Category Archives: Far right racists
Islamophobia on the rise
Two letters in today’s Guardian on the French veil ban. One is from Liz Fekete of the Institute of Race Relations who writes:
The observation of French niqab wearer “Anne” (Facing the ban, 12 April) that the debate on the ban on the full-face veil has led to stigmatisation and hate is also true here.
On Monday I attended an anti-racist rally in London outside the French embassy, where peaceful demonstrators protested against the ban on the grounds that Muslim women should not be criminalised for what they choose to wear. We were attacked on two sides by members of the English Defence League.
Over the last few years we have seen how Islamophobia breeds a culture of suspicion. As that morphs into a culture of hate, one must fear for the future.
Hitler admirer who describes Muslims as ‘ragheads’ is BNP candidate
A BNP Assembly candidate is exposed as a racist who calls Muslims “Ragheads” and refers to Catholics as “Taigs”. And Steven Moore, who will contest both the East Antrim Assembly and council elections, also has a fascination with Hitler
The party’s Ulster Organiser is one of the first BNP candidates to finally put themselves at the mercy of the electorate. On Wednesday the far-right party announced they would be contesting three Assembly seats and would also be targeting four council seats.
Last week before the Northern Ireland soccer match at Windsor Park, BNP activists connected to football hooligans from Leeds handed out sick anti-Muslim leaflets to fans. The shocking leaflet carried the headline, “Our Children are not Halal Meat” and warned how Muslim paedophile gangs are “preying on vulnerable white girls”.
Despite attempts from the far-right party, led by convicted racist Nick Griffin, to re-brand themselves as a friendly non-racist party they continue to be run by people like Moore.
When Moore isn’t posting videos by white power bands such as Skrewdriver on Facebook, he reveals his fancy for all things “Third Reich” by sharing videos of Adolf Hitler with his online friends. One apparent favourite is entitled: “Why the world cannot forget Adolf Hitler”. He also has a penchant for songs and videos of the German Wehrmacht.
Elsewhere, Moore has thrown his energies into trying to stop a mosque allegedly being built in Ballymena and more recently launched a campaign to terrify the people of Larne that a proposed detention centre for failed asylum seekers will turn their town into some sort of Asian ghetto.
BNP mayor for Lancashire town
A town is to become the first in the country to have a mayor from the far-right BNP, in a move branded divisive and worrying by campaigners. John Cave was chosen by an overwhelming vote to take over the chains of office as next year’s mayor of Padiham, near Burnley.
With a population of around 10,000, Padiham’s town council only has limited powers, and elected members do not stand on party political grounds. However, the next mayor is a long-term BNP activist in nearby Burnley and his wife, Sharon Wilkinson – expected to be his mayoress – became the party’s first county councillor, representing the town, in 2009.
He contributed a clip of former Labour minister Shahid Malik speaking about British aid being given to Muslim countries to a website under the heading “The threat of Islam”. Mr Cave also wrote a letter to a local newspaper last year demanding that Britain’s political and religious leaders “admit their multicultural folly” and direct their efforts to benefit the majority.
BNP ‘Qur’an man’ to stand in elections
A BNP member accused of burning a copy of the Qur’an will still stand in the Welsh Assembly elections, his party has confirmed.
Sion Owens, 41, of Bonymaen, Swansea, had a charge against him dropped today – but was told by magistrates legal proceedings may resume after further investigations. Owens was arrested last weekend after The Observer newspaper reportedly handed police a video, which appeared to show Mr Owens dousing a copy of the Qur’an with paraffin before setting it alight.
The alleged incident drew widespread condemnation from political and ethnic groups in Wales – who are urging voters to shun the far-right BNP in the May 5 poll. Owens is third on the list out of four candidates the BNP is putting up for the South Wales West regional seat.
Plaid Cymru described the alleged incident as appalling but “hardly surprising”. A party spokeswoman said: “Our advice to the electorate of Wales is to ignore their call for race hate as we have always done, ensure they lose their election deposits and above all quickly recycle their leaflets – as that is all they are good for.”
The BNP issued a 2,000 plus word statement on its website in response to Owens’ court appearance, complaining of “hypocrisy” by the authorities. A party spokesman said Owens would continue to stand as a candidate in the Welsh Assembly elections.
BNP leader Nick Griffin added: “The British National Party does not favour burning any book, although if there is any repeat of last year’s Poppy burning insult and subsequent lack of police action, we may well review that position.” He also said the BNP favoured freedom of speech – saying there needed to be a “resistance to the intimidation” encouraged by Muslim extremists.
However, Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council countered the claims, saying the BNP had abused that democratic right. Chief executive Taha Idris said: “While people have freedom of speech and freedom of action in the UK, it is a privilege that should never be abused.”
EDL thugs attack peaceful protest against French veil ban
Around 40 members of the racist English Defence League tonight attacked a peaceful protest outside the French Embassy, opposing the introduction of a ban on the niqab or face veil in France.
Young Muslim women were joined by students and trade unionists on the protest called by UAF and One Society Many Cultures and supported by the British Muslim Initiative, Islamic Forum of Europe, Islam Expo and the Enough Coalition.
