Category Archives: Far right racists

Councillors who voted in favour of Currumbin mosque receive death threats

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Stop the mosque at currumbin 'Traitors'
Far-right anti-mosque campaign whips up hatred against Currumbin councillors

Police are investigating death threats made against Gold Coast councillors who voted to support the controversial Currumbin mosque. Threatening phone messages were left at offices of northern Gold Coast councillors William Owen-Jones and Cameron Caldwell just after noon yesterday.

Police told the Bulletin the threats were of a “non-specific” nature but related to both councillors supporting the approval of the mosque at Wednesday’s planning committee meeting. They were among five councillors who voted to support the project, including Lex Bell, Greg Betts and Donna Gates.

The Bulletin understands both councillors were interviewed by police late yesterday and Cr Owen-Jones has declined to make a complaint. It is understood the person suspected of making the threats is known to councillors but both Cr Owen-Jones and Cr Caldwell declined to comment.

Queensland Police confirmed threats had been made and said the investigation was ongoing. Threatening a public official is a crime in Queensland.

Continue reading →

Another hysterical anti-mosque campaign in Australia

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Currumbin anti-mosque protest

Gold Coast leaders say a radical anti-Islamic “redneck movement” is damaging the city’s reputation and putting its $4.2 billion tourism industry at risk.

State Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey last night black-listed the public outpouring against the background of an application to build a mosque in Currumbin. “I am deeply disappointed by this because this [protest] does not represent the people of the Gold Coast or the people of my electorate and are is not helping anyone’s cause,” she said.

More than 100 people yesterday attended the heated protest at Evandale yesterday, where the city’s planning committee recommended approving the application to build the mosque. Placards from the protest decrying Sharia law and invoking images of the beheading of US journalists in Iraq by members of Islamic State were beamed worldwide. The banners included: “Super mosque today, Sharia Law and ISIS tomorrow, beheadings the next”; “Team Australia Vs Team Terror: Aussies rule” and “burqua (sic) or bikinis – you decide”.

Protesters heard former Whitlam era political cartoonist and Gold Coast resident Larry Pickering argue that the dispute was not about town planning issues. “It is not about carparks or proximity to houses. It is about what we don’t want to be a part of Australian culture and until those bastards in there are honest about it then we will not take a step forward,” Mr Pickering said. “Sharia is the most evil of all laws. This is Australia for Christ sake. Why are we allowing this?”

Continue reading →

Police investigate as semi-naked man in homemade burka does ice bucket challenge video while waving sausages and bacon outside Bolton mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Bolton mosque ice bucket challenge (2)A video showing a semi-naked man wearing a burka while doing an ice bucket challenge outside a mosque is being investigated by police.

The clip shows the man, clutching a packet of bacon, with sausages dangling between his legs, being drenched in water outside the Zakariyya Mosque in Peace Street, Daubhill. The man, wearing only his underwear, socks and shoes and a makeshift burka, makes several offensive remarks about Islam.

Another man with him can be heard telling him to hurry up, to which the man responds that he is not scared.

The video – seen by The Bolton News – was uploaded to YouTube and Facebook but was later removed. It is believed a number of people reported the incident to police, who are now investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Continue reading →

Five convicted over EDL Thatcham protest

Posted on by Bob Pitt

EDL Thatcham flash demo

Four English Defence League (EDL) members have been convicted of a religiously aggravated offence following a Thatcham town centre protest.

The prosecution was brought after up to 20 people, some draped in St George Cross flags and one wearing a rubber pig mask, descended on The Broadway on the night on Friday, February 28. Their target was Hosans kebab van.

Chants of “Muslim groomers off our streets – go back to your own country,” and “no surrender to the Taliban” filled the room at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday as footage from police officers’ body cameras was screened. Naomi Edwards, prosecuting, said: “Protesting is fine and proper but this went beyond what’s acceptable.”

