
RT @leftfootfwd: The growing menace of the English Defence League:- http://tinyurl.com/the-edl
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Salim
Salam,
I come from Pakistan and I chose to come to the UK because I recognize the faults of my own goverment and want state to be sepreated from Islam as I practice it freely in this wonderful and peaceful country. The EDL are showing what the common british thinks and that is because exterimism has no real opposition here.
I personally am greatful for the EDL. We should speak more against those who want to use Islam and Muslims to do their sick biddings and create blood shed. It’s has nothing to do with “holy”. We should create a muslim coallition to condemn every act of muslim extrimists because not saying anything is agreeing silently!