Nazi vandal shock in park

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Mindless vandals have daubed a park with Nazi slogans and signs in the week the country stops to remember its war dead.

A shelter in Anchorsholme Park has been painted with swastikas – the terrifying symbol of the German Nazi Party who were responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War – and the Nazi salute of sieg heil, meaning hail victory. The party, led by Adolf Hitler, was the main fighting force against British troops during the war, and with Remembrance Day on Friday, the graffiti has left one resident disgusted with the vandals.

Jamie Young, from Anchorsholme, said: “I think it’s very offensive being less than a week until Remembrance Day. We have had so many problems in this part of town next to the Norbreck Castle Hotel and it has been a problem for a number of years. It almost seems the police and the council are powerless to deal with the issue and it’s most times of the day.”

Mr Young claims the area has issues with school children coming to the area at their lunch and causing trouble. He added: “It was only ten days ago a group of kids had a fight in the park. It’s a nightmare. It used to be really nice round here but it has gone downhill.”

Ian Coleman, president of Blackpool’s Royal British Legion branch, delivered a petition to Downing Street last week to lobby the Government to hand out stronger punishments to those defacing war memorials. He told The Gazette: “They can have no idea about what harm they’re doing if they lived through the war. Millions and millions of people lost their lives under that swastika sign and it should never rear its head again, especially in this country. Now I find out our locals are doing this and I find it abhorrent.”

Mr Coleman is now calling on schools to do more to educate people about the evils of the Nazis. He added: “This isn’t just graffiti, it’s a slight on anyone who died from this country and it’s a slap in the face for anyone who stands up for democracy. It’s a lack of understanding and education, possibly through schools and their own families not passing down what has happened.

“Education is a must because millions of people were killed under that swastika and so many more suffered soul-destroying injuries.”

Blackpool Gazette

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Aylesbury woman reprimanded for racist attacks

A woman from Aylesbury has been given a 12 week suspended sentence for a year and 200 hours unpaid work, for her part in racist attacks against a mosque in Hartlepool and Asian-run businesses near Sunderland.

Nineteen year old Charlotte Christina Davies admitted conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage, after her text messages to her boyfriend - Easington Colliery man, Anthony Donald Smith - offered encouragement for his intention to vandalise Asian property.

Twenty four year old Smith, of Rydale Court, Trimdon, was a member of right-wing group, The English Defence League at the time. He carried out the attacks last November, with fellow EDL member, Darlington man, 32 year old Steven James Vasey, of Eden Crescent.

The crimes were committed by the pair on the eve of Muslim festival, Eid, in response to an incident on Armistice Day in Luton where poppies were set alight by extreme Islamic groups.

Vasey , Smith and an accomplice were masked as they scaled a fence at the Nasir mosque in Hartlepool. They spray-painted the letters 'EDL' and 'NEI' (North East Infidels) along with the phrase, 'no surrender' and images of poppies and the St. George flag.

In Shotton Colliery two Asian-owned businesses suffered vandalism. A store had a window smashed with a brick and a nearby guest house was sprayed with graffiti similar to that of the mosque in Hartleypool.

Smith - a taxi driver - was arrested the following day after his vehicle was linked to the scenes of crime. Text messages on his phone between him and his then girlfriend Aylesbury woman Charlotte Christina Davies referenced going 'Muzzy bashing' and giving the mosque a 'makeover'.

Davies, Smith and Vasey all admitted conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage. Smith and Vasey have been given a one year custodial sentence.

The trio claim they have severed their ties with the EDL.

mix96

Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up

Hartlepool mosque graffiti trio sentenced

Two men who carried out a graffiti attack on a Teesside mosque have each been sentenced a year in prison.

Anthony Smith, 24, and Steven Vasey, 32, of County Durham, had previously admitted conspiracy to commit racially-aggravated criminal damage.

Charlotte Davies, 19, of Buckinghamshire, who also pleaded guilty to the same charge, was given a 12-week suspended sentence.

They attacked the Nasir Mosque, Hartlepool, in November last year.

Smith, of Neptune Way, Easington Colliery, and Vasey, of Prior's Grange, High Pittington, pleaded guilty during a hearing at Durham Crown Court in August.

Davies, of Irving Path, Aylesbury, admitted the charge earlier.

BBC News

EDL member admits mosque attack

A member of the English Defence League has admitted taking part in a spray paint attack on a mosque.

Charlotte Davies, 19, will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit racially aggravated criminal damage. She travelled from her home in Irving Path, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to Durham Crown Court where she indicated she admitted her part in the graffiti attack in November. The Nasir Mosque in Hartlepool, a shop and a guest house were sprayed.

The plea was not formally entered although the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be carried out and she will be sentenced in October.

