Anne Marie Waters is the founder of Sharia Watch and one of the leading organizers of the Draw Mohammed event coming up in London on September 18. The left-wing establishment in Britain seems to be alarmed by Ms. Waters’ successful counterjihad activism, and has sicced its fice dog, HOPE not hate, on her.

Anne Marie Waters has now published a response to the coordinated attacks against her. The following essay was originally published at Sharia Watch.

Response to ridiculous claims of “Hope Not Hate”

by Anne Marie Waters

When people become newly involved in political campaigning, particularly any kind involving Islam, they often do so with apprehension. Many are afraid of violence, or of being labelled a racist and therefore ostracised, and they invariably fear losing their jobs. This fear is partly caused by deceitful, and particularly nasty, attacks from people and groups on the extreme left. The left’s attacks on its opponents can be venomous. It’s important to note that I said attacks on its opponents there, because rarely do leftists trouble themselves with political discussion of issues actually raised, nor does it often concern itself about whether or not the ammunition it will use for its attack contains any truth.

So today I was left with the rather tedious job of picking apart a little bundle of lies produced by the hate-spreading extreme-left organisation that so ironically calls itself “Hope Not Hate”.

The lies began early, as did Hope Not Hate’s directions as to what we are and are not allowed to say about Islam. The report is built on one acutely egregious lie — that I, and others, are using the Mohammed Exhibition deliberately to whip up violence and incite “civil war”.

This is all based on a post by a member of a group called Knights Templar International. He wrote of a meeting he had had with myself, Tommy Robinson and Alan Lake. That meeting did take place – to talk about building a website (which I believe the writer does for a living). If there was any talk of “civil war’, then it will have been by way of conversation, not some cartoon-like plot. In any case, aren’t people allowed to speculate on the potential for civil war?

Regardless of what people do or don’t believe about war in this country is irrelevant to the fact that we were there to talk about a website. There is no evidence whatsoever that I have ever called for, or endorsed, civil war (and if Mr Lowles has some, I suggest he produce it). I have never done so in private or in public, because it is not what I believe in or want. It is to avoid violence that I am keen to include voices that are not being heard because they are not approved of by the left.

The Mohammed Cartoon Exhibit was organised by me, in partnership with Vive Charlie. It has nothing to do with Alan Lake, or Tommy Robinson, and they have no involvement in it whatsoever.

The entire Hope Not Hate report is a self-declared “expose” of something that never happened. I was not “involved in discussions” about civil war, this is pathetic and desperate. I was going to work with Tommy Robinson on Sharia Watch, because he represents a large voice that is ignored by the state; usually at the insistence of groups like Hope Not Hate. If we can agonise over what drives to people to join ISIS, why can’t we talk to people about why they join the EDL? Why don’t we discuss their legitimate and sincerely-held concerns?

Their desperation to smear me has meant that, as usual, their report is full of quotes from other people — but where are mine? And do they have any response to the points I raise or the facts I state?

The “profile’ of me is particularly amusing — they can’t get even the smallest facts right. I don’t know how many times I have to say this, but I stood down from the Basildon and Billericay seat. Again, I stood down, I was not removed. That fact is easy enough to confirm. I did not “introduce” Tommy Robinson at a Passion for Freedom event, the organisers did (I wasn’t one of the organisers, as claimed). I was on the same panel, I too was introduced. More lies include that I have been “speaking regularly at EDL demonstrations”. Presumably Mr Lowles, you can point me to one occasion then? I have never spoken at an EDL rally, which I suspect you know very well.

Particularly disgusting is the photo on page 17 with a caption stating that I, and others, were caught “confronting a Muslim who objected to their speeches”. I remember this man, and he agreed with us. Our “confrontation’ was a in fact a friendly conversation.

Groups like Hope Not Hate are incredibly sinister and dangerous for quite a few reasons. So utterly convinced are they that their totalitarian vision of the world is what’s best for all of us, they do not question the morality of activities they undertake. Their sole consideration is on how much damage they can inflict on to those who disagree with them. Disagreeing with a leftist vision for the world is an unpardonable sin, as Maryam Namazie knows well. Maryam really ought to spend a bit more time wondering why on earth the voluntary life-span of OLFA volunteers is usually so short.

Some extreme left groups, like Hope Not Hate, pretend to care about Islamists and to condemn them. They also believe they are owed congratulations for this. It is easy to condemn beheadings, but until there is condemnation of the fact that a woman’s testimony is worth half of a man’s, or recognition of the nature of the awful Muslim Brotherhood, the position of these groups cannot be taken even remotely seriously.

Hope Not Hate has called for the Mohammed cartoon exhibit to be banned. Of course it has, its members believe that only political campaigning they approve of should get the light of day.

Extreme leftists despise democracy and routinely interrupt the democratic process. They cannot allow voices like mine to be heard (just in case people might agree with us) so instead of facing up to the points raised, or the facts stated, they attack speakers and intimidate people in to not listening.

It’s really got to be understood that the extreme left in Britain represents a real threat to political freedom. They have defined the parameters of speech and a have a tied-and-tested weapon against all who dare to dispute them.

My own thought is that the best way to deal with groups like Hope Not Hate is to make sure they have no bearing on my decisions whatsoever. I won’t let them dictate who I can speak to about a website, or who I can work with on Sharia Watch. Being directed by the lies of groups like this is not an option. I know what my motivations are, and I don’t give a damn what smears Hope Not Hate decides to conjure up.

In the face of their lies, there is only one thing that I, and all who agree with me, can do — carry on.

Anne Marie Waters is the founder of Sharia Watch UK and a former UKIP candidate for Parliament.

To support her Draw Mohammed event, donate here.

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