They carried placards reading: “Defend religious and cultural freedom” and “Face veil – a woman’s right to choose”.
EDL thugs launched a physical attack on the peaceful protest before being surrounded by police and led away.
UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett said:
It is unacceptable that a group of racist thugs has attacked a demo calling for freedom of religious and cultural expression for Muslim women.
We believe that by targeting Muslims with measures like the niqab ban, French president Nicolas Sarkozy is opening the door and providing dangerous encouragement to racist and fascist groups. Today’s events bear that out.
It is clear the EDL is building a street thug movement that aims to smash anyone who stands up against racism, fascism and Islamophobia. We will continue our efforts to oppose them.
The protest outside the French embassy was called to mark the day that the niqab ban came into force in France.
The ban contravenes Muslim women’s freedom of religion. We believe free and democratic societies should allow people to express their faith and culture however they choose.
Although there are no proposals to introduce such legislation in Britain, the ban on the niqab in France has provoked Islamophobic discussions and campaigns here in Britain.
Unite Against Fascism, 11 April 2011
See also “Londoners condemn France burqa ban”, Press TV, 11 April 2011
Update: Over at the Casuals United blog you can find the EDL boasting about their unprovoked attack on the peaceful protest outside the French embassy.
BNP election candidate arrested over Qur’an burning
A senior member of the BNP who burned a copy of the Qur’an in his garden has been arrested following an investigation by the Observer. Footage of the burning shows Sion Owens, 40, from south Wales and a candidate for the forthcoming Welsh Assembly elections, soaking the Qur’an in kerosene and setting fire to it.
Superintendent Phil Davies of South Wales police, who led the investigation, said: “We always adopt an extremely robust approach to allegations of this sort and find this sort of intolerance unacceptable in our society.”
Owens was arrested within hours of police receiving the video. A second person, believed to have filmed the Qur’an burning, is also in police custody.
Photographs show Owens at a Welsh Defence League demonstration with a group of alleged Nazis including Wayne Baldwin, who has been pictured posing in front of a swastika flag. The Observer has also been passed images that show Owens’s face apparently superimposed on Hitler’s body.
Owens was officially announced last week as the BNP’s number three candidate for the South Wales West constituency of the Welsh assembly.
In 2008 he stood for the BNP in council elections, polling almost a fifth of votes in his ward but finishing last out of three candidates. His campaign posters at the time show him standing on a ticket against “mass immigration, enforced multiculturalism, political correctness”.
Update: See “BNP ‘Koran burning’ charge dropped”, Press Association, 11 April 2011
Epsom man pleads not guilty to race attack at Kingston mosque
A man accused of being part of a gang that allegedly threw beer at and urinated on a mosque after a march against Muslim extremism has pleaded not guilty to two charges.
David Morris, 20, of Elm Way, Epsom, pleaded not guilty to one count of affray and one count of religiously aggravated criminal damage at Kingston Magistrates Court today (April 7). Appearing in court with a shaved head and wearing a light blue polo shirt he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and enter a plea.
The attack is alleged to have happened following a march through Kingston town centre [pictured] against Muslim extremism in November last year. The march had been organised via facebook and during the incident outside the mosque the men are alleged to have also placed bacon on cars outside the building.
Terence Earl, 31, of Aspen Lane, Northolt also pleaded not guilty to the charges. Alfie Wallace, 18, of Hetherington Road, Shepperton; Paul Abley, 24, of Hounslow Road, Shepperton; Karl Matthews, 20, of Brentford High Street and Adam Khalfan, 18, of Feltham Road, Ashford, all declined to enter a plea to the same offences. They will all appear before Kingston Magistrates on May 23 for a committal hearing.
All were granted bail on condition that they do not enter the borough of Kingston.
EDL protester starts jail term for affray
A man accused of launching a “flying kick” at a police officer while at the forefront of trouble at an EDL march in the Black Country was today behind bars.
Thomas Blackwell admitted a charge of affray during the EDL protest in Dudley on July 17 last year and was sentenced to one year in prison. A DVD shown at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday showed Blackwell, aged 25, of Bird Street, Lower Gornal, wearing a white stab vest in the front few rows of protesters at the march as they confronted police.
Judge Michael Challinor told him the DVD showed he had “clearly” been at the forefront of the violence which erupted in Stafford Street on the day. “You attended this demonstration with the intention of causing disorder and violence,” he said. “This is clear from the fact you were wearing protective clothing in the form of a stab vest. In the course of this disorder you tackled a police officer by using a flying kick to his protective shield.”
Judge Challinor said he had considered the fact that Blackwell would lose his job and as a result, his home if sent to prison but added: “This type of violent behaviour so often prevents law-abiding citizens from protesting peacefully.”
Mr Stephen Thomas, prosecuting, told the court Blackwell had been near the front of the group of EDL protesters who had thrown bottles and bits of metal at police, before launching the “flying kick” at a police officer’s riot shield and swearing at him.
The aftermath of a ferocious attack inside a mosque
Hugh Muir speaks to Abdul Wahab of the Redbridge Islamic Centre following the recent attack.