EDL youth facing jail over brawl

A teenager from north-west London who is a prominent member of the English Defence League (EDL) is facing jail over his role in a pre-arranged fight between football hooligans.

Joel Titus, 18, took part in the bloody brawl between Brentford and Leyton Orient supporters outside Liverpool Street station in central London in May last year. The A-level student was captured on CCTV hurling objects at rivals and fighting over a wooden pole with another thug.

Titus had previously been cautioned for battery after punching a journalist at a right-wing demonstration against the "Islamification of Europe" in December 2009, the Old Bailey heard. Earlier this year he was found guilty of threatening behaviour after snarling "f*** off" at a police officer who tried to break up a fight.

He is reported to be a youth organiser for the EDL and has appeared on the BBC Newsnight programme talking about his role in protests.

Titus, of North View, Pinner, appeared in court alongside five other men, all of whom admitted a charge of affray at earlier hearings. They are: Dean Wells, 24, of Isleworth, west London; Steven Donovan, 20, of Hayes, Middlesex; Andrew Hudson, 26, of Hornchurch, Essex; David Mitchell, 19, of Littlehampton, West Sussex; and Thomas Armstrong, 24, of Woodford Green, Essex.

All six were remanded in custody to be sentenced on Wednesday.

Copyright © 2011 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Press Association

Thanks to Abu for the heads-up

Cash-strapped BNP 'turns to racist hardcore'

Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP which opponents say has suffered a split

The BNP was last night accused of turning to "a hardcore group of neo-Nazis and racists" to stand as candidates in next month's local elections.

The anti-BNP campaign group Hope not Hate said it had compiled a dossier of extremist postings of candidates standing on 5 May, either in council elections or those to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. Among the postings the group collected from Facebook pages were:

• One BNP candidate in the North of England who posted on his Facebook page a mock advert for the gas Zyklon B – used in the Nazi extermination chambers of the Second World War – captioned, "Try Zyklon B. It's a gas!"
• One candidate urges his followers to "Stamp out diseases today. Spray pakis and poofs with hydrochloric acid".
• An activist in Wales, who has a photograph of his endorsement by BNP leader Nick Griffin on his Facebook page. Underneath it reads: "My grandfather was killed in Auschwitz. Apparently he got pissed and fell out of the watchtower!"

The candidate also posted, "Just popped round to see my Muslim neighbour's new baby. She asked me if I wanted to wind it but that seemed a bit extreme so I gave it a dead leg instead."

• A woman, describing herself as a "a big supporter of the BNP leader Nick Griffin", responded to a protest by Muslims Against The Crusades by saying: "They should all be burned."
• Another candidate posting about his arrest for "an out of date bus ticket", says: "They [police] have just made me hate them even more. From now on I will be celebrating the death of serving police officers when they are announced on the news. May sound a bit extreme but I hate them that much." He also posted that Labour's newly elected MP for Barnsley Central, Dan Jarvis, a former officer in the Parachute Regiment, "should have been shot from behind while facing the enemy".

Overall the BNP will be fielding just over 200 candidates in next month's elections – nearly 500 fewer than the in 2007. It said it "was having to cut its cloth" because of the amount of money it had had to spend defending a legal action against the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Hope not Hate said: "As his party crumbles, Nick Griffin has been forced to turn to what even by BNP standards, is a hard core of neo-Nazis and racists. These are not just activists, but people Griffin is putting forward as candidates for elected public office. They are literally the best the BNP now has to offer."

Hope not Hate, which is funded by the trades union movement, said the party had become hopelessly split – with many members defecting to the English Democrats and the breakaway party British Freedom Party.

The BNP has been engaged in a long-running court battle with the EHRC over its policy of restricting membership to "indigenous British people". It scrapped the rule but the Commission accused Mr Griffin of failing to comply with an order to remove potentially racist clauses from his party's constitution. In December Mr Griffin fought off an attempt to have him declared guilty of contempt of court at the High Court – which rejected the EHRC's attempt to seize the party's assets. Costs were awarded to the BNP but deputy leader Simon Darby said the battle had affected its ability to recruit members and had cost a huge amount in legal fees which had yet to be reimbursed.

Mr Darby said: "Unlike the Labour Party we cannot afford to be £19m in debt and we have had to cut our cloth accordingly." He said the unsavoury postings could be fakes to discredit the party.

'BNP postings' on Facebook

• "7/7 – keep trying ya raghead bastards. This is our country our England our rules. Time2 packup and get the fuck out of dodge."
• "Fly your flag! no excuses. We stock them. £5 to piss off your Muslim neigbours off big style. What a fucking bargain."
• "Going to the polling station was aday out for the lazy African population as they don't work."
• "Unless we stand up and are counted then it's bye bye England."

