Pictures of public figures posted on neo-Nazi website

Redwatch: run by police informer and glue-sniffer Kevin Watmough

The PSNI has been urged to investigate a neo-Nazi website with links to Combat 18 after it posted pictures of high profile politicians, journalists and trade unionists with a sinister plea for information on them.

The police were asked to look at the vile far-right racist site Redwatch after Belfast councillor Niall Kelly discovered several pictures of himself along with dozens of images of members of the public attending rallies in Belfast city centre. A caption above the SDLP man’s picture, taken at last month’s anti-racism rally in support of the Romanian families who were intimidated out of south Belfast, read: “Fenian reds, causing trouble in South Belfast attempting to win support for Gypsy parasites turning the Protestant Village area into a slum.”

In England, a number of MPs and Mersyside trade union leader Alec McFadden received death threats from right wing violent extremists after their details appeared on Redwatch. It is now feared that some people in Northern Ireland could now be targeted.

Pictures of Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, former Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Ekin, north Belfast SDLP councillor Pat Convery and prominent UDA figure Jackie McDonald attending various rallies, including anti-racism and anti-war protests, also appear on the sickening site. It is understood some of the photographs were lifted from Mr Kelly’s Flickr site.

“Obviously I am concerned to see pictures of myself and party colleagues appear on this sinister website,” Mr Kelly told the Belfast Telegraph.

“Since this matter has been brought to my attention I have alerted the police who have informed me that they have been monitoring this website for a while now as this organisation appears to be engaged in hi-tech fascism. However, neither I nor my party will be deterred from standing for the rights of others. The SDLP has faced down threats before and we will continue to do what is right as we strive to fight against racism, sectarianism and bigotry.”

Redwatch was originally published in paper form by the far right racist group Combat 18 in March 1992. Among the Redwatch targets are journalist Eamonn McCann, Irish Trade Union Congress leader Claire Moore and Patrick Yu, executive director of Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities whose contact details including telephone number and address have been posted alongside his picture.

Crowd shots showing members of the public attending at rallies in Belfast dating back as far as 2004 are also posted and in a worrying development appeal for information on those in the picture.

A caption read: “Send us details of your local red scumbags — we want their names, addresses, phone numbers, photographs, work details — anything and everything about them to publish here in the same way as they are doing to our people. We are going to give them exactly the same treatment as they are. Fight back. Any further info on the freaks below will be gratefully received.”

However journalist Eamon McCann said he would not be intimidated.

“I am not in the least bit intimidated. I would be almost insulted if these people had been making a list of their enemies in Northern Ireland and I was not on it.”

A spokeswoman for the PSNI said: “We do not comment on the security of individuals. The police service does not monitor internet sites on a day-to-day basis. However it will take appropriate action when complaints are received of criminal offences that occur within its jurisdiction.”

Belfast Telegraph

BNP leaflet sparks probe

An investigation has been launched after a Salford council bin lorry was spotted displaying a BNP leaflet in the windscreen.

The bin lorry was doing its rounds in Lumber Lane, Worsley, when a resident captured the prominently positioned leaflet on camera.

Ben Cardwell, 24, who lives with fiancee Louise Morris, 29, said: "It took me totally by surprise. I was shocked by it. I called my fiancee to have a look and we both couldn't believe it. I wanted to put a complaint to the council. We didn't think it was allowed to put stickers up supporting any political party, never mind the BNP."

The council say investigations are continuing, but union bosses say the staff responsible should be suspended with immediate effect.

Alec McFadden, of Salford Unison, said: "I have never known any public authority to allow support of any political party, whether that be Labour or the Conservatives. It makes it ten times worse that it is the BNP - a fascist, racist organisation. The council should be taking immediate action and should suspend whoever is involved as soon as possible. The investigation should take place to find out who is involved but the council should be seen to respond quickly. This is a very serious matter."

Salford council has confirmed formal action will be taken against whoever put the flyer on the wagon, but has stressed it is still investigating the claims.

Coun Joe Murphy said: "The council has clear rules against using council property to promote political parties in this way. I've asked for a full investigation and formal action will be taken. However, until the investigation has been completed it's not appropriate to comment any further."

Manchester Evening News

Riots in Luton and media apologism for fascist violence

A couple of days ago, "up to 400 people set off on a planned peaceful protest" in Luton, in opposition to "demonstrations at an Armed Forces homecoming parade earlier this year," according to BBC News. However, despite the professed "peaceful" intent, "nine men were arrested" after "an Asian man was assaulted, a shop window was smashed and several cars were damaged in the town centre."

