You Decide.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 19:01

Just had this interesting photo sent to me of the EDL demo in Dewsbury taken at 2pm today.

Some of the more mathematically challenged members of the EDL and also one respectable member of the BBC claimed there was 1,000 EDL at todays event.

West Yorkshire Police claimed there was no more than 500, we claimed there was even fewer than that.

Have a look at this photo and judge for yourself.

EDL Head Towards Batley

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 15:07

Police have just informed us that a number of EDL members have been seen heading towards the neighboring town of Batley, just a couple of miles up the road from Dewsbury.

They could just be heading towards the pub or alternatively could be on the look out for trouble.

Kirklees Council Leader Calls EDL To Account

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 14:31

Mehboob Khan

Mehboob Khan, leader of Kirklees Council has just said

"The cost of the EDL rally is the best part of £500,000 to the tax payer, outrageous & EDL should be made to pay full cost. "

"Thank you to decent local people for their unequivocal rejection of EDL propaganda. They are not welcome in Dewsbury"

Somebody can't count

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 14:14

As the rain clouds open on the EDL, someone at the Dewsbury demo can't count.

It's All Over

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 14:09

And that seems to be that apparently.

Low numbers and a demo that seems very short will not please EDL members, are the EDL a busted flush?

They are now being escorted back to their coaches as the rain clouds gather.

Break Out ?

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 13:49

The speeches have started and as predicted Kevin Carroll is waffling on making the small EDL crowd look for extra entertainment.

They attempt to surge out of the police cordon to get to some of the less than pleased locals.Within the EDL seem to be a small number of Infidel supporters.

I'm not sure why they are here, is it to attack the EDL or are they fed up with animal killer John "Snowy" Shaw ?

Carroll desperately tries to get the thugs to behave but they aren't listening despite the fact the police outnumber them.

EDL Say 500

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 13:26

Two Years ?

The EDL have just claimed there is 500 in Dewsbury today.

Even if that is the case that is still short of the numbers they would have expected.

Gesticulating in the photo is convicted firework thrower Anthony Crawford from Chester Le Street.

Is he having a guess at the sentence he might get next month?

Oh and it's starting to rain...

First Arrest Of The Day

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 13:17

Naughty, naughty.

On The Move

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 13:01

Doncaster based Bryan "Clint" Bristow in red shirt on the move

Police start to escort the EDL members from the two pubs the short distance to Dewsbury Town Hall where they will be listening to the same dull speeches that bore even the most hardened EDL members.

Scraping The Barrell

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 12:52

George Crapper aka Edwards in his silly uniform.

The EDL numbers are still very,very low, certainly nowhere near the thousands that was predicted.

We would still put the number at 200 and to make matters worse their number is made up with self styled "Nationalist Security" fruitcake George Crapper aka George Edwards.

You can read more about Crapper here

Numbers Look Low in Dewsbury

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 12:25

More EDL arriving in Dewsbury but numbers look low.

Police estimating 450 but we it looks nearer to 200 at the moment.

Still early yet however.

Anthony Crawford In Dewsbury

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 12:21

Chester Le Street thug Anthony Crawford has been spotted in Dewsbury with North East organiser Alan Spence.

Crawford is currently awaiting to be sentenced after he admitted throwing a firework into a group of demonstrators at Greys Monument in Newcastle on June 4.

He pleaded guilty to Assault and Public Order Offences at Newcastle Crown Court on June 28th and is currently on bail awaiting sentence on July 4th

Kevin Carroll Jokes With Neo Nazi

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 11:58

No sign of EDL leader Tommy Robinson aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon, however his cousin and second in command Kevin Carroll is in Dewsbury.

This photo shows Carroll outside The Principal pub sharing a joke with Scottish Neo Nazi Sean Graham.

EDL Start To Arrive in Dewsbury

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 30 June 2012, 11:38

The EDL have started to arrive in Dewsbury, it's a warm but breezy day in the town which is strangely quiet for this time of day.

As expected there is a large number of police in the area.

The EDL here are being escorted down to the two pubs that have been allocated to them, The Principal and The Black Bull.

Holocaust Educational Trust

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 27 June 2012, 10:20

I've just finished an interview with Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), for the next issue of HOPE not hate. Karen spoke about the work of HET, its future plans and her own motivation for being involved.

I think HET is a really fantastic organisation and even I was surprised with how much they achieved and the breadth of their work. HET recently organised the visit to Auschwitz by the England football team and they will be following this up, in conjunction with the Football Association, with an educational pack that will go into schools and sports club.

The next issue of HOPE not hate will be out next week.

Civil Liberty Or Just Old Fashioned Anti Semitism?

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Wednesday, 27 June 2012, 02:26

Kevin Scott

Kevin Scott ex North East BNP organiser and now director of the fake "civil rights" organisation Civil Liberty likes to bleat on about how his organisation will defend individuals who have fallen victim to the tyranny of government.

Sounds a worthy cause but of course Scott only means white, Anglo Saxon victims, he certainly wouldn't defend anyone whom he considers inferior, which might go some way to explain his latest anti-Semitic posting on his Facebook page.

Scott initially posted an online newspaper article entitled " Hungarian Jews seek removal of anti-Semitic writers from curriculum" The article refers to Hungarian Jews calling for the removal of four anti-Semitic authors off the Hungarian national high school curriculum.

As an introduction Scott posted "The last time ethnic Jews shouted the odds in Hungary after the First World War it didn't end well!" This is a reference to the 500,000 Jews massacred in Hungary during World War Two.

Joining Scott, his friend Gregory Lauder Frost comments "Just WHO do these creeps think they are?"

When someone refers to the Jews as "The Chosen People" Lauder Frost continues "Pity that until now God does not appear to have felt they were.....And of course who is it that told us they were the chosen? Why themselves of course. What a joke."

Convicted criminal Lauder Frost was jailed for two years in 1992 after being found guilty of eight charges of embezzling money from the Riverside health authority. The court was told he had channelled money into extreme right-wing political causes. It emerged at the end of his trial that he had also been implicated in attempts to sell elderly Russian arms to far right groups in the USA.

Lauder Frost has a history of far right connections. One of those connections includes Clive Derby-Lewis who was jailed for life for his role in the murder of the ANC leader Chris Hani in 1993.

Former BNP member Lauder Frost is also a former member of the Conservative Party's Monday Club as well as the Western Goals Institute, and is now Vice President of the Traditional Britain Group.

Gregory Lauder Frost

Jack's racist loan

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Monday, 25 June 2012, 22:15

Edmunds: Lacking funds for racist escepades

Meet Jack Edmunds from Manchester. Like a lot of young people, he cannot find a job.

The twenty three year old has to live on benefits. Many people who have to rely on assistance will tell you how hard it is to get by.

Jack's problem is that he wants to go out drinking with his racist mates in the EDL this weekend. There's a few things that might put a dampener on his day.

The first is that Wetherspoons will not be open when the EDL get to Dewsbury in West Yorkshire. The company confirms they will not be accommodating the EDL this time. Apparently they are bad for business.

The other bit of bad news for Jack could be that I'm not entirely sure the "crisis loan" that he has applied for and has been granted, was actually intended for him to go to a racist rally with his mates in the EDL.

Having received his money anyway, the ungrateful so and so still manages to be as ungrateful as he is racist. He's also planning on gambling his money at a bookmaker's to see if he can make some more money!

Perhaps someone should look into why he thinks it is such an emergency that he wastes money getting pissed and being racist at a time when the government are launching enormous attacks on those who genuinely need money just to survive.

Job Centre; Crisis loan and arranged

Edmunds: Now has fund for racist escepade

Fascists Attack Charity Worker

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 23 June 2012, 18:18

News is reaching us that The National Front along with The North West Infidels held a "flash" demo in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury today.

About a dozen fascists descended on the rainy mill town which will see a much larger EDL demonstration next Saturday.

Apparently their presence was challenged by a male charity worker who was subsequently assaulted by one of the far right thugs.

Local police were quick to respond and made one arrest.

Sick BNP Activist Jokes About Murdered Children

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 23 June 2012, 13:08

Eddie Gibbons

I couldn't help but feel deeply upset by the TV footage of the funerals of those poor children who perished in a house fire in Derby back in May.

The tiny coffins of the Philpott chidren Duwayne, 13, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, seven, Jessie, six, and five year old Jayden were brought to St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Derby on six horse drawn hearses.

The parents of the children, Mick & Mairead Philpott have been charged with murder and have been remanded in custody.

However, one sick minded London BNP activist seems to find the whole distressing event amusing to the point of cracking jokes at the expense of the murdered children.

Eddie Gibbons, a BNP member from Greenwich posted on his Facebook page " I was really shocked and angered to hear that Mick Philpott had set fire to his house and killed his kids. How the fuck can he afford petrol on benefits ?"

Later he also posted " Give a man a fish and he can feed his family for a day. Give him a canister of petrol and wait till his kids are asleep, problem solved !! "

The BNP will no doubt fall over themselves with the normal excuses. They will claim he was never a member of the BNP (He is) They will claim his Facebook account was hacked (It wasn't).

What Nick Griffin and the BNP will not do however, is condemn Eddie Gibbons, nor will they disown Gibbons or expel him from the BNP.

The heroes of our communities

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 23 June 2012, 11:17

We have been deluged with nominations for our community champions award and there have been plenty of inspiring stories. There is Hayley, from Sheffield, who runs the Learning for Life scheme which helps newcomers into the city speak English. Then there is Qudues Zafar, from the Stechford Youth Network LTD in Birmingham, and who over the past ten years has been involved in 30 different community projects. A nomination has come in for Lesley, from the Sorrell Youth Cafe, in a small village just outside Leciester, which provides cheap food for young people.

