EDL leader Tommy Robinson quits group

Well, this sounds downright bad to me. In reading a bit more about why he quit, it makes me wonder if doing it and being public this way isn't some form of warning about the violence building, as well? I hadn't realized England had a real ongoing and long term problem here?

English Defence League leader and founder Tommy Robinson has left the group, saying he has concerns over the "dangers of far-right extremism".

The EDL organises protests across the UK against "radical Islam".

Mr Robinson said it was still his aim to "counter Islamist ideology", although "not with violence but with better, democratic ideas".

I have to admit, this whole issue is a bit new for how media over here doesn't say too much about it.

Their decision follows discussions with the Quilliam group, which describes itself as a "counter-extremism think tank".

Source: BBC

I wonder if some of the British folks around here could help shed some light on what all that means? Is more unrest brewing over there? I'd had the impression it was more isolated incidents than an ongoing campaign?

Well, my biased assumption would be that now the BNPs forays into legitimate politics have proven a failure, it's time for the next generation of amatures to join the big league. Nick Griffin of the BNP had been too blatently facist in his past, notably there is one YT vid of him explaing to some american facists (KKK I possibly?) about his plan to deny his facist heritage in order to gain political power while actually promoting facist policies. Him and his posse were all a bit too stupid to pull it off, I think dodgy accounting has been part of their downfall. (possibly the EDL have divided the catchment making neither useful as well) Tommy on the other hand has been a bit cleverer about who he associates with and what he is filmed saying. It's harder to say for sure that the EDL are of the same agenda.

Bare in mind this is a bit of a guess, I wouldn't trust Tommy as a polititian though.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


It is a concern certainly in Scotland, i am aware of many of my friends who sre going to vote for an Independant scotland based on the feeling that the UK is becoming more and more right wing in its views...

I find this bizzare as EDL have always been quite militant in there actions, alot of there "protest" do descend into violence, Tommy is by no means a saint regarding this as such i find it strange he has now decided things are getting out of hand....

There is surely more too this.

He seems to say the right things in that article. Only time will tell if it's honesty or media savvy.

Personally the violence at EDL protests isn't a major concern.. the anti-facist protesters... well as much as I agree with them in principle, they let the side down and muddy the waters a bit. There's a lot of tit for tat, chicken or the egg nonsense to figure out.

My immediate thought was to check out this think tank but from that article they seem fairly neutral and legit... might have a look later if I have time.

reply to post by March of the Fire Ants


I agree, the Anit-fascists do the movement no favours at all, and are as bad at times as the EDL,

he is particularly good at keeping his cool and saying the right things to the media... it is exactly this reason where as nothing has changed as we see it from last month to now, why step down? it all just seem suspicious, i would say either he has been asked to leave because he is to "nice" about how the EDL organise themselves, or he knows somthing is comming....

I've always been very suspicious of the EDL. My hunch is that Tommy Robinson was working for the state, in order to highlight muslim violence in this country, when there was no muslim violence in this country. By constantly highlighting the 'problem', it keeps it in the news and serves the government agenda of justifying attacks on muslim countries.

I think you'll find that the EDL will quietly fade into obscurity now and then disappear altogether. It's job done, we're not attacking Syria, so no more need for the EDL.

reply to post by Scorchio


The EDL were around and protesting way before the relatively recent troubles in Syria.

This is what myself and other anti fascists have been saying for years.

The EDL were set up by football hooligans like Tommy, pedophiles like Richard Price and violent criminals like Kermit Singh.

The disturbing thing is it took Tommy this long to realise. There's several EDL in jail for rying to bomb mosues, three currently on trial for planning the same and conducting school shootings. Anders Breivik met Tommy and had 600+ EDL on his facebook.

Good riddance to the Nazi scum.

Scorchio
I've always been very suspicious of the EDL. My hunch is that Tommy Robinson was working for the state, in order to highlight muslim violence in this country, when there was no muslim violence in this country. By constantly highlighting the 'problem', it keeps it in the news and serves the government agenda of justifying attacks on muslim countries.

I think you'll find that the EDL will quietly fade into obscurity now and then disappear altogether. It's job done, we're not attacking Syria, so no more need for the EDL.

Yea, here in the states it has been shown that the government was actually running some of the militias in the "militia movement", heck they made some of them up, posted their own head and everything.

There was accusations back in the day that they used militia association and lone wolf behavior, helped it out lets say, to justify working on the non-government affiliated militias.

We had congressional hearings and the talk show circuit with these guy paraded around like legit militia men when they were really government stoolies. Folks that could see through the game and publically said so, so shocked the g-boys that they considered that the only people that would know this had to be some deep insiders and so investigated them. It was hard for them to believe that a very few folks could see through the buuullllll-shmit. lol

Its really worrying isn't it when the leader of a far right group leaves said group because its becoming too far right and too violent.

