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EDL is marching on Whitechapel June 20th: Anarchists will respond on mass!

Anarchists in London | 05.06.2010 07:33

WHITECHAPEL UNITED AGAINST DIVISION SUNDAY 20TH JUNE TBA

SATURDAY 19TH JUNE 4PM Public Rally Altab Ali Park

NO TO UK ISLAMIC CONFERENCE SPEAKERS! NO TO THE ENGLISH DEFENCE LEAGUE!

On Sunday 20th June 2010 extremists from both the UK Islamic Conference (UK-IC) and the English Defence League (EDL) threaten to invade our local community in Tower Hamlets. Neither of these groups originates from this area but attempt to recruit, divide and create trouble spreading their respective poisons. To this we say NO.

The UK-IC are hosting a dubious event involving controversial speakers Muhammad Hassan, Hussain Yee, Bilal Philips and others who espouse extremist lines condoning rape, pedophilia, killing homosexuals, military camps and anti-Semitism. This is taking place at The Troxy 490 Commercial Road and not at a mosque or religious school due to the fact the communities using those places of worship have identified the speakers as not welcome.

The EDL are planning to hold a counter-demonstration under the rhetoric of anti-Islamic extremism, spreading a racist sentiment while waving the banner of nationalism in response. They are a divisive element, not understanding the fact that the extremist elements they claim to be against (Islam4UK, Abu Hamza, Al-Muhajiroun) have all been kicked out of mosques by Muslims themselves! What the EDL do is polarise our communities, lumping all Muslims into one homogenous group while justifying pro-war sentiments and fueling Islamophobia. Their drunken presence chanting football songs will do nothing but trigger conflict within our community – the real reason behind them wanting to come here!

As one of the most socially deprived areas in London we know things aren’t perfect in Whitechapel or Tower Hamlets, but as neighbours living side by side, trading within the markets, as workmates in the hospital, post office and colleges we put aside our minor differences and get along as an east end community. We are proud of the multi-ethnic working class history of standing up for ourselves that defines our areas identity, from the memorial commemorating locals stopping the fascists marching down Cable Street to the memories of kicking the National Front off Brick Lane after the murder of Altab Ali. That’s why we have to say NO to both the UK Islamic Conference and the English Defence League in coming to our east end. We have to stand together united and let them know by our presence that they are not welcome here.

We cannot let these divisive groups enter our community and must defend whitechapel against them!

Whitechapel Community Defence.

UNITED WE STAND! DIVIDED WE FALL!

Anarchists in London

Additions

Islamic conference scrapped by East End venue

10.06.2010 14:35

http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/news/story.aspx?brand=ELAOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsela&itemid=WeED10%20Jun%202010%2012%3A11%3A44%3A280

ftp

Comments

Hide the following 19 comments

Fake or not

05.06.2010 10:41

The racist and xenophobic sentiment in the rank and file is real, it is not hard to go to these demos and remain out of arms reach of the state, that is a poor excuse to stay home.

The EDL is a serious issue and this and bradford are particular provocations, we have two choices, we can either ignore it and let it go on unchecked, or we can support the local communities that are the target of their intimidation, i for one favour the later.

See you on the barricades.

Anti EDL

@ wary hairy

05.06.2010 10:44

'do some research' - since you are privvy to this information, why don't you point us in the direction of the sources you rely on, or better yet, post them here? You can't make a wild allegation, not substantiate it, and then berate other for not doing research. So, show us your 'evidence'

(A) Sab x

@EDL on here

05.06.2010 15:33

Have you read the statement at the beginning of this post??!! Anarchists are against the speakers at the Islamic conference, even before the EDL announced their latest piss-up in our community. The message is clear to the EDL, Islamic extremism is being challenged in Whitechapel and Tower Hamlets by muslims and non-muslims. We do not need the EDL fucking up and bringing hundreds of Jihadists onto the streets. That is what is being defended, this process of address the issues of the community BY PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

Whitechapel DOES NOT NEED the EDL. The EDL will re-enforce the Jihadists position not undermine it. If EDL does not reconsider and cancel their demo, it will be clear to all that the EDL do not want to actually challenge listen to people they just want to cause touble in the area regardless of the impact it has to progressives who have for years being attempting to break down the sectarian segregation that Islamism as well as nationalism creates.