Then there is 'Judo Joe' from the Newburn Activity Centre, in Newcastle. "His positive attitude is infectious," says Hayden, who has nominated him. "He is a great role model and people manager."

There are plenty more and next week we shall begin to profile them in more detail.

To nominate someone in your community who deserves a title of Community Champion, click here:

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/community-champions/

Far-right round up

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Friday, 22 June 2012, 16:59

Adam Walker: Very important BNP member

An interesting week as ever. John Snowy Shaw finally surfaced on a Nazi website (where else?) to give his unlikely side of the story concerning the death of livestock on his farm.

According to "Snowy" it was not his fault. No, it was a case of a greedy horse, the police, potentially his wife and most certainly a teenager who he refuses to name because after all, that would just not be cricket. So, there you have it. I guess he's back on the list for dog-sitting again when I'm next on holiday.

The BNP and their debts were back in the news (not that the BNP seemed to mention it themselves) as the BNP leader Nick Griffin and his daughter Jennifer both gave evidence to a court in Cumbria. We'll be commenting on this later of course.

Instead of their debts and criminality, the BNP preferred to bang on and on about Paedophiles this week. Only the “Muslim” variety of course. Is there any other party in this country with a higher percentage of convicted paedophiles in their ranks than the BNP? It's highly unlikely. Or murderers? No, of course not. And despite another BNP paedophile conviction they said not a word about it. Why is that?

Their silence on the subject of their own dirty and shameful business, is deafening.

No point in guessing whether the BNP will be making mention of their party manager's appointment on July 2nd. Adam Walker is due to face Durham Crown Court over another incident allegedly involving children. So far, silence on this too.

We've felt even more important than usual during the past week. Having exposed the criminal past of the British Freedom Party's proposed Croydon Organiser, we had no fewer than three missives from the party thanking us for our diligence. Despite being full to burst with criminals, liars, thugs and football hooligans, it seems Charlotte Lewis was just a step too far for the EDL's political wing.

The Leader of the Labour Party then shocked us all this morning by mentioning the "c" word in a speech. Apparently the working class are suffering by wages being driven down by immigrants. All you captains of industry out there can now breath a sigh a relief. It's the immigrants and not you driving and creating poverty in this country.

That was sarcasm by the way.

Ed's speech shoots wide

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 22 June 2012, 13:46

I didn't see Ed Miliband's speech and can only go on the press reports but there are a number of things that come to mind which concern me.

Firstly, you can't deal with immigration in isolation. I have long argued that the Labour Party needs to discuss immigration and the impact it has on the communities least capable to cope but this cannot be done as a race to the bottom. It has to be dealt with in the wider context of economic, social and public policy.

Why do people migrate? What is attractive about Britain to people who live in other countries? Why is there the demand for overseas workers? Are concerns over the impact of rapidly changing communities genuine or a cover for racial prejudice?

These are complex and sometimes difficult issues that too many have been slow to discuss. There is also a need for a clear and honest debate on the issue but this goes as much for those demanding a tightening of immigration policy as it does for those who refuse it discuss it.

Ed Miliband comes up with a list of suggestions which he believes can limit immigration and protect British workers. But what he omits from the list is more significant than what he includes. There is no discussion about the failure of successive governments to develop an effective education and training system that properly equips young people with the skills that Eastern Europeans often come to fill.

He talks about naming (and shaming?) companies which have more than 25% non-British workforce but says nothing of raising employment rights for all workers which will help stop companies from hiring overseas workers to lower wages and conditions to undercut other workers.

He talks about preventing people from the next group of countries to join the EU from working here for seven years but says nothing of his vision for a modern Europe and the relationship between countries and its people.

More importantly, he raises the whole issue without any reference to the data which repeatedly shows that the adverse impact of East European workers is much lower than popular mythology.

Labour needs to discuss immigration and changing communities but it has to be done in a wider context of overhauling its economic and public policy. Labour needs to address the contradictions of supporting globalisation whilst many of their own supporters feel they are losing out. They need to address a training system that doesn't do enough to equip young people with the skills for work. They need to address a democratic deficit that has led to so many people turning off mainstream parties, with some going off to the far right.

The debate about immigration needs to be had but it cannot be had in isolation and simplified with a list of bland goals. It has to be honest and based on facts, and a reality of what is achievable in the context of the changing world economy. Most importantly, it needs to be dealt with in the context of a vision of a better tomorrow for all the people of Britain.

Child Porn & Murder Convictions for BNP Organiser & Son.

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 21 June 2012, 21:28

Ian Si'Ree

A BNP organiser and former candidate has been found guilty of possessing child pornography.

Ian Si'Ree of Vale Road,Rhyl in North Wales admitted making and possessing 138 illegal images of child sex abuse.

Police also found other images that while not illegal in themselves displayed a sexual interest in young girls, Mold Crown Court was told.

Judge Niclas Parry said that what the defendant needed to understand was that what he chose to view was actually happening to children, some as young as eight.

Officers were carrying out a search at the home of suspect James Si'ree during the investigation into the murder of takeaway delivery driver Gabor Sarkozi at Meliden.

The images were found on computers used by James' father Ian Si'Ree.

Si'ree was placed on supervision for three years on condition that he follows a sex offender treatment programme run by the probation service.

He was also placed on the sex offender register.

Si'ree admitted 10 charges of making and possessing the images at an earlier hearing.

James Si'ree,22,who is also a BNP member and his uncle Gary Bland, 42, of Bryn Avenue, Rhyl were jailed for life in May for the murder of Mr Sarkozi.

In 2001, Ian Si'ree originally from West Yorkshire was found not guilty of raping and indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Jurors also acquitted Si'Ree of three charges of sexual assault on a 12-year-old girl.

Following the trial, Karate teacher Si'ree fled his Bradford home and moved to the Welsh seaside town of Rhyl.

Si'Ree was the BNP organiser for Rhyl and stood as a Welsh Assembly candidate in 2011, parliamentary candidate in 2010 and council candidate in 2008.

James Si'Ree

Inspiring stories

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 21 June 2012, 19:30

We have had nominations flooding in for our Community Champions award, which we launched this morning. There are some really inspiring stories, such as the woman in Tameside who does a lot of work around BME health issues and the man from the Rice Lane Community Association and City Farm, in Liverpool, who has been working with disadvantaged young people for almost 30 years. There is the Chair of Moston Residents Association who has done some terrific work to integrate new arrivals into the area and the woman from the community radio station in Bradford.

HOPE not hate, in conjunction with the Daily Mirror, is launching a competition to find the champions of our communities - the unsung heroes who bring communities together and make life better for ordinary people.

Every community has them and now we would like to acknowledge them too.

Who is the champion of your community?
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/community-champion

Who is the champion of your community?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 21 June 2012, 11:07

HOPE not hate, with the support of the Daily Mirror, is launching a competition to find the champions of our communities – the unsung heroes who bring communities together and make life better for ordinary people.

These might be people who through their work – be it a youth worker, teacher or doctor - help to break down barriers between communities. They might be people who give up their spare time to voluntary and community work which contribute to making their communities a better place. It might be someone who uses their position in a place of worship, who reaches out to people of other faiths and none. It might be someone working with refugees or a teacher who helps children from different cultures to get along together; or it could be a parent who gives up their free time to help young people from different backgrounds to play sport.

Every community has them and now we would like to acknowledge them too.

Who is the champion of your community?
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/community-champion

Nearing the end

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 20 June 2012, 07:54

After ten miserable and sometimes painful weeks, the trial of Anders Behring Breivik is drawing to a close. It is scheduled to finish on Friday and by all accounts this is going to happen.

After the end of the trial we will be summing up some of the key facts found and looking at the lessons of what took place.

Tommy Suffers Memory Loss

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Tuesday, 19 June 2012, 17:40

Looks like EDL leader Tommy Robinson aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon is suffering from a selective memory.

According to his Twitter account he is due back in court on Thursday.

Yet according to Tommy it is all part of a huge conspiracy to silence him and his hooligan army.

Tommy wrote "Good luck to our lads in court this week. I'm up thursday as well! Mission, london court then onto somerset."

When questioned on how could he expect to be taken seriously as a political heavyweight when he is in and out of court on a regular basis Tommy churned out his sob story.

"its not my fault i'm in and out of court. Am i yet to be imprisoned. Its part of the campaign to silence us."

He seems to have forgotten that in 2005 he was jailed for twelve months for assaulting an off-duty police officer who intervened to stop a domestic incident between Tommy and his girlfriend. During the scuffle Tommy kicked the officer in the head.

He also seems to have forgotten that in 2011 he was convicted of having "used threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour" after he led a group of Luton Town football hooligans into a 100 man brawl.Tommy played a major part in starting the fight during which he chanted "EDL till I die". He was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order and a three-year ban from attending football matches. He was also sentenced to 150 hours' unpaid work, and ordered to pay £650 in costs.

Also in 2011 he was convicted of common assault after headbutting a fellow EDL member at a rally in Blackburn in April that year. He was sentenced to a paltry 12 week suspended prison sentence plus a 150 hour community order with £200 costs.

Amnesia? Cobblers more like.

Obama lifts deportation threat for young immigrants

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 18 June 2012, 10:12

HOPE not hate correspondent Eric O’Neill explains the reasoning and the reaction to Obama's move

President Obama just gave immigrant rights advocates in the United States 1.4 million new reasons to vote in the approaching November elections. On Friday the President announced that he ordered the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to immediately cease forced deportations of undocumented immigrants between the ages of 16-29. The administrative order will benefit as many as 1.4 million immigrant youth who came to the country before age 16. Known as “Dreamers” the United States is often the only home that many of these undocumented Americans have ever known. According to ICE “Successful applicants will be given deferred status for two-year periods, which can be renewed, and will be eligible to apply for work authorization.”