That's a bit like Hitler leaving the Nazi party because they were going too far even for him.

Tommy will probably now go and try creating his own political party or join up with the BNP

and I hope that with out him the EDL movement will just fizzle out and die, but i doubt it.

Agreed. Who could have guessed a street movement based on demonising a religion would attract racists and neo-nazis?

However Tommy used to be in the BNP and can't run as an MP for another five years due to drugs and wife beating offences. Hopefully the millitant far-right will collapse with most NWI and EVF members now being in jail

I believe his resignation has to do with his pathetic attempt to intimidate a guy by sending him pics of the outside of his house, only to find that he had the wrong address. Fkn racist muppet.
SShows to me that racism and stupidity go hand in hand.

Wrabbit2000


I wonder if some of the British folks around here could help shed some light on what all that means? Is more unrest brewing over there? I'd had the impression it was more isolated incidents than an ongoing campaign?

I think it's a ploy...he INSTIGATED violence many, many times.
He hasn't "shunned" this violence at all, he's seen the BNP have a little success and is now thinking "that's the way to do it".

This is ridiculous.

reply to post by AngryScotsman


Here is a link to the story on the edlnews.co.uk, the people concerned.

Recently we have been posting news and opinion on English Defence League Leader, Tommy Robinson, and his amazing magic money pot.

We have been questioning his claims that he and his wife and children manage to survive on £250 pound per week. We have also been questioning his ability to shop in high end department stores, spend evenings in casinos and spend £800 on a Stone Island jacket.

We have also been letting EDL members know exactly where the funds they donate to the far right organisation are going.

This seems to have lead to Robinson unblocking us from Twitter which in turn lead to the utterley bizarre circumstances we saw on Wednesday evening. (Continued...)

Regarding the story outlined by the OP in this thread, from the same site:

Tommy Robinson set to announce a new far right organisation with Gellar and Robert Spencer

Recently defected leader of the English Defence League looks set to start a new far right organisation EDL News according to a right wing American blog.

Robinson is set to stand with American hate bloggers Pamela Gellar and Robert Spence who run far right counter jihad blog', Atlas Shrugs according to a post on their website.

On their website they state

"Now, over two years later, it is clear to all of us that the best way to proceed is to leave the EDL behind and move forward in new directions. This shows the utter mendacity and bankruptcy of the leftist and Islamic supremacist claim that our support of the EDL demonstrated that we ourselves were racists and fascists -- as if that weren't clear enough already. It also exposes the backstabbing and skullduggery of those in the counter-jihad movement who excoriated us for raising these entirely legitimate concerns. Our struggle in AFDI and SION, which continue to stand with Robinson and Carroll, is now and has always been for the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, and the equality of rights of all people before the law. We look forward to working with Robinson and Carroll in the future as we continue this great struggle for freedom."

Both Gellar and Spencer, who are currently banned from entering the UK, are thought to be two of the twelve membership leaders that have resigned today. The pair also run the anti-Muslim SIOA/SION & AFDI organisations.

A lot of the funding for the EDL has been coming from the United States and a huge amount of their Facebook 'likes' are of American origin.

The blog post can be found here.

reply to post by JAK


I'm a major supporter of EDL News as they've been the main people exposing the ultra vioent side of the EDL, but I feel I must point out they're not an official EDL news site. The idea behind it is people interested in the EDL find the site and see their true colours before reading OfficialEDL propaganda.

Feel free to delete this post if you already know this as it is redundant. Also the guy behind it knows his stuff so is the best source on this. Press usually take a week to catch up.

It seems that Tommy Robinson and Malala are batting for the same side.

Another pointless organisation that worries about vacuuming the carpet while the house is burning down.

Wrabbit2000
I hadn't realized England had a real ongoing and long term problem here?

There's an ongoing and long term problem Europe wide. People can't seem to see it due to political correctness even though it's highlighted in police reports and intelligence agencies.

With Europe going the way of Malmø, is it a wonder groups like the EDL exists?

So the new EDL Leader is the guy who tried to bow up Bournemouth Mosque. Who could have guessed?

reply to post by symptomoftheuniverse


Nah, Tommy's a coked-up criminal who completely failed to make the most of education in the UK and blames his own failures on immigrants and spreads lies and violence. Malala is an inspirational pacifist who promotes education despite the odds she faces and it's insulting for her to be compared to Tommy.

reply to post by Auricom


Only according to Nazis who think Sharia law is going to take over.

reply to post by GonzoSinister


In the interests of balance, a lot of EDl protests that did get violent were also the ones where the UAF turned up and, usually, it was the UAF mob who instigated the violence while the EDL would be corralled into a pub by the Police....

Ironic, that the UAF (United against Facism) would use fascist tactics to deny anyone their right to protest and freedom of speech.

Either way, I am surprised by this as this Robinson chap is on record as being a bit of a thug himself.