Gay rights protester Peter Tatchell issued a press release yesterday about the EDL and UAF protests. Harry’s Place reproduced it here and the comments on the thread are well worth a read. For ease, I’ll also publish Tatchell’s words below:
Like many other people, I went to last Saturday’s protest in East London first and foremost to oppose the far right English Defence League and to defend the Muslim community against EDL thuggery.
But I also wanted to stand in solidarity with Muslims who oppose far right Islamists. These fundamentalists threaten and intimidate the Muslim community; especially fellow Muslims who don’t conform to their harsh, intolerant interpretation of Islam. To varying degrees, both the Islamists and the EDL menace Muslim people.
In addition, I wanted to be visible as a gay man, to demonstrate that East London is not and never will be a “Gay-Free Zone” and to show that most lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are not anti-Muslim; that there are LGBTs who want to work in solidarity with Muslim people to oppose all prejudice, discrimination and violence.
To these ends, my human rights campaign colleague Ashley McAlister and I joined the anti-EDL protest, carrying double-sided placards which read on one side: “Stop EDL & far right Islamists. No to ALL hate” and on the other side: “Gays & Muslims UNITE! Stop the EDL”.
We got dirty looks from a small number of left-wing and LGBT anti-EDL protesters, some of whom said explicitly that our placards were “insensitive…provocative…inappropriate…divisive” and that I am “racist…fascist…anti-Muslim.”
There was also hostility from a minority of Muslims who were part of the anti-EDL demonstration, including attempts to snatch and rip my placard. These fanatics mostly objected to the slogan: “Gays & Muslims UNITE! Stop the EDL”. I was surrounded several times throughout the day by angry Muslim youths who ordered me: “You must remove this placard…You can’t walk here with these words…We don’t allow gays in this area…Gays are not permitted here…We don’t have gays in Tower Hamlets.”
When I suggested that LGBT Muslims must also be defended against the EDL, I was told: “Gays can’t be Muslims…We will never accept them (LGBT Muslims)…They can’t come around here…We won’t allow it.”
My response was to engage with these Muslims hotheads and argue against them. The discussions got very heated; at times even menacing and scary. There were moments when I thought I was going to be physically attacked. Thankfully, this did not happen, probably because there were police nearby and, more significantly, because several Muslims intervened to defend my right to be there and to express my viewpoint. Some Muslims even thanked me for joining the anti-EDL protest.
In the course of the arguments, I diffused the hostility of quite a few Muslim critics. I suggested that love and compassion were core Islamic values and that even if Muslims personally disapproved of homosexuality there is nothing in the Qu’ran that sanctions hatred or discrimination against LGBT people. Several eventually agreed that homophobia was wrong. Some shook my hand and parted with a more ‘live and let live’ attitude – a big improvement on their initial response.
This change in attitude as a result of Ashley and I being willing to engage in dialogue was really positive and inspiring. It shows how important and effective such an engagement can be. We need more of it.
Interestingly, there was very little overt, identifiable Muslim hostility to our placard slogan:
“Stop EDL & far right Islamists. No to ALL hate.” There were a few nasty, aggressive looks but that’s all. Indeed, several Muslims indicated that they also oppose the Islamist far right. They realise that extremist groups like Islam4UK and Hizb ut-Tahrir, which want to establish a religious dictatorship, threaten the human rights of mainstream Muslims. These fundamentalists have a similar bigoted agenda to the EDL and BNP.Our experience on Saturday is further evidence that we need an East End Gay Pride that goes through the heart of the Muslim community in E1, to engage with the Muslim communities and build mutual understanding.
Interestingly, there were lots of LGBT protesters against the EDL. But I never saw a single one with a gay badge, placard, t-shirt or rainbow flag. It was as if they’d all gone back in the closet. Why? Normally, on other demos, they always proclaim their LGBT identity. How strange. Ashley McAlister and I were the only visibly gay protesters in the entire anti-EDL demonstration.
The people who called for the anti-EDL protest to be called off were mistaken. In the absence of a visible counter-protest, the EDL would have been able to rally unchallenged and claim a victory. It would have sent the wrong signal if the EDL had been permitted to claim any part of East London as its own.
Saturday’s peaceful protest against the EDL was important because it showed that most of our communities are united in solidarity and that we will not be divided by the hate-mongering of the far right.
