| TORONTO – As of this newspaper's publication deadline on Monday afternoon, a "support rally" for the English Defence League (EDL) – with EDL leader Stephen Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson, addressing the rally via online hook-up – was scheduled for Tuesday evening. Organized by the Jewish Defence League (JDL), the group's literature encouraged the public to attend and "take a stand against the forces of political Islam."
Much controversy has arisen over the nature of the EDL, which claims that it is not a racist group but is dedicated to fighting Islamist fascism in the UK.
Both JDL and EDL are generally described as "far right" groups, not only by anti-Western groups like Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, but also by mainstream media.
According to prominent British author and journalist Melanie Phillips, who has been most outspoken in her warnings against what she has termed the 'Islamization' of Britain: "The label of the 'far right' toxifies everything it touches. There is now a real danger that anyone who opposes Islamic supremacism will find themselves vilified not only as 'Islamophobes,' but also as fascists."
In an article titled The clash of uncivilizations, Phillips nevertheless linked the EDL to fascist groups, stating: "Sometimes, my enemy's enemy is also my enemy." Also, "most tellingly of all, EDL leaders have admitted that it is opposed not only to Islamist extremism, but to all devout Muslims."
However, British columnist A. Millar recently wrote, in an article published by the Hudson Institute: "The fiercest opposition to the EDL comes from the controversial Unite Against Fascism [UAF], a militant left-wing organization that has been accused of siding with the homophobic by gay rights activist Peter Tatchell, and of overlooking antisemitism by David Toube in The Guardian."
The JDL event was expected to be held at the Toronto Zionist building in north Toronto, which is owned by the Toronto Zionist Council (TZC).
"We have struggled with this issue because the reports regarding the EDL are conflicting," explained Paul Rotenberg, a TZC spokesperson. "As indicated by some reports, violence appears to have been used by the EDL, but it does appear to have been in self-defence against Islamist groups that instigated the violence.
"There are videos of these Islamists attacking the British police and the police turned and ran. The EDL stood and fought back. We found ourselves struggling with the line between defence and violence and how the perspective of the reporting can influence the perception. After all, our parents and grandparents fought in some very violent wars but we would not accuse them of being violent extremists. We see those [wars] as having been valid, even necessary, defence.
"The threat of Islamofascism is a major issue today, and this is an issue the EDL has chosen to take up," Rotenberg added. "We have read a lot of articles about the EDL, most of which seem to be more opinion than fact, on an issue where opinion often takes the place of fact. As such, understanding that we do not have reliable information on the other aspect of this, allegations that the EDL has racist or antisemitic roots, we have advised the JDL that they may hold the program on the premises but must be vigilant in ensuring that the program focus remains as they intend, the issue of defending our democracies and our freedoms.
"We see this as being entirely consistent with our policy of not tolerating incitement to racism of any kind on our premises and consistent with Canadian values and the legacy of freedom and democracy we all need to defend." |
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