VIDEO: Small turnout for Dagenham EDL march to lay flowers in memory of Drummer Lee Rigby
EDL members march along Dagenham Heathway - Credit: Archant
Members of the English Defence League walked almost unnoticed through a busy high street today before laying a wreath at a war memorial in memory of soldier Drummer Lee Rigby.
EDL members hold a minute's silence in memory of murdered soldier Lee Rigby at Dagenham war memorial - Credit: Archant
A small procession of five marched along Dagenham Heathway high street before meeting around 35 supporters, some with floral tributes, to lay a wreath of red flowers in the shape of a cross at the foot of the war memorial on the corner of Church Elm Lane.
A teddy bear laid by supporters in memory of Lee Rigby at the Dagenham war memorial - Credit: Archant
A handful of Police Community Support Officers were on hand but there was no sign of trouble or any presence from opposition groups as a minute’s silence was held just after 1pm in memory of 25-year-old Drummer Rigby, who was attacked and killed in Woolwich on May 22.
A spokesman for anti-fascist charity Unite Against Fascism said: “It is disgusting that the EDL are trying to make political capital out of the murder of Lee Rigby.
“It is wrong that they are trying to encourage more divisions, more hatred and actually more violence on our streets. What we need now is unity.”
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But English Defence League (EDL) Dagenham division leader Diane Scrimshaw said: “How can (our actions) not be helping the situation? We are just paying our respects. We have been practising for three years about what happened the other week (in Woolwich).”
“We have been going on about extremism and the way that these people are getting radicalised.
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“It just goes to show what people feel.”
EDL members and supporters were also due to lay a wreath at a war memorial in Romford later this afternoon.