NO TO THE EDL in WHITECHAPEL, NO TO THE HOMOPHOBIC SCUM SPEAKERS AT THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE.

An anarchist in London

other violent fundies

05.06.2010 18:08

' Church Violently Evicts Squatters From Cinema

Icon_article Star Published: Sunday 30 May 2010 09:57 by Seventhstory |
Tagged as: culture free_spaces repression solidarity
Neighbourhoods: islington

On Saturday the 29th of May, at 5am around 40 church congregation members broke into the old Carlton Cinema on Essex Road, where a group of around 10 squatters were living. The cinema is owned by Resurrection Manifestation, an evangelical church currently based in Enfield.

The church members, some with their own weapons such as hammers and others picking up anything they could find on the floor woke the occupants up screaming "leave now!" One man was woken up by a strip light being smashed in his face. Another man got glass in his eye from a church member affronting him with a broken bottle. "They sprayed fire extinguishers in our faces and grabbed us by our clothes and threw us around," said one person living in the cinema.'

http://london.indymedia.org/articles/4910

Good for you, WA, while you are up to it, perhaps you can protest against these christian fundamentalists who attacked squatters in the old Carlton cinema with weapons etc. Fundamentalism is on the rise in many different ways and only a new and principled progressive left can deal with that, the SWP, the LP, etc, all are compromised.

london don

here's a good idea

05.06.2010 20:44

When i was in harrow-on-the-hill at the anti-edl thing last year the local kids were quite jumpy at any non-muslim, "'kafir" who were present at the protest.
annoying cause they sort of make you feel unwelcome cause they don't trust anyone.

a lot of those kids were new to "politics" and didn't get the idea of "solidarity" with other groups.
anyway why don't WAG make up a load of flyers in Urdu/Arabic/Bengali to explain to the kids who we are as "antifascists" and that we're part of the local community and not outsiders, also why not get some local Bengali speakers on the megaphones, even better get some east london grime mcs out on the streets.

someone local

Rubbish

05.06.2010 23:00

First of all, the UK-IC conference IS ABOUT THE QURAN! Our holy book. Not any of the nonsense you just said. Yeah I'm attending it. And you know what for your sake I'll write down couple of notes for yoou. Fool.

And witht the EDL, they are just fools who need a life. End off. But don't go calling these well educated Muslims, extremeists. You have NO RIGHT. They bluddy know more then you. AND ARE AGAINST EVERYTHING YOU DISLIKE TOO. You plum

Annonymous

Re : Lynn's comment on rape and veiled women : Veiled women are raped too.

06.06.2010 17:28

Women who wear veils are raped so mysoginists can't use that one. Men rape. Men are the problem when it comes to rape.

anon

Precisely

06.06.2010 19:51

The argument about veiled women not being raped because they've got veils is crap and easy peasy to disprove. Whilst I support anyone's right to wear a veil, burqa, or a balaclava or whatever if s/he wants to, stating that all women should wear a veil is all about oppressing an entire sex. For so called holy men to pontificate that all men are led to a state of irrepressable arousal at the sight of any unmasked female is pathetic and rather derogatory to men who are actually able to relate to women as people rather than sex objects. I find it rather sad that some men are so obsessed with sex and have such filthy minds that EVERY woman whether she be 8 or 98 is a threat to them if they see her face. "Go and take a cold shower for goodness sake and stop blaming women for pervy fantasies" is what we should say to them. By the way whenever I mask up on actions my glasses mist up so I've decided not to bother hiding my face any more, not practical.

Of course veiled women get raped, babies get raped, men get raped, the elderly get raped. The rapist is to blame not the victim and it is all about dominating the victim, not about what the victim is or is not wearing. Really bloody easy to demolish that argument.

Lynn Sawyer

subtle but important distinction

06.06.2010 19:58

> Men rape. Men are the problem when it comes to rape.

No, men are not the problem. Our patriarchal culture is the problem!

It may seem like a minor distinction to you but as a man actively opposing patriarchy it's quite important to me!

Anarchists siding with Islamic militants shame on you!

