Football Lads Alliance

[malumbu]

Apologies for a link the the Daily Express. I am sure that there is a separate story here.

1000s of footy fans marched this weekend against extremism.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/863524/Football-fans-protest-London-Park-Lane-terror-attack-Manchester-extremism-terrorist-racism

I'd be interested what people think. I've got my own views.

[red devil]

You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine...

[Annasfield]

"Lads"

[uncleglen]

I get the distinct impression that the far left will go all out to get them banned as there seem to be links to people from the far right...Diane Abbott has put her 4 penn'orth in as well. Then all the other virtue signallers will come out of the woodwork...

[JoeLeg]

It's the EDL by another name. They think a lot of themselves, and promote the FLA as being a fairly generic anti-extremist outfit. It's not.

I suspect (I could be wrong) the reason they've not had as much press as they'd like is that most of the media know it's basically an attempt by the EDL to gain support covertly using football fan networks to spread an apparent message of peace and love that hides a deeper, darker agenda.

[JoeLeg]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I get the distinct impression that the far left

> will go all out to get them banned as there seem

> to be links to people from the far right...Diane

> Abbott has put her 4 penn'orth in as well. Then

> all the other virtue signallers will come out of

> the woodwork...

Fuck off.

It's nothing to do with virtue signalling; this is a direct attempt by the EDL to spread their bigotry by subterfuge. It's a classic example of "if you're not with us you're against us", and they need to be seen for what they are, dangerous throwbacks looking to capitalise on fear.

The FLA is not to be taken lightly, they have definate far right links, and just because you hate the far left doesn't mean it's ok to excuse these people. Grow up.

[Loz]

JoeLeg Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I suspect (I could be wrong) the reason they've

> not had as much press as they'd like is that most

> of the media know it's basically an attempt by the

> EDL to gain support covertly using football fan

> networks to spread an apparent message of peace

> and love that hides a deeper, darker agenda.

First I've heard of them.

But surely recruiting lots of 'moderates' is counter-productive to an extreme movement?

[JoeLeg]

That's the point. The EDL knows it's been widely discredited, and the FLA is its way back in.

It's very hard to argue with their core message, allowing them to paint themselves as reasonable. All that goes out the window when you remember this is the EDL by another name.

Thin end of the wedge, this is a new tactic by them. They have no intention of stopping there.

[maxxi]

Tired of this regurgitation of fascism as football, so what JoeLeg said.

I have long since come to terms with the fact that the club I support - West Ham - has an attraction for the far right racist scum that infest the East but only an idiot would not see through this attempt to rebrand their nasty agenda.

[rendelharris]

JoeLeg Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> uncleglen Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I get the distinct impression that the far left

> > will go all out to get them banned as there

> seem

> > to be links to people from the far

> right...Diane

> > Abbott has put her 4 penn'orth in as well. Then

> > all the other virtue signallers will come out

> of

> > the woodwork...

>

> @#$%& off.

>

> It's nothing to do with virtue signalling; this is

> a direct attempt by the EDL to spread their

> bigotry by subterfuge. It's a classic example of

> "if you're not with us you're against us", and

> they need to be seen for what they are, dangerous

> throwbacks looking to capitalise on fear.

>

> The FLA is not to be taken lightly, they have

> definate far right links, and just because you

> hate the far left doesn't mean it's ok to excuse

> these people. Grow up.

He won't you know. I daresay to unclehate the demonstrators who stopped the Blackshirts in Cable Street were just virtue signalling as well.

[JohnL]

White, Male and Bald all eyeballing everybody.

Reminds me of a particular pub in central London now closed.

[Loz]

I have as much distaste of groups of football fans as anyone, but I still cannot see any definitely links as yet with the far right. Yes, there were come EDLers at the march, but that doesn't (necessarily) mean the group itself is aligned. We know that there are anti-Semitic types 'linked' with Labour, but we shouldn't write off the whole Labour party because it.

I'm not giving the FLA a clean bill of health at all, but I'd rather have some evidence before I write something off.

[red devil]

Maybe the FLA organisers, and the majority of the marchers, aren't far-right, but we've been here before.

The EDL started of saying they weren't far-right. I can remember seeing a docu on them just after they formed, a small group of masked 'lads' from Luton, including a couple of black guys, burning a Nazi flag on camera as a way of 'proving' that they weren't far-right. We all know what the EDL subsequently morphed in to.

There's been a previous attempt to 'unite' football hooligans...Casuals United. They were closely affiliated to the EDL. Disbanded in 2014, I wouldn't be surprised if it's former members have now attached themselves to the FLA. If the FLA organisers are serious about being non-political/far-right, then they need to get their lardy arses in gear before the same thing happens again...

[uncleglen]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have as much distaste of groups of football fans

> as anyone, but I still cannot see any definitely

> links as yet with the far right. Yes, there were

> come EDLers at the march, but that doesn't

> (necessarily) mean the group itself is aligned. We

> know that there are anti-Semitic types 'linked'

> with Labour, but we shouldn't write off the whole

> Labour party because it.

>

> I'm not giving the FLA a clean bill of health at

> all, but I'd rather have some evidence before I

> write something off.

Don't worry Loz- evidence will be found or manufactured....

