An EDL (English Defence League) demonstration set to take place in York on Saturday as part of a series of national demonstrations will clash with YUSU LGBTQ attended event York Pride.
The far-right organisation have risen to greater prominence following their activity in the aftermath of the killing of British soldier Lee Rigby by two extremists in Woolwich on 22nd May.
The demonstration is once again set to be met with counter protests after over 100 students and community members turned out in opposition to a rumoured EDL protest in York last Sunday. University of York Green Party Press Officer Josiah Mortimer said: “The EDL are demonstrating again in York this Saturday – come and show your opposition to them stirring up racism and division in our city. Assemble 1.30pm at the Station Rise war memorial (within the city walls, near the train station) – please share widely!”
Concerns over the EDL demonstrations have been raised by some of the students due to attend the York Pride event. First-year LGBTQ committee member Lexy Hudson said: “York Pride will be happening at the same time… they’d better not mess that up for us on top of everything else.”
However, YUSU LGBTQ Officer Madeleine Boden does not expect the march to be affected, telling Vision: “This is a separate event being held in the city centre at a time near, but not overlapping with our march. We’re a peaceful parade and hope that everyone will respect the day’s event and enjoy. York Pride is working with the police to keep everyone involved safe and we hope as many people as possible feel they can come along and be involved.”
The York Pride march will start at the University’s Market Square at midday, before heading to the Minster at 12:30pm “with banners, face paint and our loudest voices.” The event will continue until 6pm, meaning it will clash with the EDL protest in terms of time, but they may avoid meeting each other.
So the story here is that the EDL march will clash with the pride march, but you actually have a quote from the relevant YUSU officer saying that it won’t?
Its important to make some clarifications here.
York Pride isn’t a YUSU LGBTQ event, while we’re proud to be working with the York Pride Committee, and indeed Maddie represents us on that committee, we don’t want to take credit for the hard work of those people who have made this event happen.
The York Pride March will begin at YORK MINSTER at 12:00, and those students that want to head into town together should meet at costcutter on Market Square ready to leave at 11:45.
The York Pride Parade route does not go near the proposed site of the EDL gathering.
The counter-protest states that it is meeting at 13:30, while the EDL gathering itself is described as beginning at 14:00. By this time the parade will have arrived at the racecourse and the festival part of York Pride will be underway.
York Pride has been working with the police throughout the planning process, and police will be on hand to manage the parade and ensure the safety of everyone involved.
If anybody has any concerns at all about attending due to the EDL’s presence, please get in touch with either Maddie or myself at [email protected] , and we’ll do all we can to make sure you feel safe enough to participate.
Saturday should be a great day, we currently anticipate no problems, and we look forward to seeing you all getting your Pride on!
This is a total non-story.
The headline suggests that the EDL plan to “clash” (i.e. violently) with the York Pride parade. Yet there is no evidence of this. Moreover, a spokesman for YUSU LGBTQ*+ABC123 (or whatever it’s called this week) is then quoted as saying that, in fact, the EDL and York Pride marches are scheduled to be held at completely different times.
In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that this article is defamatory.
@Roya
Firstly, nowhere is violence implied anywhere in this article. Clash refers to the timings, which do overlap, although the two groups are likely to be in different places at this point, as stated at the end of the article. As for calling it defamatory, I’d check your facts on that one.
Glad to see this getting some attention. Hopefully, despite the distances involved, members of York’s LGBT and Queer communities will be able to march to the Knavesmire and still manage to participate in the anti-EDL event at 1.30.
EDL members will be in and around town throughout the day, and may seek to intimidate members of the public with whom they feel they have a grievance.
@Graham Martin let me get this straight, you are glad people are going to the LGBTQ parade which is about people being able express and live the lifestyle they choose -that’s great!
But you also say hopefully they can make the Anti-EDL event which is a different event about people also expressing their believes and chosen lifestyle, so you support protesting against other peoples believes?
also where has this link that the EDL are anti-LGBTQ come from? I mean i wasn’t aware of them supporting those views but I am willing to be corrected if this is the case.
I actually really like Alex Finnis, he’s a cool guy. And he lifts. I don’t care if you people say that this article is bad. I actually really like Alex Finnis so just leave it.