For a movement that was on the verge of implosion less than a month ago, the English Defence League has staged a major show of force in central London, signalling that the death of Drummer Lee Rigby has breathed new life into the far-right protest group.
More than 500 supporters – including football hooligans, veteran fascists and others – assembled under tight police security at the entrance to Downing Street, where they listened to their leaders blame Islam for the killing in Woolwich last week.
A counter-demonstration of several hundred people, organised by anti-fascist groups, was kept apart from the EDL protest, which chanted "scum, scum, scum" as their leader, Tommy Robinson, railed against the left and Muslims. Flags of St George fluttered and placards with messages such as "wool which 2013: no turning back" were held aloft.
Amongst those at the EDL gathering was Ben Roberts, a former soldier waving a flag of St George and wearing service medals from Iraq and Afganistan.
"I am here to show that we stand together against the killers of Lee Rigby. It seems that there is one law today for Muslims and one for everyone else," he said, adding that other ex-service personnel were also present. "I've had it with parties like Labour and the Conservatives," said Roberts, who identified himself as a Ukip voter.
While many protesters were young men with close-cropped hair wearing casual sports gear or England shirts, there were a small number of women and children and a handful of Sikhs, whose presence at other EDL gatherings has been condemned by leaders of their community. » | Ben Quinn | Monday, May 27, 2013
