Right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders is not allowed to speak next month in the canton of Valais. Officials in Savièse said right-wing figures could bring unrest to the community, and that applications for protest permits had already been filed. Wilders was invited to speak by Swiss People’s Party member of parliament Oskar Freysinger.
Category Archives: Far right racists
Catalonia – far-right party gains in regional elections
Against the backdrop of citizens’ protests against the Socialists’ austerity package, the Right made significant gains in Catalonia by focusing on anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim themes. Liz Fekete reports.
Bulgarian MPs condemn Ataka assault on Sofia mosque
Prayer carpet on fire outside the Banya Bashi mosque on 20 May
The Bulgarian Parliament has condemned the actions of Volen Siderov and members of his ultra-nationalist Ataka party outside the Sofia mosque on May 20 2011, Bulgarian media reported on May 27. MPs from all parties present in the parliamentary sitting, with the exception of Ataka MPs who abstained, voted in favour of the declaration condemning Ataka’s actions.
Wilders has encouraged discrimination and violence against Muslims, court hears
Statements and speeches by PVV leader Geert Wilders over the past few years have led to an increase in discrimination and violence against Muslims, the MP’s trial in Amsterdam was told on Friday.
Michiel Pestman, representing a number of ethnic minority organisations, told the court Moroccan and other minority groups felt attacked by Wilders. “The attitude towards the Moroccan community has become harder due to the defendant’s actions,” Pestman said.
Mohamed Rabbae, former leader of the left-wing green party GroenLinks, told the court the PVV political manifesto shows Wilders’ eventual aim is to “get rid” of all Muslims.
EDL plans confrontation with Muslim community in Tower Hamlets … with help from local Labour MP
Following their protest against “Muslim paedophiles” in Blackpool next Saturday, the English Defence League have announced that their next demonstration will be in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, which they describe as “the heartland of Islamic terrorism” (see here and here).
Comments about the Tower Hamlets protest on the EDL’s Facebook page have included a call to rip off Muslim women’s veils – from an individual currently on bail over charges arising from an attack on Kingston mosque – and even more explicit threats of violence such as this:
EDL abuses MEPs attending anti-racist meeting in Luton
A chorus of boos and chants greeted Euro MP Richard Howitt as he arrived at Luton Town Hall for extremism talks this afternoon.
A large group of English Defence League members had gathered at the Duke of Clarence pub after EDL leader Tommy Robinson accused the MEP of failing to tackle Islamic extremism.
With Mr Howitt were MEPs from five other European countries who have experienced far right extremism in their own countries.
Before the group arrived, EDL members emerged from the pub and lined the pavement, holding placards and chanting slogans including “Muslim bombers off our streets” and “No surrender to the Taliban”.
Emerging from the meeting to more booing, Mr Howitt said: “Not only are the EDL unrepresentative, they seek to prey upon the insecurities of normal people who are worried about their jobs and homes.”
A updated report adds that “MEPs from Austria, the Netherlands, Hungary and Slovakia arrived at the building for anti-extremism talks to booing and shouts of ‘scum’ from the EDL members.”
See photos by Mirrorimage at Demotix
Prosecutors again call for Wilders’ acquittal
Dutch prosecutors Wednesday again argued for anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders’s acquittal on hate speech charges, saying that while his comments may have caused anxiety and insult, they were not criminal.
“In regards to this case, the public ministry has not changed its mind. We recommend an acquittal,” prosecutor Paul Velleman told the Amsterdam district court. Prosecutors previously called for the politician’s acquittal on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims and people of non-Western immigrant origin, particularly Moroccans.
Judge waits for medical report on racist who threatened Salma Yaqoob
The mental health of a racist extremist who harassed a Birmingham city councillor will be assessed before he is sentenced.
Stuart Peter John Collins, of Mill Lane, Bartley Green, targeted Respect councillor Salma Yaqoob, who later spoke of the distress it caused.
