Portsmouth News "outs" EDL football coach.

Below an article from The Portsmouth News.

Nice bit of investigative journalism from Clare Semke.



"I'm not a racist at all" claims insists youth football manager.


By Clare Semke
Published on Friday 16 March 2012

A YOUTH football team manager is under investigation after racist and homophobic comments appeared on his Facebook page.


Hampshire Football Association and the FA are probing allegations made against Steve Clarke, who manages the under-15s squad at Havant and Waterlooville Youth FC.

Mr Clarke strongly denies making the offensive comments about Muslims and homosexuals and says the only explanation he can think of is that his profile on the social networking website was hacked.

The 45-year-old told The News he had been friends with youth team players on Facebook, which means they could have seen the posts online. He said he no longer has the Facebook account.

Mr Clarke, who has previously used an image of himself with young players as his profile picture on Facebook, said: ‘I can get a letter from every player [on the team] who can say I have never preached any racist or homophobic views.

‘I have never, ever, ever, ever, preached any racist or homophobic views to any of the team. Every single player in my team is prepared to write a letter to say they have never heard me say any of that. I’m not a racist at all.’

Mr Clarke said he had attended meetings of the English Defence League in Portsmouth after being invited along.

But he says he stopped attending after two meetings as he believed there was squabbling within the groups and that he is not a member of the organisation.

Mr Clarke added: ‘People who know me know I’m not racist and I’m not homophobic. I wouldn’t have a problem if anyone [on the team] was gay, as long as it didn’t affect football. I do think that two gay people is wrong. It’s my own feeling. But I wouldn’t go preaching to any of my players.’

Mr Clarke is still managing the youth team while the FA investigates. A Havant and Waterlooville Youth FC spokeswoman said: ‘Havant and Waterlooville Youth Football Club have passed all the information relating to the allegations to Hampshire FA who are investigating it further. We will continue to fully support Hampshire FA in their investigation.’

A Hampshire FA spokesman said: ‘Information was forwarded to Hampshire FA by Havant and Waterlooville Youth Football Club regarding allegations made about Steve Clarke on an internet blog. The matter is currently being investigated by Hampshire FA and the Football Association.’

Trevor Brock, secretary of Havant and Waterlooville FC, says the youth club has no links to the Hawks.

‘Havant and Waterlooville Football Club Ltd is a completely separate organisation and affiliated separately to this club,’ he said.

Meanwhile Hampshire police are investigating after Mr Clarke complained that he had received death threats.

A police spokesman said: ‘Police are investigating a report of nuisance communications targeting a 45-year-old man living in Havant.

‘An officer has spoken with the victim during the past week. Enquiries are continuing to identify and contact other members of the public who may have further information.’

Call Havant police on 101.


Campaign groups welcome FA’s investigation

GROUPS which are fighting racism and homophobia welcomed the Football Association’s decision to investigate the comments on Steve Clarke’s Facebook page.

Andy Wasley, of lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall, commended the FA for taking the allegations seriously.

Mr Wasley said: ‘We’re delighted to see the FA taking allegations of homophobic abuse so seriously.

‘In recent months we’ve seen a number of top-flight footballers disciplined for making insulting homophobic remarks on Twitter.

‘This investigation shows that our national game’s governing body knows it has to challenge discrimination at every level of the sport – from local youth sides to Premiership teams.’

A spokesman from the Kick It Out equality and inclusion campaign, which aims to kick racism out of football, added its support to the investigation into the Facebook comments, which Mr Clarke denies were posted by him.

‘For us as an organisation not only is it unacceptable to use racist and homophobic language but it mars the perception of the game,’ the spokesman said.

‘The damage it does is that people won’t want to engage or play the game.’

UAF Conference Reportback.

Delegates packed into UAF’s annual national conference to discuss the fight against racism an fascism in 2012.

The 440 delegates, including trade unionists, students, black and Asian activists and campaigners came from as far afield as Scotland to Conway Hall in London’s Red Lion Square.

Mobilisations
The conference heard UAF national officer Martin Smith set out the tasks in the months ahead. Antifascist mobilisations had seen the English Defence League confined and pushed back over the last 12 months, but there was no room for complacency, he said.

