From Wales Tonight broadcast this evening.
Showing posts with label Sion Owens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sion Owens. Show all posts
April 13, 2011
April 10, 2011
Koran Burning: A Few Thoughts...
There's a theme running through the Far Right's responses to Sion Owens' arrest for burning a Koran.
“He wouldn't have been arrested if it was a Bible !” they yell. “What makes the Koran so special?”
The answer is, of course, nothing. The Koran, in Law, is no different to the Bible, the Talmud, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji or (let's say) an artificial flower. If Mr Owens were to be charged, it would likely to be for a public order offence, either “Outraging the Public Decency” or “Incitement to Racial Hatred”, but not for specifically attacking Islam.
The argument that the Law thinks more of Islam than Christianity falls apart as soon as you look at the history of blasphemy law in this country.
The offence of Blasphemy, which was abolished in 2008, used to cover Christianity only. Later on, it covered Judaism, too. The only times anyone were ever charged under the offence though, were for “attacks” on Christianity – like the infamous Gay News Case, when the Editors were convicted for publishing a (poisonously bad, on a Lee-Barnes-the-Poet level, if truth be told) poem about Jesus, a randy Centurian and an unusual crucifixion.
Then Salman Rushdie wrote his Satanic Verses novel in 1988 and all hell let loose. And yes-I read it. My God, did I read it. If ever there was a book I'd be tempted to burn just for sheer, inpenetrable, bloody awfulness... There were calls for Islam to also be protected under the Blasphemy Laws, but these were (thankfully, for us Atheists) rejected and instead led to the ultimate demise of the 16th Century Law.
So now you can't be prosecuted for offending a religion, be it Islam, Christianity, Judaism or Jedi. And you can't be prosecuted for burning a book – any book.
But you can be prosecuted, and you very probably will be, for setting out to offend as many of your target group as you possibly can with a deliberate attack on something which you know they hold dear. Burn a Koran, a Poppy, or take a leak on the local War Memorial and – chances are – you'll be up before the Beak.
Because intent is everything.
That's why the idiots who torched the Poppy last year got done: Not because they burned a paper flower, but because they did so knowing that it would upset a lot of people.
Conversely, that's probably why the Ringleader was fined only £50: Just how much can you fine someone for burning a paper flower without looking utterly ridiculous?
If it were the majority view that Jackie Collins is a Living National Treasure and Hollywood Wives the finest flowering of her godlike genius, I might expect to be charged if I had myself filmed torching a copy. Unlike the actual state of things, where I may actually be thanked for keeping the shelves of my local Oxfam free for stuff people might actually want to read...
A couple of years ago at the BNP's Red White & Blue “family festival” here in Derbyshire, one John Coombes hit the Papers when he presided over the burning of a Golly.
Except he wasn't doing it to keep warm, to provide illumination or because polyester filling - correctly prepared and alfresco - makes a tasty and nutritious snack.
He was recreating, in a jovial, family-friendly and lighthearted manner, the trial and murder of a Black person.
What larks, eh?
I've destroyed soft toys myself. Anyone with kids will recognise the horror of small creatures from McDonalds gradually taking over the house, and the relief at dropping a binbag-full of the sodding things at the tip to be summarily mashed, ground, buried and otherwise ill-treated (although possibly not incinerated – not unless you want to see Chernobyl-like clouds of poison gas floating across Derby...). I don't think I've ever done so with the express intent of upsetting anyone, though:
Of course, there's a darker irony to Mr Owens' alleged stunt. We all saw what happened in Afghanistan last month when the idiot redneck “Pastor” Terry Jones put his Koran burning video on the Webs: The Taliban took a dim view of it and used the footage as the spark for lethal attacks on United Nations workers and their projects. Terry Jones now has blood on his hands – he even seems quite happy about it.
The BNP have spent the last couple of years strenuously identifying themselves with “Our Lads”. Photo's of “Our Lads” appear on their literature and Griffin rarely misses the opportunity to bang on about how his outfit is the “only party” to “support” our soldiers. In fact, if he can't find a real “Our Lad” to pose with, he'll get one of his Oppo's (that'll be you, Mr Walker) to dress up as one and hope no-one asks any embarrassing questions...
So Mr and Mrs Taliban (well – Mr Taliban at any rate: He probably won't let Mrs Taliban learn to read) will look at the paper and see reports of an official Candidate of “The Only British Political Party Who Supports Our Troops”, burning a Koran; he might even get to see pictures of this Heathen Koran Burner looking very chummy with Party Leader Nick Griffin, a British Member of the European Parliament.
And, guessing that Mr Taliban possibly isn't much of a sophisticate when it comes to the finer nuances of UK political fringe movements, he'll have his hatred of his country's Occupiers nicely topped up for the next time a foot patrol comes to his village.
And how much blood will the likes of the Koran Burners have on their hands then?
“Supporting Our Troops?” Yeah. Right.
“He wouldn't have been arrested if it was a Bible !” they yell. “What makes the Koran so special?”
