Death threats to councillor

Police are investigating death threats made against a Tameside councillor.

 The threats were made after Councillor John Taylor’s details appeared on a violent far right website, Redwatch. The site, which includes pictures of political activists including anti-British National Party demonstrators, anti-deportation marches and Socialist Worker volunteers, lists home addresses and contact details of people featured online.

 The 60-year-old Dukinfield councillor, who has been a Labour Party member for 36 years and trade unionist for 40 years, is known for his criticism of the BNP. Since featuring on Redwatch, Councillor Taylor — who is a grandfather — has received countless emails saying that he will be shot in the head.

 "Since I was a teenager I’ve been involved in anti-fascist campaigning, so I’ve put up with day-to-day political jibes. I’ve been on marches and had things shouted at me but never anything as serious as this," said Councillor Taylor. "I’ve obviously had to take it very seriously because of my family. They said they were going to shoot me and have identified what gun they’re going to use, so it shows they know what they’re talking about. For people who know Redwatch, when they do identify you, you usually become a victim of violence."

 Councillor Taylor was also alerted to a video on the YouTube website, which accused him of being a communist. Fellow Dukinfield councillor, Brian Wild, also had his picture placed on the Redwatch website along with his address and the comment that he is an ‘anti-BNP associate of Councillor John Taylor’.

 Inspector Tony Alogba, of Stalybridge police, said: "We are investigating a threat to kill recently made on a website. We are following a number of inquiries and working closely with the victim to trace the person or people responsible. If anyone has any information about the threat please contact us on 856 9255."

Tameside Advertiser

Redwatch threatens to murder councillor after abusive BNP email published

BNP members put Dukinfield Labour councillor John Taylor on Redwatch with a threat to kill him

Andrew Gatward, the BNP's West Lindsey organiser, is one of those bright sparks who would appear to have graduated from the Lee Barnes School of Charm with full honours and a special commendation for making vivid (or is that livid?) use of the imagination.

Back in December Gatward turned his coat to join Sadie Graham's hopeless band of rebels, but within days had turned it again to rejoin the Griffinite BNP fold, thus ably demonstrating the "unity, loyalty, and comradeship we all have in the BNP", of which he speaks below.

Exactly what Dukinfield Labour councillor John Taylor said or did to excite Gatward's considerable ire we do not know, but it was enough to cause Gatward to fire off a missive to Cllr Taylor that for sheer hatred and hysteria (not to mention appalling punctuation) is all BNP.

The following is taken verbatim from Cllr Taylor's Dukinfield Views blog, and as a poster on our forum notes, really requires no further elaboration:

A BNP regional organiser's mail to me. The real BNP at work

3 July 2008

From: AndrewGatward@aol.com
Date: 03/07/2008 09:54:41
To: jwt35@**********
Subject: Re: Welcome to my web site I am a labour councillor in Tameside for the Dukin...

have spoken with my mates in tameside, they dont know what your talking about...so the liar strikes again....you really are worthless to anything decent taylor...your illiterate, retarded, and must have suffered a very bad childhood...was it the sex with your mother thats upset you...and regarding the closure of your site dumbo...you say it your self in one of your latest posts...senile as well, but then so are the rest of your mob...get a life, and stop being jealous of the unity, loyalty, and comradeship we all have in the BNP, which i am sure you all long for in the Labour nazi's......and yes, you will be out your seat in no time, whether it be by BNP candidate, or Conservative, i don't really care at this stage...conservative can win all for me, as long as the Labour Hitlerites are removed.....your very very sad taylor, you need medical help, and I suggest you get it

Do you suffer from Illiterate BNP Email Syndrome? If so, do send them in (with headers) and we'll run the best of them as space allows.

Update: Redwatch threatens to murder councillor

BNP members have put John Taylor on Redwatch with a threat to kill him:

http://wagdukinfield.blogspot.com/2008/07/democrats-at-work-bnp-style.html

Democrats at work bnp style

-----Original Message-----
From: Anonymous [mailto:cripto@ecn.org]
Sent: 05 July 2008 20:25
To: John Taylor - COUNCILLOR
Subject: Redwatch

Congratulations, you're on Redwatch. I am going to take you out. Six .22
rounds in the back of your head should do the trick. I would bring my
.38 special but it makes one hell of a mess. I'll be seeing you.