Top 10 English Defence League (EDL) Lies

Here is a list we put together of silly lies made by the British far-right group, the English Defence League (EDL). Some are analysed in more depth in separate articles, so if you want to read more, please click on the individual headings.

10. The Invisible 400-Man ‘Muslim Mob’

After the EDL were humiliated at their protest in Walsall last year, in which EDL supporters taped themselves throwing missiles at police, the EDL and affiliates claimed that a ‘400 strong Muslim mob’ clashed with police.

There was no evidence that showed any 400 man ‘Muslim mob’ attended. Not in news reports, not in police reports and not in visual evidence. There was however, evidence that the EDL clashed violently with the police.

Further claims later emerged that there were ‘Muslim infiltrators’ who threw missiles at the police (here). No evidence has since been given, and the EDL leader Tommy Robinson (who tweeted about it), didn’t care if it was true either.

9. Was EDL Leadership Funded?

Last year, EDL figures Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll went to an event called the ‘911 World Freedom Congress’ in New York which was organised by hate group founders and far-right demagogues.

Debate began when people asked how the leaders got to the U.S., and whether they were funded.

The EDL posted different sides of the story. The official EDL Facebook Page claimed the travel was paid for by the Americans (confirming they were funded), whilst the EDL Support Group claimed no one did.

Making matters more confusing, EDL leader Tommy Robinson also claimed the EDL had “no funding” in an interview.

Soon after his visit to the U.S., he was arrested and pleaded guilty for entering the U.S. illegally. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

8. The Fake Muslim Population Statistics

In an attempt to stir up fear, an EDL Division started to share seemingly scary figures that supposedly showed the high rise in the Muslim population of Britain.

But the Division failed to provide the source of these statistics and they forgot that the 2012 consensus results weren’t even released to provide a more accurate and up-to-date picture.

A quick Google search revealed the far-right used these fake figures prior to protests and demonstrations.

7. I Said “Ribbit” Not “Breivik”

On BBC’s The Big Question programme, EDL leader Tommy Robinson claimed he did not impersonate Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, whilst talking to an Asian security guard.

Even though the documentary subtitles translated rightly what he said, Robinson claimed he was impersonating a frog, claimed that he didn’t say “Breivik” but actually said “Ribbit” and that he was wearing a “hood” and “goggles” at the time and therefore looked like a frog.

He did not wear any “goggles” or have any hood over his head.

6. The Pregnant Flag-Holding Patriot Who Wasn’t Arrested

EDL Divisions and far-right sites were quick to share a video that supposedly showed a pregnant woman being ‘arrested’ for carrying the British flag in Oldham due to “Muslim complaints”.

But Oldham police quickly quashed the rumours, and a Chief Superintendent said no-one was held when the EDL gathered. The video posted on the net actually showed a woman being led by police towards a Tactical Aid Unit van after an altercation between two men.

The woman was holding a Union Flag and another flag Greater Manchester Police considered had a “highly-inappropriate” message.

5. The Disrespectful Woolwich Poster

On 25th May, the EDL tried to distance itself from a poster that was circulated after the murder of an ex-soldier by two extremists in Woolwich. So the EDL claimed it was a “fake” and blamed an anti-EDL website for making it up.

But EDL leader Tommy Robinson shared it on his personal Twitter account soon after and countless demonstrators were seen holding up the same signs in London.

4. Trying To Cover Up The Nazi Salutes

The EDL took to London recently to capitalise on the Woolwich murder of drummer Lee Rigby by two extremists and many were shocked to see pictures and videos emerge of EDL supporters doing vile Nazi salutes near a British war memorial.

In an interview, EDL leader Tommy Robinson told BBC Radio that there were “no videos of anyone doing a Nazi salute”, even though video and photo evidence proved him wrong.

3. The Celebrities That Never Joined

The EDL has caused quite a bit of stir in the past after photos were shared online of EDL members (notably the EDL leader) with celebrities.

In 2011, the EDL used one of their Facebook support groups to claim that Premiership footballer Joey Barton ‘joined’ the EDL.

It caused a lot of stir, but Blottr reported that Queens Park Rangers Football Club and Joey Barton categorically denied any link between the midfielder and the far-right group who were claiming his support. Barton said he had “no connection with such a group.”

The same claim was made with celebrity Katie Price in 2010 and the EDL again, claimed she ‘joined’ the EDL.

Katie’s PR team later issued a statement saying “Katie Price does not and will not be associated with the English Defence League in any way” stating she simply posed for a picture with someone who told her he was a fan, as she does on many occasions.

Proof of these pictures are scattered around the web (for anyone who wishes to see this failed publicity stunt is true).

2. The Fake Luton School Rape Story

EDL leaders Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll claimed that a Year Seven schoolgirl was gang-raped in a school toilet in Luton by guess whom… “Muslims” (as usual).

This rumour was passed off as true with no evidence and then circulated by the EDL network and beyond into the deep dark depths of the far-right.

But organisation HOPE Not Hate spent a day investigating this claim. They scoured local media, spoke to teachers and parents at local schools and rang every contact they could think of, and no-one had any evidence that this incident took place.

Even police confirmed the incident never happened.

1. Muslims Didn’t “Celebrate” The Woolwich Attack

As many people believed, the EDL tried capitalising on the tragic Woolwich murder. And just to stir up tension, the EDL and various Divisions claimed Muslims were “celebrating” the attack in Oldham (in their ‘hundreds’ to be exact).

It later rang untrue as police themselves wasted time investigating and confirmed that no incidents ever occurred.

And there you have it. The Top 10 lies circulated by the EDL. We believe there are many more that could be added. If you know of any, leave a comment.