EDL Don’t Belong in Rotherham

But every time the 'Amy of Hate' visits us they leave our community feeling vulnerable. The police have enough to deal with, without this unnecessarily pressure added.

The EDL’s motto is “Not racist, not violent, no longer silent.”

Does anybody else see the irony in this?

“Not racist” EDL is a fascist group who are clearly Islamophobic.

They are not silent when they are hurling racial abuse.

Most Muslims in Rotherham respect the law and want to live peacefully, if EDL allow us.

I write this sitting at home as EDL have disrupted another Saturday and created tension between communities long after they are gone, which hardly seems fair.

Today we gave 1,000 police officers over to the EDL’s so-called “peaceful protest”.

Police resources are limited and it cost us £500,000 to protect our town.

That is half a million wasted.

This could have been used on something more worthwhile, like helping our local libraries and improving the states of our community parks.

We live in a democracy which is something we all value that and the EDL have the right to peacefully protest and express their opinions but for the past few years they've been doing it in our small town.

It is about time the Home Secretary put a stop to it or foot the bill, as the local politicians and police cannot stop them.

The Home Secretary does not live in Rotherham, so her life is not interrupted.

Many shops in our town centre have been forced to close, leading to them losing a day’s takings which could have been used to feed their families.

Muslim taxi drivers and take away workers become more vulnerable to attacks after the hate armies visit.

EDL said 2,000 of their members would take part in the march and the police initially estimated 1,000 but around 400 came, along with 200 counter protestors.

It’s a good thing Rotherham United were playing in Preston as we don’t want football tainted with racism.

There is a big difference between 2,000 and 400.

If the EDL were bright they would realise even their so-called supporters are losing interest.

Even though there have been no reported arrests they still ruined another Saturday for our town’s people.

Looking at the EDL website, everything is just about hatred towards Islam, nothing more. So why isn’t their hate crime being stopped in Rotherham?

My message to EDL is don’t come back, enough is enough.

Many of us are afraid to speak up to you but the brave ones all say what everyone else is thinking.

You don’t belong here.

“Peacefully protest” somewhere else, or don’t bother at all.

by Aliya Qaddar (15), from Rotherham