What too many anti-fascists refuse to acknowledge is that Islamist fundamentalism mirrors the right-wing ideology of the EDL (and the BNP). In fact, the Islamist goals are much more dangerous. They want to establish a theocratic tyranny, ban trade unions and political parties and deny women equal human rights. They endorse hatred and violence against Jewish, Hindu and LGBT people. Muslims who don’t follow their particular brand of Islam would face severe persecution in their Islamist state. These fanatical sects condone terrorism and the suicide bombing of innocent civilians. Not even the BNP and EDL are this extreme.
The failure of many people on the Left to speak out against Islamist fundamentalism is de facto collusion with extremism and a betrayal of the Muslim majority. It also creates a political vacuum, which the EDL is seeking to exploit and manipulate.
Some anti-fascists argue that we should not condemn the Islamists because this will fuel anti-Muslim sentiment. Wrong. Protesting against the fundamentalists and defending mainstream Muslims is actually the most effective way to undermine Islamophobia.
In the absence of a left-wing critique of the Islamist far right, the EDL is able to pose as the sole critic of Islamist extremism and to mount indiscriminate attacks on the whole Muslim community.
This silence and inaction by many on the left is objectively (albeit unintentionally) colluding with both fundamentalist fanaticism and anti-Muslim prejudice.
To be credible and effective, opponents of the EDL need to be consistent by also taking a stand against right-wing Islamists. Only this way can we offer a principled alternative to the EDL that isolates and targets the extremists without demonising the whole Muslim population.
Trial by Jeory 
Well said Peter Tatchell – this is an area many leftists don’t want discussed and continually refuse to discuss, labelling anyone with these opinions “racist or fascist.” In fact, it has been done by certain lefties on this forum towards people who espouse these views.
Basically any group of people can have elements that are anti gay, anti democracy, anti freedom of speech, anti liberty and they need to be opposed whether they be Christian/Moslem\White\Black\Asian.
A fascist is a fascist is a fascist.
Whilst the Mayor preaches tolerance and “one community” through his pravda-like rag, I’d like to actually see him put this into practice – maybe he could address the local mosque and explain his colleagues there how important it is to welcome the gay community into their hearts, whilst praising their support during the EDL demo?? I can live in hope.
Truthhurts – well said.
I have numerous stories to tell of gay friends of mine who have been attacked and threatened with violence in Tower Hamlets because of their sexuality (or their perceived sexuality).
I believe it is crucially important that the message gets across that there isn’t “ok extremism” and “bad extremism”. They are all repugnant. It seems to me that in just the way many English people wouldn’t feel particularly fearful of the EDL because they are not the targets of that group so many Muslims do not understand the real sense of fear MAC cause to the people that MAC et al don’t approve of. I am sorry this goes against the official line and no doubt I will be declared the next reincarnation of Adolf Hitler for daring to say so, but it is true.
From my own limited investigations into this I have found that while the EDL are universally condemned the same rulers of Tower Hamlets literally dare not criticise MAC etc because they personally fear reprisals. Also, I don’t think it is unreasonable to say that presently the threat to Muslims of being attacked by the EDL/BNP in LBTH is, lets be fair, low (I accept it wasn’t so in the past) while the dangers to non-religious Muslims who don’t dress appropriately and particularly gay people is quite real from groups like MAC in LBTH and other parts of the capital.
MAC is a dangerous mafia that act with virtual impunity in Tower Hamlets and they need to be put down a peg or two. It requires strong and coordinated leadership from the mainstream Muslim community to do this.
I think Peter Tatchell was presenting exactly the right message. Everyone should feel safe walking down the street regardless of creed, faith, colour or lifestyle and ALL extremism and thuggery should be challenged wherever it exists.
Mate go read the Koran. Educate yourself on Islam abit. Your a typical naive lefty. Even though you were threatened for being gay you still wont believe that muslims are anti gay. What happened to you was called Al- Taqiyya. The muslims dont want to bite the hand that is feeding them at the moment.
Everything muslims do and represent (Negative) are always a minorty.
Every negative thing your own people do (EDL) are the majority.
Its very much the other way round.
You and your fellow leftys are crippling this country. Your appeasing a very intolorent and homophobic religion. Wake up fool and educate yourself.
Good luck with your gay pride thing…..
You will one day realise that the EDL were actually correct all along.
No regards
Nathan Manz
Tatchell is right.
I was there on Saturday but did not see anyone opposing him, so I did not feel it necessary to stand with him in solidarity or congratulate him on his courageous challenge to all bigots.
