Far-right extremists unite for summit

People from various anti-Islamic groups from all over Europe came together. Photo / AP

It was heralded as the start of something big: the opening salvo in the formation of a pan-European coalition of anti-Islamic groups that opponents feared might replicate street armies similar to those that undermined European democracies in the 1930s.

Instead, attempts to orchestrate a new European anti-Islamic group by Tommy Robinson, head of the English Defence League, appeared to falter in the weak Danish sun.

Despite a rallying call to create the largest mobilisation of the far right on Danish soil since World War II, barely 200 supporters converged at the league's European Counter-Jihad Meeting, its first such summit. They were easily outnumbered by the media and onlookers.

By contrast, up to 4000 anti-fascist demonstrators gathered several minutes' walk east along Aarhus's Vester Alle arterial road, a figure far higher than expected.

Accompanied by sound systems and flag-waving students, communists and anti-racist protesters, organisers described it as the country's largest anti-fascist mobilisation in 15 years.

Robinson appeared accompanied by his cousin, Kevin Carroll, one of the founding fathers of the EDL. Both wore T-shirts stating: "The EDL hates Nazis and Islamists."

Robinson said: "We are here to exercise democracy and freedom," explaining that only a handful of EDL supporters had travelled over, mainly from the organisation's Weymouth division. Some reports had anticipated up to 300 English would make the trip.

Groups from the German Defence League's Rhein-Main and Hanover divisions did come, mostly wearing "maximum resistance" shirts, and there were a number from the Danish Defence League, though there were notable absences from Sweden and Poland, countries with sizeable far-right followings.

Among those who did show as expected was Anders Gravers of Stop Islamisation of Europe. In addition, around 50 mainly middle-aged defence league supporters had travelled north from Germany.

Betty Weitzmann, 51, from Nuremburg, said: "It's a real danger, our society will be destroyed by Islamism at the end of the day. In English society you have sharia law, 80 courts are practising it there."

Around 25 hailed from Norway; all those interviewed agreed with the anti-Islamic sentiments expressed by Anders Behring Breivik, the 33-year-old who killed 77 people in twin attacks in Norway almost eight months ago, if not his actions. But across the city, dozens of Norwegians had gathered to join the anti-fascist march and denounce the anti-Islamic rhetoric used by politicians.

Although the EDL leadership had been keen to stress that the European Counter-Jihad Meeting was not about numbers, the failure of senior figures to show was conspicuous. Denmark is an obvious choice for the EDL. The Danish People's Party is one of the most successful anti-immigration parties in Europe in terms of the ballot box, securing 12.3 per cent in elections weeks after Breivik's killing spree. The Danish Defence League is probably one of the fastest-growing national movements after the EDL. Founded just over a year ago, it claims 1000 supporters who pay membership fees alongside "divisions" in 10 cities.

- Observer