Eigentlich wollten wir ja nur nen bischen in London abhängen. Sightseeing an der Themse, Docs, Fred Perry und Ben Sherman Klamotten kaufen und natürlich zu dem Searchlight-Konzert mit Billy Bragg gehen.
Aber kaum waren wir an der Westminster Abbey und Houses of Parliament, da kriegten wir die selben dummbratzigen Rassisten und Antiislamisten wie in Deutschland zu sehen.
Hier nennen sie sich nicht Pro NRW, hier heißen sie English Defence League (EDL). Hier machen sie nicht auf bürgerlich konservativ, hier sind sie ein anpolitisierter Haufen gewalttätiger Hooligans.
Den Part der bürgerlich-rassistische Populisten übernimmt hier die United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). Lord Pearson von der UKIP war es, der den holländischen Rechtspopulisten Geert Wilders von der "Partij voor de Vrijheid" (Partei für die Freiheit) eingeladen hatte, damit dieser im House of Lords seinen antiislamischen Hetzfilm „Fitna“ („Zwietracht“) zeigen konnte. Das konnten sich die Hools der EDL nun nicht entgehen lassen.
Die EDL besteht erst seit 2009 und ist eine Organisation, die sich vorwiegend aus Hools rekrutiert und angeblich den Kampf gegen den Islam verschrieben hat. Viele ihrer Führungsfiguren haben aber eindeutige Kontakte zur rechtsradikalen British National Party (BNP) und die EDL wird englandweit als rechtsradikal bezeichnet.
Die sich mausernde rechtsradikale BNP unter den Europaabgeordneten Nick Griffin tritt zur Zeit im Londoner Osten an, ihr erstes Unterhausmandat zu gewinnen. (Jungle World; Battle of Barking - http://jungle-world.com/artikel/2010/06/40330.html und http://textarbeit.net/barking.htm)
Geert Wilders war erst kurz zuvor am 3. März mit seiner rassistischen "Partij voor de Vrijheid" bei den Kommunalwahlen in Holland in Almere und Den Haag angetreten. In Almere wurde sie stärkste Partei, in Den Haag zweitstärkste. Laut der "Süddeutschen Zeitung" äußerte Wilders darauf: "Heute Almere und Den Haag, morgen die ganzen Niederlande". Die Anlehnung an die Parole der SA: "Heute gehört uns Deutschland, und morgen die ganze Welt..."liegt da nicht fern.
Wieweit Wilders am 9. Juni 2010 bei der niederländischen Parlamentswahl kommen wird, wird man sehen.
Im Februar 2009 war Wilders noch aus England ausgewiesen worden, nun konnte er seinen Film „Fitna“ im „House of Lords“ zeigen und eine Pressekonferenz abhalten.
Derweil wurden über 50 Personen außerhalb des Parlamentsgebäudes von der Polizei in Gewahrsam genommen. Dabei waren es vorwiegend Mitglieder der sozialistischen Gruppe „Unite against fascism“, die die Bobbies einkassierten. Diese hatten die Straße zum Parlament blockiert und wurden ziemlich unsanft abgeräumt. Während die EDL ungehindert vor das Parlament ziehen konnte.
Von einer Demo konnte man kaum reden. Das Ganze glich eher einem Zug von 200 gröhlenden Assis zum Stadion. Inklusive Pöbeleien, Obszönitäten und Gewaltandrohungen. Die zahlreich umstehenden TouristInnen nahmen das Verhalten dieser „real english man“ belustigt, bis angewidert wahr.
Belustigt waren wir nicht, angewidert auf jeden Fall. Die Leute von „Unite against fascism“ haben uns gefallen. Ihren arg traditionellen Sozialismusbegriff können wir nicht teilen und sie stehen im Ruf einen effekthascherischen Antifaschismus zu betreiben.
Aber eins war klar: Sie waren es an diesem Tag, die versuchten den Nazis einen Strich durch die Rechnung zu machen.
Durch das antifaschistische Konzert von „Searchlight“ mit Billy Bragg am nächsten Abend wurden wir auf jeden Fall entschädigt.
Im „ULU“ in der Malet Street kamen ca. 1000 Antifas zusammen, um die Kampagne „Hope not hate“ gegen die BNP einzuläuten, bzw. zu feiern.
Anbei diverse links zum weiteren Nachlesen.