Ostensibly, these events were part of a counter-protest, in response to a protest by British Muslims took place during a homecoming parade by the Royal Anglian Regiment. At the time, I argued that "the narrowness of debate and the extreme readiness to advocate suppression of speech when discussing this issue has highlighted a serious deficit in our democracy" and that "if this is a democracy, then the absolute right to protest anything and to say anything - even if it is offensive, ignorant, or wrong - should be a basic, universal benchmark."

My view was not echoed by the media, who called the protests - utterly non-violent though they were - "hate-filled," "sickening," and "vile" and called for laws to prevent such a thing happening again. Of the protesters, only Anjam Choudary was quoted, his words used as proof of the "tirade of abuse" that "our boys" had received. However, on the opposing side, the "fury" of families whose loved-ones died in Iraq and the "outrage" of those attending the parade was well-recorded.

By contrast, in the aftermatch of the shambolic counter-protest, the protesters were quoted at length and the victims of their violence remained voiceless. The Daily Mail spoke to Wayne King, spokesperson for the "United People of Luton," who described how "our community has been racially attacked for the last ten years." The Daily Telegraph also quoted King's call for "laws brought in to stop these preachers of hate operating here in Luton." The presumption that the aim was always "peaceful protest" (whilst of course all Muslim protesters from the original incident were "extremists") went unquestioned, and if there were similar condemnations from politicians as followed the peaceful picket, they went unreported.

Such media demonisation of Muslims and antipathy towards anti-Muslim violence is par for the course. It helps to manufacture and exacerbate ethnic and communal tensions and provide both a convenient scapegoat for governmental failures and a distraction from the crimes of state. In the current climate, however, there is a much more sinister consequence to the media's inherent and systemic bias: it provides apologism and indirect justification for the violent activities of organised fascists.

For, make no mistake, that is exactly what the "United People of Luton" - whose masked members all wore uniform white polo shirts bearing the epithet "No surrender to al-Qaeda" - are. An event of Facebook titled "Marrch in support of British Troops" [sic], and with 23 confirmed guests at the time of writing, is hosted by the football thug group "Hooligan Central." According to the event's description;

'All UK casuals are welcome, regardless of team, there is a truce for these marches as saving our country from these evil invaders is much more important.'

Whilst several of the "confirmed guests" have been quite open in displaying affections for the far-right BNP, running for election to the European Parliament on an anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim platform.



Does this count as proof that the BNP officially endorses violent attacks on Muslims and Asians? No, of course not. The party has gone to great pains to distance itself from its thuggish past ... on paper. What this does demonstrate, like the attack by Peter Tierney and Steve Greenhalgh on anti-fascists in Liverpool City Centre, or Wirral BNP's incitement to violence against Alec McFadden in delivering leaflets featuring his home address and the suggestion that he "needs coaching in a certain direction," among just the most recent incidents, is that this element remains strong within the BNP. Non-violent racism is still racism, and those willing to use "well directed boots and fists," to use an old Nick Griffin quote, are never far behind the fancy polemicists in suits.

It also demonstrates that any effective anti-fascist campaign must be one that is run not just against a particular front or organisation, such as the British National Party, but against the very principles that guide such groups. Especially when, perhaps for quite different reasons, they emerge within the mainstream.

Truth, Reason and Liberty

BNP stands accused over leaflet drops

Far-right activists have been accused of “political intimidation” after encouraging neighbours to confront a prominent anti-racist campaigner in his own home.

About 20 members of the newly-formed far right group Wirral British National Party dropped 2,500 leaflets in Wallasey close to Merseyside Trade Union Congress leader Alec McFadden’s home. The leaflets urge people to confront Mr McFadden [left] at his home and the maildrop coincided with him being in Liverpool at the front of an anti-racism rally. The only people at home were Mr McFadden’s two teenage daughters, who have been brought up in the Jewish faith.

Mr McFadden said: “They knew that I was leading the march, so they chose the moment to give these leaflets out, also knowing I’m a single parent with two teenage daughters.”

Mr McFadden was repeatedly stabbed to the face and torso in front of his now 16-year-old daughter, on the doorstep of his home in May, 2006. He believes the assailant was a fascist sympathiser and has had to alter his day-to-day life to ward off future attacks by such “radical thugs”.

Police have had to intervene after a neo-Nazi website featured pictures of Mr McFadden and he received death threats.

This weekend, Chief Supt Steve Ashley said the force was aware that leaflets were distributed in an area of Wallasey on Saturday. He said: “The content is being reviewed to determine if any criminal offence has been committed, and police patrols have been stepped up in the area.”

The latest pressure being applied on the trade union leader comes as the issue of “jobs from British workers” dominates many of the national papers.

Wirral BNP literature says: “Instead of defending British Workers, McFadden was holding an anti-racism/anti-BNP march in Liverpool while workers were being made redundant.”

