English Defence League forges links with America's Tea Party

[alp227]

Source: The Observer

The English Defence League, a far-right grouping aimed at combating the "Islamification" of British cities, has developed strong links with the American Tea Party movement.

An Observer investigation has established that the EDL has made contact with anti-jihad groups within the Tea Party organisation and has invited a senior US rabbi and Tea Party activist to London this month. Rabbi Nachum Shifren, a regular speaker at Tea Party conventions, will speak about Sharia law and also discuss funding issues.

The league has also developed links with Pamela Geller, who was influential in the protests against plans to build an Islamic cultural centre near Ground Zero. Geller, darling of the Tea Party's growing anti-Islamic wing, is advocating an alliance with the EDL. The executive director of the Stop Islamisation of America organisation, she recently met EDL leaders in New York and has defended the group's actions, despite a recent violent march in Bradford.

Geller, who denies being anti-Muslim, said in one of her blogs: "I share the EDL's goals… We need to encourage rational, reasonable groups that oppose the Islamisation of the west."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/10/english-defence-league-tea-party

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What? Geller "denies being anti-Muslim"? Hard to believe that if she twists the facts to claim that Imam Abdul Rauf is tied to terrorists.

[The Wielding Truth]

1. Oh no, the republican at the tea party today said that England was

on the verge of going bagger.

[glinda]

9. Supported and set up by Murdoch trashing the BBC. Just wait Brits. Here it comes!

[breadandwine]

13. Let the RIGHT WING International unite the human race!

Here's the new anthem of the right wing international:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX_WGO597-U

[readmoreoften]

16. Um. I'm not sure what an international fascist movement would have to do with the Internationale.

Obviously they're not "international" as evidenced by the hatred of so-called "inferior races and religions".

And by the way, the first thing fascist do is burn down union halls and destroy any "communism" they see. Fascism is what happens when the real left fails to win over the majority of the population.

[Ghost Dog]

17. The more USUK bag themselves up in the bagger bog, though,

the less-inclined the ROW will likely be to follow.

ªROW - Rest of the World.

[provis99]

2. hay English Defence League,

The Teabaggers hate your Tory asses, too!

[cal04]

3. English Defence League forges links with America's Tea Party

Source: The Guardian

As the far-right group marches in Leicester, details are emerging of growing contacts with extremist US groups in a 'war on Islamification"

The English Defence League, a far-right grouping aimed at combating the "Islamification" of British cities, has developed strong links with the American Tea Party movement.

An Observer investigation has established that the EDL has made contact with anti-jihad groups within the Tea Party organisation and has invited a senior US rabbi and Tea Party activist to London this month. Rabbi Nachum Shifren, a regular speaker at Tea Party conventions, will speak about Sharia law and also discuss funding issues.

The league has also developed links with Pamela Geller, who was influential in the protests against plans to build an Islamic cultural centre near Ground Zero. Geller, darling of the Tea Party's growing anti-Islamic wing, is advocating an alliance with the EDL. The executive director of the Stop Islamisation of America organisation, she recently met EDL leaders in New York and has defended the group's actions, despite a recent violent march in Bradford.




Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/10/english-defence-league-tea-party

[bluestateguy]

4. Probably the ancestors of the same people who passed the original Tea Act in 1773

figures.

[Bigmack]

5. Sir Oswald Mosley would be proud! nt

[pampango]

6. The EDL loves them some Geert Wilders in addition to Pamela Geller.

'Defence leagues' plan Amsterdam show of support for Geert Wilders

Far right groups modelled on the English Defence League have been set up across Europe and are planning to demonstrate in Amsterdam in support of the Dutch politician Geert Wilders. French and Dutch "defence leagues" will join the EDL and several other anti-Islamic organisations on 30 October to coincide with the end of Wilders's trial for hate speech and inciting racism.

The EDL, formed in Luton last year, has become the most significant far-right street movement in the UK since the National Front. It claims to be a peaceful, non-racist organisation protesting against "militant Islam". Many of its demonstrations have descended into violence and Islamophobic and racist chanting, attracting known football hooligans and far right extremists. At its most recent demonstration in Bradford, in August, 1,600 police officers tried to contain EDL supporters as bricks, bottles and smoke bombs were thrown. There were 13 arrests.

Critics say the demonstration in Amsterdam is a sign of the EDL's growing influence among far right and anti-Islamic groups in Europe and the US, and part of its self-proclaimed "international outreach work and networking".

The European connections are part of a number of international links forged by the EDL in the past year. In August it emerged that the EDL had received endorsements from Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller, opponents of a Muslim community centre being built near the site of the 9/11 attacks in New York. In one of her blogs Geller wrote: "I share the EDL's goals ... We need to encourage rational, reasonable groups that oppose the Islamisation of the west and not leave it solely to fringe groups like the BNP."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/08/far-right-geert-wilders-protest

[BillH76]

8. This is a growing international fascist movement.

It has all the earmarks: based on the middle class, financed by rich capitalists (Koch brothers & others), scapegoating of a despised minority.

I didn't take them seriously at first, but that march on DC changed my mind. Aerial photos showed Beck to be right: there were a half million people on the Mall.

Now all they have to do is link up with the militias, and they will have their own Brownshirts.

They are not to be dismissed as "loonies." They are dangerous.

[starroute]

20. And Wilders and Geller are tight as well

This is just the most recent example -- but the connection between them goes back a ways.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/09/adls_foxman_denounces_anti-mos.html

Earlier this week, the Sept. 11 victims' families group "Where to Turn" sent out a letter expressing opposition to a planned Sept. 11, 2010 protest of the proposed Islamic community center near Ground Zero. "Such activities... disrespect the memories of our loved ones on this sacred day at this sacred site," read the letter, which was signed by the group's founder, Dennis McKeon, and posted on Politico.

Today, I spoke with Anti-Defamation League director Abe Foxman, who said he agreed with "Where to Turn" that the rally shouldn't take place. Among those slated to appear is Dutch MP Geert Wilders, whom the ADL has previously criticized for anti-Muslim bigotry. Foxman called the planned rally, and the recent incidents of anti-Muslim bigotry across the country, "un-American." . . .

Foxman had some harsh words regarding the presence of Wilders, as well as for conservative blogger Pamela Geller and her group Stop Islamization of America, which is organizing the protest.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. Global Raving Loony Parties!!!

[rug]

10. When are the Minute Men getting into the act?

[BillH76]

11. Or the Michigan Militia?

It's supposed to be the best trained and equipped. They could provide "security" for teabagger marches. See where this could go?

[Ebadlun]

12. These people are beyond fringe

The British National Party flopped bigtime at the General Election, with their leader barely keeping his deposit in his bid to become an MP - the EDL are more of a minority even than they are.

[nbcouch]

14. what next - the National Front? n/t

[readmoreoften]

15. That's not good. EDL is actually further right than the Tea Party.

They're responsible for distributing white power skinhead music outside of schools. They actually ARE a fascist organization, not a proto-fascist organization. If you want to know more you can follow up on the organization "Love Music, Hate Racism"

[Ghost Dog]

18. Yes. A tiny minority that only gets mainstream airtime,

and thus, in a sense, only politically and socially 'exists' as far as the vast majority of people are concerned, thanks to Murdoch and the likes of Murdoch.

[ikri]

19. The EDL are so far right

That even many in the British National Party (BNP) think that they're nutters.

At an average EDL march there are usually more people there to protest against the march than there are for the march itself.