Wir hoffen, dass bald adäquate Artikel auf Deutsch erscheinen, die die Entwicklungen in England besser beleuchten als dieser Kurzartikel.
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Film über den 5. März 2010:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2010/mar/05/english-defence-league-london
Pressekonferenz von Geert Wilders am 5. März in London:
http://tundratabloid.blogspot.com/2010/03/geert-wilders-in-london-uk-press.html
Searchlight:
http://www.searchlightmagazine.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Searchlight_%28magazine%29
Hope not hate
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/
Show racism the red card
Love music hate racism
http://lovemusichateracism.com/
Unite against fascism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unite_Against_Fascism
Protest at BNP's 'family' festival:
BNP leader pelted with eggs outside parliament:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2009/jun/09/nick-griffin-pelted-eggs
BNP leader wins seat in European parliament:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2009/jun/08/bnp-mep-manchester
BNP leader on Question Time
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2009/oct/22/nick-griffin-bbc-question-time
Anti-fascist protesters converge on the BBC to try to stop BNP leader Nick Griffin from appearing on Question Time:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/oct/22/bnp-protest-bbc-nick-griffin
Nick Griffin exposes himself:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2009/oct/23/bnp-nick-griffin
English Defence League:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Defence_League
http://www.englishdefenceleague.org/
British National Party:
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Geert Wilders anti-Islam film gets House of Lords screening
Dutch far right politician, who was last year banned from the UK, said film showing was a 'victory for freedom of speech'
Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, who has described the Koran as a 'fascist book', addresses a press conference in London. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images
The controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders appeared at the House of Lords today to screen an anti-Islam film and denounce the religion as "totalitarian" and incompatible with democracy.
The visit, which was originally planned for last year, sparked demonstrations from anti-fascists and a show of support from the far-right English Defence League.
Wilders, 46, who leads the Freedom party, was banned from the UK when Jacqui Smith was home secretary. She said his presence had the potential to "threaten community harmony and therefore public safety".
Wilders succeeded in getting the ban overturned and told a press conference that he had screened his film in the Lords and discussed it afterwards in what he termed a "victory for freedom of speech".
"I had to debate with people who disagreed with me and people who agreed with me," he said.
Wilders said he had "nothing against Muslims whatsoever" but Islam was a "totalitarian religion".
"Islamism and democracy are incompatible. The more Islam we have, the more freedom we will lose and this is something worth fighting for."
Wilders, whose film describes the Koran as a fascist book, has received death threats for denouncing Islam and has been under close protection for more than five years.
This afternoon he repeated the views that have angered Muslims in Europe and across the globe, saying Islam was a "fascist ideology", "a violent and dangerous religion and a retarded culture".
Wilders, who visited the Lords at the invitation of the UK Independence party leader Lord Pearson and the crossbencher Baroness Cox, said: "Cultural relativism is the greatest disease we face in Europe today."
Lord Pearson said that while he and Wilders – "a very great man" – agreed on many things he did not support his Dutch colleague's desire for the Koran to be outlawed.
"If Geert is still calling for the Koran to be banned like Mein Kampf then I would not agree with him," he said. "[But] the Koran should be very much more discussed among the Muslim community."
When Wilders was asked whether he would engage with Muslims who reinterpreted their holy book in a manner more compatible with his views, he replied: "If you tear the hateful passages out of the Koran, you would get Donald Duck."
In any case, he said, Muslims would never abandon the text of what he called "a terrible book".
Lord Pearson denied suggestions that Wilders's visit had been a publicity stunt designed to woo those on the far right, saying it was a multi-party event.
Asked how many people had attended the event in the Lords, he said "about half a dozen", adding that he was not aware of any objections or boycotts.
Wilders was escorted from the press conference as a crowd of about 100 protesters from Unite Against Fascism (UAF) demonstrated against both his visit and the presence nearby of the far-right English Defence League, who had turned out to welcome the Dutch politician.
A large-scale police operation ensured that UAF and the EDL were kept well apart.
While the anti-fascists were waving placards reading "EDL+BNP=Nazi racist thugs" and chanting "EDL, go to hell, and take your Nazi mates as well", members of the league were massing further up the Thames outside Tate Britain.
After waiting around for two hours outside the gallery and in a nearby pub, the 300 EDL demonstrators began marching towards Parliament Square just before 2.30pm.
