Gay groups divided over East End Pride march
Gay-Free Zone stickers have appeared in Shoreditch and Stoke Newington
A row has erupted between gay rights groups over a march planned in protest against homophobic stickers that have appeared in Hackney and elsewhere.
Out East, which organises the annual Hackney Pride March, is boycotting East End Gay Pride – a march planned for Saturday 2 April in protest at stickers plastered in Shoreditch and Stoke Newington declaring a “gay-free zone”.
It is not known who is responsible for the stickers, which bear the message: “Arise and Warn. Gay free zone. Verily Allah is severe in punishment”.
Some have claimed the stickers were the work of far right group, the English Defence League (EDL).
An open letter signed by Out East chair Thierry Schaffauser expresses concern about playing into the hands of extremists wishing to stir up hatred against Muslims.
The letter, which is also signed by Terry Stewart of the Hackney Community Engagement Board, states: ” It is not clear who is behind the stickers and the police are still investigating that … However, what is clear is that the message of the stickers identifies Islam as the cause for this hate.
“There have been allegations that it is an attempt from far right groups to stigmatise Muslim people. Whether this is true or not, what will remain in people’s minds is that Muslim people as a whole group are the cause for homophobia.”
The letter, which has been posted on Out East’s website, warns the EDL might seize on the march and calls for a dialogue with Muslim group and concludes: “We believe that the most appropriate response to the stickers is to liaise with Muslim communities and others to create bridges and communicate with each other.
“We want both homophobia and Islamophobia addressed as a collective problem and not feed one against the other, we do not recognise these as distinct categories.
“We will refuse any attempt to divide our communities or take the risk that an LGBTQ event is used to oppress other marginalised groups, in particular LGBTQ Muslims who will be the most affected by this rising antagonism.”
In a response posted on Facebook, the organisers of East End Gay Pride state: “We can 100% confirm that the EDL or the SWP [Socialist Workers Party] have absolutely nothing to do with this event in any way, shape or form.”
The message states: “This is wholly a non-political demonstration and purely a high visibility demonstration of the East End gay community. This is not an anti-Muslim march. This is not an anti-anything march. We have stated this over and over again, here and on our website. We simply want to say: “Hang on. You’re wrong. The East End is NOT a Gay-Free zone”.
The Association of British Muslims has condemned the stickers, stating: “There is nothing in the Qur’an against LGBT people. Allah has honoured every son [and] daughter of Adam, so such a hateful message is not only morally and ethically wrong but actually unislamic.”
At a Unite Against Fascism rally in defence of multiculturalism on Wednesday, representatives of both the East End-based Islamic Forum Europe and the East London Mosque expressed support for gay equality and their organisations’ opposition to homophobia.
If they have nothing to hide why dont the organisers call a press conference or publice meeting to state their views ?
The ‘not EDL not SWP’ statement is exactly the wording put forward by the Gert Wilder supporter who tries to organise a student march a few months ago in London.
He joined the Tory Party on the day as no one turned up.
There is actually a fair amount of evidence on the blog Latte Labour that the EDL’s support has been welcomed by the organsers of this event.
http://lattelabour.blogspot.com/2011/03/east-end-gay-pride-update.html
If the EEGP is apolitical why are they reproducing the offensive stickers on their posters and ask people to download them and put them all over town ?
This is not an apolitical march people. BOYCOTT. and tell your friends too.
“The team here at East End Gay Pride would like to announce that they have accepted the resignation of Raymond Berry from the EEGP team.
It has come to light that Raymond has previously had dealings with the English Defence League, however he has assured us that he is no longer any part of the EDL group. He also stated that he has previously attended march’s organised by the EDL”
Muslim LGBTQ organisation Imaan have today released a press statement proving supected links between the organisers of East End Gay Pride (EEGP) and the English Defence League (EDL).
Imaan will be releasing further material this Thursday to prove links between the remaining organisers of EEGP – who they claim have been entirely unresponsive to dialogue – and nationalist, fascist and anti-muslim groups.
(via whitechapelanarchistgroup.wordpress.com)
The idea of an East End Pride was wrong – no matter who put it forward.
the London Pride demo should be routed through east London.
There’s no reason whey it should walk through the smoother bits of the west end.
There is an historical precedent – in 1982 (yes some of us are that old) London Pride (the only one in the UK at the time – was shifted to Bradford.
The Police were being exceptionally heavy-handed with the Gay community..
In regard to an East End (LGBT) Pride – I did not mean that there should never be such a thing – just that this year is not the time.
There should be a major Pride (the all-London) one routed through the East End in 2011.