Welcome to the home of the English Defence LeagueNorwich Demonstration Details: 10th November 2012
Category: EDL News Published on Tuesday, 06 November 2012 21:44 Written by Pyrus Hits: 3293
Demonstration details at the bottom of this page
We are going to Norwich! We’ve already explained some of the reasons, but further questions have been raised that deserve some answers.
The demonstration will be held on Saturday 10th November 2012 in Norwich city centre.
One of the main reasons we are going to Norwich is to preserve our right to free speech. As long as we do not incite violence or other law-breaking we should be free to criticise Islam as much as we like. Given the slow and deliberate erosion of our culture in favour of a culture whose traditions and values are often at odds with our own, this freedom is especially important.
In particular, we are going to Norwich to defend the rights of the Christian community to stand up for their religion, after Norwich City Council’s decided to ban the Reverend Alan Clifford from speaking out about Islam. Some EDL supporters are Christians, some are not – but what we share is the belief that there is an awful lot about Islam that deserves to be criticised.
For instance, Islam shows very little tolerance of homosexuality. Whilst it is no doubt true that many world religions have some level of ‘hostility’ towards homosexuals, Christians, whether they consider homosexuality a sin or not, believe that one should hate the sin but love the sinner. This, we understand, is the approach of Reverend Clifford.
No such distinction is made in Islam. Mainstream Islamic doctrine teaches not only that homosexuality is evil and that homosexuals will meet their doom on judgement day, but also that they should be punished for their sin in this life. Islam is unequivocal about the punishment: it must be death.
Whilst we may not agree with Reverend Clifford’s take on homosexuality, we do support his right to speak out against an ideology that contrasts dramatically with his own Christian faith. We believe that the gay community should be able to live without the threat of harassment and we do not believe that Reverend Clifford is in any way a threat to that ideal.
It is important to restate that Islam not only just condemns homosexuality but actively calls for homosexuals to be murdered. In only January of this year three Muslim men from Derbyshire were convicted for inciting hatred on the grounds of sexuality. The three men handed out leaflets that depicted the mock hanging of homosexuals as well as calling for their death. When interviewed by police one of the men said he did not believe that the sentiments expressed in the leaflets were wrong as they simply expressed what is taught in the Qur’an.
This report from the Daily Telegraph also highlights the intimidation and abuse of homosexuals in the Tower Hamlets area – one of Britain’s most notorious Muslim enclaves:
‘Tower Hamlets’ gay community has become a particular target of extremists. Homophobic crimes in the borough have risen by 80 per cent since 2007/8, and by 21 per cent over the last year, a period when there was a slight drop in London as a whole.
Last year, a mob of 30 young Muslims stormed a local gay pub, the George and Dragon, beating and abusing patrons. Many customers of the pub told The Sunday Telegraph that they have been attacked and harassed by local Muslim youths. In 2008 a 20-year-old student, Oli Hemsley, was left permanently paralysed after an attack by a group of young Muslims outside the pub. Only one of his assailants has been caught and jailed.’
The Telegraph article also describes the verbal homophobic attack on a Labour Leader, and the use of homophobic stickers declaring Tower Hamlets a ‘Gay Free Zone’. Unsurprisingly, when a young Muslim man was found with the stickers on his person, the Crown Prosecution Service chose not to pursue the case.
This is what the gay community will increasingly face if we are not free to make necessary criticisms of Islam. Extremism is not fault with appeasement and apology, but with criticism. And that is why we are going to Norwich.
Demonstration Details
All coaches and mini-buses are to drop off at Norwich train station, NR1 1EF. There is a coach park around the corner where you will be met by stewards who will then direct you to the muster pubs. You must be at the muster point by 12.45. Please do not be late!
Anybody intending to travel by car should be aware that parking may be difficult and we recommend you try to find alternative transport. If possible we recommend that you drive to a nearby train station and finish your journey by train. Failing that, try and see if you can travel in with the coaches.
The muster point is within Norwich Castle Gardens, NR1 4EY. The march will begin at 1:00 at the very latest - please make sure that you arrive by 12.45.
A group calling themselves 'We are Norwich' are planning a counter demonstration. They will claim that Norwich does not want an EDL demonstration and, if previous demonstrations are anything to go by, they will try to provoke EDL supporters.
Please ignore any provocation and let's get our message across peacefully. We need to show the city that we are not 'racist thugs' (or whatever else). We can go to ANY city to get our message across and leave with as little disruption as possible.
The only other rules to remember are:
- No 'racially-motivated' banners/flags/placards or chants (all banners etc can be inspected by police)
- No weapons, smoke canisters, fireworks or marbles! (seriously, who brings marbles?)
- No alcohol to be carried during the march as the city of Norwich has a drink exclusion zone
- No face coverings
We will be passing by the War memorial as part of the march. As you all know, it will be Remembrance Day on the Sunday, and so we ask that everyone is suitably respectful.
Directions:
Train station - http://www.yell.com/s/train+stations-norwich.html
Car parking - http://www.rcpparking.com/car-park-finder#search=Norwich,+Norfolk,+UK&park= // http://www.norwich.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/Parking/Documents/Parkingplanner.pdf