Friday’s decision by President Obama has shifted the immigration playing field. The President was forced into the decision by a growing successful immigrant rights movement that is increasingly led by young immigrants and their allies. This new generation engaged in public actions including hunger strikes and arrests that forced the Obama administration and the Democratic Party to pay attention to their demands or potentially face the political consequences in November. Senator Marco Rubio, a U.S. Senator from Florida, also played a significant role in the Obama decision. Rubio, an up and coming leader within the Republican Party, has chided the anti-Latino and harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric in its ranks. Rubio’s recent announcement to push forward congressional legislation to provide status to undocumented youth along with parallel pressure from young undocumented immigrants created the conditions that forced the Obama administration to utilize this unprecedented use of administrative authority.

Until Friday, a well-established anti-immigrant movement in the United States has made it politically impossible to establish pro-active migrant laws that move the country forward together. President Obama’s unilateral move bypasses a deadlocked U.S. Congress. By ignoring organized xenophobia, the President Obama’s executive action rivals both President Harry Truman’s order to desegregate the military in 1948 and President Eisenhower’s directive to the Army’s 101st Airborne Division to enter Little Rock, Arkansas to ensure that African American children could safely, without threat of racist violence, attend public school in 1957. The President’s decision, at least temporarily, provides status to hundreds of thousands of youth who have been forced to live in the shadows of American society by an anti-immigrant movement with ties to white nationalists and driven by racist fears of demographic changes. Congressional Representative Steve King from Iowa, a Republican, has already announced that he will sue Obama for his actions. King showed his ability to represent America’s anti-immigrant movement when he called for an electrified fence along the border because “we do that with livestock all the time.” The extremist Congressman has also crassly compared immigrants to a “slow-motion holocaust” and in May of this year compared immigrants to dogs. Unsurprisingly Congressman King was the only member of the House of Representatives to vote against a resolution that honored Africans held in slavery who built Washington D.C. The Obama administration can expect a vigorous backlash from America’s anti-immigrant movement.

At a time when xenophobia drives policy and elections at the local and national level, the President’s order is a direct challenge to anti-immigrant organizations and leaders who have pressured both Democratic and Republican elected officials to advance laws modeled on the failed migration policies of Fortress Europe. That is, laws that seek to deny migrants basic human rights and pathways to legal status. In the U.S. these draconian laws have increased hate violence targeting Latinos whose ethnicity is often conflated with immigration status. In 2010, the latest statistics available, hate crimes targeting Latinos comprised 66.6% of all ethnically motivated acts. The economic costs of the laws have been devastating as well. In June 2011 the state of Alabama instituted one of the harshest anti-immigrant laws ever written. According to the Perryman Group, an economic and financial analysis firm, Alabama could lose almost 18,000 jobs and approximately $2.6 billion dollars as a result of the immigration law. Recent articles from Alabama lament that not enough workers can be found to harvest the state’s vast tomato fields—further proof that anti-immigrant laws are often fueled by racism rather than common sense.

The immigrant rights field has shown its ability to build a coalition and hold elected officials accountable to human rights standards that counter racist practices. This new strength is needed more than ever and will soon be tested. Within the next two weeks the nation’s Supreme Court is expected to rule, and rule badly, on anti-immigrant legislation (SB-1070) passed in Arizona in 2010 . This new invigorated immigrant rights movement will have its hands full in ensuring that rational Democrats and Republicans don’t break ranks in ensuring opportunity for all Americans, including those who are undocumented.

Marine Le Pen loses

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 17 June 2012, 19:29

Over in France Marine Le Pen has failed in her bid to get elected to the French Parliament despite getting 42% of the vote in the first round.

However, her niece, 22-year-old Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, does get elected.

Golden Dawn set to return to Greek Parliament

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 17 June 2012, 17:33

The neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party looks set to receive between 6-8% in today's Greek elections which will see it returned to Parliament. This is despite growing anger at their racism, scapegoating and violence, and the appalling studio attack on political opponents just a few days ago.

This is an astonishing rise for an openly fascist party. In 2009 Golden Dawn received just 0.29% of the vote, little more than 20,000 votes. In last month's general election their vote jumped to almost 7% (400,000 votes). While this might have dropped slightly today they have still polled enough to enter parliament.

Only a few days ago one of their leaders told a rally: "If Chrysi Avgi [Golden Dawn] gets into parliament [as polls predict], it will carry out raids on hospitals and kindergartens and it will throw immigrants and their children out on the street so that Greeks can take their place."

Welcome to the politics of austerity.

Charlotte gets dumped

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 16 June 2012, 16:36

Lewis: One extremist too many, apparently..

The EDL's political wing the British Freedom Party (BFP), has dumped former BNP candidate Charlotte Lewis after apparently reading our blog about her unsavoury past.

The Party's London organiser has written to every other blog site that carried/copied our story. We have reproduced one of three communications from the BFP on the topic under the original blog. (It's been there since this blog first went up.)

By all accounts, Lewis did not mention her past and the BFP thought they had themselves something of a coup in securing her (unwanted) services.

Why the party's own webmaster Simon Bennett did not mention Charlotte's past is a bit of a mystery. He could have told his bosses about his ex-colleague's past, quite easily.

Still, what difference does it make? This is only one violent extremist the party is dumping while at the same time it is filling up with dozens of others.

Vlaams Belang members force Muslim children to eat pork

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 16 June 2012, 07:45

Belgian far right Vlaams Belang activists caused uproar a couple of days ago when they scaled a school wall to protest against the school serving halal meat at a barbecue for 12-13 year-olds.

According to deputy head Jacques Gits they scaled the school walls and “intimidated the children and pushed pork sausages down their throats”.

One of the fifteen students told De Morgen newspaper. "They said that halal meat is not real food, and that she still came to fill our stomachs." The school board has now stepped to the police a complaint against the militants.

According to Filip Dewinter, head of Vlaams Belang, the three men did not overstep the mark. "It was meant to be funny. Schools would better stop exposing children to such multicultural activities."

Really disgusting.

No let up for Lennon

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Friday, 15 June 2012, 15:16

Stephen Lennon of the EDL was arrested again this morning. This time for not handing his passport into the police on time.

if there is any other country out there that could please give Stephen a passport, we will gladly give him a one way ticket.

Fans kick for anti-racism

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 15 June 2012, 14:17

Football fans from several countries are currently kicking a ball around the main square in Kiev to show their opposition to racism and intolerance.

According to AP: "Dozens of fans wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Football Unites" played five-minute matches in the Euro 2012 fan zone set up on Kiev's main avenue. Hundreds of spectators cheered and applauded the players."

To read the full story, click here:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/euro-2012-soccer-fans-unite-against-racism-kiev#overlay-context=article/pelosi-confident-court-will-back-health-care-law

The truth about "Snowy"

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Friday, 15 June 2012, 13:29

Shaw: A cruel and inhumane individual

News broke yesterday how a Llama farmer in Yorkshire pleaded guilty to causing ‘unnecessary suffering leading to death’ and two counts of ‘not providing a suitable diet’ and failing to protect his llamas from pain, suffering and disease.’

The farmer in question pleaded poverty; he told the court that he just could not afford to feed these poor animals, so they starved to death. It was by all accounts, an agonising, slow and painful death right in front of his house.

By all accounts, Llamas are a very friendly animal. Some Llama farmers say they’re as friendly and as intelligent as dogs. When a Llama likes you, it blows warm air into your face (known as a ‘whiffle’). In America, some psychologists believe that Llamas actually reduce stress and can be a great companion for people that have room for them.

They’re a herbivorous animal. They live on grass mainly but are also partial to hay and grain. If you fancy treating your Llamas to a little treat, you could spend a “whopping” £190 for a tonne of corn grain. Add an extra £20 onto that, and they’ll even deliver it to your door.

A tonne could be described as rather excessive, so how about the odd bag of grain for a fiver? I hope you’re getting the picture. Llamas are not excessively expensive to keep. Still, these are tough economic times and farmers feel the pinch as much as anybody. When farmers fall on hard times, they can often reach out to others in the community for a little help.

Not so in this case. According to the court not only did a herd of five Llamas starve to death, “other animals were found in an emaciated state in a frozen field” with “scant grazing, an empty ring-feeder and dilapidated shelter” in the freezing cold of February this year.

Heavens, rather then see my animals starve to death, I’d take to wearing a sandwich board by the side of the road to ask for help, or better still, I’d give them away to somebody who could look after them. In Yorkshire alone, there are half a dozen animal sanctuaries and wildlife parks that could have been contacted to take the animals. One in West Yorkshire has loads of Llamas. The kids who visit the park, love them apparently. Instead of this, Shaw tried to sell the animals initially. He wanted up to £5000 for one of them at one stage.

It’s no secret to anyone that the said farmer is the vile racist, Jew hating, Islamophobe John “Snowy” Shaw, the swashbuckling leader of the EDL breakaway ‘Infidels’. “Snowy” is the one with all the bright big and expensive banners that bang on and on about Muslim paedophiles etc, etc.

When he’s not doing roof top protests or holding provocative marches and empty demonstrations in the north of England or the streets of Scotland, Snowy also likes marching with a Loyalist flute band in Yorkshire, or even popping over to Northern Ireland to visit people in Derry and Belfast. We were told by one Loyalist there how he likes to “swagger(ing) around like he is the cock of the north, drinking lagers and having his photograph taken in front of murals”.

The average cost of a flight from Manchester to Londonderry or Belfast, is around £100 if you book early. Add onto to that the cost of getting to Manchester as there appears to be no flights from Leeds Bradford to Derry, he’s looking at about £120 just for starters.

