Category Archives: Far right racists

Jailed for plot to stir up riots in Grimsby using Facebook

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Martin HartshornA Facebook plotter who tried to stir up riots in Grimsby at the height of the wave of disorder across the country has been jailed for three years.

Martin Hartshorn, 22, of Comber Place, Grimsby, admitted encouraging or assisting a riot and publishing inflammatory racist material on August 9.

Jonathan Sandiford, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that a wave of riots and serious public disorder was sweeping through towns and cities at the time.

Police were monitoring a Facebook community page saying: “Not rioting in Grimsby but it’s already a s***hole”. At the height of the riots, Hartshorn posted a message saying: “Whose up for a riot tonight in town?” He made racist comments, including “Let’s do our riot different. Let’s burn all the Paki shops and takeaways.” He later added: “And the Islamic centre. We can’t forget that.”

Grimsby Telegraph, 5 November 2011

See also Press Association, 4 November 2011

Over at the EDL Casuals United blog, the PA report is reproduced under the headline “If you are stupid enough to post race hate and threats on Facebook then you DESERVE to get banged up”. Note the absence of any condemnation of race hate and threats as such. The moral the EDL draws from the case is that you shouldn’t make the mistake of getting caught.

‘Infamy! Infamy! They’ve all got it in for me!’ EDL leader says he’s the victim of a state conspiracy

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Stephen Lennon arrestedEnglish Defence League leader Stephen Lennon’s latest address to the masses, “Tommy’s November video diary“, was posted on the EDL website yesterday.

It’s little more than an extended self-pitying whinge about his personal problems and how he’s being persecuted for his beliefs. He’s been charged with tax evasion, his sunbed business is closing down because he’s behind with his rent, his wife is stressed, his mother’s ill. And all as a result of Tommy’s selfless commitment to leading the EDL in their heroic struggle against the Islamification of Britain.

As evidence of his supposed persecution Lennon produces an email sent by James Brokenshire – who holds the junior ministerial position of parliamentary under secretary of state for crime and security at the Home Office – to the Labour MP for Newcastle North, Catherine McKinnell. Lennon quotes Brokenshire as stating that “we are working with a range of partners to address the driver of the EDL”. Lennon claims this is proof that the Home Office is colluding with “the police, the tax office, the VAT” in an attempt to destroy him and the movement he leads.

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EDL members charged with racist attack on Plymouth kebab shop sent to Crown Court

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Hayley Wells & Kelly WattersonTwo women charged with a racist attack on a Kurdish woman at a city centre takeaway have been sent to Plymouth Crown Court.

Hayley Wells, aged 27, and Kelly Watterson, aged 29, appeared before Plymouth magistrates jointly accused of racially aggravated common assault against a woman in the kebab shop. Wells, of Shell Close, Leigham, and Watterson, of St Peter’s Road, Manadon, both deny the attack on Sawda Kurdo at the Istanbul Kebab shop in Exeter Street on August 31. Watterson has also denied a further charge of affray in connection with the same incident.

Magistrates have now formally committed their case for trial at Plymouth Crown Court. Wells and Watterson were released on conditional bail to appear before a judge on January 3.

Plymouth Herald, 3 November 2011

Aylesbury judge rejects appeal by EDL yob

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Daryl Hobson leaves courtA right-wing extremist who was arrested on his way to the EDL march in Aylesbury last year for abusing police officers has had his appeal turned down. Daryl Hobson appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court on Friday in a bid to get his sentence overturned.

Hobson, 44, was stopped by police last year on May 1, as he was holding a large union flag out the car window. When stopped, Hobson insulted police officers, calling them “f***ing jobsworths” and labelled one of them “Robocop” and “a clown”. Officers eventually lost their patience when he began chanting support for a man who killed three police officers.

When describing the incident, PC Ahmed Chaudry said: “The gentleman got out of the car and came up to me and said: ‘What do you want?’ in an aggressive manner.” He said coachloads of EDL supporters began driving past, prompting Hobson to put his arms in the air and shout EDL slogans.

Police sergeants Luke Pillinger and Spencer Kervin were passing when they saw what was happening and stopped to help. Sgt Kervin said: “He got within arm’s length and shouted behind me: ‘Harry Roberts is my friend. He kills coppers’, very loud.”

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Stephen Lennon gets 12-week suspended prison sentence for assault at EDL rally

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A 28 year old man has today been given a 12 week suspended prison sentence after he was convicted of common assault following an English Defence League rally in Blackburn.

Stephen Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, of Layham Drive, Luton was found guilty following a one day trial at Preston Magistrates Court on Thursday 29th September. He was sentenced at Preston Magistrates Court today (Thursday, November 3rd) where in addition to the prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, he was given an 150 hour community order and told to pay £200 costs.

Lennon was charged with assault in June after an altercation with a member of the crowd at the EDL demonstration in Blackburn town centre in April.

Superintendent Jon Puttock, from Blackburn Police, said: “I am satisfied with today’s sentence. At the time of the demonstration we said we would facilitate any protest which was peaceful and deal firmly with those committing crime and disorder and this conviction and sentence today demonstrates that.”