The answer is, of course, nothing. The Koran, in Law, is no different to the Bible, the Talmud, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji or (let's say) an artificial flower. If Mr Owens were to be charged, it would likely to be for a public order offence, either “Outraging the Public Decency” or “Incitement to Racial Hatred”, but not for specifically attacking Islam.
The argument that the Law thinks more of Islam than Christianity falls apart as soon as you look at the history of blasphemy law in this country.
The offence of Blasphemy, which was abolished in 2008, used to cover Christianity only. Later on, it covered Judaism, too. The only times anyone were ever charged under the offence though, were for “attacks” on Christianity – like the infamous Gay News Case, when the Editors were convicted for publishing a (poisonously bad, on a Lee-Barnes-the-Poet level, if truth be told) poem about Jesus, a randy Centurian and an unusual crucifixion.
Then Salman Rushdie wrote his Satanic Verses novel in 1988 and all hell let loose. And yes-I read it. My God, did I read it. If ever there was a book I'd be tempted to burn just for sheer, inpenetrable, bloody awfulness... There were calls for Islam to also be protected under the Blasphemy Laws, but these were (thankfully, for us Atheists) rejected and instead led to the ultimate demise of the 16th Century Law.
So now you can't be prosecuted for offending a religion, be it Islam, Christianity, Judaism or Jedi. And you can't be prosecuted for burning a book – any book.
But you can be prosecuted, and you very probably will be, for setting out to offend as many of your target group as you possibly can with a deliberate attack on something which you know they hold dear. Burn a Koran, a Poppy, or take a leak on the local War Memorial and – chances are – you'll be up before the Beak.
Because intent is everything.
That's why the idiots who torched the Poppy last year got done: Not because they burned a paper flower, but because they did so knowing that it would upset a lot of people.
Conversely, that's probably why the Ringleader was fined only £50: Just how much can you fine someone for burning a paper flower without looking utterly ridiculous?
If it were the majority view that Jackie Collins is a Living National Treasure and Hollywood Wives the finest flowering of her godlike genius, I might expect to be charged if I had myself filmed torching a copy. Unlike the actual state of things, where I may actually be thanked for keeping the shelves of my local Oxfam free for stuff people might actually want to read...
A couple of years ago at the BNP's Red White & Blue “family festival” here in Derbyshire, one John Coombes hit the Papers when he presided over the burning of a Golly.
Except he wasn't doing it to keep warm, to provide illumination or because polyester filling - correctly prepared and alfresco - makes a tasty and nutritious snack.
He was recreating, in a jovial, family-friendly and lighthearted manner, the trial and murder of a Black person.
What larks, eh?
I've destroyed soft toys myself. Anyone with kids will recognise the horror of small creatures from McDonalds gradually taking over the house, and the relief at dropping a binbag-full of the sodding things at the tip to be summarily mashed, ground, buried and otherwise ill-treated (although possibly not incinerated – not unless you want to see Chernobyl-like clouds of poison gas floating across Derby...). I don't think I've ever done so with the express intent of upsetting anyone, though:
Of course, there's a darker irony to Mr Owens' alleged stunt. We all saw what happened in Afghanistan last month when the idiot redneck “Pastor” Terry Jones put his Koran burning video on the Webs: The Taliban took a dim view of it and used the footage as the spark for lethal attacks on United Nations workers and their projects. Terry Jones now has blood on his hands – he even seems quite happy about it.
The BNP have spent the last couple of years strenuously identifying themselves with “Our Lads”. Photo's of “Our Lads” appear on their literature and Griffin rarely misses the opportunity to bang on about how his outfit is the “only party” to “support” our soldiers. In fact, if he can't find a real “Our Lad” to pose with, he'll get one of his Oppo's (that'll be you, Mr Walker) to dress up as one and hope no-one asks any embarrassing questions...
So Mr and Mrs Taliban (well – Mr Taliban at any rate: He probably won't let Mrs Taliban learn to read) will look at the paper and see reports of an official Candidate of “The Only British Political Party Who Supports Our Troops”, burning a Koran; he might even get to see pictures of this Heathen Koran Burner looking very chummy with Party Leader Nick Griffin, a British Member of the European Parliament.
And, guessing that Mr Taliban possibly isn't much of a sophisticate when it comes to the finer nuances of UK political fringe movements, he'll have his hatred of his country's Occupiers nicely topped up for the next time a foot patrol comes to his village.
And how much blood will the likes of the Koran Burners have on their hands then?
“Supporting Our Troops?” Yeah. Right.
Labels:
Nick Griffin,
Sion Owens
April 09, 2011
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.
A video clip of the act, leaked to the Observer and passed immediately to South Wales police, provoked fierce criticism from the government.
A statement from the Home Office said: "The government absolutely condemns the burning of the Qur'an. It is fundamentally offensive to the values of our pluralist and tolerant society.
"We equally condemn any attempts to create divisions between communities and are committed to ensuring that everyone has the freedom to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility or harassment on the grounds of a particular characteristic, such as religion."