Independent

Ex-soldier jailed for burning Koran in Carlisle

A former soldier has been sentenced to 70 days in prison for setting fire to a copy of Muslim holy book the Koran in the centre of Carlisle.

Andrew Ryan had previously admitted religiously aggravated harassment and theft of a Koran from a library. The 32-year-old, of Summerhill, said he had been "shocked" watching a Muslim burning a poppy on Remembrance Day.

Shoppers and schoolchildren witnessed the burning, outside the old Town Hall, on 19 January.

Sitting at Carlisle Magistrates' Court, District Judge Gerald Chalk described it as a case of "theatrical bigotry". He said: "It was pre-planned by you as you stole the book deliberately. You went out to cause maximum publicity and to cause distress."

Ryan struggled with security guards in court after the sentence was passed. While being handcuffed he shouted: "What about my country? What about burning poppies?"

About 10 people were in court to support Ryan, and as they left the court they shouted "do you call this justice?".

After sentencing, Insp Paul Marshall, of Cumbria Police, said: "This incident was highly unusual for Cumbria as we have such low levels of hate crime in the county."

BBC

Cloak-and-dagger day with the BNP – a party in crisis

This year was a far cry from 2008 when 300
BNP members, including Nick Griffin, held a rally in Stoke

Deserted manifesto launch signals election disaster

The low-key launch of the BNP's English manifesto in a deserted Stoke-on-Trent shopping street yesterday was in marked contrast to previous events held by the group in the area. In 2008 the city played host to a 300-strong BNP rally; only around 30 members turned up yesterday.

With three volunteers holding up modest Union flag backdrops to ensure they did not blow over during the speech by the deputy leader Simon Darby, and press interviews held in the corner of a giant retail centre car park, the event was notably different from last year's general election campaign launch. Then, a man dressed as St George appeared with the leader Nick Griffin in Stoke to begin the party's ill-fated push for a Westminster seat. Mr Griffin was unable to attend this time due to poor health, leaving the floor – or rather pavement – for Mr Darby to address his small gaggle of followers.

He called the Labour Party leader Ed Miliband an "alien", a "reptile" and a thoroughly "odd-looking bloke", and accused Labour of gerrymandering the council ward boundaries to reduce the BNP's presence.

Michael Coleman, one of five BNP councillors in Stoke, said its nine-page policy document was intended to stop an "invasion and occupation by a foreign body of people", lauding it as "exciting, positive and uplifting".

All members present denied they were racist, but anti-Islamic rhetoric dominated the short affair, with Mr Coleman claiming white folk will flee the area because they are intimidated by the building of a mosque. "They've got no right to be in this country and everybody knows it," he said.

Mr Darby portrayed the BNP as the underdogs and claimed some of its supporters faced prison for their beliefs. He professed his delight to be out campaigning on a "sunny English day", but it appeared yesterday that the BNP's moment in the sun could be coming to an end.

It is expected to field about 200 candidates in next month's elections, compared with more than 700 in the comparable campaign in 2007, and faces losing all the seats that it is defending. Following its relatively poor general election showing, the BNP has been riven by internal strife, including a failed challenge to Mr Griffin's leadership. Some disaffected former BNP members have defected to the English Democrats, while others have set up a breakaway party, British Freedom.

Matthew Goodwin, of Nottingham University, an analyst of far-right politics said "Their situation is very grave. Even in their core areas, the BNP are struggling to find candidates."

Independent

Britons sympathetic to refugees

Two thirds of Britons are sympathetic to refugees coming to the country, according to a survey.

The poll for the Refugee Council found that 74% of women and 61% of men were sympathetic to those fleeing persecution to seek protection in the UK. It also found that most people "wildly overestimated" the numbers of refugees who were accepted to stay in the country.

The survey of more than 2,000 people by Opinium Research found that 44% of respondents believed 100,000 or more refugees were accepted in 2009. A further 33% thought the number was around 25,000. In fact, the true figure of those granted refugee status was 4,175.

The research also revealed significant misunderstanding around what a refugee is. Many respondents confused refugees with economic migrants from Poland and Eastern Europe.

The vast majority of Britons (84%) were "proud to be British" while 82% believed that protecting the most vulnerable was a core British value.

2011 marks the 60th anniversary of UN Convention for Refugees, which British lawyers played a key role in drafting. Donna Covey, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said: "British soldiers gave up their lives in World War II fighting to build a better world and protect others from persecution.

