SICKO! EDL Uses The Murder of Woolwich Victim For Thier Own Gain.

Reposted from Anti-Fascist Network

Last night in a calm, considered and educated manor the EDL thought about its response to the brutal public murder, and botched beheading of a man going about his business in Woolwich, London….Not really, as you might expect from a group of reactionary right wing morons they set about making the most of the situation and used the murder as an excuse to dress up like terrorists and run around with plod. They got pissed, the celebrations got out of hand, and they ended up smashing up a pub before fighting with police. Vice magazine took some good photo’s of the pricks here – Vice pics.

London EDL, Bexley Div – Celebrating the fact they think there’s a 
chance for a bit of racism.

The EDL is really going to milk this horrible incident, giving the two murderers exactly what they wanted; divided communities. As has been said many times, the British far right (EDL etc) and lunatic religious extremists are two sides of the same coin. The religious extremists can’t get any support for their insane ideas from 99.9% of British Muslims, so they carry out a brutal murder and the EDL responds just as the extremists would like, they attack the innocent – ruining lives and communities, and trying to divide us in a way that the religious fanatics could never have done on their own. It’s lucky for the rest of us that the Muslim community is in general very thoughtful, and reacts to the threats with a dignity that the EDL followers will never know.

There have already been incidents of attacks against innocent Muslim communities – in Essex a masked man walked into a mosque brandishing knives, in Kent a mosque was vandalised and in Bolton cars outside a mosque have been done over. One shitsack ‘patriot’ has been spreading lies on twitter that ordinary Muslims in Oldham were celebrating in the streets!?! This lie was then spread by CxF and EDL until GM Police had to take to twitter to say it was a load of old cobblers. On BBC Radio Five a caller of Indian decent, with kids in the army, talked of how she did not feel safe with the EDL running around blaming all brown people.

Other EDL divisions throughout the country who have been surrendered for some time are springing into life again to capitalise on the horrific murder. No doubt the Newcastle EDL organisers are rubbing their hands in glee, hoping that this death will boost their numbers at Saturdays protest. The EDL has called for a demo for bank holiday Monday outside Downing Street – presumably as the two murderers were sent on an all expenses paid cruise rather than being shot, uh? Time for London to unite and show the haters where to go! All Antifascists will be remaining vigilant over the coming weeks – to again try to stop the rot the far right brings to our streets, and using the upsurge in EDL facebook activity to gather intelligence on organised racism.

YAY “we got what we wanted” Sick fascists, yesterday evening.

Below is a statement from an AFN  affiliated group, speaking on behalf of the Anti-Fascist Network.

The Anti-Fascist Network deplores the murder of a young man in Woolwich yesterday and our condolences go out to his family and friends. We also deplore the use of this incident by the far right to stir up Islamophobia once again.

 By calling a ‘terrorist alert’ the government has shamelessly sought political capital from what was clearly an isolated act of brutality by a couple of lone psychopaths claiming to be Muslims. There are maniacs in every community and grouping, not least the far right. The loss of a life in such horrific circumstances is always a tragedy for those involved, just as it was when fascists killed Altab Ali or when the police killed Blair Peach.

 

Meanwhile the Muslim community has conducted itself with dignity, and a huge number of individual Muslims have spontaneously taken to social media to disassociate themselves from any kind of sectarian violence.

 

Unlike the EDL, now virtually a spent force, who have chosen to use this man’s death to go on a recruiting drive and encourage attacks on minorities. The Internet is now buzzing with ‘patriots’, nationalists and fascists eager to exploit the situation – please don’t encourage them by carelessly repeating their drivel.

 

We will all need to be vigilant, and work with our communities against any rise in fascist activity.

 

We reproduce below a statement from the Muslim Council of Great Britain:

“This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly.

 Our thoughts are with the victim and his family.We understand the victim is a serving member of the Armed Forces. Muslims have long served in this country’s Armed Forces, proudly and with honour.

This attack on a member of the Armed Forces is dishonourable, and no cause justifies this murder. This action will no doubt heighten tensions on the streets of the United Kingdom.

We call on all our communities, Muslim and non-Muslim, to come together in solidarity to ensure the forces of hatred do not prevail.”

 – Muslim Council of Great Britain

There’s another blog post worth checking here: Andy Carrington

Photo’s in this article are taken by extremely good looking, talented photographers, who work with Vice Magazine , used without permission (sorry).

[Ends]

Callout:

“Calling For South London Anti-Fascist Response to EDL in Woolwich”

Anti-fascist prisoner Thomas Blak released, but deported

From Leeds ABC:

Thomas Blak is the first of the six UK antifascists to be released, but he has been deported.

