Manic Street Preachers start legal action after EDL use anti-fascist song
Indie band Manic Street Preachers are understood to be starting legal action after the far-right English Defence league (EDL) used one of their songs to promote a demonstration in Birmingham.
The band's song If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next is used in the background of a video about radical Islam.
The choice is particularly ironic given the song is inspired by anti-fascist propaganda during the Spanish civil war.
The title is from a poster highlighting the death of children in bombing raids and the song includes the famous line, also from the Spanish Civil War: "If I can shoot rabbits, then I can shoot fascists."
Michael Wongsam, chair of West Midlands Unite Against Fascism, said: "This song takes its title from an anti-fascist slogan used during the Spanish Civil War where anti-racists and anti-fascists from all over Europe tried to stop Franco's fascists from taking over the country.
"We want to have a peaceful counter demonstration on the day to show that Birmingham is a united, multicultural and peaceful community that does not want a group of racist and fascist thugs intimidating or attacking Muslims or any other minority group in our city."
A Manic Street Preachers spokesperson told the NME the band were "horrified" the group were using their music to promote their anti-Islam message.
The Manic Street Preachers have long been known for their dark and intellectual treatment of political issues.
One of the group's early albums, The Holy Bible, was themed on the Holocaust. The band also travelled to Cuba where they played to a large crowd and met Fidel Castro.
