Peace campaigners are to unite against the English Defence League when they hold their biggest march of the year through Tyneside.

Hundreds of members of the right-wing organisation will walk from  Newcastle's Central Station to the Bigg Market in protest over plans for an Islamic School at the former Byker Grove building in the city's West End.

Now faith leaders and councillors are gathering to organise a peaceful city centre festival on the same day to celebrate Newcastle's ethnic diversity.

City councillor Dipu Ahad, who is leading the event alongside anti-racism groups, said: "The community are very frustrated that the EDL have the right to come and protest in our community where multi-culturalism and diversity thrive and is something that we believe in so strongly in Newcastle.

"Our event will be a festival and a celebration of the diversity in the city. People have lived here for generations and make a very strong contribution to the city and our counter event is all about celebration."

A final location is yet to be finalised for the counter event, which is supported by Unite Against Fascism and various trade unions, and will be held on Saturday, May 25.

Fellow campaigners and religious leaders are also in talks with officers from Operation Swan, Northumbria Police's specialist unit set up to police the protest.

This week it emerged the English Defence League's controversial leader Tommy Robinson will be attending the rally in person.

There is now a petition signed by more than 800 people across the North East asking for the organisation to be made illegal.

Councillor Ahad, who represents the city's Elswick ward, said: "We know they are able to demonstrate legally because of freedom of expression. However, other groups with hard-line views have seen their protests broken up."

The EDL announced in December they would hold a rally in the city after council planning chiefs gave the go-ahead for plans to convert Bishop's Palace – used to film popular TV series Byker Grove – into a fee-paying faith school. The BAHR Academy will cater for up to 340 boys and girls between 11 and 16 in Benwell.

ChronicleLive, 15 March 2013

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A group of church leaders, community groups and political parties are preparing to unite against the English Defence League (EDL) this weekend.

EDL members are expected to descend upon Chelmsford town centre on Saturday, 18 August and United Chelmsford is preparing to march. The protest coincides with the first day of V Festival at Hylands Park.

United Chelmsford's Celebration of Unity will be starting from Tindal Square at 11.30am and marching through the city at 1pm, the group expects their numbers to swell to 200 as they take a stand against the EDL.

Malcolm Wallace, Secretary of Chelmsford TUC, speaking on behalf of United Chelmsford, said: "This will be a magnificent demonstration of our City's opposition to racism and islamophobia. The divisive policies of the EDL stand in sharp contrast to our multi-cultural Team GB and the spirit of the Olympics."

A police spokesman said: "The English Defence League (EDL) have provided notification that they will be gathering to rally and protest in Chelmsford city centre around 1pm on Saturday. A large group of protesters, under the banner of Unite Against Fascism, (UAF) have informed police that they will also protest and march at the same time."

United Chelmsford was set up two weeks ago after the EDL staged a rally on Saturday, 21 July against a proposed mosque in Regina Road. Three men were arrested and were held on suspicion of committing racially aggravated public order offences. A 35-year-old from Rochester, Kent, a 19-year-old from Dagenham and an 18-year-old from Yateley, Hampshire, are due to answer bail on 9 September.

The proposed mosque would replace a house in the road where Muslims have gathered to pray for more than 20 years.

Essex Enquirer, 15 August 2012

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MPs, trade unionists, campaigners and community groups have called for a Celebration of Unity rally in Dewsbury on Saturday 30 June.

The call comes in response to plans by the racist thugs of the English Defence League (EDL) to “demonstrate” in the city on that Saturday.

The Unity campaign has called for people to gather for a peaceful anti-racist event.

Assemble 11am, junction of Foundry Street and Market Place, Dewsbury.
Please note: The assembly time has been brought forward from 1pm.

Dewsbury Unity said in a statement:

The EDL is a racist group dedicated to attacking Asian people and Muslims. Islamophobia — bigotry against Muslims — is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide us by making scapegoats of one community, just as the Nazis did with the Jews in the 1930s. Today the EDL threaten Muslims. Tomorrow it could be Jewish people, Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians and gay men, travellers or East Europeans. There is no place for Nazis, racists or the EDL in Dewsbury’s multiracial, multicultural and multi-faith community.

