How the EDL was defeated in Tower Hamlets

The lessons of 3rd September are clear. The EDL can be defeated through unity of the community under attack:

• A political campaign, insisting that they should not be allowed to enter an area to threaten its residents with violence. This can force the government and the state to take action to prevent the EDL’s provocations, but their action cannot be relied on, so it was accompanied by...

• ...the broadest possible, peaceful, mobilisation of the community and wider anti-fascist movement on the streets to counter the racists.

Both these strategies were built on the unity of a range of forces locally and nationally:

• the national anti-fascist movement in Unite Against Fascism

• the local response brought together in United East End that included faith representatives, trade unions, local community activists of all backgrounds, students, LGBT groups and many others

• the East London Mosque, the London Muslim Centre and key local Muslim organisations like the Islamic Forum Europe

• and the leadership offered by Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman and his office.