It is our estimate, that in the last twelve months on travel alone, John “Snowy” Shaw will have easily spent way over £1500 on trains, boats, petrol and planes. Easily.

I dare not ask how long it takes for a Llama to starve to death. But in February this year, the month the poor animals were found in their appalling condition, the ‘Infidels’ were active in Glasgow, where they had a massive drinking binge and Hyde in Greater Manchester. They also had one demonstration in the freezing cold snow in Rochdale where “Snowy” addressed about thirty of his supporters, before the gang ended up having a huge drinking binge at the Copthorne Hotel inSalford, Greater Manchester. The choice of beers there are apparently excellent, but I doubt you’ll get much change out of £4 per pint.

I wrote this blog because like most Brits, I am an animal lover. Not overly keen at times on my fellow human beings, but animals I do not mind at all. Often I cringe when the Neanderthals of groups like the EDL, BNP and ‘Infidels’ are described as animals.

Unable to sell his animals, let alone look after them, John “Snowy” Shaw allowed them to starve to death. He didn’t even ask the advice of his racial comrade, the pig farmer Nick Griffin.

Previously to his torture of these animals, Shaw had even shot a dog with an air rifle (the same one he likes to hold while playing war games on his property), using the defence that he was protecting his herd. Others who know him better allege even worse cases of cruelty that I am not allowed to go into here.

Poverty was not his reason to behave in this manner at all. Those animals suffered because he was too lazy to bother to look after them as he ran around the country with a gang of drunken thugs terrorising people. The supposed animal lover had no problems however, campaigning against Halal meat when it suited him. There is no comparison of that practice and the time it takes an animal to starve to death in agony.

He is scum.

For sale: The price of an animal's life?

Shaw: How does he sleep at night?

Hypocrites: The Infidels facebook page

Not Impressed: Even the EDL were not!

HOPE not hate signs up to the Ramadan Festival

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 15 June 2012, 09:26

I am delighted to announce that HOPE not hate will be supporting the 2012 Ramadan Festival and we are currently working with its organisers on a number of joint initiatives across the country as part of our Britain Tastes Great initiative.

The Ramadan Festival is a series of events and activities that will take place during the month of Ramadan and strives to bring together the Muslim community with others from all backgrounds and all faiths.

The organisers are also in discussion with The Big Issue as one of the intentions of the Festival organisers is help feed the homeless and vulnerable during the Iftars (fast opening). There are also plans to provide food parcels for elderly people and womens' refuges.

Ramadan begins on Friday 20 July, a week before the Olympics, and the organisers are keen to link the festival up. "It is a great opportunity for Muslims to share such a special time with friends and neighbours around them," says Ramadan Festival organiser Julie Siddiqi.

As their website explains: "Ramadan is a time of giving, of charity, of sharing, of remembering those in need and reaching out. These are all qualities embodied by the Olympics too and we are excited to be able to combine those at the same time this year. All eyes will be on the UK and especially on London. For most people this will be a once in a lifetime chance to experience the Olympic Games in their own country. And it gives all of us the chance to showcase the fantastic diversity that we celebrate and hold so dearly in Great Britain."

We are currently discussing several potential joint initiatives including opening up mosques to the local community. More on this soon.

Anyway, as I said at the beginning, we are delighted to back the Ramadan Festival and see it as a great opportunity to bring communities together and break down some barriers.

For more on the Ramadan Festival, visit their website: http://www.ramadanfestival.org/

EDL Lying Over Child Abductions

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 14 June 2012, 18:47

In a disgusting attempt at recruiting assorted racists and fascists to attend their forthcoming Dewsbury protest, it seems the English Defence League have stooped to an all time low when it comes to making up a story.

The EDL's Dewsbury division started a rumour about Muslim men attempting to abduct two young girls from the local area of Kirklees.

The EDL said that they had "clear evidence" regarding the attempted abductions and claimed that they would have street patrols due to police inactivity.

The EDL also claimed that local residents had been forced to keep quiet regarding the abductions.

The truth,however, is somewhat different.

DCI Paul Jeffrey of West Yorkshire Police denied the abduction attempts and said that a 10 year old girl had contacted the police after a van driver had tried to talk to her. The girl could not describe the driver and did not say he was of Asian appearance.

The EDL also claimed a similar incident occured in the Heckmondwike area, however the police said they have no record of the event, so it either did not happen or was not reported to police.

DCI Jeffrey said "We can categorically state no such series of crimes along the lines of what has be alleged have been brought to the police's attention"

British Freedom Make Violent Extremist Organiser

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Thursday, 14 June 2012, 16:07

Charlotte Lewis

British Freedom, the far right political party with ties to The English Defence League has made a violent extremist with criminal convictions one of its local organisers.

Charlotte Lewis, one time BNP organiser and candidate has been promoted to the position of Croydon organiser within British Freedom.

Lewis was jailed for six months in 2001 after being found guilty of four charges of harassment as part of a concerted campaign against the staff of Huntingdon Life Sciences, whom she called “animal abusing scum”.

Lewis, who was a member of Stop Animal Rights Cruelty, wrote a series of anonymous threatening letters to people working at the Cambridgeshire laboratory. One warned the recipient: “If you don’t quit HLS then your life will not be worth living. You will always have to be looking over your shoulder.” Another threatened: “This is a warning. Your life is in grave danger if you don’t stop working at HLS. You will find yourself having a gun aimed at your stupid ugly head.”

One family received over 50 such letters from animal rights activists before a brick was thrown through their window. Shortly afterwards Lewis wrote to them saying: “I was there when a brick was put through your window. If you don’t quit HLS you can expect more of the same.”

She was arrested after forensic scientists matched her saliva with DNA found on the back of the stamps used to post the letters.

In 2010 police investigated Lewis after she posted racist comments on her Facebook page advocating the murder of illegal immigrants.

Her comments refered to taxi driver Derrick Bird, who went on a killing spree in west Cumbria shooting dead 12 people and injuring 11 others.

Lewis wrote "Ok, so I may well get in to trouble for saying this - but I've got to get it off my chest. I wish that Derrick Bird could have come down to London & shoot dead some illegal immigrants, rather than killing his fellow British people. If that offends you then tough; it's my opinion and I'm entitled to it."

When quizzed by her local newspaper the Croydon Guardian regarding her comments on Facebook she told them "It would be preferable to kill illegal immigrants than fellow British people, because they shouldn’t be in this country."

North East Heads Up

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Wednesday, 13 June 2012, 16:46

Just been informed that Northumbria Police have today made a number of arrests in the North East area in relation to far right activity in the Newcastle area.

Details are sketchy but so far I have heard of two arrests with more possibly in the pipeline. At least one person is known to have been charged.

Hopefully there will be further details in the local media tomorrow.

On this day....

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 13 June 2012, 09:55

Seventy-four years ago today, the Nazi regime launched a campaign to round up Gypsies. Within five days over 1,000 Roma and Sinti had been arrested and deported to concentration camps. What has now become known as ‘Gypsy Clean-up Week’ was the beginning of an increasingly radical programme against Gypsies that led ultimately to their mass murder in Nazi death camps.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has written an excellent piece on it:

http://hmd.org.uk/genocides/dates-to-remember/the-start-of-gypsy-cleanup-week

We have a winner

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 13 June 2012, 09:21

The draw was made for our Caribbean holiday and I'm pleased to announce that we have a winner - but unfortunately it is not me. The winner has been notified and immediately he is the most popular man in the office where he works.

Obviously I'm hoping that he will ask me to accompany him as a guide/bag carrier/or just general cool guy but as I don't actually know the person who won I don't think this will happen.

Anyway, I would like to thank the 623 people who bought tickets. All the money raised will go towards our community work.

Anthony Hancock dies

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 12 June 2012, 14:27

One of Britain's leading post-war nazis has died. Anthony Hancock, the far right's printer for the last 30 years, died of a stroke in hospital yesterday.

Hancock printed for the National Front, the British National Party, Combat 18 and Blood and Honour. He was also very well connected to the Holocaust Deniers, especially in Germany.

An obituary of Anthony Hancock will appear in the next issue of HOPE not hate.

Bad news for Stockholm. Hate is coming to town

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 12 June 2012, 13:24

The first worldwide 'Counter-Jihad' initiative is set to take place in Stockholm on 4 August. Among the speakers billed to attended are Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer, Anders Gravers and EDL leader Stephen Lennon.

Stockholm was chosen for the Global Counter Jihad rally because of Taimour Abdulwahabal-Abdaly who blew himself up in December 2010 whilst preparing to carry out a suicide bombing.

In September a conference in New York will see the launch of the Stop Islamization Of Nations (SION). Speakers from across the world are due to attend.

August is when a lot of residents in Stockholm will be away on holiday. Let's hope that there are few people there to hear the poison of Geller, Spencer and Lennon.

Racism and violence mars Russia's first match

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 10 June 2012, 10:14

UEFA are now investigating racist chanting and violence that accompanied Russia's opening match against the Czech Republic.

Czech defender Theodor Gebre Selassie, who is black, was the target of racial abuse reported by official FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) monitors to Euro 2012 organiser UEFA. Russia supporters later attacked stadium stewards after they tried to identify a fan who had earlier set off flares. Police said four people were treated in a hospital.

On Tuesday, Russia play Poland in what could well be the most high-risk game of the competition.

UEFA are under pressure to fine Russia for the behaviour of its fans, particularly since they have handled the whole issue of racism in Poland and the Ukraine so disastrously so far.

"Tommy" off for a 'straightener'?

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 18:06

Humiliating day really for both the EDL and the BNP. Only 436 EDL supporters went to Rochdale, and under 50 people turned up in Blackpool to listen to Nick Griffin trying to cash in on what is left of an ugly situation there.