"It is a legacy that all British people should be proud of, and should serve to remind us that Britain still has an important role to play in offering safety to those forced to flee their homes to escape violence, torture and war in countries around the world today.

"How encouraging that, 60 years after the UN Convention for Refugees was created so many people remain sympathetic to refugees coming here, and that the majority believe protecting the most vulnerable is an intrinsic part of being British."

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2011, All Rights Reserved.

Guardian

BNP manifesto launch buggered up by anti-fascists

BNP manifesto launch buggered up by anti-fascists

Three UAF/NorSCARF demonstrators got past BNP security and disrupted the BNP launch of their manifesto today. Their deputy leader Simon Darby and National Organiser Adam Walker amongst a group of around 20 had to pack up their belongings and leave the deserted shopping centre in Longton, Stoke on Trent and make a hasty retreat.

More images here.

Cheers to AB for the heads-up and well done to the three who did the job.

BNP reported over Scots leaflets

The BNP has been reported to the Electoral Commission over a campaign leaflet that falsely claims there are more Muslims in the UK than Scots.

A pamphlet was put through letterboxes across Scotland which said the BNP would put an end to mosque-building and warning of a “flood” of Eastern European immigrants about to arrive in Scotland.

Campaign group, Hope Not Hate, has reported the party over its claims. There are an estimated 2.4 million Muslims in Britain and more than five million in Scotland alone, 89% of whom declared themselves Scottish in the last census.

The far-right BNP is planning to field a record number of candidates in the next Holyrood and Westminster elections, but the Sunday Herald can reveal that a shortage of candidates has meant Nick Griffin’s daughter Jenny has been forced to stand in English, Welsh and Scottish elections under her married name, Jennifer Matthys. Opponents said it was damning evidence of the BNP’s lack of support.

A spokesman for Hope Not Hate said: “The BNP’s campaign of hate has been rejected by the Scottish people, which is why they have resorted to a tissue of lies. The BNP is desperate when Nick Griffin is forced to pressgang his own daughter into standing in three separate elections. This makes a mockery of their claims to be building support across the country.”

Aamer Anwar, human rights lawyer, said Muslims could be intimidated by the leaflets and they should call the police if they felt threatened. He said: “This could be considered breach of the peace. It’s racist nonsense which is totally inaccurate and trying to play on people’s fears.”

BNP Scottish organiser Gary Raikes said the leaflets were checked before going out and questioned whether the UK’s Muslim population had been accurately measured.

Herald Scotland

Arrests follow Halifax opposing protests

Fourteen people have been arrested following two rival demonstrations in a West Yorkshire town centre.

Officers said the protests in Halifax by the English Defence League (EDL) and the Muslim Defence League mostly passed peacefully with minimal disruption. Police said the arrests were made for minor public order offences.

About 150 people gathered in the Bull Green area for the EDL protest while about 50 took part in the other demonstration in Park Ward. West Yorkshire Police said about 200 officers were deployed to the events.

A spokesman said that during the EDL demonstration one man was taken ill and refused to be taken to hospital by ambulance. It was thought he had recovered and left the area without giving any details to officers.

Acting Supt Martin Lister said: "Our officers enjoyed a tremendous response to today's operation from the local public which ensured that today's demonstrations could both pass peacefully without disorder, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank residents and businesses of Halifax for this."

BBC

Thanks to NewsHound and others for the heads-up

Griffin plans more wasted money

Undeterred by the huge sums of money the British National Party already owes in legal costs, Nick Griffin is considering applying for a judicial review of the BBC’s decision not to invite his party to take part in Question Time again.

Writing on his blog today, Simon Darby, the BNP’s press spokesman, complained that the party was “effectively banned” from appearing on the flagship political discussion programme. “Upon that matter we are now looking at a the concept of a judicial review as the BBC refuse to budge,” added Darby.

Judicial review is an expensive legal process by which an individual can apply to the Administrative Court, part of the High Court, for a review of a decision by a public authority such as a local council. A claim can only be brought if the High Court grants leave.

A barrister told Searchlight that the cost of bringing judicial review proceedings, which would need specialist legal representatives, was likely to amount to at least £50,000.

Why Griffin should want to appear on Question Time again after his dismal performance last time is unclear. Many people count his appearance on the programme in October 2009, when he defended the Ku Klux Klan and refused clearly to reject Holocaust denial, as one of the elements that prompted the criticism of his leadership that has grown steadily since then.

