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A Britain We All Call Home > Published by Shamik Das, September 6th 2011 at 5:49 pm

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists

The National Union of Journalists has said English Defence League thugs attacked journalists at the weekend in a series of violent assaults – including a sexual assault and a photographer being set on fire. The police have arrested 60 people following clashes between police and the EDL in east London at the weekend, when 1,000 EDL supporters defied a ban to gather in Whitechapel.

EDL-thugs The NUJ say:

“Following the EDL event in East London, the union has received numerous reports of harassment, threats and abuse including physical assaults, racist abuse, bottles and fireworks being thrown at the press and photographers being punched and kicked.

“One journalist was subjected to a sexual assault and another NUJ member suffered minor burns after an EDL supporter used a flammable accelerant to set the photographer on fire.

“Violence directed towards journalists who are simply doing their job is totally unacceptable and the deliberate targeting of journalists by the far-right is a violation of press freedom.”

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet called the attacks “an appalling abuse of press freedom” and an attempt by the EDL “to deter journalists from carrying out their work”, adding:

“These attacks are designed to intimidate NUJ members and those in the local community who are determined to stand up to far-right groups. The police need to take decisive action to ensure that the thugs who attacked journalists during the EDL protest are identified and prosecuted.”

With NUJ photographer Jason Parkinson saying:

“These attacks are just the latest in a long history of violence, threats and even fatwas issued against the press and there is only one reason behind them all – to intimidate and deter the media exposing the violent and racist behaviour of the far-right.

“An attack on the press is an attack on press freedom and on our democracy.”

Last Friday, the NUJ had warned of their fears the racists could turn violent:

“At previous events there have been examples of verbal threats, intimidation and physical violence including an NUJ member being punched in the head. There have also been instances of attempts to seize cameras and smash equipment and journalists have been targeted on far-right hate websites such as Redwatch.

“The Casuals United group, one of the organisations supporting the protest on Saturday have used their website to warn photographers: ‘Whinging left wing idiots – you wanna film the protests for hostile purposes, you accept the anger you clowns.’

“Far right threats are designed to silence the media and stop NUJ members showing the true nature of the protests and protestors.”

Further proof if it were needed that the EDL, far from being “non-violent”, as their leader Tommy Robinson, aka Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the former BNP member jailed for a year for assaulting a policeman, claims, are nothing but violent, racist thugs who should be treated no differently to the BNP.

http://twitter.com/ismailmulla/status/111120689951555584 Ismail Mulla

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/racyboldhare/status/111120715687792642 Rachel

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/nujmcrsalford/status/111121007397437442 ManchesterSalfordNUJ

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/politicalplanet/status/111125759648743424 Political Planet

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: The National Union of Journalists has said English Defence Leag… http://t.co/07BO0Sq
http://twitter.com/seeandconnect/status/111135886376304640 Veena Vasista

Still in US, wondering what Cameron has to say about the criminal behavior of these people? http://t.co/MxHea5m -
http://twitter.com/kinell88/status/111140086229381121 Ell Aitch

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/adpucci/status/111140501402566656 Pucci Dellanno

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
http://twitter.com/kareneatstories/status/111144576265367554 Karen

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
PT

And what’s your view on UAF violently assaulting a woman?
Thomas Hobbes

Let’s see the evidence please.

How many charges have been made, and what sentences have been handed out, that sort of thing.
Thomas Hobbes

(evidence request relates to EDL, but UAF as well.)
http://twitter.com/baymansteve/status/111148770502250496 Mulatto Passer

NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists: http://t.co/KySX5XZ reports @ShamikDas
Albion first

While your at it. What’s your view on foul Islamic militants/Apologists for terror, standing on the streets of England burning poppies and threatening death to non-believers. This evidence is in the public domain…as you well know.
David Kelly

I work at King’s Cross, and I was there on Saturday. Believe me, there was a lot of trouble caused by the UAF (Uniting All Fascists) thugs, ranging from racist verbal abuse to somebody almost being pushed under a bus. What are the politicians (including the PM), senior police officers and others in the establishment going to say about their favourite racist left-wing thugs?
robert the crip

Labour are after NOTW and the EDL are after Journalist. seems they have the same people in mind.
Alfie North

@ Albion. So I tale it by throwing in some distraction about a tiny minority of Islamic militants, who provoke in an extreme way, just the same as the EDL do, you condone the actual violence carried out by the EDL against journalists on Saturday?
http://twitter.com/ashleyharnett/status/111191434392121344 Ashley Harnett

RT @leftfootfwd: NUJ: EDL thugs “violently attacked” journalists http://t.co/GzmFh0P
http://twitter.com/ed__ram/status/111192437560578048 Ed Ram

They should learn that the pen is mightier than the sword http://t.co/E4F1Qv3
Mr. Sensible

Albion First, ‘Islam 4 UK’ are proscribed under terrorism legislation, and rightly so.

The EDL are fascist thugs. No doubt about it.
Selohesra

And burning poppies get punnished very severely – £50 fine I beleive. That will certainly teach them a lesson
robert the crip

They seek those Muslim here and here those pesky Muslims.

Gosh why is it in my area the only people I see marching and causing problems are pensioners, it’s time to ban them as well
Albion first

No *7 I don’t condone the behaviour of the EDL nor any far-right group. In fact i despise them.
However the difference between me and you ‘Alfie North’ is i also despise the far-left. People such as UAF are simply the facsict Left.
Personally i don’t consider filthy Muslim extremists chanting ‘Death to non-believers’ and burning poppies, a distraction. I consider it extremelly offensive, as would my grandfather, but he lies in a Belgian field where he died fighting Facism.
Albion first

Oh! i see your “tiny minority of Islamic militants” were at again today. This time burning the Stars & Stripes during the one minute silence for the victims of Islamic terrorism in New York.
Still not to worry they all went home unaccosted. But the EDL who protested against the filthy Islamic apologists for terror, got short shrift from the cops.
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/no-platform-no-pasaran-battle-of-cable-street-75th-anniversary/ No platform no pasaran; Cable Street 75 | Left Foot Forward

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