In the dock were 22-year-old Rory Rowbottom of Hartmead Road, Thatcham; Julie Anne Worthington, aged 35, of Russell Road, Reading; 50-year-old Simon Brammer of Haywards Close, Southampton, Hampshire and Gary Hazel, aged 38, of Forsyth Gardens, Bournemouth, Dorset. A fifth defendant, 44-year-old Edward Cullerne Scovell of Donnington Gardens, Reading, failed to turn up and was convicted in his absence.

They had been charged with a Section 5 offence of religiously aggravated harassment but a scheduled three-day trial was avoided after all but Mr Hazel – who denied the offence – admitted a lesser charge of using religiously aggravated, threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Continue reading →

Unite Against Fascism rejects EDL’s attempt to exploit Rotherham sexual abuse scandal

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Unite Against Fascism

In response to the recent Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Exploitation in Rotherham by Alexis Jay OBE, and the English Defence League’s decision to call an event in Rotherham on Saturday 13 September, Sabby Dhalu and Weyman Bennett, Unite Against Fascism Joint Secretaries said:

“We condemn the sexual abuse & exploitation of women & children and the failure of those responsible to properly tackle the crime & bring the perpetrators to justice, as revealed in the recent Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Exploitation in Rotherham by Alexis Jay OBE. We support and seek justice for all victims of sexual exploitation regardless of their social or ethnic background. We condemn and seek prosecution of all those responsible for these crimes irrespective of their ethnicity or creed.

“We also condemn the decision by the English Defence League (EDL) to come to Rotherham on Saturday 13 September. We believe this is a cynical attempt by the EDL to use the appalling crime of child sexual exploitation to further its own ends.

“Revelations regarding child sex abuse from Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris, Thatcher Government Ministers to men in Rotherham show that institutions with responsibility including the police, child protection & other public services, national and local government, failed the victims mostly young women and children; and must take action to combat and prevent such horrific crimes.

“When discussing Saville, Harris, former government Ministers and child sex abuse, there is rightly no discussion of the link between white, British, English, Australian & Christian culture and child sex abuse. Those arguing that there is some link between Pakistani, Asian culture and Islam and organised child sex abuse in Rotherham or anywhere else in the country; or that failure to obtain justice for these crimes is due to the fear of offending Pakistani, Asian or Muslim communities are wrong.

Continue reading →

Muslim councillor Aicha Mesrar flees Italy in fear for her life after death threats

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Aicha MesrarItaly’s first Muslim councillor says she is fleeing the country after a series of death threats, in the latest example of racism suffered by the country’s non-white public figures, from politicians to football players.

Aicha Mesrar, 45, resigned from her post as local councillor for the Democratic Party in Rovereto, in the northern Trentino province, saying she feared for her children’s lives.

The Moroccan-born politician, who has lived in Italy for 23 years, has been an active and effective community liaison worker, according to local media. She was the first woman to wear a veil in the city hall. The city’s Mayor, Andrea Miorandi, had hailed her appointment as president of the local Open City cooperative.

On announcing her resignation, however, she said: “I cannot always live under escort. I have no fear and it is not the fault of the people of Rovereto, but of some. I leave with pride, satisfied with everything I have done, what I did and what I received.” She has not said where she intends to move to.

The threats against her have come in the form of anonymous letters. The police, who have provided special protection for councillor and her family for two years, are investigating where they may have come from.

Mayor Andrea Miorandi, a political ally of Ms Mesrar, has also been threatened due to his backing for a Muslim cemetery and a mosque to be built in the city, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper.

Continue reading →

Campaign launched to boost Rotherham community spirit

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A campaign called “Rotherham fights back” is being launched today to challenge far right groups descending on the town in the wake of the sex abuse scandal.

Artists working at the Old Market Gallery are organising workshops entitled “Rotherham Fights Back — Help us brighten up our town” from noon at their Corporation Street premises.

A notice from the group reads: “Have you noticed our town has recently been overtaken by far right groups displaying Islamophobic signs, especially down near the police station and Riverside council building? Want to do something about it? Old Market Gallery certainly do!”

