July 21, 2008

Updated: Former Burnley BNP councillor Luke Smith found dead

We've just spoken to the coroner's officer in Burnley, who has confirmed the death of former BNP councillor, Luke Smith. Smith was found hanged in Burnley's Yorkshire Street at around 4pm yesterday. An inquest will open on Friday though the verdict is likely to be suicide. Smith was 26.

The last report we had of Smith's behaviour was when he suddenly reappeared from obscurity a few days ago, after being convicted of attacking a pub landlord. In the article that we reprinted, it was revealed that Smith's mental health was fast-deteriorating and the court was told that he was said to be suffering from adjustment disorder, brief reactive depression and a mental and behavioural disorder due to misuse of substances.

Smith had a long history of football-related violence behind him, and was jailed for 17 months in March 2006 after being convicted of violent disorder in relation to incidents surrounding a World Cup qualifier in October 2004 and later violence in Blackpool. He was also banned from football grounds for six years. This followed on from a two-and-a-half year football banning order, imposed for being involved in over 20 violent episodes in five years. Following his 17 month conviction, the BNP rallied around him saying that he was not a man of violence.

Smith was also one of the youngest BNP councillors, resigning his seat on the then BNP flagship Burnley council (on which they had, at the time, eight councillors) in 2003 following an incident at that year's Red, White and Blue booze-fest, when a drunken and belligerent Smith attacked then Leeds organiser Martin Reynolds (now Head of Security) with a bottle, smashing it into Reynolds' face and opening up a gash close to his left eye that required seven stitches, subsequently dealt with by Leeds Royal Infirmary. This fracas earned Smith his expulsion from the BNP and a three-year ban on holding public office by the Standards Board.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Luke was not 27, nor was he in a cell at the time. he did commit suicide... SYS

Antifascist said...

Thanks. Article amended.

Anonymous said...

Unbalanced young men who join far right politics (very often because of an abusive upbringing), are very often suffering from psychiatric disorders which manifest themselves in hatred of other people whether people of a different religion, skin colour, sexual orientation, or football club.

Luke Smith was one of these people, bred by bad parenting into a life of hatred and violence, buring with self-hate which led to his deadly demise.

Anonymous said...

This from the Burnley Citizen

"Shock as man is found hanged in Burnley

A man was found hanged next to a takeaway in Burnley.

He was found in Yorkshire Street at about 4pm yesterday.

Police said he was in an area adjacent to the Balti King take-away and opposite the Princess Royal pub.

They are not treating the death as suspicious and are in the process of informing the man’s relatives.

The incident prompted the area around the scene to be cordoned off."

Anonymous said...

Evolution in action ?

Old Sailor

Anonymous said...

“mikey said...
Unbalanced young men who join far right politics (very often because of an abusive upbringing), are very often suffering from psychiatric disorders which manifest themselves in hatred of other people whether people of a different religion, skin colour, sexual orientation, or football club.

Luke Smith was one of these people, bred by bad parenting into a life of hatred and violence, buring with self-hate which led to his deadly demise.
1:04 PM, July 21, 2008”
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3547542464688328490&postID=1433556175337726644


What a complete and utter fucking arsehole you are, Mickey, and what a complete lack of knowledge and understanding of depression, and mental disability, you have.

Our politics may be very different, but you could at least show some decency and hold your filthy tongue in this matter. Bad parenting has nothing to do with addiction, or mental ill health, and neither does ones choice of political affiliation. Your rant is akin to that of the insane, Lee Barnes, when daring to pour dirt on the lives of others less fortunate.

Shut your mouth

Huge disregards

S Ebanks

Anonymous said...

The irrepressible Ebanks is back again, I see.

I wonder why John Joy Tree over at Stormfront decided to close the thread discussing Smiths death just as information was beginning to come in. Trying to hide something, do you think?

Anonymous said...

Well I can't say I'm sorry. He was a violent thug.

Anonymous said...

ketlan may all your readers show a little respect on this one.i never knew luke smith but please all show some compassion.WE ARE ALL SOMEONES DAUGHTER OR SOMEONES SON.deepest sympathy to the family.Thanks for this article.

Anonymous said...

I suppose we should be grateful.

He did smash a glass in another Nutzis face.

As for Sharon Ebanks coming on here and lecturing about parents, don't make me fucking laugh.

I'm sure her kids can't wait to disown her in the way she disowned her own parents.

Anonymous said...

