NOT IN BIRMINGHAM

Today we issued the open letter below from the Birmingham Methodist Church to the Home Secretary and The West Midlands Police Authority adding our voices to the campaign to ban the so called 'English Defence League' from marching in Birmingham. Carrs Lane Baptist Church and St Martin's in The Bull Ring along with Central Methodist Mission issued a similar joint ecumenical statement.

An Open Letter to Home Secretary and West Midlands Police Authority from The Birmingham Methodist Church

Dear Sirs

As representatives of the Methodist Church in the city of Birmingham we wish to express our concern over the proposed presence of the so-called ‘English Defence League’ in the city centre on 5th September. Following their provocative presence in the city on August 8th we feel strongly that the relevant authorities should do their utmost to prevent this group coming into the city again. Their sole aim is to create tension and to intimidate and provoke the people of Birmingham with racist and Islamophobic abuse.

The EDL has been banned from congregating in Luton by the Bedfordshire Police and we see no reason why the West Midlands Police authority cannot take similar powers to protect our city from attempts to undermine community relations and promote hatred against our city’s Muslim citizens.

We call on the West Midlands Police Authority to ban the EDL from Birmingham on 5th September

Revd Bill Anderson
Chair
Birmingham District of Methodist Church
t:: 0121 449 0131

Revd Ray Gaston
Inter Faith Enabler
Birmingham District of Methodist Church
t: 0121 452 2623

Revd Neil Johnson
District Minister
Birmingham Central Mission
t:: 0121 233 1915

The 'English Defence League' claims to be protesting against 'Islamic extremism' but they have been exposed as deeply Islamophobic and racist and with close links to the BNP. The film below was made when they last came to Birmingham at the beginning of August and shows you the real aim of the EDL is to hurl racist and Islamophobic abuse at the citizens of Birmingham and to seek to promote community tension.




So far (Friday Morning the following have published reports on the open letter

The Stirrer

The Birmingham Post