London Transport to Luton on 5th February

Please note, the departure time has been revised for transport to Luton.

Calling all London UAF supporters:

Transport for Luton will now be leaving London at 8.30am, from York Way, London N1 (Kings Cross tube station).

Please contact the UAF North London to reserve your place (£6.50 per seat).

email: northlondon@uaf.org.uk
call: 07818553443

All antiracists and antifascists should be in Luton on Sat 5 Feb

Wednesday 12 January 2011

All antiracists and antifascists should be in Luton on Sat 5 Feb

UAF is calling on antiracists and antifascists across the country to mobilise against the English Defence League in Luton on Saturday 5 February.

The EDL, a violent racist organisation with links to the British National Party and other fascist groups, has called a ‘protest’ on that day – they describe it as going ‘back where it all began’.

It is clear what they mean: the EDL was formed after masked racist thugs went on the rampage through Luton last year, attacking Asian residents and spreading fear and intimidation.

That is the reason they are targeting Luton again – their own publicity is designed to remind its supporters of their hate-filled history. They claim Luton will be their biggest demonstration yet.

They are refusing to cooperate with police and EDL divisions are planning to split up and roam around the town in groups to threaten and intimidate local residents, especially Muslims. Their aim is to go on the rampage again.

UAF believes we need to have a peaceful counter-protest that makes it clear racists aren’t welcome in Luton. We are urging people to gather in Luton town centre for a peaceful counter-protest.

Assemble: 12 noon, George Square, Luton

We will also be supporting local people who will be gathering in the Bury Park area, where many local Muslims live, to help defend local homes and places of worship.

UAF national officer Martin Smith said:

It’s time now to make a stand. We cannot allow racists to rampage through our towns, threatening and attacking Muslims or anyone else. We urge all antiracists and antifascists to come to Luton on 5 February, in the largest possible numbers.

Local UAF groups should organise transport to be in Luton by midday and to leave the town no earlier than 4pm.

Where antiracists and antifascists have turned out in numbers to show their opposition to the EDL and to support our diverse, multicultural communities, the EDL has been unable to run rampage as it did in Luton last year.

We need to build the widest possible opposition to the EDL and their anti-Muslim racism and violence. We need to stand up for unity in our community.

>> Read the statement supporting the Luton demo
>> Download leaflets
>> Read more about the Luton demo

Getting to Luton

We will have transport details from around the country shortly.

London UAF groups will be meeting up at York Way, next to Kings Cross station, at at 10.30am and will leave for Luton at 11am sharp. Please bring £6.50 towards transport costs if you are coming from London.

Photo: Balaclava-clad racists in Luton, May 2009. Copyright: Martin Spooner

EDL backs down on Terry Jones: now stop home-grown racists

The English Defence League has backed down over its plans to invite Terry Jones – the anti-Muslim racist US pastor who sparked international outrage with calls to burn the Qur’an – to its demonstration in Luton on Saturday 5 February.

Jones is pastor of a church with just 50 members but his call to burn the Qur’an on the anniversary of 9/11 made him a key figure for anti-Muslim racists around the world.

The EDL, an organisation of racist thugs with links to the British National Party and other fascist groups, had boasted it was “proud to announce” that vicious racist and homophobic bigot Jones would speak at its demonstration in Luton on 5 February.

Backtrack

But the EDL has been forced to backtrack after its announcement sparked widespread revulsion among the public in Britain and abroad. The racist thugs did not have the confidence to carry through their invitation.

It has been reported that home secretary Teresa May was considering a ban on Jones. But that is not why the EDL backed off – home office bans on EDL marches in Bradford, Leicester and elsewhere have done nothing to stop the EDL from mobilising.

The EDL includes hardcore fascists who periodically try to “harden up” its racist support. From time to time, they test the water to see how far they can push their violent racism.

Mobilise

Where they have been pushed back this has been because the vast majority of ordinary people reject the EDL’s racism and violence and because antiracists and antifascists have been prepared to mobilise against them and demonstrate that opposition on the streets.

That is why it is essential that antiracists and antifascists turn out again to oppose the EDL in Luton on Saturday 5 February, when UAF is organising a major demonstration against them.

The EDL was formed after masked racist thugs went on the rampage through Luton last year, attacking Asian residents and spreading fear and intimidation.

That is the reason they are targeting Luton again – their own publicity is designed to remind its supporters of their hate-filled history.

Home-grown racists

The invite to US pastor Terry Jones was designed to whip up publicity for the EDL – but he is not the main event. The problem in this country is the home-grown racists of the EDL.

We need to build the widest possible opposition to the EDL and their anti-Muslim racism and violence.

The campaign to push back the EDL and marginalise their racist hatred must not be scaled back because Terry Jones will no longer be coming. Let’s show the EDL they are not wanted here either.