Look, Islam has a great message that radically questions our corrupt collapsing consumer capitalism. Its message is not invalidated by atrocities committed in its name. Socialism is not invalidated by Stalinist pogroms. Democracy is not invalidated by Presidents and Prime Ministers who lie and torture and murder. Paedophile priests do not invalidate the teachings of Christ. Stand up for an alternative world and be not afraid of being yourself. PS I know a guy who joined the EDL and then left them in disgust when he found what they were really about. Oppose them solidly but always believe and hope individuals can find a way out of their ignorant prejudices, just as Tatchell engaged homophobic lads in Whitechapel and changed their views.
I think you are on the right side Robert but I must take exception to some of your examples. By no stretch of the imagination could Stalin be called a socialist. He was as much a mass murderer as those other so called exponents of the ideology, Mao, Enver Hoxa, Pol Pot, the list goes on and on.
The thing about the Talmud and Torah, both books of the Bible and the Koran and Hadiths is that you can make of them what you will. The thing which is important is how they are practised and Islam has some catching up to do. It is all very well for Muslim leaders in this country to sign up to ecumenical principals but a waste of time if they then host preachers who rant about Jews and gays.
As for corrupt politicians at least we can get rid of them and as for your comments on capitalism what is the alternative? Most Muslim countries are the most rapaciously capitalist with very low levels of welfare provision and human rights.
The litmus test of all this is that if western societies are so bad why do so many people want to live in them from all corners of the world especially the Muslm bits? Our society isn’t perfect but it is a damn site better than many others in terms of respect for human rights and the provision of the facilities that make life bearable. What do you think?
As I said I saw Peter and a companion on the day with their placards and wondered what his reception would be. I would imagine that the gay people who turned up without outward signs such as flags and badges are symptomatic of a kind of self hating white person who is full aware that they are supporting the insupportable but are terrified to break ranks for fear of being denounced as Islamophobic.
It would have been more honest of them to have stayed away rather than to have lent some shred of respectabilty to the proceedings as now the homophobes of the IFE can point to their presence and claim that they can’t be homophobic because of the attendence of these people. They have been well and truly used. Openly gay former Labour councillor Phil Maxwell spoke, it seems, and he should be thoroughly ashamed of himself.
I was pleased to see that, as far as I know, no Jewish group or individual attended the charade. Maybe Tony Greenstein couldn’t afford the fare from Brighton. I am sure that if he had asked, the IFE would have gladly paid it for him.
What then actually happened on the day? Through the antics of the Rev Green, whose congregations are hardly representative of white East Enders, and one of the leaders of the failed Respect project the IFE, those who now call the shots within the administration of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, have greatly strengthened their position.
As has been pointed out the whole thing was a gift from the EDL of which the IFE and their not so gullible cheerleaders milked for everything it was worth. What is of interest here is that in spite of the rhetoric of “local communities standing together ” the left has exposed its weakness by only being able to muster a derisory number of people bussed in from from various parts of the country. Local white people, who are the majority in the borough, stayed away.
The photo of the Mayor, Green and Robbins all linking arms to prevent the EDL from getting into Tower Hamlets, although there was never any chance of that as the police had them safely isolated, shows the isolation of the left and fellow travellers like Green. I had, as had others, expected to see the perennial opportunist Ken Livingstone there but even he wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole . Not a single member of the great and the good could be seen in Whitechapel on the day. Even the usual Guardianista signers of letters and petitions didn’t show up.
While Lutfur Rahman and IFE have strengthened their position within the Bangladeshi community whilst they become more isolated outside it. The outside for them doesn’t exist, all they need is Tower Hamlets and the blocks of votes within the Bangladeshi community which are bought and sold.
A mini financially corrupt Islamic state has been created in the heart of the capital and instead of giving encouragement to those progressive forces within the Bangladeshi community which have spoken out against what is happening the likes of Green and Robbins have allied themselves with the most reactionary.
It is, however not over until the fat lady sings, and certainly Green may well come to regret his open espousal of one of the most reactionary movements ever to gain control of an English local authority.
Excellent political analysis unit 101
Just thought I would add this link to Esmarelda Weatherwax’s blog in the New English Review.
http://www.newenglishreview.org/blog_direct_link.cfm/blog_id/37642
The main reason for this is that it contains two images of LGBT involvement in the Demonstrations on Saturday 3rd September in Tower Hamlets. They are images 4 and 9. Which one do you think is more life affirming and inclusive?
Obviously one is from the EDL March, the other from the UAF/IFE counter demo.