Searchlight / HOPE not hate by Sonia Gable

Violence erupts as EDL threaten to burn Koran on Grays High Street

POLICE AND members of the English Defence League clashed on Grays High Street this afternoon after a Muslim stall was upturned and threats were made to burn a copy of the Koran.

Member of the EDL and United against Fascism (UAF) had gathered near to Grays Railway Station around lunchtime today (Saturday).

Both groups clashed at Grays Railway Station where the EDL attempted to get the UAF supporters back on the trains.

A number of EDL walked down the High Street where they saw a stall run by the Ahmadyya Association.

According to chairperson Basharad Ahamd Pir: “They scattered all our books and turned the stall over. One of them then got a lighter out and held the Koran and demanded that we burn it.

“It was very frightening but we remained calm. We are here to preach peace and love and will be back next week”.

Mr Pir thanked the local MP’s Jackie Doyle Price and Stephen Metcalfe who were manning a “No to AV” stall around the corner.

On police arrival, Ms Doyle Price pointed them to where the EDL were protesting.

Both MPs roundly condemned the activities and met with the stallholders afterwards to ensure they were alright.

Essex Police confirmed that they had been called to a number of incidents.

A spokesperson said: “We were called to Grays railway station after reports that members of the EDL had gathered there.

“We kept them under close observation near the area. There were no arrests.”

Your Thurrock

Far-Right party offers only return to a hate-filled past

Northern Ireland must reject the BNP's politics of division, says Matthew Collins

The British National Party (BNP) has announced that it is going to put forward candidates in the May 5 elections in Northern Ireland. As a registered political party, it is entitled to take part in the democratic process like any other party.
After 10 days of stark reminders for the people of Northern Ireland of the return of dark histories, the BNP is itself another unwelcome throwback to conflict and hatred.

From the very top of the party right down to the shallow bowels of its diminishing membership, the BNP represents ideals of hatred, division and conflict.

Sadly, for Northern Ireland, the hate party has taken it upon itself to offer its own brand of poison to the electorate at a time when it is being driven out of its home in England by mounting debts, internal division and allegations of corruption.

The BNP ran its fundraising in Belfast for three years, while making an element of political headway in England. Now the party is on the brink of extinction in England, decimated by infighting and financial scandal, while its Belfast operation has ended in acrimony.

The BNP wants to put itself forward to voters in spite of owing people here thousands of pounds in unpaid bills and salaries, having taken advantage of local people's goodwill and Northern Ireland's low-wage economy.

When the BNP did a vanishing act from its premises in Dundonald just before Christmas, it left behind its local workforce facing the festive season without money.

One exasperated printer from Belfast, owed money by the BNP, is reported to have travelled to Wales last month in the desperate hope that they could receive payment for the work carried out in good faith for the BNP.

In spite of this, the BNP now wants to cash in again on the local economic climate. This time the party is hoping it can gain from the misdemeanours of the global banking industry and lay the blame for cuts in services and jobs on the heads of Northern Ireland's migrant community.

The BNP is likely to try to position itself in the unionist community and play on difficulties and competition over the allocation of services, like housing and schools, while further dividing and splitting the unionist vote.

Can we really trust a party that does not even pay the local printer who produced its previous divisive and hateful promises?

We've seen the likes of the BNP before in Northern Ireland. When its leader, Nick Griffin, was the leader of the National Front in the 1980s, his Ulster organiser was imprisoned for his part in firebombing the homes of RUC officers and was lauded as a 'prisoner of war' by Griffin's party.

Later, Griffin turned up in Libya and was photographed posing under a portrait of his then political hero, Colonel Gaddafi, again in a search for money.

He and his party were shown the revulsion they deserved by the community here which they believed held their electoral hopes.

Of course, that was all a long time ago. Yet two months ago, the BNP's civil rights group, Civil Liberty, praised the views of Gerard Mc Geough, the former IRA man who had just been convicted for the attempted murder of an off-duty UDR man in 1981.

It seems that, wherever there is hatred and wherever there is darkness, people like the BNP will try and make gains from it.

On May 5, they'll be trying to do it at the expense of people who have come to Northern Ireland for new lives to work in hospitals, drive taxis, work the land and live as our friends and neighbours.

They come in search of a new start and - like the overwhelming majority of people in Northern Ireland - they want to live in peace.

No amount of flag-waving, expediency and IOUs from the BNP can disguise the fact that they are a step back into the darkness and have only come here to hate.

Belfast Telegraph

Sion Owens BNP Koran Burner ITV1 Wales

From Wales Tonight broadcast this evening.