They accuse him of being unpatriotic and allowing jobs to fall into the hand of immigrants while British people lose out in the current economic downturn. But Mr McFadden emphatically denies this. He said: “In January and February, 2008, I did the first case in Britain for young men when Polish workers were brought in on half the wages of British workers. I won the case, earning them thousands of pounds.

“I stand up for the fair treatment of workers, whoever they are. There is no excuse for what has been going on. My children shouldn’t have to face intimidation for any reason. My daughters were very upset when they heard about this.”

A neighbour and the National Union of Journalists leader in Merseyside, Mike Studley, said the incident was “an appalling act of political intimidation.”

Liverpool Daily Post

Anti BNP Event and Merseyside Police

Saturday 29th November 2008 saw a massive protest leafleting event against the fascist BNP and the racist leaflet for which 13 BNP members were arrested the previous Saturday. Over 500 Anti-fascists turned out including many from Liverpool’s black community to ensure that Merseyside stays a Fascist free zone.

The Merseyside Coalition against Racism and Fascism (M.C.A.R.F) and Searchlight produced a special leaflet to counter the racist BNP leaflet and printed 10, 000 copies and many were distributed on Saturday.

The President of M.C.A.R.F. Alec McFadden negotiated with Merseyside Police, organized the event, recruited stewards and produced the leaflets. The agreement with Police was that our leaflets would be distributed at the bottom of Church Street near Co-op bank. The Merseyside Police also confirmed that anyone distributing the racist BNP leaflet would be arrested.

On Tuesday 25th November the Crown Prosecution Service C.P.S ruled that the leaflet was likely to increase racial tension but was unlikely to increase racial hatred.

Merseyside Police objected and appealed that decision but on Friday the appeal was rejected, which meant that BNP could distribute their leaflets that were likely to increase racial tension, however M.C.A.R.F. was not informed of this

On Saturday morning 9. 45am the President of M.C.A.R.F. and three stewards were informed by the Senior Police Officer that the BNP were free to distribute their racist leaflets. All 500 plus present were addressed by the President of M.C.A.R.F. of the dangers, the need to work in groups and to contact one of the stewards or the police if anything threatening happened, including the BNP photographing demonstrators, and that personal security was a priority.

Over the next two hours 3000 leaflets were distributed, a number of speeches were made, music played, and the stewards did a great job, although a few BNP did try and take photos of demonstrators leafleting. These were dealt with by Police and Stewards.

The Stewards regularly checked across Liverpool City Centre for any sign of BNP but none were seen other than the few fascists trying to take photo’s.

At around 11. 50am the Police met the Stewards and M.C.A.R.F. President and informed them that no BNP activity was going to take place and that local BNP had stopped the mobilization. Our Steward confirmed that no groups of BNP had been seen. The Stewards and organizers then agreed to celebrate victory against BNP and stop the protest leafleting. The President of M.C.A.R.F. then addressed the Anti-Fascist Protesters and the event wound down in a positive frame of mind and many left the area.

Less than 75 minutes later 40/50 BNP were discovered at St. Georges Platau, and they were escorted into Liverpool City Centre by Merseyside police. The Anti-Fascists who were still in town and a few of the Stewards protested and chanted against the BNP who were lead by Nick Griffin their General Secretary. The protest lasted over one hour and three arrests were made, one BNP for the threatening behavior at News from Nowhere and two Anti-Fascists. No Charges have been made.

It is now very clear that the Police were either mislead by their intelligence, the BNP or mislead the organizers of the Ant-Fascist Event.

Openly racist leaflets were distributed in Liverpool by BNP under the protection of Merseyside Police.

On Monday 1st December M.C.A.R.F, Searchlight plus members of Liverpool Black Leader Forum have arranged to meet senior Merseyside Police after the President of M.C.A.R.F. made a complaint against Police handling of Saturdays Anti-Fascist Event. That meeting will take place this week.

An Early Day motion will go to Parliament on Wednesday from Merseyside M. Ps asking the Crown Prosecution Service to reconsider their position on the BNP leaflet which in the view of the Black Leaders Forum, M.C.A.R.F, and Anti-Fascist Activists will increase both racial tension and increase racial hatred.

Merseyside has always been a Fascist Free Zone and it is the intention of its citizens to maintain that position.

The spectacle of Merseyside Police protecting the Fascist BNP while they walk through the streets of Liverpool City centre distributing openly racist leaflets is an outrage, and must never be repeated. Our diverse community, The Trade Union Movement and all democratic people must ensure it never happens again.

Alec McFadden: President MCARF

Tragic murders the BNP is trying to exploit