Word is rife on the internet that Stephen Lennon, who leads the EDL using the name Tommy Robinson and who has made plenty of threats to "slap" Nick Griffin, is making his way to the Tangerine Club in Blackpool where it is alleged that BNP security staff have roughed up an EDL supporter.

Whether he does or not, remains to be seen, but the people over at "EDL News" are reporting that Nick Griffin has left the Tangerine Club in somewhat of a hurry while his new found friends, the "Infidels" seem to be looking forward to the EDL arriving.

Demo comes to an end

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 15:11

EDL: Smaller, but no less dangerous

The EDL demo is now coming to an end. 8 arrests according to the police and loads more bluff and anger by the EDL.

Their demos are getting noticeably smaller, but the risk that they pose does not.

It has been another day of threats, intimidation, vile racism and of course alcohol abuse by them.

Our very quick head counts is 436, but it could actually be lower.

BNP bores Blackpool

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 14:24

BNP: moving to a phonebox soon

About 35 BNP here for their demo. Boring as ever. The best bit of the day was when the Pride March went past and gave the BNP the finger!!

Some hot headed idiots around as the BNP want to move towards the takeaway at the centre of the scandal that has been going on here.

Stupid

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 14:15

Stephen Lennon is threatening to burn the Koran.

Once more under control

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 13:47

Is it any wonder the EDL attack the press? They still hope people in this country do not know they are thugs.

They have attacked photographers, because they feel they get a bad press!

Two Asian lads have also been attacked in Rochdale by the side of the demo. Four arrests, it appears. One EDL member ended up under a horse. The police have penned them in like the animals they are.

Meanwhile the Infidels are laughing at "Tommy" after their stunt. There are only 35 BNP at their demo in Blackpool and are looking quite miserable as the Gay Pride march goes by, giving them the "bird" as it were.

Trouble has started

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 13:43

The EDL have attacked some photographers. Some photographers are fighting back

When Infidels attack....

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 13:19

Attack: I guess it is personal...

When these Nutzis fall out, they really do.

Here is the attack leaflet by the Infidels against the EDL!

The Infidels (that's the EDL splinter group) are claiming that they have members in Rochdale today to confront Tommy.

Here is the leaflet they have put out in Blackpool with their close friends the BNP.

Mystery attack

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 13:11

Carroll: Mystery attack?

Update from Matthew:

Kevin Carroll (for those of you who do not know who he is) is complaining to the police that the EDL are being attacked!

I don't know by who, Tommy always has a scratched face. There's no-one else but them here!!

"Tommy" arrives, Infidels launch Blackpool attack on him

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 13:06

Stepehen Lennon (Tommy Robinson) has arrived in Blackpool. There are about 500 EDL here and as they did threaten, they are being very aggressive to photographers. Can you imagine a free press under these fascists??

Bad news for Stephen however, his old friends the Infidels are putting out anti-EDL leaflets in Blackpool mentioning how many paedophiles there are and have been in the EDL.

We shall await Tommy Touche Turtle's response..

Yates ashamed?

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 12:41

Yates: Shying away from the EDL pond life?

For some reason the Yates wine bar in Rochdale has covered up its signs. Is this to avoid being associated with the thugs now drinking in there or was it so that the thugs could not find it?

There are now around 250 EDL supporters in Rochdale. It's a competition to see who is the most drunk already. Newcastle wins hands down so far, though we haven't seen the thugs from Bradford yet.

Newcastle arrive..

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 12:08

EDL drunks:

Newcastle EDL have arrived in Rochdale where it is very wet and windy. Their racial "comrades" Manchester EDL are of course, already drunk and obnoxious while waiting for their train.

There are already 150-180 EDL in Rochdale.

First problem of the day for EDL

posted by: Sam King | on: Saturday, 9 June 2012, 10:46

Moxy: Guess what he's banned for.

Tyneside EDL stalwart Alistair Moxy has a slight problem as he prepares for his big trip to the EDL bun fight in Rochdale today.

I'm happy to confirm Alistair, that yes you are barred from Yates in Rochdale too.

Moxy: The wasted sesd of the bulldog breed

Win a holiday of a lifetime

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 8 June 2012, 15:16

HOPE not hate is offering its supporters a one in a thousand chance to win a holiday of a lifetime.

We are offering a fortnight at a private beachfront villa in one of the most unspoilt natural islands in the Grenadines. The villa, which sleeps 9 people, enjoys around 100ft of beachfront with coconut palms and thick powder soft sand and whilst the main house will be your base, it also comes with a beach hut and a large BBQ and beach terrace area. In the grounds there are banana, mango, pineapple and coconut trees.

This could be yours for just £20 a ticket. There are just 1,000 tickets available so you have a one in a thousand chance of winning. Buy more than one and increase your chances of winning.

It is a dream holiday and made even better with the knowledge that all proceeds will be going to help HOPE not hate continue its work in communities.

The raffle closes in a few hours so get buying now

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/competition/

Why Uefa's failure to deal with Holland racism is no surprise

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 8 June 2012, 14:27

Here's a really good blog by the Guardian's Richard Williams on the failure of UEFA to deal with the racism faced by Dutch players yesterday.

"Michel Platini and Uefa's continued reluctance to use their power for the public good makes them accessories to a crime."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jun/08/euro-2012-racism-holland

An important day for England

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 8 June 2012, 10:54

Auschwitz:

The England team are currently being put through their paces in an open training session in Krakow. This is the same city where Dutch footballers were racially abused during an open training session.

The decision to base England in Krakow in Poland was a decision by former manager Fabio Capello.

The Football Association has worked hard to make this decision one that is beneficial not just to our footballers, but also to the wider community in this country who will see our pampered footballers exposed to the true horror of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz this afternoon.

The trip is being run in conjunction with the Holocaust Educational Trust, close friends of the Hope Not Hate team. Most of the HNH team have been to Auschwitz on trips organised by HET. Thousands of British school children visit Auschwitz every year to learn about the horrors of the Nazi genocide. It is an educational programme that is also backed up with learning tools and lectures, where possible, by actual survivors.

Yesterday England goalkeeper Joe Hart spoke emotionally about a visit to the England training camp by Zigi Shipper and Ben Helfgott, two Holocaust survivors. The two spoke for forty minutes and says Hart, "you could hear a pin drop".

Visiting Auschwitz will of course not make England play any better. It may give them a better sense of perspective of their lives however. But it will also validate the work of people like HET in a race that is almost against time, to ensure that as many people as possible are exposed to the horrors and the personal testimonies of people who witness and subjected to the most unthinkable of horrors.

It is also right to remember that these horrors, though committed in Poland, were not carried out by the Poles. They were carried out by Nazis. But the lessons of Auschwitz, the result of a barbaric and almost unthinkable hatred, are lessons that everyone should learn. History has an unfortunate habit of repeating itself, as events in the world have since proven.

If Auschwitz can truly open the eyes of some of the richest and most celebrated in British society, then we can hope that our footballers bring this message home with them and share something with an even wider group of people.

Dutch players racially abused in Poland

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 8 June 2012, 09:38

A day after visiting Auschwitz black members of the Dutch team were racially abused by up to 500 Polish fans during a training session in Krakow. Boos and monkey chants were directed at the black players, forcing the team to train on the other side of the pitch.

Holland’s captain, Mark Van Bommel, was furious. “It is a real disgrace especially after getting back from Auschwitz [the Dutch squad had visited the concentration camp on Wednesday] that you are confronted with this," Van Bommel said. "We will take it up with Uefa and if it happens at a match we will talk to the referee and ask him to take us off the field."

UEFA dismissed the monkey chants as not a racist incident, claiming that the Krakow fans were just voicing their unhappiness at the failure by the authorities to play any of the matches in Krakow.

Van Bommel responded angrily when it was put to him not everyone had heard monkey noises. "You need to open your ears," he said. "If you did hear it, and don't want to hear it, that is even worse."

Obviously I wasn’t there but it does smack of the same ignorance as the Ukrainian police chief who said that the two thousand nazi saluting fans filmed by the BBC were simply pointing at the opposing fans.

For more on this story visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18363736

The Empire Strikes Back

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 18:14

Mortimer: Head of the EDL "Angels"

Being a public spirited type of person, I thought this morning's blog about the internal personality clashes of the hooligans that orbit the world of debauched thuggery that is the EDL would help them to sort their grievances out and get them back to the very important business of smashing up the country they so love and and its international reputation.

I was so wrong. Not only did EDL Fuhrer Stephen Lennon ban me from making admiring glances at him via the good services of Twitter, his aides and friends decided to launch bitter and stinging attacks on Jeff Marsh, leader of the rival 'Casuals United'. (I say "rival", but it appears that Casuals united is only Jeff Marsh and his wife and a few EDL types who like to put in some overtime when the rest of the EDL are sleeping or in court.)

Perhaps Lennon should change his name to Touché Turtle? Despite fighting wars on many different fronts, calling or comparing him to 'Hitler' could well see you blocked on Twitter!

The EDL's PR woman Donna Mortimer was so incensed by our blog that she spoke to Lennon and then launched an attack on Marsh. According to Mortimer, Marsh has as good as bitten the hand that feeds. The bill for the disastrous Casuals United outing to Brighton has apparently been sent to the EDL. And though Marsh is complaining that the EDL have not supported him, Mortimer clears that up straight away.

Mortimer claims that the EDL allowed their members to go to demonstrations organised by Marsh in Blackpool over the Charlene Downes affair. Few people appear to have noticed that the EDL has pulled away of late from campaigning for the family. In part this is because the family have moved so close to the BNP, but EDL insiders are saying Lennon is also unhappy about allegations made about the rather chaotic life surrounding some of those involved in the campaign and the story in the Guardian, about the unfortunate home life of Downes.