Owens, who has previously stood for a council seat, was last Tuesday unveiled by the BNP as a candidate for next month's assembly elections. Several photographs place him alongside party leader Nick Griffin, including one showing the pair embracing during a party conference.
The footage comes at a time of heightened tensions. Internationally, protests continued in Afghanistan last week against the recent Qur'an burning by the US pastor Terry Jones in his Florida church.
Jones's act triggered a wave of global violence that nine days ago led to protesters storming a UN Afghan compound, killing three UN staff members and four Nepalese guards. Police had feared that far-right British extremists might attempt to stir tensions here by replicating Jones's stunt.
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.
It is unclear when the incident took place, but the five-minute footage is already understood to have been circulated to extremists. There is no evidence that Griffin was aware of the film.
When Jones went ahead with his "punishment" of the Qur'an on 20 March it was initially largely ignored until it was streamed on the internet and preserved on YouTube.
The footage of the burning in Britain clearly identifies Owens, who is wearing a "Whitelaw No Surrender" T-shirt. The film starts with the Qur'an lying in a Quality Street tin before Owens begins dousing the holy book in flammable liquid and then setting fire to it. The camera zooms in as the Qur'an burns.
Saqed Mueen of the international security thinktank, the Royal United Services Institute, described the act as proof of the "globalisation of outrageous stunts". Concern over Islamophobic provocation among far-right elements is epitomised by the rise of the English Defence League, which was founded in 2009 and claims to have thousands of members in scores of regional branches.
The EDL's rise coincides with the decline of the BNP as a political force, evident during last year's poor general election performance. Although Griffin's party had 338 candidates in the parliamentary elections, a record number for a far-right party in Britain, its share of the vote in key seats fell.
The BNP fared little better in the council elections, failing in its concerted attempt to win control of Barking and Dagenham council and losing all but two of its 28 wards.
The news that a senior BNP figure has been arrested after a film showing him burning the Qur'an will only discredit the party further, according to anti-fascist campaigners.
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".
Although the BNP announced a record number of candidates for the Welsh assembly elections last week, anti-fascist groups maintain the party is a fading force, claiming that it has struggled to field candidates in the forthcoming local elections in areas that used to be target seats.
The Guardian
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.
A video clip of the act, leaked to the Observer and passed immediately to South Wales police, provoked fierce criticism from the government.
A statement from the Home Office said: "The government absolutely condemns the burning of the Qur'an. It is fundamentally offensive to the values of our pluralist and tolerant society.
"We equally condemn any attempts to create divisions between communities and are committed to ensuring that everyone has the freedom to live their lives free from fear of targeted hostility or harassment on the grounds of a particular characteristic, such as religion."
Owens, who has previously stood for a council seat, was last Tuesday unveiled by the BNP as a candidate for next month's assembly elections. Several photographs place him alongside party leader Nick Griffin, including one showing the pair embracing during a party conference.
The footage comes at a time of heightened tensions. Internationally, protests continued in Afghanistan last week against the recent Qur'an burning by the US pastor Terry Jones in his Florida church.
Jones's act triggered a wave of global violence that nine days ago led to protesters storming a UN Afghan compound, killing three UN staff members and four Nepalese guards. Police had feared that far-right British extremists might attempt to stir tensions here by replicating Jones's stunt.
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.
It is unclear when the incident took place, but the five-minute footage is already understood to have been circulated to extremists. There is no evidence that Griffin was aware of the film.
When Jones went ahead with his "punishment" of the Qur'an on 20 March it was initially largely ignored until it was streamed on the internet and preserved on YouTube.
The footage of the burning in Britain clearly identifies Owens, who is wearing a "Whitelaw No Surrender" T-shirt. The film starts with the Qur'an lying in a Quality Street tin before Owens begins dousing the holy book in flammable liquid and then setting fire to it. The camera zooms in as the Qur'an burns.
Saqed Mueen of the international security thinktank, the Royal United Services Institute, described the act as proof of the "globalisation of outrageous stunts". Concern over Islamophobic provocation among far-right elements is epitomised by the rise of the English Defence League, which was founded in 2009 and claims to have thousands of members in scores of regional branches.
The EDL's rise coincides with the decline of the BNP as a political force, evident during last year's poor general election performance. Although Griffin's party had 338 candidates in the parliamentary elections, a record number for a far-right party in Britain, its share of the vote in key seats fell.
The BNP fared little better in the council elections, failing in its concerted attempt to win control of Barking and Dagenham council and losing all but two of its 28 wards.
The news that a senior BNP figure has been arrested after a film showing him burning the Qur'an will only discredit the party further, according to anti-fascist campaigners.
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".
Although the BNP announced a record number of candidates for the Welsh assembly elections last week, anti-fascist groups maintain the party is a fading force, claiming that it has struggled to field candidates in the forthcoming local elections in areas that used to be target seats.
The Guardian
Labels:
BNP,
Nick Griffin MEP,
Sion Owens,
South Wales West,
Terry Jones,
Welsh Elections,
Whitelaw
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