UAF would also focus on kicking the British National Party out of its remaining seats at the Local elections, with removing Richard Barnbrook – who was elected on a BNP ticket – from the Greater Lonon Assembly a key priority.

Antifascists would also target the British Freedom Party – a lash-up between disgruntled former BNP members and the EDL, Martin said.

Racism
The conference set the fight against fascism in the context of a climate of institutional and public racism. UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett warned that institutional racism was ‘opening up’ space for the fascists.

A number of black and Muslim speakers, among others, highlighted the increasing level of public racism, whether directe at women wearing hijab or black footballers. Farooq Murad from the Muslim Council of Britain spoke out against politicians who ‘use Islamophobia to buy cheap votes’.

Former professional footballer Leroy Rosenior, from Show Racism the Red Card, made a moving speech that was a highlight of the day, discussing his own experience of racism and the need to take on racist – and homophobic – arguments.

Debate
Many speakers from the floor contributed to a lively but very fraternal debate over whether antifascists should call for EDL marches to be banned or not. All agreed that despite differing views on this question, we should all unite to mobilise on the streets against the fascists.

The conference also heard from Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary of the PCS civil service union, who paid tribute to Kevin Gately, who was killed on an antifascist demonstration in Red Lion Square – outside the conference hall – in 1974.

Communication Workers Union general ecretary Billy Hayes, National Union of Teachers deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney, Jeremy Corbyn MP, and student activists also among the speakers.

And Roma rights campaigners from Amnesty International and organisations in Hungary and Italy spoke at an international session.

EDL"s primary financial backer suspended from job in city.

by Tash Shifrin
A key strategist and funder behind the English Defence League has been suspended from his management post at a major international development bank.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development suspended Alan Ayling after he was named as the EDL founder who uses the alias ‘Alan Lake’.

The powerful bank was set up by international treaty to fund development and privatisation schemes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Reveal

We can reveal that Ayling is the manager in charge of the team that runs the EBRD’s Oracle databases – a post in which he is believed to earn around £70,000 a year, plus bonuses.

He was suspended after his ‘Lake’ identity became public at the end of last year.

‘Lake’ was named in the Sunday Times in December as 57-year-old Alan Ayling, who until January 2011 was a director of City investment fund Pacific Capital Investment Management, which was wound up in August.

He lives in a plush £500,000 flat in London’s prestigious Barbican development.

Well paid

But Ayling has a well paid City job as well as his former company directorship – and his political activity as a key figure in the shadowy network of far-right and Islamophobic groups who call themselves ‘counterjihadists’.

Ayling is no stranger to multiple identities. In 2009, he told a seminar organised by leading members of the fascist Sweden Democrats party:

You’ve got to have pseudonyms, you’ve got to have, you know, five email addresses, one for your friends, one for your counterjihad, one for your really extreme counterjihad comments, and all the rest of it.

As ‘Alan Lake’, Ayling has hosted and spoken at EDL demos. He has admitted funding the EDL, telling Norway’s TV2 channel: ‘I have given some money to help some EDL things happen.’

It was at Ayling’s Barbican flat that the EDL was established in 2009, according to disaffected founder member Paul Ray.

The founding meetings brought together Lake and the counterjihadists together with Ray, Stephen Yaxley Lennon – AKA ‘Tommy Robinson’, the former BNP member who now leads the EDL leader – and his cousin Kevin Carroll.

Breivik inquiry

Ayling has also been interviewed as a witness as part of the Norwegian police investigation into the massacre by fascist gunman Anders Behring Breivik.

Although Ayling/Lake denies having met Breivik, he has admitted meeting the deeply Islamophobic Norwegian blogger ‘Fjordman’ – real name Peder Jensen – who is cited repeatedly in the manifesto issued by Breivik.

‘Alan Lake’ has described Breivik’s massacre of 76 people, mainly members of a socialist youth camp, as chickens ‘come home to roost’ on his 4Freedoms website – remarks that sparked a bust-up with EDL leaders in August.