Top marks Ketlan for allowing some sensible comments on here. This is not just about the tragic life of a young man who became attracted to the politics of the far right but the breakdown of our society where young working class males in particular have lost all sense of purpose where drugs and alcohol become the norm and where violent gang culture replaces the institution of the family. Regardless of the lad's politics it is a tragic waste of a life and I'd say the same if he was one of you. Luke Smith's suicide is not unique, there are hundreds of such cases every year and each one is a stain on our increasingly fragmented society.

Anonymous said...

In a way i have a feeling that this is karma. He was a horribly violent person with disgusting beliefs. I think its always tragic when someone takes their own life, no matter who they are or what they have done, i jst wish he could have found some answers and led a more productive life. However, there will be many more people taking their lives this week, people who i would mourn more than this loser.

Claretmad

Kirklees Unity said...

Ebanks
How dare you lecture anybody on decency with some of the absolute disgusting comments that you have spoken in the past.

Anonymous said...

How did Sharon get into far right politics, by the way?

Anonymous said...

Turn it in you Nazis and the other apologists for this vicious bastard. Smith may have been a nut-case, nobody is saying otherwise. That hardly makes him unusual for a fascist does it. I for one am glad that he died without hurting anyone else. And good riddance.

Anonymous said...

Sharon is right that mental health problems normally have nothing to do with the child's state of mind.

Nick Griffin's father took Nick to NF rallies,(I understand, not knowing much more),not being that political,but,for all we know, this young lad's dad wasn't involved with far right politics, so we shouldn't jump the gun about the lad's state of mind and whether this was related to the fact his friends were football hooligans.

Anonymous said...

"Top marks Ketlan"? Personally I think it's shameful that an antifascist site is allowing itself to be turned into a book of condolence for this worthless Nazi thug. There are better posts on the NWN Fash site.

Antifascist
Always

Antifascist said...

'Personally I think it's shameful that an antifascist site is allowing itself to be turned into a book of condolence for this worthless Nazi thug.'

Don't be a twat. If we'd let all the comments through he'd be hailed as Saint Luke already. I've chucked at least two dozen that praised this violent little nazi bastard but I consider there's room for one or two dissenting opinions even if only to generate a bit of debate.

Anonymous said...

Censorship or what? Why remove one side of the argument?

Anonymous said...

I agree with Ketlan.

Ebanks is a cunt.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Kirk! The late Luke's dad was a fascist also, which is why he was inducted into the British neo-Nazi scene.

To bring your child up as a racist nazi is nothing less than child abuse, tainting their thoughts and world view with the idea that black and asian people and immigrants are subhuman, and the biggest race murderer of all time Adolf Hitler was some sort of god.

I am a responsible parent, and I would much rather slit my own wrists than bring my kid up hating his fellow man.

A thought for all parents to consider......

Anonymous said...

Luke's dad was also a neo-Nazi BNP councillor.

Antifascist said...

'Censorship or what? Why remove one side of the argument?'

Because we're an anti-fascist site for anti-fascists. Geddit?

Anonymous said...

While I personally cannot celebrate a suicide (Not saying anyone here is), I wonder if S. Ebanks would give the same lecture to those on her side of the fence regarding their "enemies."

Anonymous said...

"I think it's shameful that an antifascist site is allowing itself to be turned into a book of condolence for this worthless Nazi thug".

I think this is a horrible thing to say, given what has happened. As Lormarie mentions, maybe if the tables were turned, some fascists might celebrate a suicide of their enemies. But many reactions on here have suggested that people hate as much as they do. If people are really "worthless", then they become less than human, which is what antifascism should be trying to react against. All humans are worthy of compassion and respect. 'Hope not hate' anyone?

Anonymous said...

"While I personally cannot celebrate a suicide"

What about Hitler's, have you got a problem with that?

Anonymous said...

Sharon Ebanks accomplice in the BBP is (bad speller) Keith Axon, a man who calls himself a "true national socialist", i.e., a committed true Nazi (his own words), man who 100% approves of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, while denying it happened.

Hypocrisy or what??????

Anonymous said...

It's true, Sharon's friend and NNP treasurer Keith "Mad Axeman" Axon is a self-professed nazi.

He regularly calls himself "national socialist" rather than just the BNP's tagline of "nationalist".

