Yesterday the new leadership of PEGIDA in the United Kingdom held a press conference to talk about their plans for upcoming events and answer questions from the media.
The new leaders:
Tommy Robinson was a co-founder of the English Defence League, and has spent eleven months in prison on trumped-up politically motivated charges.
Anne Marie Waters is the founder of Sharia Watch UK and a former UKIP candidate for Parliament.
Paul Weston is the chairman of Liberty GB. His website is here, and his political Facebook page here. For his essays, see the Paul Weston archives.
During the question and answer period after the leaders’ statements, Tommy was asked about the likely response of the authorities to the launch of PEGIDA UK. It’s only been one day since then, but we already know what the response will be: Tommy is facing arrest. Or, more accurately, re-arrest.
The last time Tommy was in prison, a Somali inmate tried to attack him with boiling water. Tommy was charged for his response to that attempt (he fought back), but the charges were later dropped.
Now those charges are being revived. According to The International Business Times:
Tommy Robinson: PEGIDA UK Figurehead ‘To be Charged With Assault’ Days After Launch of Anti-Islam Group
Tommy Robinson says he expects to be charged with common assault in the coming days after claiming to have been told by officers he had to present himself at Luton Police Station. The former leader of the far-right English Defence League (EDL) — who launched the UK branch of European anti-Islam protest group Pegida just days ago — was arrested in August on suspicion of attacking a fellow prison inmate, but had originally been told no further action would be taken.
The alleged assault occurred while Robinson was serving his last days in prison for a 2014 conviction of mortgage fraud. He says he acted in “self-defence” after Muslim inmates at Peterborough prison allegedly attacked him with a cup of boiling water containing sugar.
Robinson, 33, revealed to IBTimes UK: “The police told my solicitors I was going to be charged with battery. I was told this allegation was dropped and then two days after the Pegida UK press conference they say I’m going to be charged.
“Whatever this is all about, it’s a complete fabrication. It’s all to do with that press conference. The amount of stupid things they’ve arrested me for in the past, it’s ridiculous.”
Hat tip: Vlad Tepes.
For links to previous articles about PEGIDA (Patriotische Europäer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West) and related movements, see the PEGIDA Archives.
so when do we get a Pegida here in the United States?
Could someone tell me what those four things are being thrown in the basket in the Pegida banner? I know the swastika. What are the other three?
I can make out the Islamic State flag and the red items look to be communist, but I can’t say beyond that.
The top one is the ISIS black flag of Jihad, the paired red and black flags are the Europe-wide symbol for Antifa and represent the alliance of socialists/communists(red flag) and anarchists (black flag) versus “reactionaries” as in the Spanish Civil War “Popular Front”
The red one with the gold colored star reminds me of an Asian communist flag such as that of North Vietnam, but there’s not enough detail for me to clearly make out what it is.
Thank you! I found the info on Vlad Tepes. The red flag is an old Kurdish commie flag which they don’t use any more. Seems like Pegida needs a better designer.
If our government keeps on acting illegally and harassing political groups / people because they hold a different opinion what do they think the end result will be? Peaceful?
Instead of castigating these people and the democratic majority opinions they represent they need to involve them in owning solutions to our peoples concerns over immigration and cultural conversion to Islam.
They can’t do that – involve concerned folk in the solution – because they daren’t openly admit that there is a problem. It’s the reaction to the ‘problem’ (the one that they won’t recognise) that they see as the problem, and they are taxing their minds in the search for the solution. Maybe even the ‘final solution’.
Can Tommy please stop mentioning the EDL in press conferences? It harks back to the past and focuses minds in the wrong place. It would be better for him to just say what Pegida is about and will do.
Using Anne Marie’s public speaking ability and “cleaner” public image solely during press announcements would be a smart tactic.
Vera, the top one is the flag of IS, ISIL, ISIS, DAESH, whatever you want to call them; the other two, I don’t know either.
Robinson, 33, revealed to IBTimes UK: “The police told my solicitors I was going to be charged with battery. I was told this allegation was dropped and then two days after the Pegida UK press conference they say I’m going to be charged.
“Whatever this is all about, it’s a complete fabrication. It’s all to do with that press conference. The amount of stupid things they’ve arrested me for in the past, it’s ridiculous.”
The Baron mentioned on the Cologne thread that he did not think that the Germans would be able to vote their way out of their quisling government’s Islamic invasion. Based on the British government’s use of lawless “Lawfare” against Tommy Robinson and the British branch of PEGIDA, it appears that the Brits are in the same boat.
Of course not. Democracy only works when it works for the establishment – if it doesn’t do that then it’s not democracy.