He has also used the site to issue predictions that the UK would fragment into ‘Islamic enclaves’ in 20 to 30 years’ time and discussed the possibility of executing prime minister David Cameron, his deputy, Nick Clegg, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ayling’s employer, the EBRD, has a sensitive position as an international agency charged with a political remit to encourage democracy as well as privatisation and market development.

The database manager’s suspension comes as the bank takes steps to expand into Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco – all with mainly Muslim populations.

A spokesperson for the bank said:

The EBRD became aware of various allegations made about a member of the bank’s staff in mid December.

The bank immediately launched an investigation into these allegations. The member of staff was suspended from duties pending the outcome of this investigation. The investigation is still ongoing.

Leeds
Meanwhile, Leeds City Council has suspended Chris Knowles from his post in the children’s services department after he was identified by UAF as ‘Aeneas’, another key “counterjihadist” backer of the EDL.

We revealed Knowles was director of the well funded US-based organisation, the Centre for Vigilant Freedom, which exists to promote Islamophobia internationally.

The CVF operates as the International Civil Liberties Alliance, whose website is run by Knowles in his ‘Aeneas’ guise. Knowles coordinates the CVF/ICLA’s European work from his West Yorkshire base.

Ray names Aeneas/Chris Knowles among the clique who met to set up the EDL. And Knowles has remained an important behind-the-scenes figure and a link between the EDL, the moneyed CVF strategists and other racist and far right groups internationally.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said the authority was committed to equality and diversity and opposed to all forms of discrimination. She added that allegations against a member of staff were being taken very seriously.

A member of staff has been suspended while we undertake a thorough investigation. If there has been any breach of the council’s policies or code of conduct we will take appropriate action.

No Platform policy passed at Portsmouth University Students Union.

Portsmouth Students Union has just passed a No Platform policy.This has been achieved as the culmination of two years of campaigning by activists at the students union.

I don't think it appropriate to go into the arguments in depth here,for those interested there is an article on No Platform by john Molyneux on this blog which i would advise people to read.

What I think is pertinent to raise is the fact that No Platform having been under attack a few years ago is now accepted as common sense not just by the left but amongst a broad cross section of students.The people who argued against it were in a tiny minority.They also found themselves against Labour students Greens, SWSS and Conservatives.

Nick Griffins comments about the function of democratic debate within the BNPs overall strategy has informed most people of the Nazis approach to debate.
"The electors of Millwall did not back a post modernist rightist party, but what they perceived to be a strong, disciplined organisation with the ability to back up its slogan "Defend Rights for Whites" with well-directed boots and fists."

What makes Nazis different is their reliance upon steet violence as the primary method of gaining political power.Providing them with a platform merely gives them a veneer of respectability, which they desperately crave.

The Nazis have no more right to unfettered freedom of speech than I have the right to shout fire in a crowded theatre.

I don't for a minute believe that there are forces at UPSU who have any intention of inviting Fascists into the Union, but it will make people feel more confident the next time the EDL saunter into the Students Union as they have done in the past.

It is important to have passed this as it has put a marker down.It has made an important statement that will help to empower anti fascists.It also makes it clear that the union takes equal opportunities seriously.

Godfrey Atauhene the Education and democracy sabbatical Officer who proposed the motion should be warmly applauded for the leading role he has played in achieving this.As should all the students who turned up to achieve this.

Affirming Portsmouth Occupys right to peaceful protest.No to EDL intimidation.

Over the last couple of years the targets of the English Defence leagues disapproval have been many and varied.Firstly it was Muslims, Socialists and Trade Unionists,they have now moved on to students the anti-cuts movement and any organisation or grouping that could be described as progressive.


In recent weeks they have turned their attention to the Occupy/we are the 99% movement. People may remember there was a plan by the EDL to attack the St.Pauls protest on Remembrance Sunday. This resulted in 179 members of the EDL being arrested to prevent major disorder. In other parts of the country this has manifested itself in threats and violence towards the protesters,it was therefore not surprising when Portsmouth EDL decided to do the same.


