HOPE not hate blog: The shame of a council

The shame of a council

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 4 September 2009, 17:18

The political leaders of Birmingham Council should hold its head in shame. As it stands they are allowing a bunch of football hooligans to descend on the city with the sole intention of whipping up racial and religious tensions. Despite the protestations of the EDL leadership we know quite clearly that many of these thugs are coming 'prepared' for trouble. They are out to settle old scores and for many violence is second nature.

We are aware of hooligans from Bristol Rovers, Luton, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds, Chester, Wolves and even Newcastle making the trip down. They will be joining members of the Villa Hardcore, a Birmingham-based hooligan mob, most now in the 30s and 40s, many of whom have had a long association with the NF, Combat 18 and more recently the BNP. There is even chat that a large mob of Stoke might be coming into Birmingham to settle a score from a recent football fight.

We also know that many of the organisers of this event are banned from every football ground in the country.

And still the council and West Midlands Police refuse to act. No amount of promises of containment will do. They are allowing racist thugs to parade through the city centre and yet they have banned a positive, multicultural concert which was planned in response. Earlier this year the City Council refused to allow our HOPE not hate bus on council premises.

Birmingham appears to be standing alone. We are already in discussions with several councils in the north of England where the EDL is promising future demos and from our initial discussions it seems that they will all be applying to the Home Secretary for bans.

As it stands tomorrow's demo will be going ahead so let us hope it passes off peacefully. However, even if it does there will still be little to cheer. Racists would have still paraded through one of Britain's most multicultural cities in a clear act of intimidation. The city council would have failed the people it's meant to represent.

Posted: 4 Sep 2009 | There are 6 comments

Comments

Comment 1 | From: David S | Date: 4 September 2009, 17:28

Disgusted, scared, I don't know what to feel as I live in Brum. This has to be one of the darkest days for local government in our City, however it makes me question exactly what century our Tory/LibDem administration are living in. A political march it isn't. A parade of hate fuelled by alcohol testosterone and racial/religious hatred it is and the Council have disgraced us on a national stage when authorities to the north and south of us have not allowed the divisive forces of the far right to take root in their respective towns and cities. Ironically I had my 2010 Birmingham Register of Electors papers through this morning!

Comment 2 | From: David S | Date: 4 September 2009, 18:01

I had no idea the HnH/Searchlight bus was barred from Council premises here in the summer. What reason was given???

Comment 3 | From: Ryan | Date: 4 September 2009, 18:37

Well, the next time there are council elections in Birmingham, mobilise the full weight of HNH to get these useless fuckers voted out.

Comment 4 | From: Jamie Q | Date: 4 September 2009, 19:19

It's really unfortunate. They should feel ashamed about what they've allowed, and I really do hope that the people of Birmingham never forget who could stop it, and failed to do so.

Comment 5 | From: David S | Date: 5 September 2009, 17:14

I'm afraid it didn't pass off peacefully, then again what else did any anti-fascist expect to happen. There are reports of 250 angry yobs throwing bottles in Bennetts Hill, just off the busy New Street. Now, what will the council (and the police who vowed to keep the racists away from the central shopping area but didn't) come up with???

Comment 6 | From: David S | Date: 5 September 2009, 17:14

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