Saturday 15 June 2013

EDL Leader Lies On BBC Three About Newcastle Racism

The moment when EDL Leader Tommy Robinson lies on BBC Three about racist remarks said in Newcastle when one of the organisers was heard saying “Send the black c***s home”.

The video of the speech (also shown in the video below) shows Tommy Robinson passing over the mic to another person, who then makes the remarks.

More videos of the same speech were uploaded by some EDL supporters, but they cut the racist remarks out from the videos.

Friday 14 June 2013

SDL Blamed For Sharp Increase In Anti-Islam Hate Crime

STV News has reported that a sharp increase in derogatory conduct towards Islam has been put down to a single march by the Scottish Defence League (SDL).


Figures released on the 7th of June, show the number of charges of Religiously Aggravated Offending against Islam rose from 19 in 2011/12 to 80 in 2012/13.

The SDL, a branch off the far-right English Defence League (EDL) group, have been blamed for this increase of 321% as 57 of these charges come from their counter demonstration to the Campaign to Welcome Refugees march in Glasgow.

If it were not for these arrests, this category of crime would have increased by 21% to 23.

Three reports on hate crime were released on the 7th, one on hate crime, one on religiously aggravated offending and the first statistics of the Offensive Behaviour Act.

Together, they show there has been a 15% reduction in offences involving religious hatred.

As well a sharp increase in anti-Islamic crime, there was also an increase in hate crimes against disabled people, which had more than doubled to 138.

Wednesday 12 June 2013

EDL LIE About Attack By 50 Muslims In Sheffield

British far-right group, the English Defence League (EDL), has made many lies to target the Muslim community to try and stir up tensions within Britain.

The EDL has once again lied and claimed that ‘50 Muslims’ attacked a lone EDL supporter during a protest in Sheffield (held on 8th June 2013).

We will now expose this as a lie.

The deceptive image shared by the EDL

The Yorkshire EDL Leeds Division first started sharing a picture that showed a man lying on the ground as an Asian male appeared to walk away.

We have blurred the face.

The image which is being circulated by the EDL is taken from a YouTube video, but is carefully screenshot so it makes it look like the accused ‘attackers’ were present at the scene (when they are actually nowhere to be seen).

We found out that the screenshot was taken from this video below and as you can see at 1:25 onwards, the man in the picture is a lone individual who is simply walking past. The police are also near him.


It makes no sense (if what the EDL say is true) that the police would let him walk away if he committed such an attack. This is also the same with the other 49 other ‘Muslims’ who the EDL are accusing of attacking the man.

Unsurprisingly, they are nowhere to be found. Therefore...

The EDL supporter was not attacked by ‘Muslims’

Most interestingly, the video also shows us where the man was at the time of this alleged ‘attack’. At 1:10 onwards in the far left of the video, you can see the police carrying a man away from the mob of aggressive EDL supporters.

This is the same man on the floor who the EDL are saying was attacked. The video suggests that he was carried away around the corner so police could help him.

Note: He may have suffered a fatal fall, may have been hurt by thrown objects, hurt by police, hurt by his own supporters.


Conclusion - The EDL are spreading false news once again

There seems to be no evidence that any ‘Muslims’ attacked this man at all.

This man was nowhere near the opposition party. And furthermore, there are no visual signs of cuts or bruises that would suggest he was attacked by 50 men.

The EDL have been strategic to screenshot the video to make it look as though he had, but the same video they screenshot the picture from, simply shows they were hiding the truth.

Various EDL Divisions and allies who have been sharing this lie include the EDL South United Division, the Christian Defence League, EDL Durham & Darlington Division and EDL Support International.


Further reading:
  1. Top 10 English Defence League (EDL) Lies

EDL Boxer Who Threatened Muslims With ‘Insane Violence’ Jailed

A boxer who threatened Muslims with acts of ‘insane violence’ on Facebook hours after Drummer Lee Rigby was hacked to death was jailed for four months.

Tony Perrin, 27, was arrested near his London home after he posted his threats with a photo of himself wearing a balaclava and pointing a gun at the camera.

Perrin, who expressed strong support to the English Defence League (EDL), wrote on May 22 this year, just after the Woolwich execution: ‘I will do a lot worse than what took place yesterday and I have like minded people behind me’.

In the post, Perrin encouraged his ‘fellow countrymen’ and his ‘beloved EDL’ to follow his lead.

Tony even set an EDL logo as his profile picture.

Jailing Perrin for four months Judge Clark said the aggravating factors were his ‘glorification of firearms’ and the incitement of ‘revenge attacks’.