People were made aware that something was going on when the Portsmouth Occupy meeting on 7th dec was infiltrated by the EDL.As people were packing up at the end of the meeting someone who was floating around the outskirts of the group announced he had acquired all the information he needed about Occupys activities.


The next day it became clear that there was to be an attempt to disrupt Occupys weekly event on the saturday.Uaf responded with a quick ringround to get people to come down to support Occupys right to peaceful protest.On the day there were about 25-30 people attending Occupys event.When the EDL turned up it was to verbally abuse members of UAF and then to hit the pub. It had already become clear that they were gearing up for a counter event on the 17th December, the 17th-18th weekend was planned to be a specific event for Occupy which became the Youniversity event.


EDL activists were trying to organise a counter-protest to take place against the Occupy event.The language being used was intemperate and frequently violent,and it was becoming clear they were hoping for some sort of physical confrontation.


For UAFs part we needed to affirm Occupys right to peaceful protest,but without distorting the nature of the event.We urged people to come along and support Occupy's right to freedom of speech and assemby without fear.


On friday 16th OP went into occupation of Victoria Park.
The following morning the Youniversity event started at 11 am.
The EDL had been planning on assembling in The Isambard Brunel.However we had tipped off Wetherspoons,and they were banned from the venue.

The counter demo that was supposed to take place simply did not happen.

Several dozen people tutned up at midday for OP's event, to take part in the series of talks that had been organised,there were talks on corruption of the market,alternatives to the banking system, trades unionism and wealth inequality.Over the weekend over 70 people must have participated in the event.There were plenty of lively discussions and by any estimation it was a great success.


As for the EDL on the day there protest was somewhat limited, three of there group walked past looking as if they were going to a This is England pub night.They stood, glowered,gave some constipated looks and wandered off.A little later another two walked past and hung around the main gate for twenty minutes.They decamped to one of their favoured watering holes in Edinburgh rd.There they appeared to spend time on their mobiles attempting to get some support down,but to no avail.

Er.

That was it.

The EDL seem to be in disarray nationally.There has been a split, with The North West Infidels taking a more classical fascist route.Rumours are rife that Tommy Robinson is due to leave.The attempt to march through Tower Hamlets in the summer was a dismal failure. Two years ago they were having marches of three thousand, now they can barely muster three hundred.Whilst the EDL are severely weakened they are down but not out.With the dole queues expanding things could look very different in a few months. There is no room for complacency.

Anti-EDL Rally in Guildhall SQuare.

EDL member giving Nazi salute in Portsmouth.


We'd all been waiting anxiously for the last few weeks for the EDL to descend upon us. In November Anti Fascists had to leg it down to the local Mosque to defend it from an EDL flashmob and saw them off.
The EDLs original plan had been to march into Guildhall Square ,to the War Memorial and lay a wreath.This was greeted with outrage .The EDL rallying to what is to many people a monument to those who gave their lives in the struggle against Fascism was scandalous .UAF lobbied the council and had them banned from both.They then got permission from the authorities for a march through nearby Portsea and back to the Park, immediately behind the war memorial.
UAF was denied the right to march due to giving insufficient notice.It then became clear that the EDL were threatening to force their way into Guildhall Square and hold a rally at the War Memorial.

We responded by announcing that we would be rallying in Guildhall square and defending the memorial, permission or not.Enormous pressure was brought to bear for us to call it off by the local MP Mike Hancock and the Lib Dem council.

Over the last few weeks thousands of leaflets have been distributed, Portsmouth has been covered with stickers and flyposted to build for the protest. Portsmouth Trades Council backed our campaign ,and unions and community groups swung into action Love Music Hate Racism put on a gig to raise awareness and money.

The day before the protest we went down to leaflet the Mosque and were overwhelmed with the way everyone who came out was grabbing our leaflets.We were then informed that at the close of prayers the Imam had told everyone to join the UAF protest in Guildhall Square.

On the day, it poured down steadily and the four or five hundred that some had hoped for did not materialise.We numbered some 250 for most of the day about 320 at some points.However our demonstration was very diverse.The very young, the very old, a large presence from the Muslim community,Trade Unionists ,Anarchists,students and Quakers.Contingents from Southampton and Brighton swelled our numbers.