To complicate matters, there is some surprising concern within the EDL leadership about their demonstration in Rochdale this weekend. Bradford EDL may be meeting up at 08.30am for a few drinks before hand, but elsewhere other divisions are reporting an expected lower than usual turn out for a national event.

Part of the problem is the fact that the BNP, NF and the Infidels will be in nearby Blackpool with the Downes family on the same day. And Robinson is not in the mood for people like Marsh to muddy his waters either.

Lennon gave permission for his PA Hel Gower to launch an attack on Marsh and it seems that Lennon will want this problem sorted sooner rather than later.

nb: For those who do not know, Lennon and Robinson are the same person

Hel Gower: Lennon's PA

Attack: Mortimer responds to our blog

Lennon: Not a happy bunny/turtle

We Identify EDL Firework Thug

posted by: Sam King | on: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 15:04

Anthony Craggs with Kevin Carroll

According to media reports, a teenager was taken to hospital when his hair was set alight by English Defence League supporters who attacked an anti-Jubilee party in Newcastle at the weekend.

The teenager was allegedly hit by a burning firework thrown during the clash at Grey's Monument where EDL,NF & NEI supporters attacked a peaceful protest against the Jubilee.

The teenager was taken to Newcastle Freeman Hospital for treatment to burns suffered when the explosive hit his face and landed in his hood.

Footage captured by Sky TV clearly show a member of the far right light a firework and throw it in the direction of the anti Jubilee supporters.

Sky's footage can be viewed here.

Fireworks are often used by the EDL at their protests as a method of intimidation, although the EDL leadership often deny this to be the case.

Today, we can reveal that the person caught on video is an EDL activist from Chester Le Street in County Durham named Anthony Craggs.

Craggs is a regular face at EDL events and has even been photographed with EDL leaders Tommy Robinson aka Stephen Yaxley Lennon and Kevin Carroll.

We have passed the relevant details onto Northumbria police.

Craggs with Tommy Robinson

Craggs wearing same top caught on Sky video.

Has UEFA done enough to fight racism?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 12:22

Continuing our series of blogs about racism and Euro 2012, here is an interesting blog from BBC sports editor, David Bond.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/davidbond/2012/06/has_platini_and_uefa_done_enou.html

Sol Campbell slams FA

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 10:56

Former England footballer Sol Campbell has slammed the Football Association over their treatment of Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. Campbell thinks that the decision to leave Ferdinand out of the England team was for non-footballing reasons.

Campbell is concerned that he was left out because the FA decided that it was impossible for Ferdinand to be in the same team as John Terry, who is currently awaiting trial for allegedly racially abusing Ferdinand's brother.

"If it is ever proven true that John Terry was chosen over Rio because of race then I would tell the FA that they can take back my 73 caps and scrub my name out of the record books," Campbell concludes. "I would no longer want to be known as someone who played for England – that would be the end for me."

Do you agree with Sol?

To read the full article, click through here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jun/06/sol-campbell-rio-ferdinand-england?CMP=twt_gu

Marsh steps up war of words with EDL

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 10:49

Marsh: Who has more Stone Island, he or Tommy?

Casuals United's hooligan boss Jeff Marsh has stepped up his war with the EDL.

Marsh has been trying to run Casuals United independently of the EDL but has struggled to get large enough numbers out for his big occasions as most hooligans still answer the call to the EDL first and foremost.

To say the least, this has been getting under Jeff's skin for a while. The football hooligan boss has for a long time tried to convince people that he is a far more cunning and street wise leader than the EDL's Stephen Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson), and tried to prove as much in Brighton last weekend when he called on EDL members to join him there to launch a "revenge" attack on progressive groups there.

Reports from the day suggest that not only did Marsh not get the large numbers of supporters he was hoping for, but that he ended up in a Brighton pub surrounded by police and antifascists, telling those assembled exactly what it was he thought of Stephen Lennon and his political ambitions.

Having still not recovered from his south coast humiliation and despite his public bravado, Marsh has been seething. On his own facebook wall he has been laying down the law to all who will listen to him, including popular Essex EDL man Gil Gould, that the EDL's security is too lax and that he is not being shown the respect he deserves by the EDL.

As well as Lennon, Lennon's PA Hel Gower comes in for some stick as does Andrea Kay from Blackburn EDL. Unsurprisingly, they're accused of being "Reds".

On hearing that she, Lennon and Gower were once more under attack from Marsh, Kay gave the typical EDL response that seems to annoy so Marsh so much: "Who is he anyway" she asked..

Marsh: Makes his feelings known

Don't panic: Everything's secure with Jeff

Andrea Kay: Sums up what most people think of Marsh

Still going: Once you start, you can't stop

Proud to be British? You give us your views

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 08:23

An incredible 2,153 people have so far filled in our 'Proud to be British?' survey. The respondents are fairly evenly split on whether the last few days have made them feel more British, a majority of people think national identity is important and almost all the respondents think HOPE not hate should be working to create positive shared identities at a local and national level.

Here are a few of your thoughts about the last few days:

"Although not a royalist my attitude is let the people have a party, its about time they got something back and it is good for building communities and togetherness. I am sad that "Britishness" appears to have been hi-jacked by the EDL and far right. I think we should be proud to be who we are as long as we are doing our best to be the best we can, I think that national pride should be a way of bringing communities together in a positive way and we should celebrate our identity as a tolerant, inclusive and diverse country. Individuality needs to be nurtured. People need to be comfortable with themselves so that they can work together to build a good world for everybody." (Tina, Dorset)

"I am a republican and anti-monarchist so find it difficult when I am told constantly by the media how to 'be' British. I identify first as Welsh but am happy to be British.

'Great' is imperialistic, 'Kingdom' is alienating.

I ignored Jubilee as anachronistic and found the amount of money spent on pageants and flotillas sickening. How many 84 year old grandmothers watched the TV from lonely rooms as their care hours have been cut while an over-indulged family indulged the Tories need for distraction? Very sad and unhappy about what this says about this country." (Annie, Newport)

"I was in London during the celebration & wanted to represent myself others like myself to show this is our country too. We live, work & born here & people need to accept us." (Koyesh, Leeds)

"As a republican, the last few days have meant that for me, I see the media conflating monarchist and British and feeling somewhat ignored or belittled as a result of my anti-monarchist views. Britishness is a coincidence of birth, something that I think is over emphasised at times but I do get an idea of a nice cup of tea, politeness, the NHS and an obsession with weather from 'Britishness'." (Jessica, South Yorkshire)

"I thought it positive that the Union flag has been somewhat re-claimed from the right-wing organisations such as the BNP and has been portrayed more as a symbol of justice and equality in recent weeks" (Lily, Birkenhead)

"I met some of my neighbours for the first time at a street party. After 8 years I had never said hello to the people at the top of my (short) Rd. They didn't know us nor us them. So bizarrely, as someone who is passively anti monarchy it has had a really positive impact here." (Billy, Plymouth)

"I'm Scottish but equally happy to be British. I think less than being 'proud' to be British, I'm pleased, relieved even. I'm British by accident of birth, but via that accident I enjoy rights and services the envy of many other nations. I'm ambivalent about the monarchy. Hereditary monarchism makes a bit of a mockery of social mobility and democracy, at the same time having a president put forward by our politicians may not lead to an improved situation. For me the jubilee celebrations were an acknowledgement that the queen appears to be a decent and dedicated person; but more importantly it fostered a sense of togetherness. At least three nationalities, including from outwith the UK were represented at our street party, all on equal terms." (James, Bournemouth)

"Britishness means nothing to me, I am Welsh and proud of that. How can you hope to include the Welsh in your British ideal when you won't allow our Country on the flag of Britain..?" (Gywn, Colwyn Bay)

I'll be putting up plenty more later, but if you want us tell us what the last few days have meant for you please do so here: http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/proud-to-be-british

Proud to be British? Almost 2,000 respond

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 6 June 2012, 22:55

Earlier today I asked our supporters what the last few days had meant for them. I asked whether they felt more British as a result of the Queen's Jubilee or whether they turned off their television and did something else instead.

We have had an amazing response. 1,924 people have so far filled in our survey. The results so far are really fascinating. 825 people do not feel any more British after this weekend, 648 do feel more British and 441 are not sure.

When asked if a national identity is important, 1,203 said yes while 647 people said no. The remainder were undecided.

We also asked people if they thought "it is the job of HOPE not hate to help foster togetherness and positive shared identities in local communities?" An overwhelming majority (1,668) said yes, while 188 said no.

Over thousand people have also send in their own thoughts about what the last few days have meant for them. I will be looking through these tomorrow and putting some of the most interesting up on this blog.

In the meantime, please let me know if you the last few days have made you feel proud to be British

http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/proud-to-be-british

(Another 32 people have filled in the survey since I started writing this blog taking the total to over 1,950)

Proud to be British?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Wednesday, 6 June 2012, 13:07

Over the last few days there has been an outpouring of Britishness as the country celebrates the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. From the thousands of street parties to the Union flags hanging in windows and shop fronts, Britain has been awash with red, white and blue.

Many commentators have marvelled at this display of patriotism believing that we have rediscovered a positive, warm national identity. Do you agree?

I would like to know what the last few days have meant for you. Perhaps you attended a street party or just enjoyed the celebrations through the television. Maybe you oppose the monarchy and have avoided the whole thing.

What have the last few days meant for you?
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/proud-to-be-british

Over the past ten years there has been a steady rise in people identifying themselves as 'English' rather than 'British'. Is this the summer that we all came together again around Britishness? Perhaps you are Scottish or Welsh and these last few days have meant nothing to you. Maybe you are from a minority community and don't feel British.

We have created a short survey on Britishness and national identity. It will just take a couple of minutes to fill it out.

