The English Defence League in Aarhus, 31 March 2012
Published on Friday, 30 March 2012 10:11 Written by Pete Norman
We’ve been watching the EDL for some time now, and watching their sister organisations across the planet through our fingers, unsure whether to laugh, cry or bang our heads against the nearest wall.
If you thought the EDL couldn’t organise a Beer Putsch in a brewery, and have a nasty habit of attracting thugs, loonies and Nazis, it will come as no surprise that their sister organisations do exactly the same, but if anything more blatantly.
It can’t be easy being Senior EDL Management, what with having all those demonstrations to organise and all those Nazis and racists to kick out of the organisation, which is probably why they’ve not done a very good job of either.
Wisely, the EDL (or is it the European Freedom Initiative or Stop the Islamification of Europe?) have decided to grab the bull by the horns and have organised a meeting between them and as many of their strange friends as they can gather, in a Park in Aarhus, Denmark, this weekend, to join forces and really do something about Halal chicken, or head coverings, or whatever it is that’s annoying them most right now.
Now, the Demo / Meeting / standing around listening to a bunch of paunchy blokes with erectile dysfunction has been planned for some time. Oh yes, it really has. Immaculate planning as usual. Up until recently the Danish Organiser, Kasper Mortensen, had done a super job of fixing a venue and liaising with the authorities and stuff, right up until the point where he got arrested for assaulting a bouncer “with a large metal torch and a stun gun“ and banged up a couple of weeks ago. Never fear, Steve Simmons, the EDL’s European Head of Operations (or somesuch indulgent title), appointed a new organiser, assuring us that “We look around and make sure that they’re not linked to any neo-Nazi organisations, and if they’re found to have any such links we turn them down,” before appointing a chap called Philip Traulsen as the new organiser.
Traulsen immediately claimed that the incarceration of Mortensen was a political act, designed to hinder the success of the Aarhus meeting. Presumably attacking people with stun guns counts as a political act, too. Now, all we can presume is that Steve’s either not heard of Google, or lacks the ability to use it, as a very brief search on the name reveals plenty of evidence that Traulsen is a long standing and active member of the Danish Far Right, who likes to hang around Blood and Honour gigs in his time off: http://92.243.30.232/nyheder/article/danske-anti-muslimer-sat-under. Needless to say, after various anti-Fascists pointed this out some time after his appointment, Traulsen was relieved of his duties a couple of days ago by the totally unknown Freja Lindgren, who has no doubt promised Simmons that she has no skeletons in her cupboard, outstanding arrest warrants or embarrassing tattoos (3).http://modkraft.dk/artikel/skal-lokke-antimuslimer-til-aarhus
Let’s get back to the planned events. Confusingly, the English and Danish Defence Leagues have different speakers listed on their Facebook pages. Here’s who they think are coming -
English Defence League
(EDL &DDL) - Tommy Robinson (English Defence League)
(EDL only) - Elisabeth Sabbaditch Wolff TBC
(EDL &DDL) - Anders Gravers (SIOE)
(EDL &DDL) - Pavel Chernev (SIOE Bulgaria)
(EDL &DDL) - Ronny Alte (Norwegian Defence League)
(EDL &DDL) - Kasper Mortensen (Danish Defence League)
(EDL &DDL) - Mimosa DeDanann (Finnish Defence League)
(EDL &DDL) - Isak Nygren (Swedish Defence League)
(EDL &DDL) - Rene Buller & Czesław Kaczmarczyk (Polish Defence League)
(DDL only) - Arne Tumyr (SIAN/SIOE Norway)
Confusing, but not the end of the World, maybe. After all, it’s easy to get confused when you’re organising the most important pan-European anti-Jihad meeting EVAH and you’ve only had months to organise it. But hang on, what’s this?