Read this put down from fellow British fascist Brummie76: -

http://britishnationalism.org/forum/showthread.php?t=684&page=4

"Originally Posted by brummie76
Forgive me for making assumptions. But I think, Keith, that you are an anti semitic, holocaust denying, conspiracy theorist, racist Neo Nazi and I am seriously disturbed that you would think there was any possibility of me making a common cause with you. I'd rather see Birmingham under the Green Flag that that, along with every other sane person in Brum.

I base this assumption on your association with Mr/s Ebank's and your evasive responses to my questions.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on any of those points"

Anonymous said...

If you're reading this Ebanks, instead of complaining about this blog, put one over your most hated target the BNP, tell us how Blackpool BNP Griffinite stalwart Roy Goodwin is hoping to marry a Russian Mail Order Bride.

Surely marrying a Russian immigrant goes against your pal Axon's "national socialist principles".

Anonymous said...

You said in a previous thread once (it might have been on EiE or Challenge For Leadership), Ms Ebanks that you were the victim of a sexual assault when you were younger, and I am very sympathetic, but what I find impossible to reconcile is the conversion of distress, fear and unresolved injustice into ugly, negative race hate.

This was indeed the reason you disowned your parents, and hate black people, Jews, Asian people and immigrants. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Perhaps if your aunt/cousin/relatives or friends, or whoever it was, had taken you to auschwitz instead of filling your brain with race hate, you would have had very different beliefs.

Anonymous said...

"While I personally cannot celebrate a suicide (Not saying anyone here is), I wonder if S. Ebanks would give the same lecture to those on her side of the fence regarding their "enemies.""

I cant speak for S. Ebanks but as a former member of the BNP I can say for myself the answer would be "yes". A young man/woman whatever his race, colour and political beliefs driven to the extreme action of taking his /her own life after years of neglect/abuse/drugs/alcohol etc is a shocking waste of human life. To lose a family member or a friend in these circumstances leaves open too many questions and affects the lives of those around the victim. "What could I have done to prevent this?", "I was his friend/brother/cousin/workmate buy why didnt he come and speak to me?", "Why didnt he go and seek help from the doctors"? etc etc etc. These questions will be asked repeatedly by the tramautised circle of family and friends for years.

It is utterly ridiculous and not even politically sensible to equate young Luke's life with Hitler. Hitler started a world war ending in the destruction of entire countries and millions of lives. Luke was a stupid irresponsible young man who was at worse a mindless thug. With the birth of his child he could have righted some of the wrongs as he became more mature and responsible, got help to kick the sickness that is drug and alcohol addiction and make a fresh start after the joy of bringing new life into this often joyless, fractured society.

So yes, if I read on these pages of a young UAF supporter driven to the ultimate act of self-harm my thoughts would go out to all those immediately affected.

I think Ketlan has taken a very brave stance allowing through some of the postings knowing that he would indeed get some flak from supporters and readers of this blog.

If you want to beat the BNP then you need to win over hearts and minds, not demonise some of those who are themselves very much victims of an uncaring society.

Anonymous said...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/22/popandrock.race?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Sex Pistols in alleged "racist" attack.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

"While I personally cannot celebrate a suicide"

What about Hitler's, have you got a problem with that?
1:14 PM, July 22, 2008

Yes, I do. The problem is, he died what he considered to be an honorable death and thus avoided facing the consequences of his crimes.

Anonymous said...

suicide is the cowards way out.

society may have won this time but i do feel sympathy for all his family who had to be told of there relatives death.

still, id hope if they were decent enough people theydve known he was scum and disowned him.

Anonymous said...

Let's hope the rest of the BNP henchmen follow Smith's example.

Sharon Ebanks is obviously still reeling about the news that her father was a black Jamaican, and an upstanding member of the community - something this mentally insecure bigotess will never be! Hope she's next too!

mrtodd said...

my thoughts are with Luke Smiths family at this time. unfortunatly i feel that some people who are writing about this article are promoting hate against another group of people. As an anti facist myself i feel we should have some dignity. I did not personaly know Luke Smith and cannot comment on his character, from what i have read about him i feel he was an easily led young man who has met a tragic end. For this i express my sympathy. We all ask for forgiveness regulary and should forgive others. I find that someone against facism should not hate anyone for their race, colour age, sex, beliefs or defects.
Please leave comments with dignity and respect for others. Do not become the person we are all fighting against - we are surely better than that!!!!
CT

Anonymous said...

What a shame!

Anonymous said...

He was probably a closet gay like most right wing fascists