Perrin admitted that the handgun was only a BB gun and that he was drunk when he made the offensive post but the damage had been done as the post went around the web.

He admitted posting a message that was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character contrary to the Communications Act 2003.

His previous convictions include possession of an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, dishonesty and attempted robbery.

EDL News was the first to uncover Tony and wrote an article on him on the 23rd of May as well as reporting him to the Met Police’s Counter Terrorism Unit.

Further reading:
  1. EDL member Tony Mundy threatens massacre of Muslims

Inquiry Into ‘EDL’ Graffiti At Mosque

ThisIsLeicestershire reports that police are investigating a graffiti attack on a UK mosque.

The letters ‘EDL’ which refer to the British far-right group English Defence League, were written or sprayed on a bin at an Islamic centre in Leicester on 10th of June.

Police have urged anyone who saw someone behaving suspiciously to come forward.

Previous incidents related to the EDL

There have been various cases of vandalism of Islamic places of worship (including many threats of violence) ever since the tragic Woolwich murder. Below are some examples.

A mosque in Blackburn found daubed with vandalism last month.

Anti-Muslim graffiti on a bridge in London found last month.

EDL initials were found on a burnt-down centre on 5th June.

Fox News Presenter Criticised For Supporting EDL Leader

Fox News presenter Brian Kilmeade has voiced his support of English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson, saying he is doing “great work”.


Kilmeade interviewed the controversial leader describing to a US audience how Sharia law has taken over Britain.

Speaking to the Huffington Post UK, Hope Not Hate director Nick Lowles criticised Fox’s clear lack of understanding as to who Robinson/Lennon is and what he stands for. He said the channel “obviously doesn’t know who the EDL leader is.”

“If they did they would know his name was Stephen Lennon and he has several convictions for violence, including being imprisoned for attacking a police officer,” he added.

Kilmeade closed the interview by saying: “Tommy, we got your back and we’ll definitely look to keep in touch, it’s great what you're doing.”

He later tweeted to his 67,000 followers a message of support.


Nick Ryan, an author and documentary maker, called his actions irresponsible journalism.

Thursday 6 June 2013

EDL Graffiti Was Found On Burnt Down Muswell Hill Mosque

A fire at an Islamic centre is being treated as a possible terrorist incident after police said graffiti saying ‘EDL’ was left on the building walls.


The Met Police said the fire, which happened at the Al-Rahma Islamic Centre in Muswell Hill in the early hours on 5th of June, is being treated as suspicious.

A spokesman said the letters EDL (English Defence League) were sprayed on to the building (which was frequently visited by even children, women and non-Muslims).

MP Theresa Villiers for Chipping Barnet said: “This kind of hate crime is absolutely despicable. This is not just an attack on the Muslim community it is an attack on all of us and our values.”

The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are investigating the cause of the fire, which brought together six fire engines and about 35 firefighters to tackle the blaze.

The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) said Muslims are now living in fear of a “wave of attacks”.

The Chair said: “Muslims have been physically attacked, mosques burnt down, cemeteries vandalised and social media is full of anti-Muslim hatred and violent threats towards Muslims. More needs to be done to protect the Muslim community.”

There have been similar cases reported by the media about EDL initials being written on places after the tragic Woolwich murder in an attempt to target the Muslim community, such as the vandalism done in London late last month.

Saturday 1 June 2013

Top 10 English Defence League (EDL) Lies

Here is a list we put together of silly lies made by the British far-right group, the English Defence League (EDL). Some are analysed in more depth in separate articles, so if you want to read more, please click on the individual headings.

10. The Invisible 400-Man ‘Muslim Mob’

After the EDL were humiliated at their protest in Walsall last year, in which EDL supporters taped themselves throwing missiles at police, the EDL and affiliates claimed that a ‘400 strong Muslim mob’ clashed with police.


There was no evidence that showed any 400 man ‘Muslim mob’ attended. Not in news reports, not in police reports and not in visual evidence. There was however, evidence that the EDL clashed violently with the police.


Further claims later emerged that there were ‘Muslim infiltrators’ who threw missiles at the police (here). No evidence has since been given, and the EDL leader Tommy Robinson (who tweeted about it), didn’t care if it was true either.


9. Was EDL Leadership Funded?

Last year, EDL figures Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll went to an event called the ‘911 World Freedom Congress’ in New York which was organised by hate group founders and far-right demagogues.

Debate began when people asked how the leaders got to the U.S., and whether they were funded.