Flanked by mounted officers and escorted by a thick police line, the EDL members wore shirts bearing the names of their divisions – Glossop, Blackburn, Oldham, Stockport, Merseyside – and carried placards reading: "Gert [sic] Wilders, England Salutes You" and "England needs a Gert [sic]".
The point of the march appeared to have been lost on at least one EDL member. Spying a Dutch tricolour carried in salute to Wilders, he asked his fellow demonstrators: "What you got a French flag for?"
Far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders defies protesters to screen anti-Islamic film in House of Lords
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated
at 1:57 AM on 06th March 2010
Far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders provoked angry scenes outside Parliament yesterday after claiming that Islamism and democracy are 'incompatible'.
Mr Wilders was visiting London to show his anti-Islamic film Fitna at the House of Lords.
About 200 members of the English Defence League marching in support had to be kept apart from anti-fascist demonstrators chanting 'Nazi scum, off our streets' by lines of police.
EDL members, some of them carrying English flags, chanted back: 'No surrender to the Taliban.'
About 50 arrests were made, mostly those taking part in the protest organised by Unite Against Fascism, a police spokesman said.
Mr Wilder's visit to Britain came after his far-right party scored major gains in Dutch elections.
The 46-year-old Freedom Party leader is now on course to win the most Parliamentary seats in the country's June 9 election.
If so, it would be impossible for the current coalition government to rule without forging a strong coalition with him.
He could even land the title of prime minister, after a new poll showed that he was fifth on the list of Dutch voters' preferred candidates.
Mr Wilders said: 'Islamism and democracy are incompatible.
'The more Islamism we have, the more freedom we will lose and this is something worth fighting for'.
Mr Wilders called for an end to immigration to Europe from Islamic countries but said Muslims who agreed to obey the law of the land would be welcome to stay.
He said: 'To Muslims who do stay, I would say "Follow our laws and you are welcome to stay".'
Mr Wilders also said that, if elected Dutch Prime Minister, he would seek to introduce a 'first amendment' guaranteeing freedom of speech.
He said: 'The right of freedom of speech is especially to listen to someone who is saying something you don't want to hear.'
Mr Wilders said the film and subsequent discussion was attended by around 60 people.
Police arrested several protesters from a group who gathered in Millbank to demonstrate against the visit.
Demonstrators chanted 'Shame on you' as officers led several members of the crowd into vans.
Yasmin Rassool, from Unite Against Fascism, said she was at the rally to protest against the visit of Mr Wilders and the planned EDL march in his support.
She said: 'I think the EDL are a racist, homophobic, Nazi party and they shouldn't be allowed to march in our streets.'
The EDL marchers were penned in by Old Palace Yard, directly opposite Parliament.
Protesters, some of them hiding their faces with scarves, chanted: 'No surrender to the Taliban' and 'Are you watching, Gordon Brown?'.
A Home Office spokesman said: 'The Government regrets the decision by Baroness Cox and Lord Pearson to invite Geert Wilders to the House of Lords for a private showing of his film Fitna. However, we currently have no reason to deny Mr Wilders admission to the UK.
'The Government continues to oppose extremism in all its forms and retains the right to refuse foreign nationals, including European Union citizens, access to the UK if we believe they represent a threat to security or our society.
'The behaviour of foreign nationals while in the UK will be taken into consideration when considering granting access to the country in the future.'
The visit comes five months after Mr Wilders had to abandon a planned appearance in front of Parliament when the conference was crashed by a group of bearded Islamists.
Mr Wilders also made headlines in February last year when the Home Office banned him from entering the country on public safety grounds.
He ignored the ban, flying into Heathrow only to have authorities send him back almost immediately.
Mr Wilders overturned the ban in court and flew back to London in October, when he was greeted by Muslim protesters shouting 'Allah Akhbar'.
UK Independence Party leader Lord Pearson, who has invited Mr Wilders to screen his movie, said he was putting on the event to help the controversial Dutchman ‘exercise his freedom of speech in the Mother of Parliaments’.
The peer has condemned radical Islam as a ‘world domination movement’ and described Mr Wilders as a ‘friend’.
He has also denied accusations that his own party was ‘far-right’ or ‘radical’, after it called for face coverings - such as the veil worn by some Muslim women - to be banned.
‘Is it radical to wish to protect British society and our Judeo-Christian culture from the growing influence of radical Islam?’ he asked last month.
He added that media interest in Mr Wilders' appearance was intense.
