Youth organizations, supported by a local politician, say that policemen are helping violent neo-Nazis in a Bogota neighborhood, a charge denied by police.
Jaime Caicedo, council member in the Fontibon neighborhood, told local radio station Santa Fe that neo-Nazis have attacked people in Fontibon on several occasions. These assaults are not fights between youths, but well-planned attacks carried out for political reasons, the politician said. Caicedo supports claims by local youth organizations that the police are complicit in the violence.
According to Caicedo, the purpose of the attacks is to silence public protest against abuse and intimation by members of the "Third Force", a local neo-Nazi gang.
On September 14 and 15, when the attacks took place, the police not only took 40 minutes to arrive but also neglected to arrest the attackers or seize the weapons used to beat up two boys, the council member told newspaper El Espectador.
"The local police commander threatened several of those assaulted, warning them not to meet in the 'Parque Fundacional' of Fontibon, a place which has turned into a meeting point for citizens that resist the criminal acts of the neo-Nazi gang members," Caicedo said.
Bogota's metropolitan police rejected the allegations as "completely false."
"There is not one report of fights or physical aggression reported on these dates," said police Colonel Hernandez Aldana.
Colombia Reports
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Meet the Polish neo-Nazi skinhead couple who discovered they are JEWISH - and turned their lives around
The one-time skinheads grew up as part of a hate-filled white power gang in Warsaw, the capital of Poland and once the site of the largest Jewish ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe.
But now they are devout members of an Orthodox Jewish synagogue.
The truth about their roots had been buried by their parents to escape persecution from first the Germans and then the Soviet-controlled post-war government.
Even when the couple started spewing anti-Semitic slogans and attacking Jews, their parents still kept silent about their heritage.
Pawel and Ola – who asked for only their first names to be used in a CNN documentary on their story - met at school when they were twelve and married at eighteen.
By then they were heavily involved in the neo-Nazi movement that was rife in Warsaw’s concrete jungle housing estates.
Just 350,000 Jews remained in Poland after the war, a tenth of the population from before the Holocaust, and many fled in the quarter of a century that followed.
For those that remained, parents often decided it better to keep their true faith a secret.
But Ola remembered something her mother once let slip about her Jewish heritage.
And when she checked at Poland’s Jewish Historical Institute she learned the truth – that not only was she a Jew, but so was her husband.
She told CNN of her shock. ‘Something told me to do it. It was unbelievable.
'It turned out that we had Jewish roots. It was a shock. I didn't expect to find out that I had a Jewish husband.'
She said she did not know how to tell Pawel the truth.‘I didn't know how to tell him. I loved him even if he was a punk or skinhead, if he beat people up or not.'
When she did, a disbelieving Pawel confronted his parents.
He said he had been a skinhead and a nationalist '100 per cent'. 'It was all about white power and I believed Poland was only for Poles. That Jews were the biggest plague and the worst evil of this world,' he told CNN
It was difficult to describe the emotions he felt at learning he was Jewish, he said.
‘My first thought was what am I going to tell people? What am I going to tell the boys? Should I admit it or not? I was angry, sad, scared, unsure.’
He was unable to look in the mirror, he said, because he hated what he saw - a Jew.
But as he came to terms with his identity he approached Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich, who became a mentor to the couple.
Pawel, now 33, added that he does have regrets - 'but it's not something that I walk around and lash myself over'.
'I feel sorry for those that I beat up but I don't hold a grudge against myself,' he explained. 'The people who I hurt can hold a grudge against me.’
Today, the couple are active members of the Jewish community in Warsaw.
Pawel is studying to work in a slaughterhouse killing animals according to the Jewish Kosher requirement and Ola is working in the synagogue's kitchen as a kosher supervisor.
Rabbi Shudrich paid tribute to them for having the courage to turn their lives around.
‘The fact that they were skinheads actually increased the amount of respect I have for them,’ he said to CNN.
‘That they could've been where they were, understood that that was not the right way, then embraced rather than run away the fact that they were part of the people who they used to hate.
‘I think also it says on a personal level, never write somebody off. Where they may be 10 years ago doesn't have to be where they are today.
And the human being has this unlimited capability of changing and sometimes even for the better,’ he added.
The white power skinhead revival in the seventies and eighties became closely identified with racist and anti-Semitic attacks and spread to Europe and parts of North America.
According to a 2007 report by the Anti-Defamation League, skinhead groups have becoming more active in the U.S. in recent years, with a particular focus on non-white immigration.
Daily Mail
‘Wanted’ faces of EDL rally in Dudley are released (UK)
These are the faces of 22 men police want to trace after violence broke out following a controversial protest in Dudley.Detectives investigating reports of criminal damage and disorder in the town centre have today released CCTV images in a bid to identify the men.
Around 600 English Defence League followers descended on the town for a rally on July 17 bringing the centre to a standstill.
Houses and cars were damaged, missiles were hurled at officers and steel fences were pulled down as trouble flared between demonstrators and police.
Shops were boarded up, the market cancelled and roads closed in preparation for the arrival of protestors from across the country.An event hosted by the Dudley Interfaith Alliance was also held on the same day in another part of the town.
Police said today 20 offences had been recorded to date, including criminal damage caused to cars and premises as well as pockets of disorder. Home in Alexandra Street, cars parked in roads surrounding Stafford Street, restaurants in Wolverhampton Street and the Hindu Temple were all attacked by vandals.
Windows were smashed and damage was caused to fencing while a number of vehicles were also targeted as they were being driven through the town.
Detective Inspector Carl Southwick from Force CID, who is leading this investigation, said: “We are appealing to members of the public to look closely at these images. If you recognise any of these individuals or believe you have information that may help, I urge you to come forward.
“We are committed to identifying those responsible for the pockets of disorder and criminal damage that took place in Dudley town centre that afternoon.”