Lancashire Police news report, 3 November 2011

Others of us will be far from satisfied with the penalty imposed on Lennon. With his record – he had previously served 12 months for assault on an off-duty police officer in 2005 – a custodial sentence would have been more appropriate. At the very least Lennon should have got a CRASBO to prevent him attending any further EDL rallies, which is what the police applied for. The EDL themselves are evidently not unhappy with the result:

EDL reaction to Lennon's sentence

Update:  See also “EDL leader Lennon Asbo bid rejected”, Press Association, 3 November 2011

Regarding the application for a CRASBO, Lennon is reported as saying: “This was an attempt to silence me and take away my democratic rights. I respect the judge for this decision. If the Asbo had been imposed, it would have meant me going to jail. I would have broken it and broken it.”

Update 2:  See comments by Casuals United (“A good day for justice as stitch up after stitch up falls to the wayside”) and the EDL (“The not so great state-sponsored stitch-up”). The latter piece contains details of the charge of which EDL co-leader Kevin Carroll was acquitted: “Six officers had claimed that Kev had picked up a metal barrier in order to hurl it at police.”

EDL supporter pleads guilty to racial abuse

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A drunken “Oompa Loompa” has been given a community order and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after he admitted racially abusing two Asian teenagers. Robert Nottage, aged 21, pleaded guilty to abusing the teens while on a daytime drinking session in Northampton town centre on August 28, while dressed as an Oompa Loompa.

Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard Nottage was part of a group of friends also in fancy dress, including one who was dressed as a Golly. Prosecuting, Julie Costello said Nottage, from Rugby, was on an annual Bank Holiday drinking session in Northampton when he began hurling racial abuse in Abington Street, at 5.10pm, while children and families were around.

The court heard Nottage shouted racial abuse at two Asian teens, challenging them to fight him, and also shouting English Defence League (EDL) slogans. Nottage claimed he made the remarks after someone threatened a friend dressed as a Golly. He had earlier pleaded guilty to making racial threats.

Northampton Chronicle, 2 November 2011

Far-right extremism is much more than a political irritant

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Following on from his appearance before the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee yesterday, Matthew Goodwin has a piece at Comment is Free in which he emphasises the central point that he made to the MPs:

The simply reality of post-9/11 politics is that we have focused almost exclusively on tackling only one form of extremism. In the aftermath of New York and the attacks in Bali, Madrid and London, the emphasis on tackling al-Qaida marked a logical response to the priorities of national security. Today, however, the landscape has changed. We need to adopt a more holistic approach to challenging extremism and sharpen our understanding of its different branches. Most importantly, we need to overhaul the traditional view of the far right that claims this movement is nothing more than a minor political irritant.

Sir Norman Bettison, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, also gave evidence to the Home Affairs Committee. He told them that the English Defence League’s main purpose was to be “provocative” and that, even though police had sought to liaise with the group, this had “absolutely no effect in terms of ameliorating their behaviour”.

In contrast to the views of DCS Adrian Tudway, the National Co-ordinator for Domestic Extremism at Scotland Yard, or the reluctance of the Metropolitan Police to stop the EDL’s proposed march though Tower Hamlets, Norman Bettison has taken the threat posed by the EDL seriously. After consulting with the local community he did not hesitate to apply for a ban on the EDL marching in Bradford last year, under Section 13 of the Public Order Act, and when they turned up in Dewsbury in June for a static demonstration he used his powers under Section 14 to prevent them entering the town centre and instructed them to hold their rally in the station car park instead.

EDL threatens violence against MAC

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Anjem Choudary and his pathetic little gang of provocateurs are planning another publicity-generating stunt to mark Remembrance Day. As usual the Daily Mail is playing along with Choudary and providing Muslims Against Crusades with the sort of coverage that suggests to its readers that this tiny group actually represents some significant forces within the Muslim community – who of course regard Choudary with complete contempt.

Equally predictably, the Mail‘s report has been seized on by the English Defence League in order to whip its supporters up into an anti-Muslim frenzy. Nothing new in that you might think, except that the EDL is now openly and officially advocating violence:

EDL threatens MAC

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Demos survey of EDL supporters

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Demos EDL studySupporters of the English Defence League are overwhelmingly young men who mistrust others and are deeply pessimistic about the future, according to the first significant study of the UK’s most provocative street movement for 30 years.

The report said almost three-quarters of EDL supporters in an online survey were under the age of 30, and 81% were male.

The EDL has held a series of street demonstrations since it was formed in 2009, often deliberately targeting areas with significant Muslim populations. Many have been marred by violence, racism and virulent Islamophobia.

The group says it was set up to oppose “militant Islam” but the research, carried out by the thinktank Demos and involving 1,300 self-declared EDL supporters, found many were more motivated by a hostility to immigration in general, and others expressed a growing concern about what they see as a threat to British values.

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Birmingham washout for EDL as ‘Big one’ musters 300

Posted on by Bob Pitt

CWU Black Workers against EDLMembers of the English Defence League were reduced to infighting and throwing fireworks and bottles in Birmingham today after a particularly poor turnout on the organisation’s latest national demo.

The EDL demo, billed as the last “Big one” of 2011, drew only around 300 people, despite a mobilisation from across the country and demoralisation was evident among the racists and fascists.

Meanwhile, up to 1,000 people – overwhelmingly from Birmingham itself – attended a unity “Love the difference” event opposing the EDL during the afternoon. The anti-EDL protest was organised by UAF and local trade union branches, faith groups and community organisations.

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