The English Defence League have threatened to march a few days after the General Election to, “reinforce the need for government action across a wide range of issues.”
The move will anger many local residents who believe that community relations are positive in the area and that the EDL only seem to agitate and bring in their poisonous politics in the area. However, in 2012 when the group last demonstrated, they were penned in by police as anti-fascist and EDL demonstrators squared off against each other and crowd control measures had to be implemented by police.
The local Member of Parliament, Stella Creasey, has worked hard to try and build up stronger community relations in the area and has worked tirelessly with local community groups, faith communities and the voluntary and community sector. She has also been a strong advocate for women’s rights whilst on occasion, being targeted by activists associated with extremists like Anjem Choudhary. She has therefore been instrumental in building strong networks against such groups within the local area with the local authority and civil society groups.
Let us hope that this is only a false threat from extremist EDL activists and that the people of Walthamstow can get on with their lives without the agitation of groups who are simply not wanted in the local area.