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/setting-record-straight.html
Oh, OK then. Maybe that’s not the definitive list and whoops they’ve lost their star speaker. Well, not so much lost, more like never had but kept advertising that she’d turn up right up ‘til the last minute. Quoth Sabaditsch-Wolff;
“Additionally, I have asked those who seemed to have contact with organizers to immediately remove my name from posters, flyers, online advertisements and YouTube announcements. As of this writing, my request has not been honoured.The organizers have thus used my name without my approval and without my confirmed attendance.“
OK, so Sabaditsch-Wolff’s not coming out to play, and some bloke from Norway’s turning up as well, and oh – hang on, what’s this poster tucked away on the DDL’s Facebook Page? Oh, it’s the updated list of speakers, and a schedule for the day. Shame the EDL & their other sister organisations aren’t advertising it. Anyway, let’s have a look at who’s speaking, and a brief explanation of what can be discovered about them if you have the slightest competency in using Internet Search Engines;
Confirmed speakers taken from latest update on DDL Facebook page;
Freja Lindgren(Danish Defence League) (3)
Also uses the name Maria Sichlau, and Maria Ulvhedin. Likes to post pictures of herself in a state of undress on her Facebook profile. Supports both the Hells Angels and the British National Party.
Arne Tumyr (SIAN/SIOE Norway) (4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arne_Tumyr
Forced to leave his position as Leader of the Vest-Agder Chapter of the Norwegian Humanist Association after writing an anti-Immigrant article for a local paper, titled “Stop the Islamification of Norway”. Has been a member of both the centre-left Labour Party and the far-right Progress Party, so it’s probably fair to describe him as “confused”
Isak Nygren (Swedish Defence League) (5)http://www.thelocal.se/32008/20110213/
This guy’s a total charmer. He’s not just in the SDL, he’s also a Local Councillor for the racist Swedish Democrats, a party who are a bit to the right of the BNP. Was a recipient of Anders Breivik’s Manifesto, and is against mixed-race partnerships / miscegenation - “There will be identity problems and can result in mental health issues,”. Links to neo-Nazis, many of whom don’t like him because they suspect he’s Jewish.
Mimosa Koiranen (Finnish Defence League)
AKA Mimosa DeDanann. Besides having the usual violent dislike of anything remotely Muslim, Mimosa is a Vintage clothes and Americana enthusiast and recently signed a petition to save Lego Universe because it’s “So hard to find any games for kids between 7-12, that aren’t too violent or too difficult “
Pavel Chernev (SIOE Bulgaria) (6)http://www.novinite.com/search_news.php?thequery=Pavel+Chernev&;&s=80
As well as (apparently) being active in SIOE, Pavel has been a member of several right wing organisations, and was once an MP before falling out with the rest of his party and attempting to use his MP’s exemption from prosecution to avoid an assault prosecution. Seems to have perjured himself, too.
Alain Wagner (VV&D) (7)http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vederf%C3%B8lner
Leads the tiny French “Counter-Jihad” group “Vérité, valeurs & Démocratie,”, apparently grounded in 1901, “composed of citizens determined to act to defend our freedoms, our rights and what is part of our Western culture: Democracy, Secularism and Human Rights.”. Although it doesn’t seem to be bothered about anything other than attacking Islam.
Lars Grønbæk Larsen (Vederfølner, Denmark) (8)http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vederf%C3%B8lner
Ex-Official in the Far-Right Danish Progress Party, currently leader of Vederfølner, an Organisation that was created by members of the Football Hooligan Firm “Ultra White Pride”. Which should tell you all you need to know about their politics.
Andre Sachsen (German Defence League) (9)http://www.german-defence-league.de/
God only knows who this Joker is. Amusingly, Googling him results in “Andrew Sachs Granddaughter” appearing as an option. The GDL appear to have less supporters than Anjem Choudary, and claim to aim to preserve “the Christian-Jewish traditions of our European Culture” and “The rule of Law” and loads of other stuff that makes them sound more like a far-right political party than the sister organisation of a “Human Rights Organisation”.
Anders Gravers (SIOE, SIOD) (10)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Islamisation_of_Europe
Gravers is the man who founded SIOE, and when he stood in municipal Elections in Aalborg in 2005, gained a massive 1% of the vote. In the 2007 Danish Parliamentary Elections, Gravers stood in Jutland and gained 73 whole votes, which is less people than you can fit on a Double decker bus. He stands not so much as a political Colossus, but more like a pudgy bloke with a cheap jacket and a ponytail who probably knocks one out to pictures of Pam Geller.
Piotr Kaczmarczyk (Polish Defence League) (11)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-decker_bus
Now, I don’t speak Polish, but I couldn’t find anything linking Piotr Kaczmarczyk with the PDL, and the PDL Facebook page has 85 ‘likes’, which is about the same number of people you can get in a double decker bus and a small family car. Which probably means that their active supporters could be transported in a largish Estate car, or 2-3 mopeds.