Anthony Smith, 24, of Neptune Way, Easington Colliery, County Durham, and Steven Vasey, 32, of Prior's Grange, Pittington, County Durham, are accused of the same offence and they will enter pleas next Friday.

Independent

Swastikas daubed on homes of south Belfast migrants

Racist graffiti has been scrawled on the homes of migrant workers in south Belfast

Swastikas and racial slurs were painted on the properties in the Botanic area. South Belfast MLA Anna Lo said she condemned this “appalling” behaviour and urged people to be more tolerant.

“A lot of work has been done at community level to promote mutual understanding between local residents and new migrant workers,” she said. “Nobody wants to see this sort of graffiti. We are generally very welcoming to minorities and this sort of thing gives us a bad name.”

Anti-racism campaigner Paddy Meehan, who organised a community solidarity protest against attacks on Romanian families in the area in 2009, is calling for the community to unite together.

“If these racists are allowed to continue this unacceptable behaviour people will begin to fear for their safety,” he said.

Belfast Telegraph

'BNP' graffiti on Mansfield mosque

Community leaders have united to condemn the racist vandals who carved a swastika and the letters 'BNP' into the door of a Mansfield mosque

Police are investigating after Mansfield Jamee Masjid, on Goodacre Street, was targeted and have helped install a new CCTV system following a number of similar incidents. But the nature of the most recent graffiti attack has been met with widespread outrage from politicians, police and religious leaders.

Runu Ahad, secretary of Mansfield and Ashfield Bangladeshi Association (MABA), which runs the mosque, said: "'BNP' has been scratched on the door three times – the latest one appeared as soon as we painted over the letters from the previous incident. We've had ongoing problems, we've had windows broken and we've had break-ins. It's a place of worship and these people have no regard for a place of worship. It's a constant issue of us having to repair it, then it gets done again."

Chad

Students shocked by campus attack

A police investigation is underway after a university was daubed with offensive slogans

Swastikas and offensive wording, including "no Pakis", were sprayed on a number of buildings at Staffordshire University's Leek Road and College Road campuses at roughly 2am yesterday. Once spotted, maintenance staff were dispatched to clean up the graffiti. However, the incident has left students upset, with many saying they wouldn't recommend Stoke-on-Trent as a suitable destination to come and study.

Charlotte McKenzie, aged 20, came to the university from Nottingham. The broadcast journalism student said: "The graffiti is disgusting. I came to Stoke-on-Trent already aware of the high number of BNP councillors, but gave it a chance. This sort of thing makes me not want to be here anymore, or recommend it to my friends. I have experienced racism during my time here, whether it is sly remarks or innuendos."

Rochelle Owusu, aged 18, is originally from North London. The law and journalism student said: "I cannot believe something like this has happened at the place I chose to come to study. I'm only in my first year and I didn't sign up to deal with this sort of thing. This is somewhere we should feel safe."

The incident has been linked by some to the imminent university elections where current students' union president Assed Baig is fighting to hold on to his position. The 28-year-old is facing the polls after a group of students moved for a vote of no confidence. Mr Baig has been heavily involved in protests against the BNP and in the recent English Defence League demonstration in Hanley. He also made headlines last year after posting an article on the union website, containing a link to a site identifying 30 BNP members living within two miles of the university's Stoke campus.

Mr Baig, who has Pakistani parents, believes the attack was a message to him.

"I have no idea who has done this, but when they write "no Pakis" outside the entrance to my work, I feel it is aimed at me, especially with the election approaching," he said. "I cannot understand why somebody would do this, it makes me sick to my stomach."

Gary McNally, aged 24, is chairman of the Students' Union Council. The modern and international history student, who moved to the Potteries from Newbury, said: "I think it's disgusting that people are trying to intimidate students. We need to bring the community together, from all religions, to fight this. This sort of thing really puts people off studying here."

A spokesman for the university said: "We wish to send a strong and clear message to say we do not tolerate racist behaviour in any form on our campuses. Our campuses are covered by CCTV and regular night patrols and we will be fully co-operating with police."

A police spokesman added: "We are working with the university and students' union. CCTV footage is being checked."

Witnesses are asked to call PC Keith Emery on 0300 123 4455.

The Sentinel

Colliers Wood cabbie targeted by racist graffiti

A family has been left “traumatised” after they were targeted by racist graffiti

Taxi driver Mohammad Irfan Bashir, who is of Pakistani origin, discovered the word BNP sprayed all over his car just before Christmas. Shocked neighbours knocked on the door of Mr Bashir, who lives with his wife and three children in Devonshire Road, Colliers Wood, on December 21 to tell him his vehicle had been vandalised while parked outside his home overnight.

Maha Khurram, a relative who was staying at the house when the attack happened, said the family - which has two children at nearby Singlegate Primary School - has never suffered racism before. She said: “It’s shocking for me to see this - their kids play with everyone else’s in the street.”

