
BOLTON, UNITED KINGDOM – 20.03.10. Far right nationalist campaigners congregate in Bolton on Saturday 10 March 2010 in Lancashire, England. The English Defence League protested in Victoria Square as shops and pubs across the town closed for the day. Police in full riot gear used the controversial tactic of ‘kettling’ along with dogs, horses and riot police snatch squads to control a counter demonstration organised by Unite Against Fascism (UAF). Police made dozens of arrests, including UAF organiser Weyman Bennett. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2010.
“NUJ joins the calls to stop the EDL” – National Union of Journalists.
On Tuesday the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) issued a media release on its position on the planned demonstration in Bradford later this month called by the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
I was quoted in the release on the attacks on photographers and journalists who have documented EDL protests across the country.
The NUJ opened the statement with,
“The NUJ believes allowing the English Defence League (EDL) to march through Bradford runs a serious risk that local communities will be attacked, threatened and subjected to racist abuse and supports calls on the Home Secretary not to allow the demonstration to go ahead.”
It is a mistake for the NUJ to call on the the Home Secretary to ban this demonstration. I believe it is a dangerous and counterproductive move for a freedom of expression organisation like the NUJ to call on the state to ban a demonstration.
Trade unions should be campaigning against draconian laws that ban political dissent. Not calling on a Tory Home Secretary to use them and effect giving such laws legitimacy.
These laws are more likely to be used against the labour and trade union movement and other progressive groups – especially in a period austerity.
The way to combat the EDL is to fight the social, economic and political conditions that give rise to them. For trade union members to support and join counter protests and for journalists to expose the true nature and character of such groups.
Update (21.08.10): Here is the Home Office letter to Bradford Council on the use of Section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 that bans all demonstrations – both the EDL and UAF -in Bradford from Saturday 28 August to Monday 30 August 2010.