Antifascist prisoner Thomas Blak, one of the seven antifascists fitted up in the first Welling trial, has been freed but deported to his home country of Denmark.

Thomas was sent to jail in June, along with five other comrades. Sentences varied from 15-21 months, with Thomas receiving 18 months.

Thomas was refused release on electronic tag, and despite having lived and worked in London for 15 years, he was this week deported.

The five other antifascists remain in jail and it is clear that having failed to fit up any of those in the second Welling trial, the State are determined to punish those they did fit up to the best of their ability.

We hope to publish a statement from Thomas shortly, and in the meantime send him our respect and solidarity. Having been staunch in the face of the State’s attempts to criminalise antifascism, he can hold his head up high.

Details of the five comrades still in jail can be found on our prisoner support page.

Anti-fascist Prisoner Update

Anti-fascist prisoner Thomas Blak has been moved. His new address is:

Thomas Blak
A5728CE
HMP Onley
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV23 8AP

Leeds Anarchist Black Cross have produced a leaflet on the case of the Welling incident, the trial of the anti-fascists and their imprisonment. You can view it here.

Nine anti-fascists acquitted in second Welling trial

Taken from Leeds Anarchist Black Cross

When confronted by a swaggering neo-Nazi at Welling train station in March 2009, Sean Cregan did what any good antifascist would, he put the Nazi on his arse! While twice Sean’s size, one punch was enough for the scumbag fascist, who dropped to the ground as if pole-axed. His neo-Nazi companion quickly fled down the station platform, with Sean in hot pursuit.

The two scumbags had been on their way to a so-called “Blood and Honour” gig, which are regularly held at the nearby Duchess of Edinburgh pub (with the active participation of the fascist landlord with whom the two were to stay). When questioned by police later, the first fascist gave his name as Patrick O’Donovan (this may be a false name since he is German and came over specifically for the gig, which are illegal in Germany). His brave companion gave his name as Michael Heihl.

There had been several unrelated incidents at Welling Station that evening, and the police arrived quickly, arresting several antifascists who were also at the station (or in the vicinity). Some months later, dawn raids took place around the country, with large numbers of cops smashing in doors and arresting other antifascists. Draconian bail conditions were imposed. In total, 23 people were now under arrest in relation to the punching of ‘O’Donovan’.

Since there was no available ‘complainant’ in the case, the cops – the British Transport Police led by Detective Inspector Sam Blackburn – were unable to charge Sean, or any of the other antifascists, with assault. Instead they were charged with ‘Conspiracy to Commit Violent Disorder’. In legal terms, ‘Violent Disorder’ occurs when a person’s behaviour is deemed to be of such a nature that it would cause alarm or distress to someone witnessing it, though in this case nobody had complained and it was ruled that there was not sufficient evidence to additionally charge any of the antifascists with ‘Violent Disorder’ itself.

Charges were dropped against one of the antifascists, a young woman, in the early stages, but because of the sheer number of defendants the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) argued that, for logistical reasons, it was necessary to split the defendants between two trials. Of course this also put the Prosecution at a considerable advantage, particularly as they would be prosecuted by the same individual – Mark Trafford. Both trials would be held at Blackfriars Crown Court before Judge H.O.Blacksell.

The CPS chose to first prosecute not so much those with the most evidence against them, since they have presented no evidence of a conspiracy throughout, but those whom they judged would be most easily convicted. Many of the defendants had been convicted of political activities in the past, and because of these ‘prior convictions’ could not present character evidence in their defence for example. The CPS knew that they could rely on the prejudice and ignorance of the jury (one of whom sported a shirt emblazoned with a large St George’s cross) for some convictions, and sure enough seven antifascists were convicted as charged, with six of them being sent immediately to jail.

As our comrades were sent to prison, the architects of the fit-up were busy congratulating each other. Blacksell, the judge who presided over the charade, said he would be recommending Detective Inspector Blackburn for a commendation – For what, making travel safer for Nazis?! Perhaps Blackburn will get the ‘Iron Cross’! This whole case revolves around one neo-Nazi, who was not a complainant in the case, being put on his arse. For that 23 people were arrested, hundreds of cops were involved in dawn raids, and two show trials were held costing Millions, what a great service to the ‘public’! But of course, this case is about far more than one pathetic fascist.

Immediately before the second trial, charges were dropped against two more of those previously accused of being involved in the ‘conspiracy’, leaving nine more to face trial. The trial began on Monday 12th September, and once again the Prosecution presented absolutely no evidence of a ‘conspiracy’. The jury seemed nonplussed as to why they were there. Once again, the trial dragged on for more than three weeks.

