Anti-fascist protesters We Are Waltham Forest organise meeting ahead of planned English Defence League march in Walthamstow
10:57am Thursday 27th September 2012 in NewsBy Joe Curtis
The EDL march in early SeptemberAN ANTI-fascist protest group is due to hold a public meeting ahead of a proposed march by the English Defence League (EDL) in Walthamstow.
We Are Waltham Forest (WAWF) will discuss plans to oppose the march planned for October 27 after 3,000 people successfully diverted a previous EDL march of up to 300 people earlier this month.
The EDL has vowed to return to Walthamstow because of the diversion, and claims to be a against Muslim extremists, rejecting claims it is a racist organisation.
Stella Creasy, Walthamstow MP, will be present at the meeting in Harmony Hall, in Truro Road, which starts at 7.30pm. Organiser Sophie Bolt said: “Saturday October 27 falls on Eid, a holy Muslim festival.
“This is why the EDL want to march. They plan to show ‘Innocence of the Muslims’, a poisonous film that attacks Islam and has provoked world-wide protests.
“We want to work together to wage the most effective campaign possible to keep the EDL out of Waltham Forest.”
The Guardian and Waltham Forest Council has launched a joint campaign to get the march banned, called ‘Waltham Forest – United. Together. Strong.’
A joint petition has already garnered more than 700 signatures and council leader Chris Robbins has met with assistant Met commissioner Mark Rowley to discuss his concerns.