How British are we and does it matter?
http://action.hopenothate.org.uk/proud-to-be-british

We will be looking at all these issues on our website and in the next issue of our HOPE not hate magazine. There will be contributions from myself and others but I also want to hear your thoughts.

* As I post this blog up over 750 people have already filled out our survey, which is pretty remarkable given that we only sent out the email less than two hours ago

Far-right roundup

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Tuesday, 5 June 2012, 21:32

Lennon: Saves the day..

EDL boss Stephen Lennon laid on a few sausage rolls and an inflatable castle by all accounts over the long weekend. No, this wasn't some kind of EDL assault course (they'd pass with flying colours if it was,) it was apparently a gift for his neighbours. Out came the bunting and a jolly good knees up was had by all, according to Stephen's account of the weekend. I'm sure his neighbours were delighted and the constant intrusion into their lives by football hooligans, armed police and angry Jihadists will all have been forgiven and forgotten.

That is of course, unless you did not fancy taking part in Stephen's shindig. For those around the country who would prefer an elected head of state Stephen also laid on a treat for them. The Mob boss sent his finest gang of thugs, drug addicts and football hooligans out onto the streets of Newcastle to let off rockets, Nazi salutes and assault people that he does not agree with.

Yes, this is the same EDL who claim they're defending democracy, freedom of speech etc, etc. A very happy Stephen even took time out to doth his cap to his troops and their close friends in the National Front.

Courts in the North West of the country continue to deal with the results of ongoing EDL violence. One court heard how these tough guys turn up [pissed] and unannounced and begin to unleash their terror on anyone they do not like. Of course, sentencing them is pretty difficult as their "Commanders" always seem to be unwell when it comes to taking their punishment like "men".

Casuals United made it down to Brighton last weekend, but their leader was none too happy when we revealed his plans in advance. All bravado aside, Jeff Marsh was later reported to have holed himself up in a Brighton pub and told anyone who would listen how he was much harder than Stephen Lennon etc, etc. EDL News then reported how he tried to jump over a pub wall to escape from angry locals.

There was almost merde most foul from the BNP, BFP and the Front National of France, when it was reported that Madonna screened a video during one of her concerts that depicted FN leader Marine Le Pen with a Swastika on her head.

The EDL's own ageing pop-tart was just desperately trying to get pissed but it would appear what with all the sausage rolls the EDL forked out for, there was just not enough left to keep poor old "Anglo Saxon" in Belgium beer.

Talking of Belgium beer, Brussels based Nick Griffin managed something akin to a stoic silence over allegations made to an Irish newspaper that he and a few others have been up to naughties with the party's monies. Griffin's notorious attack dogs lost their bark somewhat mainly because they too know, that all is going to be revealed later this month in a court in Carlisle.

To lighten the mood somewhat, Griffin's ever loyal lap dog Simon Darby decided that the members should also get their hands on some of the BNP's cash and proudly announced on his blog that some "lucky" punter had won a massive tenner on the BNP lottery!

And finally, the "New Right" managed to get some bizarre rabbi to address their most recent meeting of Jew haters.

Later this month their splinter group IONA are meeting in Ashford, Kent so one can expect someone equally as daft to be alighting the train from Europe to discuss how the century before last, was possibly the best yet.

Mob Boss: Lennon loves his boys to dish it out

Holiday of a lifetime

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 5 June 2012, 17:12

HOPE not hate is giving its supporters the chance to win a holiday of a lifetime and in the process support the work of HOPE not hate.

We are offering a fortnight at a private beachfront villa in one of the most unspoilt natural islands in the Grenadines. The villa, which sleeps 9 people, enjoys around 100ft of beachfront with coconut palms and thick powder soft sand and whilst the main house will be your base, it also comes with a beach hut and a large BBQ and beach terrace area. In the grounds there are banana, mango, pineapple and coconut trees.

This once in a life time holiday provides a private tropical paradise, terraced gardens, a private sun garden and direct access to the Caribbean Sea, as well as a team of staff based at the villa who will make this a perfect and unique getaway.

A ticket for our raffle costs just £20 and the draw will be made on Friday 8 June.

Snap up a ticket
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/competition/

The winner of the raffle will be able to take up to eight friends with them. Or they might prefer to go alone or with just one other person. It is the ideal location for a family holiday of a lifetime or the most romantic getaway for a couple. It will be your choice.

Just as importantly, you will be helping the work of HOPE not hate and in particular its charitable wing. The money raised will enable us to continue to help bring communities together and go toward our Britain Tastes Great initiative, which seeks to use food to diversity of our society and as a way to bring people together.

See more photos of this amazing holiday villa
http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/competition/

Terms and conditions apply and are stated on the sign up page.

Tackling racism and antisemitism in Eastern Europe

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Tuesday, 5 June 2012, 17:08

Here's a really interesting blog on racism and antisemitism in the Ukraine and reaction to the Panorama programme.

http://cambridgeculturalmemory.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/eastern-european-xenophobia-under.html#more

There is some really useful insight into the origins of antisemitism in Poland and the Ukraine but also criticism of the Pamorama programme and Sol Campbell for telling people not to go.

Far Right Dullards Hold Latest Meeting

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Monday, 4 June 2012, 21:56

Troy Southgate with Rabbi Ahron Cohen

I've mentioned before a tedious and ineffectual group of far right snobs known as "The New Right" who regularly hold meetings in London pubs to compare notes on just how clever they all are.

Troy Southgate, leader of the New Right, hosted the 39th meeting on Sunday in a central London pub on Sunday with all the usual pomposity of the previous 38 grim encounters.

Adrian Davies, Barrister to the far right spoke about the life and death of his friend Jonathan Bowden, The BNP’s former "cultural" officer, and chairman of “The New Right” who fancied himself as both an artist and a playwright despite lacking any talent whatsoever.

Also speaking at the meeting was Manchester based Rabbi Ahron Cohen who spoke about Judaism versus Zionism. Cohen represents The Neturei Karta Group, a collection of Orthodox Jews opposed to Zionism.

The final guest was the rather ridiculous American John Howells who looks more like a second rate magician than a serious political contender. Howells, originally from Rhode Island takes himself just that little bit too seriously, a bit like his friend and hero Southgate.

We look forward to the 40th meeting.

John Howells.

Shameless thugs out again

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Monday, 4 June 2012, 14:13

Thugs:

Some of Newcastle's most ugly racists were out on the street's today in an apparent show of patriotism that included drinking and violence.

Among them was Kevin Watmough, the poisonous reprobate better known for the Redwatch website and of course, ratting on his on his former Comrades when they fall out with him.

The NF gathered at The Monument in the centre of Newcastle to confront a peaceful protest by Anti Jubilee demonstrators.

Led by the veteran far right bonehead Simon Biggs, the NF attempted to reach the protest, only to be thwarted by local police who pushed the NF away.

Earlier, members of the EDL and NEI met up at The Rose & Crown Public House in the Bigg Market area of the city.

The Infidels main man today appeared to be Mark Walls from Gateshead, who appeared very friendly with the rival EDL leader Alan Spence, who has only recently been released from prison.

It isn't clear why Walls was in charge of the Infidels today and so far we can't explain the absence of the Duffy brothers, who are the leaders of the NEI.

At noon the combined group of EDL/NEI left the pub to meet up with their NF comrades.

In total about 80 far right members gathered, with some throwing fireworks at the rival protest and police.

Watmough: Flag waving recalcitrant

Patriots: Tough stickers on the face of the the master race

EDL: The wasted seed of the bulldog breed

Trouble in Newcastle

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Monday, 4 June 2012, 13:50

Racist thugs from the EDL and the National Front have tried to cause trouble and attack an alternative Jubilee celebration in Newcastle.

The fascists threw friecrackers into the group of families who were attending the festivities beforelaunching an attack on them. Punches were exchanged.

A full report will follow.

Guest Euro 2012 blog: A Fan-Friendly Euro 2012?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Monday, 4 June 2012, 08:55

During the Euro 2012 championships HOPE not hate will be opening up its blog to people who have interesting things to say and report, particularly from within Poland and the Ukraine. In the first such blog, Mark Perryman, of Philosophy Football and LondonEnglandFans, offers a different take on the BBC Panorama programme and calls for more balanced reporting.

A Fan-Friendly Euro 2012?

Over the past week or so the coverage of Euro 2012 hosts Ukraine and Poland has been overwhelmingly negative. Much of the reporting has been sensationalist and my view as an active travelling England fan is that this is seriously unhelpful.

First some background. Ahead of World Cup 98, Euro 2000, World Cup 2002, Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 there was an entirely different build-up. This was almost entirely concerned with the risk our, England, fans posed to the tournament in terms of hooliganism. Much of this was overstated, the actions of a minority allowed to paint a picture of the majority.

However at World Cup 2002, Euro 204 and World Cup 2006 there was virtually no trouble involving England fans. Instead we were widely reported as joining in the party, travelling in huge numbers and singled out for praise because of the fan-friendly initiatives we were involved in.

Ahead of World Cup 2010 in South Africa the agenda suddenly changed. The build-up became all about the risks we faced. Bloodcurdling tales of the likelihood of robbery, carjacking and worse. This was despite South Africa having recently hosted the Rugby and Cricket World Cups with next to no incidents of this sort , nor for the 35,000 who followed the 2009 British Lions tour to South Africa either.

The reality? After an extremely well-policed tournament virtually no incidents of this sort took place, in fact South Africa had the lowest crime rate of any World Cup and fans, despite England’s pitiful performance on the pitch, came home with tales of a trip of a lifetime. All the horror predictions had been proved to be grossly incorrect.

Now we face something similar with the Ukraine. Not a single report I’ve read has mentioned England played in Ukraine in October 2009 with no racist incidents. I can remember chatting at the end of the game with fellow England fan, Yassir Sidique about what a great trip this had been.

