| BBC3 broadcast a TV documentary called "Young British and Angry" about the EDL. You can always criticise a documentary for something it did not show, but overall this film was pretty good, and it did try to be balanced, showing both racist thugs and decent people in the EDL. As to whether all these EDL supporters are letting themselves be USED by Fascist provocateurs however, "Young British and Angry" did not show any of the dozens of photos of EDL making Nazi salutes, they ignored videos of EDL calling police "Paki loving Bastards", and ignored evidence of BNP activist Chris Renton's role as Commander of the EDL. The programme showed unprovoked EDL violence and rioting, and showed EDL supporters chanting racist abuse. The film made good points about links between EDL support and poverty, but failed to ask whether poverty's much of an issue in the life of millionaire EDL backer Alan Lake. It's also unclear what EDL stunts like vandalising KFC restaurants, harassing their staff, and attending sectarian rallies in Ireland have to do with opposing Islamist terrorism. "Young British and Angry" also showed the tiny number of ethnic minority supporters in the EDL. When it comes to using football fans as cannon-fodder, right-wing provocateurs are just as happy to manipulate gullible black people as they are to manipulate gullible white people. As a case in point, the programme showed EDL poster-boy and Asian Rangers fan Abdul, who made very sensible comments. However (much as I ... |
