The first national mobilisation by the English Defence League’s so-called “Angels” women’s division presented a farcical spectacle at Downing Street today, with women EDL members heavily outnumbered by men.

The EDL is an organisation of racists and fascists – and its “Angels” division is no exception – so UAF organised a counter-protest, led by women antifascists.

But when the so-called ‘Angels’ arrived, they were only around 100-strong, despite pulling in EDL members from as far away as Coventry – and only around 15 or 20 of them were women!

The true nature of the EDL was on display as one of the fascists gave Hitler’s “sieg heil” salute.

On the counter-protest, women antifascists made up a majority of demonstrators, with young women, trade unionists and pensioners, black, white and Asian, all determined to voice their opposition to the racists and fascists of the EDL.

The national banner of the PCS civil servants’ union, RMT rail union flags, and banners and placards from women’s groups were on proud display on the upbeat and noisy UAF counter-protest.

As it became clear that the “Angels” had failed to show on what was supposededly their own demo, the antifascsists began to chant “Where are the women?” and “Where’s your angels gone?” alongside “Black and white, unite and fight” and “EDL go to hell, take your Nazi mates as well”.

The overwhelmingly male EDL members showed what they really think of women – and gave the lie to their claims to support LGBT people – with chants of “lesbian scum” and “back to the kitchen”.

Individual antifascist women were called “dykes” by EDL members in a further display of sexism and homophobia.

The EDL’s poisonous politics have nothing to offer women – or men. Today’s fiasco shows what a lie it is when the EDL claims to support women’s rights.

Pics by Kelvin Williams