The English Defence League: The Jewry’s Still Out – But What of The Jury?

Frequently characterised in the British media and elsewhere as a thuggish neo-Nazi organisation that must at all costs be ostracised, the anti-Islamist English Defence League was formed following inflammatory – indeed highly despicable – comments and actions of a bunch of Islamic fanatics who in Luton town centre yelled insults and curses at British troops returning from a tour of duty in the Middle East and who carried corresponding placards (“Butchers of Basra”, “British Troops Go to Hell”, and so forth).

The received wisdom in the Anglo-Jewish community is that the EDL is an “extreme right-wing” knee-jerk Islamophobic organisation reminiscent in its tactics and methods of Sir Oswald Mosley’s antisemitic British Union of Fascists, and that its avowed support for Israel – symbolised by blue-and-white flags at its rallies – is bogus and used to bait Muslims, being to them like a red rag to a bull.

The presence of the flags is condemned as offensive, an unwelcome and unwarranted appropriation of the Israeli national symbol for the sole purpose of making trouble in Muslim areas, and giving the impression that Jews are involved. So despite overtures from the EDL, the mass of Anglo-Jewry have given the organisation the cold shoulder.

Nevertheless, the EDL has attracted Jewish supporters in the person of Roberta Moore and her “EDL Jewish Division”.

The English Defence League has repeatedly insisted that its detractors’ portrayal of it as an extreme right-wing organisation is unjustified, and that it is a patriotic organisation that is against not Muslims per se but against Islamic extremism, the encroachment of Islam into the public sphere, and the acceptance of Sharia.

This week the EDL distanced itself from a bloke called Bill Baker and his English Nationalist Alliance – and also from Roberta Moore and her Jewish Division, owing to her associating the Jewish Division with the Kahanist Jewish Task Force, whose head Victor Vancier served five years in prison for bomb attacks against American-based Soviet targets in order to protest against the treatment of Jews in the USSR.

The Jewish Chronicle (25 February) quoted an EDL spokesperson thus:

"The EDL never has and never will have any affiliations with the Jewish Task Force. Unfortunately Ms Moore has caused a great deal of trouble and unrest within the EDL because of her gung-ho attitude."

For the full report see: http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/45704/edl-dismisses-jewish-arm-too-extreme-0?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Explains the EDL in a further statement:

"Some time ago [Baker] decided to engage in a televised debate with a Muslim convert that was then publicised all over the internet. This appearance was not sanctioned by the EDL leadership... We do not appreciate our name being blackened with racist connotations... So we want to make it clear: Bill Baker does not speak for us.

To further compound and exacerbate this situation it has come to light that Bill Baker has links with Nazi groups like Combat 18 and Redwatch. The EDL want nothing to do with such groups. We did not burn a Nazi flag only to get caught up and tainted with the disgusting beliefs of National Socialists. In fact, we have long campaigned against these dinosaurs of an era that history wishes to forget. We do not want to give these dark forces the means to rise up and use the success of our movement to carry something just as depraved and supremacist as Islamism into the 21st century.

Our fathers and our forefathers fought against the tyrannical supremacy of these kind of people in the Second World War...

How can we claim to be fighting against terrorism and at the same time affiliate with known terrorists? This kind of irresponsible stupidity brings its own dangers; it not only makes the EDL look like some kind of duplicitous, conniving and hypocritical outfit, it makes us lose sight of who and what we are, what we strive to be, and most importantly, we stand to lose the moral high ground.

So, sorry Roberta Moore of the EDL Jewish Division –  but we don't approve of your discussions with the JTF. We hope that this was just an error in judgement, but we feel forced to publicise your actions because you have as yet failed to admit to this error, and have instead criticised those who have been forced to renounce the JTF for you....

What is truly astounding is that when we expose those who would wish to exploit the EDL, we get called Anti-Semites, Nazis, BNP, etc, etc. –  all sorts of incredulous and fallacious drivel. Yes, these people are attracted to the EDL, but we work incredibly hard to expose and expel them. It would be nice if the average mosque were so effective. Exposing Nazis, booting them out, and repeatedly denouncing their views (to the media, and to our own members), does not make us the Nazis!....

We support Israel’s right to exist and Israel’s right to defend itself. Now that’s hardly a sentiment shared by Anti-Semites, National Socialists or a faction of the BNP Holocaust-denying community is it?....

The EDL is for everyone, regardless of colour or creed. It is not for people to promote their special interests or their party political beliefs. It’s about something bigger. It’s about unity in the face of radical Islam...."

For the full statement see: http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/45704/edl-dismisses-jewish-arm-too-extreme-0?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

And on a lighter note here's this too: http://englishdefenceleague.org/content.php?240-The-Great-British-Pub-In-Muslim-Occupied-England