One of the things that came out in the second trial was that a racist Immigration Officer, who acted as a prosecution witness, and who in his police statement described Ravi Gill as having a “typical big Asian head” and “speaking Indian”, lied through his teeth in the first trial. He could not have witnessed the incident as he claimed because when it happened he was not actually there, but outside buying his ticket!

As his attempts to fit up the second group of antifascists began to unravel, Trafford became quite desperate, and at times appeared close to tears. He had pursued the case with personal malice and with a messianic gleam in his eye throughout, and his arrogance led to some verbal fencing with defendants of twice his intelligence which simply left him looking foolish. Bereft of evidence, he simply relied on being able to mislead and prejudice the jury as he had done in the first trial. To this end, Trafford tried to present the neo-Nazis of ‘Blood & Honour’ and the Anarchists and antifascists in the dock as two sides of the same coin, as if the Nazis and partisans of World War Two had some sort of moral equivalence.

This morally repugnant position was rounded on by the Defence in the closing speeches with Trafford pilloried to an unusual extent. Putting the incident firmly in its political and historical context, one of the Defence barristers even went so far as to say that the jury should not only be acquitting the defendants, but thanking them for being prepared to confront organised fascism.

It should be clear that this prosecution was brought to try and smash antifascist resistance (something Trafford has privately made explicitly clear) and to intimidate antifascists from engaging in any form of antifascist activity. The case however, and the way that the ‘conspiracy’ law has been used in it, has huge implications for activists in general, it is an attempt to outlaw any form of protest. Leeds ABC regard it as highly regrettable that the case did not have the massive publicity it warranted from the very beginning.

The jury retired to consider the verdict at 3.00pm today – They were back again less than an hour later to acquit all nine antifascists, treating the prosecution case with the contempt it deserves. The courtroom erupted into cheers and cries of jubilation, with only the judge and prosecutor left looking sour-faced. Tonight as the acquitted and supporters retired to the pub there was every reason to celebrate. Tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street.

We hope that readers will join us in raising a glass – to our comrades who triumphed over this judicial fit-up, to the antifascists down the ages who have been prepared to go out onto the streets to confront fascism, and to our six comrades who were fitted-up earlier this year and who deserve our fullest possible support.

THE PRISONERS

The six antifascists imprisoned in the first trial were originally held in Wormwood Scrubs prison in London, but five have now been moved to other jails in southern and central England. Please send them letters of support at the addresses given below. We expect Thomas Blak to be moved this week and his new address will be published on the Leeds ABC website when that happens. Thomas, who is Danish and has lived and worked in England for 15 years, is also under threat of deportation.

The prisoners may each receive postage stamps and Postal Orders (made payable to ‘The Governor’ and with the prisoner’s name and prison number written on the back). For advice on writing to prisoners please see the Leeds ABC website.

A solidarity fund has been set up to support the prisoners in jail and upon release. All donations, big and small, are very welcome. The fund is administered by Leeds Anarchist Black Cross, a long-standing and reputable prisoner support organisation, and the fund will ONLY be used to support the prisoners directly. If you would like to contribute to the fund please send a cheque (made payable to ‘The Cable Street Society’) to Leeds ABC, 145-149 Cardigan Road, Leeds, LS6 1LJ. Details for bank transfers are:

The Cable Street Society
Sort Code 070093
Account number 33333334
Ref 0827/704169523

We would like to thank the groups and individuals who have already contributed to the solidarity fund, including Antifa England, Brighton & Hove TUC Unemployed Workers Centre, Bristol ABC, Kate Sharpley Library , and Rebel Soul (Shambala Festival).

The Anarchist print co-op Sabcat have also produced two benefit T-shirts in support of the prisoners. They are printed on organic cotton, fair wear, carbon neutral, Earth Positive T-shirts and cost £14.95 including UK postage. Sabcat are donating their labour for free, so apart from the cost of the unprinted garment itself and the postage, all money raised goes to the antifascist prisoners support fund. To order a T-shirt check out the Sabcat website. They will also be available to buy at this year’s London Anarchist Bookfair.

Leeds ABC have produced a solidarity poster (see above) in several sizes, which is being displayed in laminated form in numerous community centres, social centres, pubs, cafes, bookshops, etc. Please contact us with regard to displaying one. You can also download the graphic to display on your website, Facebook page, etc.

Last, but by no means least, a number of revolutionary solidarity actions have been claimed in the names of the prisoners, and we both appreciate and applaud these acts. We should remember that the very best act of solidarity we can offer is to continue to fight against fascism and not to be intimidated or cowed by these latest attempts to stop us resisting.

Solidarity to the antifascist prisoners.

No Pasaran!

For the addresses of the prisoners go to our prisoner support page.