Weyman Bennett UAF national Secretary received loud cheers from the crowd as he positioned the struggle in Portsmouth as part of a national struggle ,and the importance of building for the National demonstration in Tower Hamlets on sept 3rd.

An open mike policy was in operation and Local Councillors Trade Unionists and others came up to voice their opposition to the EDL.Also a serving squaddie spoke to condemn the EDL.Over a 100 new people signed up to get involved in the local UAF group.
At the same time we had spotters down at the Mosque, we knew that the local Muslim community had made contingency plans to defend it,but in case we were needed we had a standby plan to get down there as before.

The police put their numbers earlier at 150.Well short of the 1500 Edl had confidently predicted.Perhaps it was more, but the footage on their facebook suggests that 250 would be flattery.It was noted by some locals that the racist abuse that they were shouting was not with pompey accents.Whilst our demonstration was made up of locals and those supporters from nearby towns they mini-bussed their people in from Weymouth, Poole, and even as far as Bolton and Leeds.their demo also coincided with a Chelsea friendly match ,so they had a smattering of their London contingent.In reality they could only mobilise about 50-70 from Portsmouth.

At their rally there were two subjects,how much they hated Muslims and how much they hated UAF. They attempted to grab some pieces of scaffolding whilst marching.As they dispersed a contingent of them ran up the main shopping precinct,some say ,not knowing the square was in the opposite direction, turned back and attempted to storm the square.

They were repelled.

For weeks they had been saying they would storm the square and take the War Memorial,when it came to it they just didn’t have the numbers.
Our primary objective was to defend The Mosque and to stop them invading the Square.

We achieved these objectives.

I think most people think the policing of the square was satisfactory.The same cannot be said of the policing of the EDL.They were allowed to lunge forward at the start of the march.When it was due to disperse they were allowed to charge up Commercial Road and to attempt to storm Guildhall Square as they had repeatedly threatened to do.

They were permitted for a short period to be in control of the streets.
Had we not ignored the appeals of the council, the police and our local MPs to demonstrate elsewhere ,what would have happened?
If we had not been in the square there would have been a smaller police presence there,and the EDL would have taken the War Memorial.

I think we have been totally vindicated in our course of action.


Portsmouth War Memorial may not sound tremendously important ,but is of some significance to an anti fascist city like Portsmouth.
Anyway at the risk of sounding pompous:

They did not pass.

Vigil in Guildhall Square: Portsmouth says No to the EDL!

The EDL are landing in Portsmouth on the 16th.Now they have not been given permission to march to the War Memorial, the mask is beginning to slip.Now they are saying they will march whether given permission or not and people had better get out of their way.

On their facebook pages some of their leading members are referring to the police as c***s and saying they will no longer speak to the police and they're going to riot.We should not be alarmed, by thursday they will be speaking again.It's all very familiar EDL brinkmanship and bullying.


The EDL have distinguished themselves by an ability to be both vicious and boring.


We will be having our event in Guildhall Square,a very different event to theirs.


Ours has the backing of Portsmouth Trades Council and a panoply of political and religious groups.


Our event will not be just an anti-Edl event.Ours will be a celebration of multi culturalism and diversity.


Let's turn Guildhall Square into Tehir Square,obviously ours will be a model village version .We can however take some inspiration from its energy and diversity.


We want to have political groups faith groups and community and trade unionists.


We need people to bring musical instruments, poems and prayers and if they wish to, to try to create art and music on the spot.

We need to create a positive alternative to their hate based politics by promoting a vibrant alternative.

Everybody needs to make sure their own communities,faith groups and friends and families turn this into a major event.


http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104117486347293&ref=ts

Love |Music Hate Racism gig at The Wedgewood Rooms

First things first.Massive thanks to Geoff Priestley and all at the Rooms for their generosity on putting this event on at such short notice.Thanks for him and the staff for their patience,forbearance and all round fabulousness.
Thanks to Ben French for being our events manager,and doing such a fine job and to all at BFEM Events Management Specialists.
Thanks to the talent for such outstanding performances.