The following signed the call for Dewsbury Unity event:
Huddersfield TUC (Trades Council); Kirklees UNISON; Kirklees National Union of Teachers; Pakistani and Kashmiri Welfare Association (PKWA), Batley; Leeds University Universities and Colleges Union Branch; Kirklees Unite Against Fascism; Mohammed A. Pandor (Anjuman E Zinatul Islam General Secretary); Hasan Loonat (General Secretary, Masjid-e-Noor); Azizi Daji (Chair, Indian Muslim Welfare Society); Amin Patel (ICWA Secretary); Ahmed Variava (ICWA Vice-Chair); M.H.Mulla (Vice Chair, IMWS); H.E.Dadibhai; Iqbal Bhana OBE, DL; Jamil Akhtar (Secretary South Asian Consortium Kirklees); Professor Malcolm J.W.Povey, (Past President, Leeds University UCU); John M. Drewery, (President Huddersfield TUC, aka Trades Council); Andrew Cooper (Kirklees Councillor, Green Party; Patrick Murphy (Member of NUT national executive for West Yorkshire); Paul Holmes (Secretary, Kirklees Unison); Nick Ruff (Chairperson, Kirklees Unison); Mick Ryan (senior steward, Kirklees Unison); Hazel Danson (Joint secretary Kirklees NUT, NUT nat. exec member); Roger Keely, (Kirklees UAF and Kirklees NUT); Barbara Jones (Secretary, Kirklees NAS/UWT); George Galloway (MP); Andrew Burgin; Salya Shaban (Secretary, Coalition of Resistance); Mrs. Amina Bulbulia, (Indian Muslim Welfare Society Project Manager); Ansa Jawed; Mike Richardson; David Hartley (NAPO, Shipley); Wayne Atkinson (Bradford); Ishtiaq Ahmed (Bradford); Rafat Parveen; Sarah Cartin; Lucy Galloway; Chris Chivers (Respect National Treasurer); Richard Searle (Manchester UNITE 159 Branch); Peter Mayne; Diana Raby (Respect); Councillor M.Shabir; Arshad Ali (Respect); Carole Swords (Respect); Dr. D.R.Lane (UCU); Isabel Groke; Dawood Islam (Respect); Ikyra Islam (Respect); Rob Williams (PCS Branch Secretary); Karl Dallas (Respect); Zeeshan Tariq; Zeeshan Shahid; Matthew Caygill; Aysha Ali Khan (Teacher and PA to George Galloway MP); Graham Mustin; Dave Gibson (Barnsley College UCU Treasurer); Sue Clark,retired schoolteacher, (NUT); Tom Clark (journalist); Helen Foot (barrister)

The following signed the original statement condemning the EDL demonstration:
Steve Williamson (Labour Party), Holly Simms (Beeston); Jack Talbot Ejaz Hussein (Chair, South Leeds Community Alliance); Adam Ogilvie (Beeston Councillor, Labour); Karen Mustin (Morley); Paula Russell (Brighouse); Angela Gabriel (Beeston Councillor, Labour); Mike Shepherd (Labour Party); Steve Johnston (Leeds NUT Vice-President and Leeds Trades Council); Steve Francis (Beeston primary school governor); David Congreave (Beeston Councillor, Labour); Mike Weston (Leeds Tenants’ Association, Defend Council Housing); Eileen Harris (Belle Isle Tenants’ Members Organisation); Peter Henderson Rhiannon Wright (Holbeck); Tanis Belsham-Wray; Nial Vivian (Socialist Party); Gary Jones (Socialist Party); Hanif Malif (Hamara Healthy Living Centre); Hafizur Hussein (Touchstone); Kimberley Saggu; Star Zaman (Rugby League, Leeds Rugby); Mohammed Farouk (Hamara Healthy Living Centre); Gohar Almas (Secretary, South Leeds Community Alliance); Francis Jones (Former Labour Party Councillor); Ruth Watson (Beeston); David Smith (Green Party); Sam Kirk (Leeds UAF, Bradford NUT); Phil Goodfield (UNISON); Aftab Ahmed (Beeston); Anna Pyrkosz (GMB); P.Peacock (Beeston); Ed Carlisle (Together for Peace); Garth Franklin (Socialist Resistance); John Baron (South Leeds Life); Jen Scott (Bradford Community Environment Project); Nadine Larmour; Dave Proctor (UCU); Harginder Sagoo (Beeston); Hilary Benn MP.