Collins, aged 50, made offensive phone calls about the councillor to the emergency services claiming she was spreading racial hatred. He pleaded guilty to making offensive phone calls. It puts him in breach of an 18-month suspended jail sentence after he previously bombarded Ms Yaqoob with a series of offensive and racist emails.
Judge Trevor Faber bailed him, after adjourning sentence for a mental health assessment. He told Collins: “I want to make it clear that I am not giving any indication of sentencing but I am prepared to make a short adjournment so that the psychiatric team can prepare a report for the benefit of the judge who will sentence you.”
In the latest attack, Ms Yaqoob was repeatedly targeted by Collins who said he was “sick of extremists in the UK”.
Ms Yaqoob said: “I am surprised that he is up in court again. I would have thought he would have learnt that it’s not a good idea to send abusive and racist messages, that’s why he was in court last time and having been on the receiving end, it’s not very pleasant.
“But part of me is also concerned that he has mental health issues and I don’t know whether that has been taken into account, but it does sound bizarre going on such rants. I hope he gets the help he needs.”
‘Peacefully protesting against Islamic extremism’ – another EDL member is charged with affray
A man from Birmingham has been charged with affray following ugly clashes at an English Defence League demonstration in Aylesbury in May last year.
Stuart Bates, aged 41, of Lazyhill, Kings Norton, was charged with affray by Thames Valley Police on May 5. He was bailed and appeared at Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he entered a not guilty plea to the charge. The case was adjourned and the next hearing will be at Aylesbury Crown Court in July.
According to Searchlight Stuart Bates is a regular participant at EDL demonstrations. He is also a trusted member of the BNP West Midlands security team. “In fact Bates is so highly regarded that he was drafted in to provide security for Griffin at the BBC Question Time fiasco and at his High Court appearance.”
Bates has stood as a BNP candidate for Birmingham City Council on a number of occasions. Contesting the Quinton ward in this year’s elections he got 267 votes (3.62%).
It has also been claimed that Bates acted as a bodyguard for Stephen Lennon (“Tommy Robinson”) at the EDL demonstration in Luton in February.
EDL threatens to gatecrash European anti-racist meeting in Luton
A Euro MP says a bid by the English Defence League to hijack an anti-racism meeting in Luton today (Thursday May 26) will not derail the event. Richard Howitt will be joined by other members of the European Parliament to discuss racism and extremism, as part of his campaigning against far right groups across Europe.
But the EDL says it is angry at the politician’s criticism of their organisation. EDL leader Tommy Robinson says he plans to try to enter a meeting planned at Luton Town Hall to put questions to Mr Howitt.
He said: “I want to get in and talk to him. Are they going to talk about militant Islam? They need to wake up and not be afraid to talk about the real problem. The EDL hasn’t got a stall outside Don Miller’s in the town centre every week. We’re not the ones they need to stop. It’s just a political stunt by Richard Howitt so he can say that he’s stopped racism.”
Mr Howitt says the MEPs, from five European countries, have “hands-on”experience in tackling extremism, and that the aim of the visit is to show that Luton is a “centre of excellence” for combating racism and extremism. During the visit they will speak with faith leaders, councillors, trade unionists, Unite Against Fascism, Searchlight and join with the Luton Town FC Managing Director and players.
Commenting on the possibility of an EDL protest during today’s event, he said: “The demonstration against me is a typical example of the EDL shouting and screaming from the sidelines and causing upset and fear while ordinary people just want to get on with living peacefully and happily in Luton.
“My European MEP colleagues were saddened to see people from France, Germany and Denmark joining the ranks of the EDL march in Luton earlier this year. The significance of the EDL spreads far beyond the UK’s shores which is why we need a Europe-wide response and I think the EDL must be running scared if they feel they need to hold a protest on Thursday.
“Luton is resilient and Lutonians won’t let racists and extremists dictate to them. I am confident threats and intimidation by the EDL aimed at stirring up panic, racial hatred and fear will never succeed in dividing Luton.”