07.06.2010 09:48

Now so called anarchists are siding with Islamic militants and planing to violently attack those opposed to Islamic extremists who glorify and promote international terrorism and want to impose harsh cruel sharia law on everyone. Shame on you! You don't deserve to be called anarchists!

Former anarchist

"Former Anarchist..."

07.06.2010 14:21

...my arse.

Your post comprises of every catchphrase and cliche ever uttered by some EDL bonehead wanker. Your pathetic attempts to divide and conquer Anarchists with your troll drivel will be as successful as your attempts to help the likes of rich bastard Alan Lake to divide and conquer workers by encouragiong the scapegoating of moderate Muslims.

Anarchists are not siding with Islamic Extremists, this may come as news to you you brainwashed muppet but the vast majority of the Islamic community are ordinary people who just want to get on with their lives.

Of course Anarchists oppose Islamic extremists, as they oppose ALL religious extremists - not just the one scapegoated community - but the people you are attacking are NOT extremists, just moderate Muslims. Problem is we've seen where your scapegoating bullshit has led us before and we will not stand by and let you do it again.

Now fuck off back to Stormfront.

IHTF

Youtube videos of speakers

09.06.2010 00:47

A quick Youtube search.

Hussain Yee -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmpCh_HBr_Y&feature=related

Bilal Phillps -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AerCqUUxiUo

Yusuf Estes -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHRzWpR8pUM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLmDo2pX8Rg&feature=related

Haitham Al Haddad-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwybk7B94B

Make up your own mind and do the research yourself.

AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY!

"Do your own research."

09.06.2010 11:27

I watched 2 of the videos. One link doesn't work. I saw men espousing values that I reject as an anarchist. What I didn't see was praise of "military camps" calls to 'kill gays' or condoning of rape. In fact I strongly suspect that the views of the speakers I saw are common inside the mosque. It would be useful to have the links to the contentious claims - Islam is not alone in having adherents with a homophobic, sexist view of the world. It is after all a view common to religions who seek to follow texts written centuries ago, including christianity. It would also be useful if WAG gave more info on who within the community opposes the speakers at the conference, because we have no way of knowing where they got that info.

By opposing a conference on the Quran (

http://uk-ic.com/) there is a danger of alienating the very same people with whom WAG says it is "living side by side, trading within the markets, and working in the hospital, post office and colleges".

Already under attack from the 'nationalist' and 'Islamophobic' EDL, what is that community supposed to make of another predominantly white activist group attacking speakers who they haven't actually provided proof are outside of so-called 'moderate' Muslim thinking?

I certainly can't spare the time to sit through reams of you tube sermonising in order to find the alleged contentious statements, but it would be good if robust evidence was produced, not least to be handed to those in the community who might just reach the conclusion that the WAGs are as Islamophobic as the EDL without it.

If the claims can't be backed up in an authoritive way (using material not from hate sites such as Harry's Place), I fear this action may do more harm than good for community relations.

ftp

Agreed

09.06.2010 12:41

I also agree as an anarchist I dislike some of the opinions here. I actively oppose those opinions in my own life but nothing I can find from those speakers (all be it after only a fairly quick search) actually goes further than expressing their opinion on how people that CHOOSE to practice their faith should best do that.They aren't calling for others to oppress people like the EDL are. This is fairly endemic to all religions certainly not just Islam.

I also have a dislike for religion in general but I would oppose group such as the EDL on the basis that the average working class person practicing any religion is not aiming to impose their belief system or aspects of it on other people however misguided their own beliefs may be. The EDL on the other hand are at best calling for the state to impose strict conditions on personal faith and worship and an worst are violently attacking people purely based on their belief system.

If there is proof that a talker is advocating inciting authoritarian acts such as the ones mentioned above then their is scope for this but at the moment it seems like we would be alienating ourselves from a group of people on the basis of how they CHOOSE to live their life.

That's not to say we shouldn't encourage open dialogue about the issues of women's rights, sexuality etc but doing so in a way that encourages others to examine the restrictive nature of there beliefs and inspire a search for personal freedom.

Does anyone know if these speakers support state Islam? Because obviously anarchists appose all states and there is room for debate there also.

Also has WAG actually got proof people in the local muslim community appose the talks?