Nor have any of these reports mentioned the fact that in recent seasons Arsenal, Spurs, Man City and Fulham have all played in the Ukraine in European club competitions. Unlike the England game I wasn’t at these matches but as far as I know no racist incidents were reported.

The group I am involved with, LondonEnglandFans, has since January been holding fan forums with Ukrainians. The issue of racism and hooliganism has come up, of course it has. But we’ve had the good sense to put this in context. These incidents are almost exclusively at club level, between Ukrainian teams and involved a minority of fans, certainly not all fans, and even less so all Ukrainians.

In the past the actions of a small but significant minority of England fans was allowed to create a negative reputation for all England fans. Now this same gross error is being applied to others. However serious the incidents of racism this is entirely wrong. The Ukrainians are unsurprisingly very angry with the way they are being misrepresented. Last week our final forum with Ukrainians was dominated by this issue. We made it very clear that as England fans we rejected the way their entire nation and culture was being mistreated. They were amazed and pleased, the forum was filmed by two of Ukraine’s main TV stations, our message we hope will reach many in the Ukraine too.

The coverage is unhelpful in three other ways too.

First it is patronising. Few fans, black or white, travel to an overseas away game incapable of taking sensible precautions; don't get in an unmarked car, don’t stray too far off the tourist trail, if an attactive lady invites you into a bar for a drink ask yourself why?

Second some of it is hypocritical. The BBC Panorama programme tells us Ukraine is a hotbed of violent racism and the far-right yet if its that bad why has the BBC not campaigned for the past 4 years to prevent Ukraine hosting Euro 2012. And if it is that bad why are all the BBC sports programme trumpeting how much they are looking forward to kick off?

Third, there is no context. France is the Euro 2016 host, in the recent French presidential elections Marie Le Pen, a fascist, attracted 18% of the vote. No far right group has anything like this degree of support in the Ukraine, so where’s the balance in the coverage?

When we met the Ukrainians we made it clear that we are absolutely opposed to racism. if abuse ot worse is directed at our players or fans we will be the first to complain. They understood this and agreed with us. At the same time as England fans we have worked toward a situation where we are treated on the basis of our own behaviour not on the basis of a reputation that others have stuck on us. It is all we can ask for, and the same principle should be fairly applied to others.

Reporting of racism in football, in the Ukraine and anywhere else, is vital so that it can be stopped. But balance and context is just as important too. In the build-up to this tournament my fear is that sensationalism has led to the demonisaton of all Ukrainians at the expense of a clear and targeted anti-racist message.

Mark Perryman is the author of Ingerland : Travels with a Football Nation

Will Euro 2012 act as a catalyst to change football culture?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Sunday, 3 June 2012, 11:23

Anti-racism action organised by FARE's partner organisation Never Again in Poland, at this Ekstraklasa match between Lech Poznan and Korona Kielce. Photo: FARE network

There has been a lot written and aired over the last few weeks about racism and antisemitism in Polish and Ukrainian football. Today we have put out our own report, first published in the HOPE not hate magazine, which includes the most comprehensive account of racist and antisemitic incidents over the past year.

Our article features an account of the Krakow derby, dubbed the Holy War because of the intensity in the rivalry between the two teams. The match was preceded by a march by the away supporters in memory of one of their ultra leaders who was literally butchered to death by rival hooligans last year. The game began with home fans displaying a huge banner depicting an away fan in a burning cauldron. The game itself was marred with violence.

For those who say that there is not a problem with racism and antisemitism in Polish and Ukrainian football are simply wrong. There were over 120 separate incidents in 2011 in Poland alone.

However, our report also focuses on the positive initiative by Polish anti-fascists to deal with the problem. It concludes that while racism, antisemitism and a culture of violence does prevail the situation at many grounds is improving.

And that brings us to Euro 2012. The trouble in the domestic game will not necessarily translate into problems during the tournament. The Polish police and authorities appear to be well organised and determined to stop any display of racism or even violence. Hooligan groups are unlikely to get tickets and the large numbers of fans following the teams will ensure a positive atmosphere inside the grounds. There could be trouble around the Poland v Russia game and the prospect of Poland playing Germany does genuinely scare a lot of people, but otherwise we are unlikely to see open displays of racism inside the ground.

The situation in the Ukraine is less clear. The BBC Panorama programme showed awful outbreaks of racism and racist violence inside the ground, involving hundreds, if not thousands, of supporters. What was more shocking was the apparent ignorance of the police to recognise that there was a problem.

Unfortunately racism is a problem in the Ukraine and even the official Foreign Office advice is for black and Asian fans following England to take extra care.

Let us hope that the tournament passes without incident and everyone enjoys the competition as it is intended. And let us hope that the decision to hand the tournament to Poland and the Ukraine will provide the catalyst to change the culture within football. That is certainly what our friends at Never Again are hoping for and in this we wish them well.

“This is an opportunity for us to get our anti-racist message across,” says Rafal Pankowski, of Never Again. “Not just to football fans but to the wider population at large.

“It is up to us to make sure the change is for the long term.”

Click here to read: The beautiful game? A special report into racism and antisemitism in Polish and Ukrainian football

Griffin Under The Spotlight

posted by: Matthew Collins | on: Saturday, 2 June 2012, 22:07

An Irish newspaper will tomorrow publish allegations against BNP leader Nick Griffin that for legal reasons we cannot repeat in full.

The Sunday World, which has editions both in the North and the Republic of Ireland, has taken advantage of a British law which excludes Northern Ireland from UK law banning the reporting of allegations made by a witness in a court case.

Although the basis of the allegations levelled against Griffin have been well known to us at Hope Not Hate for a number of years and we have been forced to remain frustratingly silent, the graphic and full extent of the wide ranging allegations made in the article in Ireland may well shock even the most ardent of Griffin remaining admirers.

It is doubtful that even the most loyal and close of trusted party apparatchiks and sycophants will be aware of the extent to which Nick Griffin has spirited away money since becoming party leader in 1999. Nor is it likely that they will be aware of the allegedly secret deposits of large sums of cash made by senior and trusted party officials into foreign bank accounts.

At the time of Griffin’s admittance to the BNP in the early 1990’s, the bankrupt former NF leader was allegedly eking out a living stacking shelves at his local Supermarket while his wife worked full time as a midwife to supplement their rapidly declining lifestyle. Nick and Jackie’s farm house is not even in their names. The names on the deeds of the property are in fact allegedly those of the Griffins’ Hungarian neighbours and occasional baby and house sitters.

The allegations in the Sunday World focus on Griffin’s unreported alleged wealth and serious allegations are also made relating to the nature of the business practices of the BNP while they were ensconced in the Belfast offices of the Loyalist extremist, Jim Dowson.

Most of these allegations, and other explicit and graphic claims, are due to be heard by a court later this month when judges could hand severe prison sentences in a case involving BNP officials.

What will come as a surprise to the BNP and its remaining supporters are previously unheard of allegations of a series of properties and investments made with finances allegedly from the BNP’s shrunken funds.

The case was already promising to be explosive, with allegations that the BNP were entangled with amongst other things, Irish paramilitaries and electoral fraud.

We look forward to printing the full story as it untangles itself later this month.

I smell another Marmite moment

posted by: Simon Cressy | on: Friday, 1 June 2012, 21:54

You'd think that Nick Griffin and the BNP would learn their lesson regarding copyright infringement, wouldn't you?

Following from the BNP's ill fated decision in 2010 to use an image of a jar of Marmite in one of its party election broadcasts (which saw Marmite's parent company Unilever launch High Court proceedings against the BNP for breach of copyright,) you'd think the last thing that the BNP would want is another controversy regarding their ignorance of copyright law?

In 2010 the BNP was taken to the brink of collapse, forced to shell out a rumoured £170,000 in compensation in an out of court settlement with Unilever, the company that manufactures Marmite.

Maybe the BNP like spending their members money on compensation? Hope not Hate can reveal that the BNP has knowingly breached the copyright of one of the UK's most popular recording artists.

Heather Small is the lead singer with the Manchester based band M People. She has also seen success recording as a solo artist. In 2000, Small released her debut solo album "Proud" and a single by the same name, which is closely associated with the British Olympics team.

In 2008 she performed at the London 2012 Party to celebrate the handover to the host city of the Olympic Games from Beijing, to London. Small sang "Proud", which was the unofficial anthem of Team GB at the Athens Games in 2004. It is now the official anthem of the London 2012 Games.

Small attended an anti racism ceremony for "Show Racism The Red Card" hosted by the Prime Minister and attended by leading sports men & women at 10 Downing Street.

So it might come as a surprise to Heather when she hears that the BNP are currently using her flagship song "Proud" to promote their far racial hatred.

The BNP has been using the song on a number of their own videos hosted on the BNP website.

Now we doubt very much that the BNP have had the decency to ask Heather's permission for use of her music, which I would have thought she would have flatly refused.

So we have contacted Heather Small's management company "Bandana Management" and have passed the details on of the likely breach of copyright by the BNP.

So we invite Heather Small to study the details we have sent her and hopefully she might be having her very own "Marmite" moment, courtesy of BNP TV.

Sikh community reject EDL advances

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 1 June 2012, 10:59

The English Defence League have attempted to make political capital of their presence at a Sikh community protest against the alleged failure of the police to properly investigate an attack on a Sikh teenager. The EDL have even boasted about being "invited" down to join the protests.

Unfortunately news of the EDL presence was widely reported in the media.

The truth, of course, is different. It appears they were invited down but only by an individual and as soon as their presence was noticed they were asked to leave.

This report on the website of the Turban Campaign has some more information:

http://www.turbancampaign.com/updates/exploitive-edl-hijacks-sikh-protest-in-luton/