Islamic Extremism: Tackling the English Defence League.

"We're returning to the 30s!" scream the headlines. Only a week after a second English Defence League demonstration turns ugly in Birmingham, another demonstration at a mosque in Harrow also descends into chaos with anti-fascists and Muslims clashing with riot police. This time, the Harrow protesters are from Stop the Islamification of Europe, a group opposed to Islamic extremism. These two groups also share a common enemy out on the streets - Unite Against Fascism - who are doing more to help these groups than weaken them.

First of all, comparisons to Mosley's blackshirts are entirely unfair. From what I know, Mosley's motley crew were far more organised and larger in numbers than the EDL. Secondly, actually calling them far-right or fascist doesn't help, because it's hard to see where politics or economics comes into their protests. Racists would be a more suitable term, even if the group themselves reject it:

"We are a non racist and non discriminatory protest group who believe in an integrated and peaceful Britain with one law and one society, respected by all of its members."

The evidence provided by video journalist Jason Parkinson (above) suggests otherwise. If they really were non-racist, non-discriminatory they would be quick to disassociate themselves with those singing "I hate Pakis more than you" and would remove such placards as those saying no to a London mega-mosque.

[Edit] The EDL make the point that they're not racist and other people have pointed out that people of many races are actually members. Fair point - I fell into the trap of equating "Islamophobic" with "racist".

Unsurprisingly, the behaviour of UAF is being seized upon by the EDL to their advantage. Not only do UAF sound like an Ulster paramilitary group, they act like one too. Seriously, pack it in, for fuck's sake. I don't like to resort to derogatory terms but I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with an organisation I can only describe as a bunch of fools. I gather from newspaper reports that the total number of protesters at Harrow mosque were 16. So, a few lone wingnuts protest outside a mosque, as is their right I hasten to add, and UAF whip up a frenzy on the same streets acting like the kind of extremists the EDL harp on about.

In no way at all are UAF helping the anti-racist anti-Islamophobic cause. Beating them on the streets does not equate to beating them intellectually. In fact, I'm beginning to come around to the idea that the best thing anti-racism anti-Islamophobic groups can do with such protests is simply ignore them (or at the very least hold a counter protest on a completely different day), but that's not to say ignore the problem. Of course, we should debate, argue and pull away their veil of ignorance wherever possible, but as John Denham MP points out:

"If you look at the types of demonstrations they have organised, the language used and the targets chosen, it looks pretty clear that it's a tactic designed to provoke, to get a response and create violence."

And it works to perfection. That isn't to admonish UAF or their comrades-in-arms of any guilt. Clearly, there are some people not just in UAF but the black and Asian communities who are up for a fight with people they consider scum or a threat, but if the large numbers can stay away then this minority will come across as just that.

So how do we confront the problem, because confront it we must. Clearly, we should ask "why?" people feel compelled to join the English Defence League. No doubt this has much to do with failures, whether perceived or real, of community cohesion as well as a sense of neglect among white working class groups, the kind that has been pounced on by the BNP. But we must also ask ourselves if there is a problem with Islamic extremism, the answer to which is obviously "Yes". But how much of a problem is it? Does it threaten Britain's existence? Hardly. It's a pudding that for too long has been over egged by rabid red tops and myopic mid-market rags and has left many people living in a climate of fear.

If we are to tackle this extremism, then we have to look at its roots, in which case the EDL would be better off directing their discontent at the UK government who have been complicit in heaping misery across the Muslim world. Recent research shows that many suicide bombers are inspired more by politics than by their religion, something that many people in power would rather you ignore. To suggest that all terrorists are driven by a vicious desire to spill blood, or that they hate our freedom, is irrational. Whilst no doubt a few are so minded, to think that decades of neoliberal, neocolonial economics supported by violent and bloody war is going to be suffered quietly is a shortsighted view. If you were being attacked wouldn't you want to fight back? Many people may simply defend themselves on the spot, like the insurgency in Iraq. Some more violent-minded people would seek like-for-like retribution and take the fight to the enemy, which for many people will include the seemingly apathetic population of an enemy nation. In no way am I condoning terrorism, but I can empathise with those who commit such atrocities.

In tackling these EDL thugs we can't just address the problems blighting the white working class because that doesn't take away from the fact that Islamic extremists do exist. Unfortunately some people do harbour racist feelings [Edit]Here I wasn't just referring to the EDL, but the BNP too that can't be easily addressed through socio-economic means. Some people are Islamophobic and do fear extremists, a problem greatly exacerbated by this country's foreign and economic policy (and the media), but will the government ever admit to that?

More upsetting is the fact that some people are just steadfast bigots. In the same way that I could never be a ball-breaking capitalist sweatshop owner, some people could never share space with non-whites. How can we tackle this? Well, I don't think we can. All we can do is try to stop the poison spreading by building a more equal and more tolerant society for future generations.

[Edit] I've written before about UAF's tactics and in July I criticised an analysis document from Unite Against Fascism, saying that their tactics of keeping the BNP out of the media went against free speech. Somebody from UAF commented on the earlier part of the post regarding voting and said they would return to answer my criticism of their media policy. Despite chasing them up, they never did. Maybe they'd like to take the opportunity to do so now?