Nouveau Fascism?

I have a problem. OK, not personally, but I have a problem with the word fascism and calling people fascists. It occurred to me during the anti-EDL march at the start of the month. I found myself in a group of people carrying placards and shouting “EDL, fascist scum!” And perhaps controversially, I don't think the EDL are fascists.

And I'm not alone. The Hope not Hate website EDL article has this:

“The English Defence League (EDL) is a racist organisation whose main activity is street demonstrations against the Muslim community”, and, “the EDL is not a national socialist or a fascist organisation but that certainly does not mean it is not a right-wing extremist organisation”.

EDL outnumbered 4 to 1 (at least)

Estimating the number of people at protests is always difficult. Each side always tries to exaggerate their own turnout. But even if we use the biggest estimate of EDL numbers, and the smallest estimate of anti-EDL protesters, they were still outnumbered 4 to 1.

I'm being generous to them just to show how insignificant they are. If we reverse the logic (smallest EDL estimate and largest anti estimate) the ratio jumps to nearer 7 to 1.

Numbers aside, the most important thing we need to ask is, what on earth are they protesting about? The Westcountry is the least ethnically diverse place I can think of. Honestly, if any of the EDL on the streets of Plymouth yesterday ever travelled to London, they'd have a heart attack.

The EDL say they are protesting against Islam (they've started to drop the militant bit). They argue that all Muslims are at heart as extreme as the Taliban, and that if we are not careful, Britain will soon become an Islamic state. Rather laughably, the EDL claimed yesterday that they were defending women, homosexuals, children (from paedophiles), English culture, human rights, equality, the very fabric of our society.

In reality what we saw was a small group of drunken football hooligans being escorted through the streets of Plymouth while shouting “E – E – EDL”. Very productive. I feel safer already.