EDL to hold demo in Walthamstow to protest "continuing assault from Islamification in the UK"

The Waltham Forest Guardian reports on plans by the English Defence League to hold a protest in Walthamstow two days after the general election to reinforce the need for “government action across a wide range of issues” according to a post on the far right group’s Facebook page.

South London newspaper, News Shopper, reports that the far right group had initially planned to hold the protest in Woolwich, in order to commemorate the second anniversary of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby outside Woolwich Barracks on May 22, 2013. The paper notes that Lee Rigby’s mother, Lynn Rigby, voiced her “disgust” at the far right group’s plans in a Facebook message posted on the group’s page.

The local paper reports a message sent by Lynn Rigby stating: “I am so upset and disgusted that the EDL are using my beautiful son’s name and picture.

“I have never given any permission or agreed to any part of this demonstration, I have never believed in this nor would Lee.

“My son died a horrific murder that I have to deal with and relive every day and to see organisations using Lee’s picture and name breaks my heart.”

The EDL page announcing the shift in location from Woolwich to Walthamstow does not mention the objection raised by Lee Rigby’s family instead stating the change of location is so that the demonstration can “embrace more aspects of the continuing assault from Islamification in the UK”.

Among topics the far right group has said it will address at the protest rally include “the radicalisation of young UK Muslims,” the “spread of mosques” and the “intrusion of unlabeled halal foods.”

The English Defence League attempted to ‘charity walk’ in Woolwich in 2013, inviting notorious US Islamophobe Pamela Geller to address the rally which was to proceed from Aldgate East to Woolwich Barracks. Geller and fellow US based Islamophobe, Robert Spencer, were subjected to an exclusion order by the Home Secretary following protests at their presence in the UK as not conducive to the public good. The EDL’s co-founders, Stephen Lennon and Kevin Carroll were charged with “obstructing police” but the Crown Prosecution Service later dropped the charges citing ‘insufficient evidence’ to proceed.

The planned protest is due to take place in Walthamstow on 9 May.