The phrase was sprayed in blue along the door panels and bonnet of the black Ford Galaxy, and paint was also sprayed on its windows, headlights and hubcaps. Miss Khurram said the attack had left the family “traumatised” and worried about leaving the house.

Acting Detective Inspector Chuks Gwam of Merton police said: “This kind of vandalism won’t be tolerated on our borough. We are supporting the victim, a hard working taxi driver, and his family as our local residents and will pursue all available leads to arrest those responsible for this crime.”

The Merton police Community Safety Unit is investigating the vandalism - anyone with information should call crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Your Local Guardian

Racist graffiti causes uproar

Race tensions have been re-ignited in Windsor after racist graffiti was found scrawled on the walls of an underpass.

Residents were shocked to find racist threats and swaztikas painted in black paint along the entire length of the underpass which runs beneath Goslar Way between Vansittart Road and Green Lane. 'BNP' and 'KKK' also featured in the intimidating display which was produced sometime over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The incident comes just weeks after a string of convictions for racially aggravated crimes at the Medina Dairy site in Windsor.

Cllr Eileen Quick (Clewer East) said: "It's a big problem and the police are aware of it and they have been liasing with our officers on this. It is worrying that there might be people who are associating with Nazi groups. There's been stuff on the news about the big rally they're having in Germany, so it could be that someone has seen it and copied it. If it continues and people are determined to get their message across then we'll have to deal with it."

Residents in nearby York Road and Springfield Road have been shocked by the racist slurs and say it is the most extreme graffiti they have ever seen in the area. A woman from Springfield Road, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: "Never in the 20 years I have been here have I seen anything as bad as that. It's Ku Klux Klan stuff. I'd be frightened if my son saw it. My son has Asian and black friends and I would be embarrassed if one of his friends saw it."

The underpass is used regularly by children to access Oakfield First School along with Vansittart skate park and playground on the other side of busy Goslar Way.

Sheila Quinlan, 46, from York Road said: "I have three kids aged eight, nine and 10 and we have to go down that under-pass every day, so I'm having to explain to them what it means and why do people do it. It's such a shame. It infects the whole community. I have seen graffiti there before but nothing racist."

She continued: "There are a lot of English people here but I'm not aware of any racism. Perhaps it is more subtle. I grew up with racism in Slough and I don't want my kids to be exposed to that."

Roger Robertson, south-east regional officer for the BNP party alleged that anti-racism groups were responsible for the graffiti in their quest to blacken the BNP's reputation.

He said: "We know full well that it is the UAF (United Against Fascism) who are responsible for these occurrences. They do this and everyone's up in arms and blaming the BNP. I would like to see the people who did this very severely punished."

The police commented: "This graffiti was reported to police by a police enquiry centre member of staff. It has been photographed and categorised as a crime and the council's team has been asked to clean it off. ."

The Royal Borough's street care department painted over the graffiti on Wednesday morning.

Ascot, Windsor and Eton Express

Racist letters sent to churches

A number of churches daubed with racist graffiti and swastikas in Lancashire also received offensive letters. The graffiti was painted on the Baptist Church, St Peter's and St Paul's Church and The Methodist Church in Rishton near Blackburn.

Lancashire Police said two garages, a fish and chip shop and a library were also vandalised. The force said it was treating the incidents extremely seriously and investigations were ongoing. Insp John O'Reilley, of Lancashire Constabulary, said: "Some written material has been posted through some of the addresses. It is consistent with the type of language and graffiti written on the outside of the premises so we are following that through as well."

BBC

BNP To Stand In Southport

The British National Party have selected Liverpool woman Carol Atherton to stand in the Norwood ward. However she faces stiff competition from sitting Liberal Democrat councillor Frank Rimmer.

Despite fighting several local council elections in the resort, the BNP have yet to win a single ward. Previous candidates include Michael McDermott who is fighting in the south of the borough on Thursday, May 3.

Sefton Trade Union Council (TUC) has condemned the presence of BNP candidates in the forthcoming local elections.

Secretary Danny McGowan stated: "The BNP have attempted to soften their image and hide their racist and violent criminality to win votes. But, like wolves in sheep clothing, they remain a fascist organisation opposed to the democratic process they are seeking to exploit.

"Half a century after we defeated fascism in World War 2, racist graffiti and swastikas are now seen again in our community, in areas like Litherland and around South Road, Waterloo. It’s an unlikely co-incidence that this has accompanied recent BNP campaigns in these areas.

"The BNP spread lies, fear and hatred wherever they go. We are confident, however, that local people will not ‘swallow their poison’ and our community will not be divided. Sefton trade unionists are joining with other local people and anti-racists in a broad based campaign to ensure hope wins over hate here.”

Champion Newspapers