Spectre of Breivik inflames far-right row

Published on Thursday 18 August 2011 16:10

Campaigners have made a last-ditch call for council leaders to ban a march through Edinburgh by the Scottish Defence League (SDL) on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary.

A decision will be made today by councillors, but a statement backed by 100 organisations and individuals has been released calling for the application to be rejected.

The SDL wants to march from near the American Embassy to the east end of Princes Street the day before the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the US.

Luke Henderson, one of the organisers behind yesterday's Edinburgh Unity statement, said he was concerned about public order problems.

He said: "There has been regular violence where this has happened with the EDL in England, so we do not understand why there may be a change of a strategy that has worked in Scotland to avoid such problems so far.

"Secondly we are concerned that the SDL/EDL, associated with the Norwegian terrorist killer Anders Breivik, is trying to make political capital out of commemorating the terrorist atrocity of 9/11."

Among those backing the statement was Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm. He said: "We treasure freedom of speech but we draw the line at speech directed against members of the community - this is racist and fascist. A line must be drawn and this march would be well over that line."

Nationalist MSP Colin Keir added: "The inflammatory nature of their views' would produce similar actions to last time and the march should be prevented 'on grounds of public safety alone, to the benefit of the citizens of Edinburgh."

A march by the group, the Scottish arm of the English Defence League (EDL), in February last year in the capital saw about 50 supporters gather in a pub on the Royal Mile. Hundreds of opponents turned out, although police kept the rival sides apart.

But a protest in Glasgow in November 2009 descended into violence when SDL supporters clashed with anti-racism marchers. Five arrests were made.

Signatories to the Edinburgh Unity statement include the Scottish Refugee Council, University and Colleges Union (UCU) Scotland, as well as MSPs Bob Doris and Mr Chisholm.

Lothian and Borders Police are not objecting to the march, but say that previous experience from last year points to the prospect of disruption. "Any opposition rally is likely to be significant in size with some of the opposition wanting to find themselves near to SDL with a view to registering their concerns at the views being expressed," the force states in a submission to the council.

"For all of these reasons, if the event goes ahead, there may be some disruption to daily city centre business."

Although the SDL has held a number of small events in Scotland, it has not been able to attract the same kind of support the EDL can command south of the Border.

Rob Munn, convener of the licensing committee which will rule on the application, said: "I and other committee members are well aware of the controversy around this issue and will have to make our decision based on the information available to us."

The SDL could not be contacted for comment.Edinburgh Unity Statement

We the undersigned strongly oppose plans by the Scottish Defence League (SDL) the Scottish arm of the racist English Defence League (EDL) to march in Edinburgh on 10 September 2011. The EDL was a group admired by the Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Breivik. As well as attending a number of EDL events, meeting EDL leaders etc., Breivik openly expressed his wish to start a racial war and praised the EDL's strategy and tactics. The latest rally by the SDL in Irvine on 30 July 2011 saw members hold placards aimed at stirring up hatred against Islam and sporting Blood and Honour (Nazi) tattoos. Islamophobia - bigotry against Muslims - is as unacceptable as any other form of racism. It divides and weakens our society by making scapegoats of one community, just as Hitler's Nazis did by targeting Jews in the 1930s. Today the SDL threatens Muslims; tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, black people, lesbians & gay men, travellers or Eastern Europeans. There is no place for racists or fascists in Edinburgh's multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious community. That is why we stand in solidarity with Edinburgh's Muslim community and against the poisonous bigotry of the SDL.