WREXHAM IGNORES DRUNKEN EDL RACISTS

Saturday 21. November 2009

Searchlight Cymru had heaped praise on a community organisation from Wrexham, who today held a successful multi-cultural festival in the town, choosing to ignore a bunch of drunken louts from Bolton representing a ‘standing protest’ from the English Defence League (EDL).

The EDL organised the protest as part of a UK-wide tour, claiming to be highlighting the dangers of Islamic extremism. However, their target has always been the whole local Muslim community.

Ian Titherington is the Secretary of Searchlight Cymru, Wales’ leading anti-fascist organisation. He stated, “Today was the final humiliation for the EDL’s disastrous visits to Wales. The only way they could even hold an event was to bus in 30 football hooligans from Bolton, who on arrival went to the nearest pub, got drunk and bawled out racist chants and football songs.”

Contrary to some reports, the community event ignored the racist ‘day-trippers’ and stayed in Queens Square, ensuring there was no conflict. The vast majority at the festival were from Wrexham and had no intention of having any disorder in their home town.

He added, “The Community Festival was a fantastic advert for Wrexham, where 200 people turned out in appalling weather to make a positive statement about their town. How much more contrast could you have with a sad bunch of racist hooligans, under the miss-guided belief that Wrexham would actually empathise with them.”

The EDL gathering did not exactly sell any local links, by displaying a ‘Bolton Wanderers’ FC English flag and Singing ‘God Save the Queen’. After a period of drunken singing, North Wales Police moved them on and their ‘standing protest’ was over.

Ian Titherington concluded, “The EDL’s efforts in Wales have been all about creating a Welsh arm called the Welsh Defence League (WDL), yet in Swansea, Newport and now in Wrexham, they have had little or no support and have actually bolstered the anti-fascist community networks. Wrexham did Wales proud today and ensured that the EDL still has not foothold in our communities.”