The EDL posted different sides of the story. The official EDL Facebook Page claimed the travel was paid for by the Americans (confirming they were funded), whilst the EDL Support Group claimed no one did.


Making matters more confusing, EDL leader Tommy Robinson also claimed the EDL had “no funding” in an interview.


Soon after his visit to the U.S., he was arrested and pleaded guilty for entering the U.S. illegally. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

8. The Fake Muslim Population Statistics

In an attempt to stir up fear, an EDL Division started to share seemingly scary figures that supposedly showed the high rise in the Muslim population of Britain.



But the Division failed to provide the source of these statistics and they forgot that the 2012 consensus results weren’t even released to provide a more accurate and up-to-date picture.

A quick Google search revealed the far-right used these fake figures prior to protests and demonstrations.

7. I Said “Ribbit” Not “Breivik”

On BBC’s The Big Question programme, EDL leader Tommy Robinson claimed he did not impersonate Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, whilst talking to an Asian security guard.

Even though the documentary subtitles translated rightly what he said, Robinson claimed he was impersonating a frog, claimed that he didn’t say “Breivik” but actually said “Ribbit” and that he was wearing a “hood” and “goggles” at the time and therefore looked like a frog.

He did not wear any “goggles” or have any hood over his head.


6. The Pregnant Flag-Holding Patriot Who Wasn’t Arrested

EDL Divisions and far-right sites were quick to share a video that supposedly showed a pregnant woman being ‘arrested’ for carrying the British flag in Oldham due to “Muslim complaints”.


But Oldham police quickly quashed the rumours, and a Chief Superintendent said no-one was held when the EDL gathered. The video posted on the net actually showed a woman being led by police towards a Tactical Aid Unit van after an altercation between two men.

The woman was holding a Union Flag and another flag Greater Manchester Police considered had a “highly-inappropriate” message.

5. The Disrespectful Woolwich Poster

On 25th May, the EDL tried to distance itself from a poster that was circulated after the murder of an ex-soldier by two extremists in Woolwich. So the EDL claimed it was a “fake” and blamed an anti-EDL website for making it up.


But EDL leader Tommy Robinson shared it on his personal Twitter account soon after and countless demonstrators were seen holding up the same signs in London.


4. Trying To Cover Up The Nazi Salutes

The EDL took to London recently to capitalise on the Woolwich murder of drummer Lee Rigby by two extremists and many were shocked to see pictures and videos emerge of EDL supporters doing vile Nazi salutes near a British war memorial.



In an interview, EDL leader Tommy Robinson told BBC Radio that there were “no videos of anyone doing a Nazi salute”, even though video and photo evidence proved him wrong.


3. The Celebrities That Never Joined

The EDL has caused quite a bit of stir in the past after photos were shared online of EDL members (notably the EDL leader) with celebrities.

In 2011, the EDL used one of their Facebook support groups to claim that Premiership footballer Joey Barton ‘joined’ the EDL.

It caused a lot of stir, but Blottr reported that Queens Park Rangers Football Club and Joey Barton categorically denied any link between the midfielder and the far-right group who were claiming his support. Barton said he had “no connection with such a group.”

The same claim was made with celebrity Katie Price in 2010 and the EDL again, claimed she ‘joined’ the EDL.

Katie’s PR team later issued a statement saying “Katie Price does not and will not be associated with the English Defence League in any way” stating she simply posed for a picture with someone who told her he was a fan, as she does on many occasions.

Proof of these pictures are scattered around the web (for anyone who wishes to see this failed publicity stunt is true).

2. The Fake Luton School Rape Story

EDL leaders Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll claimed that a Year Seven schoolgirl was gang-raped in a school toilet in Luton by guess whom… “Muslims” (as usual).


This rumour was passed off as true with no evidence and then circulated by the EDL network and beyond into the deep dark depths of the far-right.

But organisation HOPE Not Hate spent a day investigating this claim. They scoured local media, spoke to teachers and parents at local schools and rang every contact they could think of, and no-one had any evidence that this incident took place.

Even police confirmed the incident never happened.

1. Muslims Didn’t “Celebrate” The Woolwich Attack

As many people believed, the EDL tried capitalising on the tragic Woolwich murder. And just to stir up tension, the EDL and various Divisions claimed Muslims were “celebrating” the attack in Oldham (in their ‘hundreds’ to be exact).



It later rang untrue as police themselves wasted time investigating and confirmed that no incidents ever occurred.



And there you have it. The Top 10 lies circulated by the EDL. We believe there are many more that could be added. If you know of any, leave a comment.