Unite Against Fascism news report, 26 June 2012

See also "MPs call for ban on EDL march", George Galloway news report, 26 June 2012

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Redditch residents put on a show of unity and defiance as a march through the town from the EDL passed off peacefully.

More than 100 officers were drafted in from across the West Mercia force area as well as Warwickshire, West Midlands and British Transport Police to help control the event and tensions were high throuhgout the day as a large counter demonstration, made up of residents from all sections of Redditch's community and members of United Against Facism, attemped to get near to the main EDL rally.

Between 100 and 150 members of the EDL from across the region turned out for Saturday's rally which saw speeches made from the bandstand although police officially estimate the figure at about 40.

The event lasted for about half an hour during which members of the group urged people to "wake up to the facts" about Islam and made a number of anti-islamic statements and chants.

Trouble flared when passers-by from the afro-caribbean community angered by some of the comments attempted to intervene with the rally and a lager can appeared to be thrown from the EDL side, but officers quickly intervened. In total there were three arrests – one for a breach of the peace and two on suspicion of assault – and police say they were all men and believed to have been attached to the counter EDL demonstration.

EDL member Ed Stevens said they were trying to raise awareness about the threat of Islamic grooming of young white girls.

"It's an awareness campaign, more than anything particularly connected to Redditch. There have been one or two minor incidents around this town but the main thing is we are coming to town and cities everywhere to say take notice of what's going on in your country."

But after the group left about 3pm the larger counter demonstration, with an estimated 500 people involved and which had been held back for most of the day in Easemore Road, marched through the town down to the railway station and back again before holding a brief rally also at the bandstand.

There are now plans to set-up a Redditch Against Facism group.

Safder Hussain, one of the organisers of the counter-protest, said: "The message we have sent to day is straightforward, we do not want the EDL here, we are united and we are strong in that.

"Redditch is a mixed community, I have personally lived here for 40 years and I have never had race relation problems, 99 per cent of Redditch people are the friendlist, nicest people you could ever hope to meet. These people from outside Redditch are coming in to Redditch to spread their malicious, evil, garbage."

Smallwood resident Charlotte Gallen added: "I have lived here all my life, we are proud of the diversity in our town and we always have been."

Other faith groups across Redditch also lent their support to the counter-protest.

Rev Dick Johnson, chairman of Redditch Churches Together, said: "We are together against what the EDL stand for, standing with those who want peace and unity in our community. In Redditch we are a united community and it's wrong for people to come to this town and suggest their are problems - it's just not true."

Supt Adrian Pass, North Worcestershire Police Commander, thanked the people of Redditch for their support in ensuring the afternoon passed off peacefully.

"My appreciation goes to the local community for the very dignified and respectful way they held their protest and the way they conducted themselves.

"This was a great effort by the whole community and it is a tribute to all those involved the town is calm and everything is returning to normal."

He called the arrests isolated incidents but added they would check film and CCTV footage to see if any incidents had been missed.

"We always consider all of the facts but we did say we as the police would be dealing very robustly with any people who wanted to commit criminal acts and that's what we did do."

Staff from Redditch Borough Council were supporting the police operation and Kevin Dicks, chief executive of Redditch Borough Council, was in the command centre West Mercia force headquarters watching events.

He added the council wanted to work with the community over the coming weeks and months to stage an event during the summer to highlight the town's diverse community.

"The Redditch community did us proud and celebrated that diversity with a very peaceful counter demonstration. We have a really diverse community here in Redditch and one we are proud of. We want to work with the community over the coming weeks and months to organise something that is a celebration of Redditch."

Redditch Standard, 26 May 2012

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