I KNOW the far left- and if you are a woman- watch out

[Loz]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't worry Loz- evidence will be found or manufactured....

> I KNOW the far left- and if you are a woman- watch out

The further from the centre you get - left or right - the less I trust what they say. I expect in this case, there will be some sane, centrist voices that will get to the bottom of this.

Like others here, I have my doubts about this group, but I am willing to wait to see what comes up. The fact that the convener has a hooliganism conviction is not a good start, but neither is it the smoking gun (for the want of a better phrase).

[fishbiscuits]

My view - it is na?ve to even consider that this could be an innocent anti-terror march.

We are pretty much ALL against terrorism and religious extremism. It is the default view for the majority. A march is not needed, unless you have some kind of subtext. The far right ALWAYS try to phrase their beliefs to fit the mainstream dialogue... and they always deny they're racists. Seen it all before.

If they really were a "great bunch of lads" with a small handful of racists in attendance, then they would have sent the racists packing. They didn't. So they're at the very least complicit.

So... f*ck off and take your knuckle-dragging, football hooligan, lager swilling lad culture bollox with you.

[Parkdrive]

Mr Meighan also drew loud applause in his call for foreign terror suspects to be deported during any ongoing police investigations.

He said: "We want all terrorist suspects who are not British citizens, who pose a threat to society, to be permanently removed from this country.

"Why should they be allowed to do what they do? So what, they're suspects - get them out of here."

Obviously never heard of innocent until proven guilty , and why only single out terrorist suspects who aren't British citizens, what does he suggest we do with terrorist suspects that are British Citizens? I think I can guess.

[Loz]

Parkdrive Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "Why should they be allowed to do what they do? So what, they're suspects - get them out of here."

>

> Obviously never heard of innocent until proven guilty , and why only single out terrorist

> suspects who aren't British citizens, what does he suggest we do with terrorist suspects that are

> British Citizens? I think I can guess.

I suspect because it is rather difficult to deport a British citizen. Whether or not they know that most of the terrorists who have attacked people in the name of ISIS in the UK have been British citizens is probably another matter altogether.

But, as I've tried to say, innocent until proven guilty has to apply to the FLA as well.

[JohnL]

Tommy Robinson speaking at Columbia University - there's definitely an attempt to 'mainstream' the right.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/former-edl-leader-tommy-robinson-to-give-talk-at-prestigious-us-university-a3654316.html

I thought once you're refused entry to the states you can't go back.

[red devil]

He will do it via Skype. It's been organised by a Republican student group, about 30 members. It's that 'free speech' argument again. Fine, as long as what someone says isn't illegal...

[JoeLeg]

UG, I'm not defending the far-left - no one here is defending the far left - because they're a pretty despicable bunch of fools (turns out the forums software won't let me say what I really think of them!). But I'm guessing you've gone off your meds again because that's got nothing to do with the FLA, despite your weird attempts to turn it into another rant about people you don't like.

Loz, if what I believe about them somehow doesn't turn out to be true I'll be amazed. But I'd be very happy to be proved wrong. So far however the FLA is doing an excellent job of looking like everything that was wrong about supporters in the late 1980's; they grabbed onto anti-IRA sentiment back then, while being violent thugs. Yes, maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

[Annasfield]

I fear Joeleg is spot on on this

Interesting demographic in attendance.

[malumbu]

Interesting that James McClean got the only goal tonight as Ireland got into the World Cup play offs. He that refused to wear the poppy and got grief from home fans and opposition. Pat Nevin summed it up nicely that this was his choice, was informed, and this is his right.

Wonder how many FLA sing "no surrender to the IRA".

Not surprisingly I have already had separate debates on the subject of the thread. There is probably a old school working class reclaim our national sport, vs educated/middle class newbies angle to. Bit like Brexit.

[JohnL]

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Interesting that James McClean got the only goal

> tonight as Ireland got into the World Cup play

> offs. He that refused to wear the poppy and got

> grief from home fans and opposition. Pat Nevin

> summed it up nicely that this was his choice, was

> informed, and this is his right.

>

> Wonder how many FLA sing "no surrender to the

> IRA".

>

> Not surprisingly I have already had separate

> debates on the subject of the thread. There is

> probably a old school working class reclaim our

> national sport, vs educated/middle class newbies

> angle to. Bit like Brexit.

I got twitter banned for 30 minutes last night for my colourful language after that goal :)

I remember deciding to wind up the guy below as a 16 year old visiting Cardiff (he was about the same age) - my friends dragged me to a changing room and held me down to stop me. No 1 hooligan of the time apparently (and of course I didn't know) - He wasn't at the FLA march from what I can tell.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/programmes/2002/hooligans/gallery/annis_abraham.stm

Edit: Like taking the knee - wearing a poppy is an individual decision - I can't understand the big thing that is made of it.

[rendelharris]

The question which surely should be asked is what's the point of the march? Protesting against terrorists, well they're sure to listen. It's not as if the government isn't taking steps to try to prevent terrorism. So at best it's a sort of pointless virtue signalling (how nice to be able to level that accusation at the right for once!), "Oh, we really care about terrorist attacks and want them to stop" - nobody else does, of course - and at worst it's a cover for anti-immigrant sentiment (which is what one suspects). At best, misguided, at worst, sinister.