69-year-old pensioner, Andrew Smith, has spoken out against the English Defence League after he was beaten up by some of its members. Smith, who was attacked at a Socialist Worker stall in Lewisham South London, said:

The English Defence League have planned a mass demonstration in their hometown of Luton on Saturday. Previous events have ended in violence, particularly with clashes with anti-fascist group Unite Against Fascism who plan counter demos on the same days at the EDL. Luton residents and business owners have expressed concern over the demonstration, resulting in the two groups being banned from protesting in the town centre. Incidents such as the attack on Andrew Smith create tension and concern over planned EDL events, locals have expressed their worry on Twitter, with many saying they do not intend to leave the house on Saturday for fear of the likely disturbances as a result of the demonstrations. Although the counter demos are positive in that they stand up to the EDL, and the presence of people such as Andrew Smith challenges their intimidating and sometimes violent behaviour, that clashes between the two are common place does nothing to reassure the citizens of Luton who will be most affected by the weekend's events. Photograph via: Socialist Worker.