UK Sikhs to Support March Against Racist EDL

Bristol, UK—Sikhs from London, West Midlands and Cardiff will be marching against the English Defence League (EDL) in Bristol on Saturday 14th July under the banner of ‘Sikhs Against the EDL.’

They would be there to support the counter demonstration against the EDL march in Bristol on the same day. The counter demonstration is being organised by a multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-faith organisation known as ‘We Are Bristol.’  It is a broad-based network of local community groups, political organisations and trade unions. Their aim is to ‘celebrate diversity and oppose racism and fascism’ and to show the EDL that they are not welcome in Bristol.

The EDL is a racist organisation that particularly targets Muslims. In the last three years, since it was formed, they have staged more than 90 provocative demonstrations in towns and cities around the country, attempting to stir up anti-Muslim racism and hatred. Many of their marches have ended in violence when in some cases they have broken free from police cordons and rampaged down the streets attacking cars, shops and passers-by.

They claim to oppose ‘extremism’ but EDL supporters have been filmed chanting “Burn a mosque down.” A series of arson and other physical attacks on mosques and community centres have taken place in areas where the EDL is active. In Dudley, after one of their marches, a Hindu temple and a Sikh elderly gentleman were also attacked by their supporters.

EDL leader ‘Tommy Robinson’ – real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon – and a number of other leading members are former member of the fascist British National Party (BNP).  Many more former members of the BNP, the National Front and other fascist organisations are also active in the EDL and often EDL supporters have been photographed giving Hitler’s ‘sieg heil’ salute.

Recently the EDL announced  a formal alliance with the British Freedom Party (BFP), a breakaway group from the BNP but with equally fascist policies who want to ‘scrap the Equalities Act and ban all manifestations of religious and cultural separatism.’

The ‘Sikhs Against the EDL’ campaign was formed about 18 months ago in response to some Sikh youth being recruited by the EDL. The campaign immediately received wide support from some major Sikh and Hindu organizations, MPs, councilors, as well as many other prominent people from the community. As a result of the campaign most of the Sikh supporters of the EDL now seem to have disappeared.

However, about six weeks ago the EDL tried to hijack a Sikh protest outside the Luton police station when some 200 to 300 Sikhs had gathered to protest at ‘police inaction’ regarding an alleged attack upon of a Sikh girl by a Muslim man. A dozen EDL members, including their leaders, and some wearing headscarves, also joined the protest and tried their best to inflame the situation by blaming all Muslims rather than the individual concerned. But, soon the EDL were requested to leave by some Sikh leaders. Since then a young Muslim man has been charged with ‘common assault’ [in the grooming case.]

Balwinder Singh Rana, spokesperson for the ‘Sikhs Against the EDL’ said, “The EDL may pretend that they are friends of the Sikhs. But they can not fool us. Their alliance with the BFP has now totally exposed their true nature. They are no different than the BNP as they are against all minorities and are opposed to multiculturalism. We should never fall for their ‘divide & rule’ policies and we should oppose them where ever they show up to spread their racist poison.”

He further added, “At times like these when there is a deep  economic crisis with mass unemployment and massive public spending cuts, they have always looked for scapegoats to blame. In the 30s it [was] the Jews, in the 70s and 90s it [was] the blacks and the Asians and now they have found a convenient scapegoat in the Muslims. But we should never forget that today it’s the Muslims and tomorrow it would be all of us.”

The counter demonstration will take place on Saturday 14 July. They will assemble at 11am, at Fountains, Bristol City Centre.

10 COMMENTS

  1. Just read your comments. I am so sorry that this happens. Not all are like this. Every community has bad people. These are criminals and do not represent the religion. My sympathy and prayers to those who.have been so badly wronged.

    Regards edl bnp nf….i remember them in 1976 they didnt like Sikhs, Muslim,Jews.
    Those of us who experienced them, regardless of which religion we belong, KNOW how bad the far right is, and KNOW that they HATE US ALL.

  2. Please support the e petition to ban edl demos and marches. We require 100,000 to sign up so need everyones family friends relatives and colleages take part.

  3. one 12 year old sikh girl raped in luton by muslim , one raped inside nankana sahib pakistan few days back by a muslim. the one who was raped in luton hindus and EDL member joined them outside police station. They are raping our girls and we are with them against EDL. I saw in gurudwara that Paki supermarkets giving money to gurudwaras. that might be the reason that these money hungry incharges forget what these muslims did with us and our gurus and they still doing this everyday and they call it ethnic cleansing. KOI SHARAM KARO

  4. Ranjit, seeing that you’re making personal statements directed towards Mr.Rana, why don’t you talk about your own collaboration with the EDL? I’m sure a photo speaks a thousand words.

    In regards to Mr.Rana’s involvement. He is the joint spokesperson as appointed by the Steering committee as well as one of the founding members. He regularly contributes on behalf of the campaign to the media and there is no secret about this. We’re all proud of Mr.Rana’s contribution in helping grow the campaign and reviving the anti-fascist tradition within the Sikh community.

    You only need to look at the joint statement (http://www.turbancampaign.com/updates/joint-statement-release/) to see how many Sikh organisations oppose the EDL. We are yet to see any substantiated support for the EDL or any endorsement from any Sikh organisation. If the EDL is supported why hasn’t any organisation pledged support?

  5. Are you kidding me Ranjit, the EDL with its BFP alliance and the BNP are on the same side of the coin.

    It’s all political manoeuvring!, do you remember how the EDL carpetbaggers were treated when they tried to latch themselves onto the at Buxton Road?

    The EDL are a bunch of pseudo-nationals, that want to see us out of this country.

  6. The organisation ‘Sikhs against the EDL’ is a one man show with this Rana guy going around Gurdwaras trying to scare Sikhs with stories about the EDL. Most Sikhs know the difference between EDL and BNP and remain aloof from both. It’s strange that Rana hasn’t issued any statement about the Muslims who have just been arrested for planning terror attacks against the EDL. Remind me again who the extremists are?

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