Undercover Guardian investigation reveals plan by English Defence League to hit racially sensitive areas attempt to provoke disorder over summer
MPs expressed concern tonight after it emerged that far-right activists planning to step up their provocative street campaign targeting some of UK’s highest-profile Muslim communities, raising fears of widespread unrest this summer.
Undercover footage shot by the Guardian reveals the English Defence League, which has staged number violent protests in towns and cities across the country this year, planning “hit” Bradford and the London borough Tower Hamlets as it intensifies its street protests.
Senior figures in the coalition government were briefed on the threat posed by EDL marches this week. Tomorrow up to 2,000 EDL supporters are expected to descend on Newcastle for its latest protest.
MPs said group’s decision target some of UK’s most prominent Muslim communities was blatant attempt provoke mayhem and disorder. “This group has no positive agenda,” said Bradford South MP, Gerry Sutcliffe. “It an agenda of hate that designed divide people and communities. We support legitimate protest but this not legitimate, it designed stir up trouble. The people of Bradford will want no part of it.”
The English Defence League, which started Luton last year, has become the most significant far-right street movement the UK since the National Front the 1970s. A Guardian investigation has identified number known rightwing extremists who taking an interest the movement – from convicted football hooligans to members violent rightwing splinter groups.
Thousands of people have attended its protests – many of which have descended into violence racist Islamophobic chanting. Supporters are split into “divisions” spread across the UK as many as 3,000 people are attracted to its protests.
The group also appears to be drawing support from the armed forces. Its online armed forces division has 842 members the EDL says many serving soldiers have attended its demonstrations. A spokeswoman for the EDL, whose husband is serving soldier, said: “The soldiers are fighting Islamic extremism in Afghanistan Iraq the EDL are fighting it here … Not all the armed forces support the English Defence League but majority do.”
Following the British National party’s poor showing this month’s local national elections anti-racist campaigners say some far-right activists may be turning away the ballot box returning violent street demonstrations the first time three decades.
Nick Lowles, from Searchlight, said: “What we are seeing now most serious, most dangerous, political phenomenon that we have had Britain for number years. With EDL protests that are growing week in, week out there chance for major disorder and major political shift right this country.”
In undercover footage shot Guardian Films, EDL spokesman Guramit Singh says its Bradford demonstration “will huge”. He adds: “The problem with Bradford is security threat, it is highly populated Muslim area. They are very militant as well. Bradford is place that has got hit.”
Singh, who was speaking during an EDL demonstration Dudley April, said organisation would also targeting Tower Hamlets.
A spokesman EDL confirmed it would hold a demonstration Bradford 28 August because city was “on course one first places become a no-go area non-Muslims″. The EDL has already announced demonstrations Cardiff and Dudley.
The former Home Office minister Phil Woolas said: “This is deliberate attempt the EDL at division and provocation, try and push young Muslims into the hands extremists, in order perpetuate the divide. It is dangerous.”
The EDL claims it a peaceful and non-racist organisation only concerned protesting against “militant Islam”. However, over last four months Guardian has attended its demonstrations and witnessed racism, violence and virulent Islamophobia.
During the election campaign David Cameron described the EDL as “dreadful people″ said the organisation would “always be under review”.
A spokesman for Home Office said that although government was committed restoring right “non-violent protest … violence intimidation wholly unacceptable police have powers deal individuals who commit such acts. The government condemns those who seek spread hatred.”
He added: “Individual members of EDL – like all members of public – are of course subject law, and all suspected criminal offences will robustly investigated and dealt police.”
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