Unfortunately, the EDL will be marching in Birmingham on July 20th. The English Defence League is an abhorrent, vile racist organisation.Their politics of hate and division must be rejected. The EDL has no place in our diverse, tolerant region and we object to these racist extremists being allowed to vent their poison on the streets of Birmingham.
Community tensions are particularly high at the moment, evidenced by the recent appalling racist graffiti on mosques in Redditch and Cradley Heath, as well as the bomb that was recently discovered at the Aisha Mosque in Walsall, and the most recent attack at Tipton mosque just last Friday.
The TUC is proud to represent working people of all races and nationalities, and from every faith and none. The attempts to stir up racial tensions will not succeed as we stand up and champion our hugely successful, integrated, society.
In addition to our fundamental opposition to the EDL’s racist objectives, we also note that the cash-strapped West Midlands Police spent has been forced to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds to police the violent EDL protests. The Police Service is under huge financial pressures owing to the government’s cuts. It is simply wrong that precious resources are being spent in order to police these violent, racist extremists.
Peaceful protests are, quite rightly, a bulwark of democracy. However, the EDL have a track record of violence and racial hatred and it simply would be inappropriate to risk violence and clashes in Birmingham city centre. The people of Birmingham deserve better.
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