You may recall that Britain First, a far-right groupuscule headed by former BNPers Jim Dowson and Paul Golding, organised a unity meeting in Dartford last month to discuss plans for a new anti-Islam street protest movement to replace the declining and fragmenting English Defence League.

The protest movement has now been formally launched. It's called the English National Resistance and describes itself as a "new disciplined organisation that will mobilise patriotic activists against any attack on our English culture, rights and heritage".

As is the way with such things, the English National Resistance presents itself as a far-right unity initiative, claiming to have brought together "a multitude of different existing patriotic groups". So far, however, it would appear to be little more than a Britain First front organisation.

The ENR's first event is scheduled for tomorrow, 2 February, with a planned march through Stanmore to the house of Abu Qatada. Whether it will in fact take place is as yet unclear, as Qatada's lawyers have applied to the High Court for an injunction to prevent the demonstration going ahead.

Given that the protest is likely to attract a derisory number of participants, the BF/ENR leaders are probably hoping that the injunction is granted. That way they can milk the situation for the maximum publicity – High Court sides with Muslim terrorist and deprives decent British patriots of right to free speech, you know the sort of thing – while avoiding the public exposure of the minuscule forces they actually represent.

View the Original article

The setbacks suffered by the English Defence League – shrinking numbers attending its demonstrations, its leader in prison, its deputy leader arrested for incitement to racial hatred – are seen by others on the far right as an opportunity to build a new organisation under their own control to replace the EDL.

EDL News draws our attention to a far-right unity meeting that took place in Dartford at the weekend, evidently on the initiative of the group Britain First, the aim of which was to "lay plans for a unified, well organised new street protest movement".

Britain First was formed as a breakaway from the British National Party. Its leaders are former BNP councillor Paul Golding and Jim Dowson, who headed the BNP's at one point highly successful fundraising operation.

So far, Britain First's attempts to emulate the EDL have not have been marked by any notable success. Despite all sections of the far right being invited to participate, its protests against "Muslim grooming" and against a Southend mosque attracted very limited support. Dowson, however, has recently been playing a prominent role in the loyalist flag protests in Belfast and no doubt fancies himself as the leader of a new mass movement against Islam in Britain.

One of the participants at the Dartford event was Paul Pitt, the EDL's former South East organiser, who last year was responsible for holding demonstrations against a proposed mosque in Chelmsford. In July he led a few dozen EDL members through the town in a flash protest during which they shouted racist abuse at passers-by and chanted "You burn our poppy, we burn your mosque". Pitt has since broken with the EDL and has launched a new organisation called the South East Alliance, which piously claims to be a "non-political community based street movement".

Also worth noting is the presence at the Dartford meeting of English Democrats party leader Robin Tilbrook. Although the EDP is not itself of fascist origin it has attracted a significant number of former BNP members as a result of the crisis in that party, notably the BNP's one-time elections organiser Eddy Butler. Dowson himself has pursued a twin-track approach of building Britain First while at the same time placing his fundraising abilities at the service of the EDP (presumably in exchange for a large cut of the proceeds).

The EDP is a political party that is committed to pursuing an electoral strategy, which it has done with some limited success. It won the election for mayor of Doncaster in 2009 and did quite well in last year's police commissioner elections, coming second in South Yorkshire with 15.6% of the vote. It is difficult to believe that Tilbrook is so stupid as to imagine that association with a revamped anti-Muslim street movement with its full complement of racists, fascists and thugs would boost his party's appeal to voters. Even if he is, it is likely that many members of the EDP will disagree.

View the Original article

A teenager who had just left a mosque was punched in the face by a thief who stole her handbag. The 17-year-old has been left with a suspected fractured eye socket, swelling and bruising to her face after the incident on Saturday.

At the time the girl was wearing full Asian dress including a veil. She described the experience as "terrifying".

The victim, who wshes to remain anonymous, said: "I was walking towards the bus stop after attending the Tauheedar mosque. As I got on to Eanam I passed a lad sat in a bus stop but didn't really think anything of it.

"Not long after I passed him I reached the canal bridge and all of a sudden I was aware of someone running towards me. Before I could turn round I felt a punch to the face and my handbag was snatched. I was so scared. Luckily a taxi stopped and a woman got out to help me call the police."

The student from Accrington was taken to hospital shortly after the incident at 12.30pm. Doctors suspect she has a fractured eye socket but cannot tell the full extent of her injuries until the swelling and bruising goes down.

A police spokesman said: "This was a vicious attack on a vulnerable woman walking alone. I appeal for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area on Saturday lunchtime to call us on 101." The attacker is described as 5ft 7ins tall, of skinny build and wearing casual clothing.

This is Lancashire, 11 September 2012

View the Original article