We have put on many events before ,but in terms of music and diversity this was unquestionably our best yet : a brilliant fusion of soul, r'n b' Hip Hop and guitar based rock.

Thanks to Maddie the compere for her wonderfulness.Thanks to dj Brett Haley,Lady Emperes,Dreno, Urban Underground, Blessed,Parv,Zinwe and The Rapids.

It was a well needed shot in the arm for those who have been campaigning and was a boost for those building for the 16th.

If i've left peoople out please send an email and i will amend it,my brain is still slightly scrambled.

This I shamelessly blagged from Blessed Artists Facebook.




See you all Guildhall Square Midday 16th July.

For the attention of The English Defence League,and those who might be thinking of supporting their demonstration.

Letter from the Grandmother of a recently deceased Soldier.




"It has just come to my attention that Portsmouth City Council has recently granted permission for the English Defence League to parade through Guildhall Square on July 16th, in close proximity to the War Memorial.



I write to protest against this disgraceful decision which dishonours our service men and women who have given their lives in the fight against fascism and other extreme regimes, and those who are still putting their lives on the line, and to ask you to ensure that the Council changes its mind on the matter.



Many members of my family gave their lives or were gravely wounded in World Wars One and Two; last month my beloved grandson, Royal Marine Sam Alexander, MC was killed in Afghanistan,where he was fighting,as he firmly believed, to save the people there, especially the women, from the oppression of the Taliban. All of them would have been appalled by the Council's action.



Despite what they would have us believe, the EDL has at its centre a hard core of dedicated fascists. It is is simply inconceivable that such people should be allowed anywhere near the War Memorial.



My family have many connections with Portsmouth, I started my married life to a Naval Officer there, and Sam grew up in Hamble. I simply cannot believe that, in the county I love, the hard-core Nazis,the hooligans and the misguided of the EDL should be allowed to flaunt themselves anywhere near a War Memorial."



Angela Kirby (Dr)



Postscript:Permission has not been given,but the EDL are currently haggling for it.

Jewish woman leaves English Defence League over its Nazi members.

Even a complete whack-job like Roberta Moore can no longer stomach the EDL.

From the Jewish Chronicle
by Jennifer Lipman

The hardline activist at the forefront of the "Jewish Division" of the extreme right-wing English Defence League has announced that she does not wish to be a part of it any longer because of Nazi elements within it.

Roberta Moore, who has led the Jewish Division since it was launched more than a year ago, was accused earlier this month of being a divisive figure in the EDL.

Ms Moore had attempted to co-ordinate her efforts with those of the far-right American Jewish Task Force, whose leader Victor Vancier has been imprisoned for terrorism offences. The move, in February, was heavily criticised by the EDL leadership.

In a statement which she posted on Facebook, the Brazilian-born Ms Moore said she had been offered work on "an international level" elsewhere and so had decided to step down from the Jewish Division.

Although she described the EDL as "doing a fantastic job" she said the party had been hijacked by elements who wanted to use it "for their own Nazi purposes".

Ms Moore said she still supported the EDL leaders and "all the genuine patriots out there who struggle to get their voices heard" but added that she no longer wished to be a part of it.

"I sincerely hope that the leaders will get the strength to squash the Nazis within," she said.

"They will destroy this movement if allowed to remain."

Mark Gardner, from the Community Security Trust, said: "This latest development shows, yet again, why Jews should not be involved in such circles."

Protest Against The English Defence League March July 16th.

A peaceful EDL demo.


Vigil against the EDL
Provisional details 12.00 noon. Guildhall Square.

The situation is still extremely confused,and we are still unsure what has been decided.From what we can gather the EDL are not to be allowed to have a wreath laying at the war memorial-but are to be allowed to march across the square.

After having been given assurances that the EDL would be denied use of council property, it now appears they have been given access to everything.


Below is a comment made by one of their demo organisers posted on our facebook page.