Back in the Netherlands, he faces prosecution for allegedly inciting racial hatred with remarks that include describing the Koran as a fascist book and demanding that it be banned.
Mr Wilders, who compares Islam to fascism and the Koran to Adolf Hitler's book 'Mein Kampf', has been under 24-hour protection for the past five years after receiving death threats over his views.
The Freedom Party (PVV), which chiefly campaigns against Muslim immigration, has dented the image of the Netherlands, which was once considered a bastion of tolerance.
This week, in the first test of public opinion since the collapse of Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende's coalition government last month, it led in the city of Almere and was second in The Hague.
The results came on top of an opinion poll showing that the PVV would win the most seats - 27 in the 150-member Dutch parliament - in the general election.
That would make it tough for Mr Balkenende's Christian Democrats, projected to win one seat less, to forge a strong coalition without Mr Wilders.
Months of talks between parties, and the resulting policy vacuum, could threaten a fragile economic recovery and cast doubt on the scope of planned budget cuts.
The popularity of Wilders in Holland comes as the nation’s 16million people turn increasingly inward as the economy struggles and social tensions rise.
There are nearly 1million Muslims in the Netherlands.
'Today Almere and The Hague, tomorrow the whole of the Netherlands. This is our springboard for success in parliamentary elections,' Mr Wilders said as the returns came in.
'We're going to take the Netherlands back from the leftist elite that coddles criminals and supports Islamisation,' he said.
And, explaining his controversial views last October, Mr Wilders said: ‘I have a problem with the Islamic ideology, the Islamic culture, because I feel that the more Islam that we get in our societies, the less freedom that we get.’
Banned Dutch MP shows anti-Islam film in London
WHEN the far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders came to Britain to promote his brand of Islamophobia last year, he made it only as far as Heathrow before being unceremoniously turned away and flown back to his native country.
Yesterday, after a wait of more than a year, he returned to screen his anti-Islamic film in the House of Lords, but unlike his earlier visit, which provoked a storm of debate about the right to free speech, this time few people seemed to notice.
Under the watchful eyes of his three earpiece-wearing bodyguards, the 46-year-old leader of the Freedom Party told a tense and sometimes heated press conference that Islam was a "fascist ideology" and that the Prophet Mohamed was "a mass murderer, a barbarian and a paedophile".
He said: "I have nothing against Muslims, but I have a problem with the Islamic ideology, which I believe is a totalitarian ideology to be compared with other totalitarian ideologies like communism or fascism. I believe Islam is a violent and dangerous religion and even a retarded culture."
Mr Wilders' film Fitna, an Arabic word meaning "strife", is an incendiary anti-Islamic piece of propaganda which the Dutch Prime Minister once said served "no purpose other than to offend".
On his way to face the media, Mr Wilders drove past protesters against British far-right groups such as the English Defence League (EDL) and the British National Party (BNP). Their placards read: "EDL + BNP = Nazi racist thugs". Jonathan Dodds, a 26-year-old student, said: "That we're giving a platform to fascists like this is scary."
Irish Independent
Several hundred protestors rallied outside parliament on Friday as far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders visited London to screen his controversial anti-Islam film.
Demonstrators waved banners including one with a crossed-out swastika and the slogan "racists not welcome" as Wilders -- buoyed by an election win this week -- brought his film "Fitna" to the House of Lords.
"I am very wary of Wilders' visit being hijacked for a racist agenda," said one 25-year-old protestor from London, who did not want to give his name, as protestors blocked off a road outside parliament in central London.
Wilders was refused entry when he first tried to show the film in Britain last February, but his travel ban was overturned and he made a first visit last October, before scheduling the screening of his film.
"Fitna", which likens Islam to Nazism and juxtaposes images of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States with pictures of the Koran, has been described as "offensively anti-Islamic" by UN chief Ban Ki-moon.
Wilders' trip to London was hosted by Lord Malcolm Pearson, a member of parliament's upper House of Lords who invited him for the first abortive visit and the subsequent successful trip.
The visit came days after the 46-year-old leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV) -- who has compared the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf -- scored a symbolic election victory in the Netherlands.
Wilders' party this week celebrated winning its first municipality -- Almere, a city of nearly 190,000 people near Amsterdam -- in a show of strength ahead of general elections in June.
"It is scary what happened in the elections in the Netherlands this week," said one protestor in London.
"But I am sure that anti-fascist activists across Europe are standing up to him and so he will not cross the room without a fight."
