THIS is the controversial Luton Irishman behind the far right English Defence League who have been protesting against ethnic groups on Britain’s streets in the aftermath of last month’s Woolwich terrorist attack in London.
Founder Stephen Lennon has mobilised EDL members in violent anti-Islamic protests across the country, which has seen mosques and Muslim communities targeted, in the two weeks since Soldier Lee Rigby was killed.
Lennon had taken to Twitter to threaten to take on ‘plastic paddies’ at Wembley’s England verses Ireland football friendly last Wednesday.
However, the threat was not followed through.
Lennon, who goes by the name Tommy Robinson, was born to a Dublin mother and Scottish father in Luton, where he formed the extremist group in 2009.
Although he classes himself as an Englishman, he has publicly claimed to be ‘proud’ of his Irish heritage, but messages on his Twitter feed reveal the opposite.
Posts found on Lennon’s social networking account, show the second-generation Irishman regularly refutes his heritage and abuses those who claim he is Irish.
He has also posted a string of anti-Irish slurs and remarks.
In one message he claims his parents would be “in Ireland picking potatoes and eating cabbages”, if they hadn’t moved to England.
Elsewhere those tweeting him are branded ‘fools’ and ‘wronguns’ for claiming he is Irish.
Another post is used to inform his followers that “cos of all this abuse from plastic paddys we are taking a tidy mob to England Ireland on 29th.”
More than 1,500 EDL supporters marched through central London and protested at Downing Street last Monday.
The group congregated in Trafalgar Square before marching to Westminster and descending on a ‘Support our Troops’ demonstration being held in response to the Woolwich killing.
Thirty-year-old Lennon, who co-founded the EDL in Luton with fellow second generation Irishman Kevin O’Carroll - whose parents also hail from Dublin – was among a masked group of EDL members in Woolwich two weeks ago on the night after Drummer Rigby’s death.
That protest saw violent clashes with police as more than a hundred EDL members hurled bottles and anti-Muslim abuse while demonstrating close to the scene of the attack.
Violence erupted as mosques were attacked and police attempted to control the scene, where EDL members chanted “no surrender to Muslim scum’ and ‘rule Britannia’.
The following Saturday the group led a similar protest in Newcastle, before returning to London last Monday (May 27) for the Downing Street demo.
When contacted by The Irish Post the EDL failed to respond.
The EDL protests have increased fears of far right reprisals upon the Muslim community in Britain.
Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone was among politicians and anti-fascist supporters who took a stand against the EDL last week.
He called for British citizens of all communities to condemn their violent protests and unite against fascist movements who may seek to capitalise on fears surrounding the Woolwich killing.
“There will be those who will seek to scapegoat entire communities for this barbaric act,” said Mr Livingstone, Honorary President of United against Fascism group.
“This is what terrorists want, and rely on. For people to feel fear, to turn on each other and to bring down the very essence of London, the most successful melting pot in the history of the world and the city of the free.”
He added: “Already, violent fascists have taken to the streets in Woolwich adding insult to the injury that community is feeling. Already there have been reprisal attacks against Mosques. We must not let this violent minority exploit this crime for their own hateful gains.”
See this week’s Irish Post (out Wednesday, June 5) for an interview with EDL leader and controversial Luton Irishman Stephen Lennon