Jaco English

"By the way - The whole Demo has been 'sanctioned' :) We are working closely with the council, who have also given us Victoria Park to hold our Demo. They have also given us full use of coach parking in the city, free of charge. Your cries are falling on deaf ears, you deluded bunch - People agree with us, they relate to us. You are gaining no support - Time to call it a day :)"

Portsmouth Council take a bow.


We will be demanding use of Guildhall Square for an anti-racist vigil.
If we are denied this and forced to go elsewhere we want people to ask why they are being treated with such largesse.

However we assert our right to assemble in our own square.

Please write to the council and The Portsmouth News to ask what the hell is going on.

Love Music Hate Racism: Unity Event. 9th July .Wedgwood Rooms

An Event is being organised as we speak the week before the EDL descend upon Portsmouth.We will be celebrating multiculturalism and the fantastic music it produces.

A facebook event page will be launched shortly.

We will update this as soon as we know more.

No EDL at Portsmouth War Memorial .No EDL in Guildhall Square.

In the last couple of years the EDL have sieg heiled defecated and vomited their way accross the city centres of many towns.Now they want to pay us a visit.

The policy of UAF has remained the same,if they are given town squares we have national mobilisations against them.If it appears they are having their rally at the war memorial inevitably that is what will happen.

Their conduct is well known and it hardly needs to be discussed further.However,the tactics in dealing with their right to protest possibly do.

In recent months rather than allowing them to take over city centres and effectively close them for the local community ,they have been pushing their events into car parks and outskirts facilities.

This has had the effect of making their events less attractive and allowing everyone else to get on with their lives.

Last week in Dewsbury they did much the same and it minimised the impact of their presence considerably.The idea of them at The Guildhall War Memorial would be a huge step backwards.Apart from the fact that it would be unacceptable due to the large number of EDL who have fascist sympathies to use it as a platform,it would give a huge boost to them in giving them the focus they so desperately crave and would pull more of them into Portsmouth from far afield.

The other more salient point would be; What message does it send out? Some would see it as almost a reward for their conduct outside the Jami mosque before christmas,when fireworks, broken bottles bricks and roofslates were thrown at the people who turned out to defend the Mosque.

They haven't even waited for permission they are already publicising this event.This is also the same night as the graduation ball, and they are known for their hatred of students.Their wannabee Fuhrer Tommy Robinson,or whatever he's calling himself this week, seems to think they have a God given right to march anywhere,and that people should adapt to his plans.

At one point last year they were squealing that the incidents outside the Jami Mosque were nothing to do with them.Now it seems things have changed.




The promotional video for their demonstration,above,includes images of the disgraceful scenes outside the Jami Mosque last year.This begs certain questions.

Exactly what kind of people are they trying to attract?

Exactly what will be the nature of their event?

The Guildhall is about 10-15 minutes from the Jami Mosque,and on previous occasions they have broken through police barriers and rioted.To say this is cause for unease would be a masterpiece of understatement.

The presence of the EDL in the town centre is unacceptable.
UAF have protested about the nature of this event at the war memorial ,as has Portsmouth Trades council.
We urge everyone to write to their councillors, the Police, their local MPs and the media to voice their concerns and to demand this event is moved out of the town centre.

Ratko Mladic has some friends.

Most people were delighted at the news that Ratko Mladic had finally been arrested.Most,but not all.

For those who might have forgotten, he was charged with war crimes and genocide.When he was indicted at the Hague Judge Fouad Riad speaking of his crimes referred to them as "Truly scenes from hell.Written on the darkest pages of human history"

He is standing trial for the murder of over 8,000 Muslim men and boys.They were stripped before being murdered and thrown into mass graves.The whole thing redolent of the atrocities of the Nazi Holocaust.

The EDL's messageboards have gushed with comments like "A sad day for the anti Jihad movement".When someone pointed out he was a mass murderer who should be denounced for his war crimes he was promptly banned from the EDL's main site.

This is probably going to be the most sensational trial of a War criminal since the Eichmann trial in 1961.

For the EDL he is a hero.

They are not supporting him because they think him innocent of the charges.

They are supporting him because they believe him to be guilty.

If any more proof were needed that they are just a hate group this is it.