Continue reading →

Austrian far-right activist convicted of inciting hatred against Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ja zu Österreich ohne Minarette

Two weeks ago an Austrian far-right activist, named by the Stoppt die Rechten website as Michael F., received a 5-month suspended prison sentence for incitement, as a result of anti-Muslim comments he had posted on the “JA!! zu: Österreich ohne Minarette!!!” (YES!! to Austria without Minarets!!!) Facebook page.

These comments included references to “Muslim scum” and to “Muslims who live here at our expense and only breed like rats”.

Stoppt die Rechten points out that the “JA!! zu: Österreich ohne Minarette!!!” Facebook page has featured comments that are even more inflammatory than Michael F.’s , and notes that the admins have been urgently deleting them. It asks why the authorities have taken no action over this.

“JA!! zu: Österreich ohne Minarette!!!” was launched in 2009 by Robert Faller, a founder and leader of the now reportedly defunct Nationale Volkspartei. In 2012 Faller was given a suspended 18-month sentence for breaching Austria’s constitutional ban on National Socialist activity.

Despite its clear neo-Nazi links, his Facebook page has attracted over 16,000 likes, including from prominent members of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), which claims to be a mainstream political party with no connection to fascism.

Continue reading →

Another flop for the fascists in Cricklewood

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Anti-SEA protest August 2014

Today the far-right South East Alliance staged a demonstration in Cricklewood, for the third time this year. They claimed to be protesting against the Muslim Brotherhood, who were once supposed to have an office there. As before, a large number of anti-fascists turned out for a counter-demo organised North West London United, among them Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt and London Assembly member Murad Qureshi.

It wasn’t looking good for the SEA, with a mere 15 “patriots” taking to the streets to resist the threat of Islamo-fascism. Having eventually managed to drag themselves out of the pub, they gathered on Cricklewood Broadway shortly after 1pm and seemed rather uncertain as to why they were there, shouting about Muslim grooming gangs and Muslim paedos. What that had to do with the Muslim Brotherhood was unclear.

Things picked up a bit for them an hour or so later when SEA leader Paul Pitt/Prodromou arrived with some more supporters, bringing flags and a few sheets of A4 paper with the words “Ban the Muslim Brotherhood” printed on them. The SEA’s banner was unfurled, featuring the slogan “One nation, one aim, one future” (presumably inspired by “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer”), alongside those of two other far-right groupuscules, the Scottish Defence League and Scottish Volunteer Force.

The SEA hung around for another hour, during which they shouted incoherent abuse at the counter-demonstrators and delivered a couple of speeches nobody but themselves could hear. They were then escorted out of Cricklewood under police protection.

Continue reading →

Rotherham child abuse scandal: EDL and Britain First stage protests

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Britain First Rotherham protestTwo of the most high-profile far-right groups in the UK have reacted to the publication of a report into child abuse in Rotherham.

The report revealed more than 1,400 children in the South Yorkshire town were abused over a period of 16 years by “mainly Asian men”, due to a series of failures by the authorities. The report by Prof Alexis Jay has led to increasing calls for South Yorkshire Police Commissioner Shaun Wright to resign for the abuse which occurred while he was head of child services from 2005 to 2010.

Following the release of the report, the Doncaster and Rotherham branch of the English Defence League (EDL) staged a minor protest outside Rotherham’s police station demanding the resignation of Wright. The group previously staged a demonstration in Rotherham in May against the “ideology of Islam”. The demonstration outside the station eventually died down and police confirmed no arrests were made.

Britain First, described as the “probably the only group experiencing growth on the far right”, also staged a demonstration at the council building in Rotherham against victims of “Muslim grooming”. Britain First, which came into prominence after staging a series of “invasions” at Mosques across the UK, described how it “stormed” the building as part of its new campaign in the town “against the council, the police and social services”. The group said it managed to unfurl a banner inside the building before being escorted out by police.

Continue reading →