Urgent message from Stella Creasy MP

Working for Walthamstow: Thank you - and update on how to raise your concerns about English Defence League Protest in Walthamstow Saturday 9 May 2015                   

Hello!

I’m writing to thank the people of Walthamstow for my re-election yesterday as your MP - it has been a privilege to serve as your elected representative since 2010 and I am honoured that you have chosen me again to speak up for our community and our causes, both here in Walthamstow and in Westminster. Sadly the first thing I have to do after being re-elected is to update you on the events taking place in Walthamstow on Saturday 9 May involving the English Defence League and how to raise your concerns about this visit with the police using the details below.

The EDL have no following in our diverse and peaceful community here. Those organising this ’protest’ are not residents, and their literature and online social media make clear their intent is to disrupt the good community relations that we have here and that we value. This is their fourth such attempt to organise a protest in Walthamstow. Each time they have announced plans to come it has raised community tension here, with residents of all faith and none offended and aggrieved by their harassment.

This current proposal has been explicitly linked by the EDL to an earlier incident in 2012 when they marched in Walthamstow. Those who participated in their action on that day were drunk and violent, shouting abusive and religiously insensitive comments as they walked through the area. The counter protest opposing the EDL managed to disrupt their route, and the situation subsequently degenerated into fighting and public disorder. Arrests were made and local residents suffered as their cars and homes were attacked and they felt threatened by the presence of this group in our area.  In their online media about this latest proposed event, members of the EDL have encouraged those who oppose them to ‘again bring bricks and bats’ and they have used pictures of weapons, body armour, broken windows and rioting. I have already provided evidence to the police of these postings. 

It is clear from talking to residents and the online communications that I have had that their visit will again heighten local tension and the possibility of public disorder. Already counter protests involving large numbers have been planned, raising the prospect of a high volume of people on our streets which will further impact on the ability of the police to manage any such event. It is likely the cost of policing for this event will also be considerable.

Currently the police have imposed conditions on the EDL which mean that their march will pass through residential and business area. Their proposal is to assemble at Blackhorse Road tube station for 12pm until 1pm, then to march to a meeting point nearby Waltham Forest Town Hall on the corner of Forest Road, Farnan Avenue and Hurst Road) to meet there for upto 60 minutes and return to Blackhorse Road tube station by 4pm. I understand that the UAF/We are Waltham Forest counter protest is intending to meet at 11am at Waltham Forest Town Hall. The police then tell me this group has conditions on its own march which require it to process from Forest Road to the Wood Street Plaza and disperse by 3.30pm. Whilst I have had no notice from them on this matter or any other representations about the visit by the EDL, I understand that the Council has imposed traffice restrictions on Forest Road and Wood Street from 11.30am until 6.30pm on Saturday to prevent traffic on these roads.

I have put forward as strong a case as I can to both the police and Home Secretary that given the link made by the EDL to their previous visit to Walthamstow and their current social media activity on this event, there is no change in the risk this group pose to our community. I have therefore argued that to prevent violent disorder and harassment of residents their march should be moved to an alternative location outside of our area using the Public Order Act provisions.  The Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has also written to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to explicitly support this view – at present I have had no response from the Home Secretary to these concerns. The Metropolitan Police tell me that they consider the conditions they have already imposed on this event to ‘strike the balance between the right to peaceful assembly and peaceful protest and their duty to prevent crime and disorder’.

If you wish to make further representations about the decision to enable the EDL to march in Walthamstow please write to the Met Police using this email and copy me in as your local MP so that my office may ensure your concerns are acknowledged. Furthermore please do share with the police on this email any social media posts you may see regarding this matter that concern the explicit possibility of violence, vandalism, harassment or public disorder so that they are aware of the way in which this organisation is interacting with local residents. Whilst I am extremely disappointed that this march has not been moved outside of Walthamstow despite the evidence of the risk to the local community, tomorrow I will also be seeking to update the police and public agencies on any concerns of local residents about the impact of this event on Walthamstow whilst out observing how public order is being managed,  so please use social media to update me should you have further concerns, as I will be checking this regularly and sharing what information I am given with the police on the day.

The EDL wish to see the lives of residents in Walthamstow disrupted by their vile hatred- let us show them by our refusal to be frightened or provoked that Walthamstow is a peaceful community, confident in its diversity and intolerant only of their bigotry. 

I hope this information is useful to residents ahead of tomorrow,

Labour and Cooperative MP for Walthamstow

p.s. Thank you once again for re-electing me and you can find the full election results for Walthamstow here-  my normal weekly e-newsletter service will be resumed next week!

This e-newsletter is produced and promoted by Stella Creasy and James Hedges, both at 23 Orford Road E17 9NL. Please note information gathered as part of producing this e-newsletter may also be used by the Labour Party for campaigning purposes.