Michael Stürzenburger (Germany)
Michael seems to not only be representing an entire country, but is not available on Google other than references to a Film Producer, so we can only presume that his supporters could fit on a decent sized skateboard.
Ronny Alte (Norwegian Defence League) (12)http://exposingon.tumblr.com/post/4604889723/norwegiandefenceleagueepicfail
Ronny is the current leader of the hilariously inept Norwegian Defence League, who were so riddled with infiltrators and, well, ineptitude, that they managed to organise a demonstration in Oslo that not only brought them condemnation from all and sundry, but a counter demonstration that attracted 700-1000, in comparison to the NDL’s 10-15. Anders Breivik may or may not have been a member of the NDL, depending on which of their ex-Leaders you talk to.
Michael Mannheimer (Germany) (13)http://www.pi-news.org/2012/03/penalty-fine-against-michael-mannheimer/
This guy’s been fined for incitement to hatred, which made him a five-minute hero amongst the likes of Jihadwatch, Liberties Alliance, Atlas Shrugs and the usual suspects. Incredibly boring.
Tommy Robinson (English Defence League)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TgDLVmpovY
Our Hero. Tommy, Tommy, Tommy. The man who’s so not scared to stand up for what he believes in that despite the fact that everyone knows his real name is Steven Yaxley-Lennon, he still insists on using a pseudonym that he stole off a Football Hooligan. Now, you’d think Little Steven would have learnt something about travelling abroad representing the EDL, because he’s done a fuckawful job of it so far. Let’s recap;
2010, Amsterdam. An entire minibus full of EDL supporters go to Holland to show their support for Geert Wilders or Gene Wilder or something by hanging around in a car park. En route, they are attacked by locals and Steven, the brave defender of all things British, has his Union Jack taken from him by a girl.
2010, New York City. Doesn’t get past border control. Has to fly home. Probably forgot his passport or something. Who knows.
2011, Lyon. This time, the idiot goes to France to join his friends in Bloc Identitaire, an organisation that is against miscegenation (“racial interbreeding”), and which hands out pork soup to homeless people in order to exclude Muslims *and Jews*.
2011. This time, Steven and Kevin pop off to Zurich to protest against well-known Islamist Organisation FIFA’s ban on Poppies being present on the England Teams Shirts, despite the fact that FIFA already had the matter in hand & were dealing with it. The protest consists of climbing on FIFA’s roof, getting arrested, three nights in the nick & a £3 000 fine.
A quick look in the Exposing Crystal Ball
East Jutland Police are trying to encourage dialogue, but are prepared for the worst – with reinforcements from all over the Country (14). http://jp.dk/aarhus/article2736917.ece Danish Police have already spotted various EDL supporters from abroad in Copenhagen, and are tailing them, as are Danish Antifa, who have published the details of the hotel they’re staying at on their website (15).http://projektantifa.dk East Jutland Police are estimating “a couple of hundred” EDL supporters and affiliates, and “several thousand” counter demonstrators, who will be separated from each other by a few hundred metres.
An educated guess will be that a the EDL demo is going to be a lot of shuffling about – each speaker only gets a ten-minute slot, a lot of people not having a clue what’s going on but applauding anyway, then being escorted off site as quickly as possible. It is extremely likely that there will be arrests and some violence, as EDL stragglers will probably be targeted by the more militant anti-Fascists.
Various people on the right will declare the day to be a resounding success, despite the fact it was quite obviously a bit shit, and the increased contact between the far right will result in them getting to know each other better and falling out with each other quicker than if they’d not bothered.
What the EDL missed about Aarhus
Aarhus has got some great museums and cultural buildings, but the EDL will be too busy getting pissed in generic bars (probably in Copenhagen) or fighting to notice the culture.
Aarhus has a pretty good nightlife, including a very active gay scene, but the EDL LGBT division aren’t really noticable.
Aarhus (or rather the suburb of Viby) is home to Jyllandsposten – the paper that printed the Mohammed Cartoons. Some of the cartoonists are also local, but the EDL will probably miss the propaganda opportunity this affords, what with being a bit thick.
Credit: exposingon.tumblr.com