Essex: Reaction to English Defence League group in the town (From Braintree and Witham Times)
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Essex: Reaction to English Defence League group in the town
5:30pm Sunday 18th September 2011 in News
Essex: Reaction to English Defence League group in the town
A group that aims to challenge the “spread and threat” of Islamic extremism in the UK has set up a Colchester Garrison branch.
The English Defence League section says it supports serving soldiers in the town.
However, there is no suggestion the group is in any way linked to the garrison.
Its group on social networking site Facebook has 65 members and men have been seen in the town wearing T-shirts with the group’s logo.
Terry Sutton, president of the Royal British Legion in Colchester, said the group represented a minority of radicals.
He added: “With only 65 members online, they are not representing the views of the majority of people in Colchester.
“People are allowed to demonstrate their feelings however they wish. Whatever you may think about that, we live in a free country.
“Some people will be offended by it while others will just brush it aside and think it is just a radical few letting off some steam.”
Administrators of the Facebook group say it represents “the county of Essex and the people of Essex” and aims to challenge “the spread and threat of sharia law, sharia law courts and radical Islam, primarily at a local level within Essex”.
The new group is affiliated to the East Anglian division of the national league, which is the biggest in the country.
Most of the members from the newly-formed Colchester Garrison branch are believed to be from the Colchester and Clacton areas.
A Colchester shopkeeper who saw a man wearing the group’s T-shirt in the town recently said he was disgusted.
The man, who asked not to be named, said: “It is pretty unpleasant and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
“I don’t think people should be allowed to advertise their prejudiced views in that way and, considering this is a garrison town with lots of soldiers, I think it looks bad on them.
“I would hate to think there were soldiers in this town who agreed with their extremist views.
The Ministry of Defence said: “Soldiers are not precluded from joining the English Defence League, as long as they do not wear uniform, take part in demonstrations or do anything that would bring the Army into disrepute.”
Comments(4)
themoose
says...
11:04am Mon 19 Sep 11
Seriously, the BME (Black and Ethnic Minority) makeup of this county is tiny but you'd never realise that when you speak to EDL members or any of the other assorted anti-immigrant groups.
We're not at risk of becoming some Caliphate - the vast, VAST majority of Muslims are just normal people who happen to have a different ancestry to Anglo-Saxons. The EDL is a violent over-reaction that was born from the old football hooligan firms, they have no serious political stance other then 'we don't like muslims'.
It's a shame they've decided to set up shop here. They caused nothing but problems back home but hey, it is a free country.
scooter boy
says...
6:14pm Mon 19 Sep 11
i have never heard so much rubbish in my life!
Firstly,what are you saying about Essex people,that we are mere ignorant bumpkins who don't know what is going on in our cities,or are we just not urban enough.Not a good start,please don't insult us.
Next,is it BME or BEM,only you seem confused.Mind you it could be way other the head of this here bumpkin??
Muslims come from ALL different races,including Anglo Saxon(please read up on the Muslim faith and it's adherents).That is not the point though.Do try to keep up here,the problem is aspects of ISLAM,not the people who follow it,they are a diverse people from many cultures.We can go into this further should you wish to?
Do what i did,get your own Qur'an and read some history.
Contrary to what the public are told,Sharia does not only deal with Muslims,oh yes people,it deals with non Muslims,we can go into that further if you wish?
You may want to tell people about Muslim birth rates in the UK in comparison to non Muslims.The most popular boys name in the country is Mohammed!!
The football hooligan is another usual slur,but also easy to prove as a lie.
We have nearly all EDL demo's on a Saturday,what is the most popular day for football matches,can these hooligans be in two places at once.If the EDL are in Blackburn but Blackburn are playing an away game where are all the hooligans??
The EDL is not a political party,ergo we don't have a political stance??
We are concerned with Islam,nothing more.
Now the last bit of your post??
Those members of the Garrison Division live in and around Colchester,i have the pleasure to know many of them,i go on demo's with them!
You have not got a clue about the EDL,yet you think it's fine to abuse us?
Who's the bigot here,the evidence is pointing to you so far!
scooter boy
says...
9:02pm Tue 20 Sep 11
venturoboy says...
12:05am Mon 19 Sep 11