Anybody who recognises the men, or who witnessed anything in the area at the time is asked to contact West Midlands Police – Force CID, Operation Belvedere on 0121 428 6123 or 0345 113 5000. People can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The cost of policing the protest was £400,000 with money being spent on pay for officers, whose rest days were rearranged so they would be available for duty.
It was also used on specialist policing teams such as the dog handlers and operational support units. The English Defence League said it was demonstrating against a planned £12million mosque in Hall Street, Dudley.
Express and Star
Police fear protesters plan to attack Leicester mosque (UK)
Police fear protesters plan to attack a city mosque before marching into the heart of Leicester's Muslim community.
Concerns were voiced by Chief Constable Simon Cole in a report to Leicester City Council about the planned march by the English Defence League on October 9.
The Chief Constable said that an intelligence and threat assessment indicated a "major threat" to public order.
His report said: "Intelligence dated September 8, 2010, indicated that the EDL intend to come to Leicester and attack a mosque before marching into the Highfields area, which represents the highest resident population of the Muslim community.
"This reflects previous intentions of EDL processions, such as that within Leicester, where actions were targeted to cause disruption to the Muslim community by provoking serious public disorder."
Leicester City Cabinet yesterday agreed to apply to the Home Office to ban the planned procession under the Public Order Act 1986.
However, the EDL, in a statement, rejected the police claims.
EDL event organiser Guramit Singh said: "We are coming to Leicester to peacefully demonstrate and we denounce attacks on any mosques. We are here to fight militant Islam, not moderate Islam. The intelligence provided by the police is incorrect."
The EDL submitted an application to march through the city to police this week. United Against Fascism has applied to hold a counter-demonstration on the same day.
Up to 5,000 people could take part in the rival protests.
If the Home Office agrees to ban the EDL march, the group could still hold a static protest, which the authorities would be powerless to prevent taking place.
Muslim groups said they were concerned by the police intelligence reports.
Suleman Nagdi, chairman of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "An attack on a place of worship is an attack on us all, the relationship and resilience among Leicester's faith communities is very strong and we are confident that this will not break our unity."
Ibrahim Mogra, associate Imam at Evington Muslim Centre, said: "The news of a planned attack is very worrying. There have been a number of mosques up and down the country that have suffered attacks at the hands of far-right groups. Everything possible needs to be done to prevent that."
Speaking after the meeting, city council leader Veejay Patel said the council was determined to secure a ban on the march.
He said: "The evidence we are now able to put to the Home Secretary shows overwhelmingly that this march will bring massive disruption – and possibly violence – to Leicester, and therefore it should not be allowed to take place."
The city's three MPs, who were present at yesterday's meeting, said in a joint statement: "The EDL cannot and will not affect Leicester's long and proud history of community cohesion which the city council, voluntary, community and faith groups, local public services and businesses have all worked hard to build and maintain."
After the meeting, Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "I have directly contacted the Home Secretary Theresa May to emphasise the strength of feeling here in our city. All three Leicester MPs will be lobbying her directly on this issue."
Leicester West MP Liz Kendall said: "It is a massive decision to attempt to ban a group's right to protest, but it's the only option available."
In a report on the proposed English Defence League march in Thursday's Leicester Mercury, we reported that campaign group Hope Not Hate was planning a counter demonstration.
We have been asked to point out that Hope Not Hate is, in fact, hoping to hold a peace vigil the night before the proposed EDL protest and is not planning a counter demonstration.
It is also involved in plans for a celebration of the city, which is scheduled to take place a day after the EDL event on Saturday, October 9. We are happy to clarify the situation.
This is Leicester
Concerns were voiced by Chief Constable Simon Cole in a report to Leicester City Council about the planned march by the English Defence League on October 9.
The Chief Constable said that an intelligence and threat assessment indicated a "major threat" to public order.
His report said: "Intelligence dated September 8, 2010, indicated that the EDL intend to come to Leicester and attack a mosque before marching into the Highfields area, which represents the highest resident population of the Muslim community.
"This reflects previous intentions of EDL processions, such as that within Leicester, where actions were targeted to cause disruption to the Muslim community by provoking serious public disorder."
Leicester City Cabinet yesterday agreed to apply to the Home Office to ban the planned procession under the Public Order Act 1986.
However, the EDL, in a statement, rejected the police claims.
EDL event organiser Guramit Singh said: "We are coming to Leicester to peacefully demonstrate and we denounce attacks on any mosques. We are here to fight militant Islam, not moderate Islam. The intelligence provided by the police is incorrect."
The EDL submitted an application to march through the city to police this week. United Against Fascism has applied to hold a counter-demonstration on the same day.
Up to 5,000 people could take part in the rival protests.
If the Home Office agrees to ban the EDL march, the group could still hold a static protest, which the authorities would be powerless to prevent taking place.
Muslim groups said they were concerned by the police intelligence reports.
Suleman Nagdi, chairman of the Federation of Muslim Organisations, said: "An attack on a place of worship is an attack on us all, the relationship and resilience among Leicester's faith communities is very strong and we are confident that this will not break our unity."
Ibrahim Mogra, associate Imam at Evington Muslim Centre, said: "The news of a planned attack is very worrying. There have been a number of mosques up and down the country that have suffered attacks at the hands of far-right groups. Everything possible needs to be done to prevent that."
Speaking after the meeting, city council leader Veejay Patel said the council was determined to secure a ban on the march.
He said: "The evidence we are now able to put to the Home Secretary shows overwhelmingly that this march will bring massive disruption – and possibly violence – to Leicester, and therefore it should not be allowed to take place."
The city's three MPs, who were present at yesterday's meeting, said in a joint statement: "The EDL cannot and will not affect Leicester's long and proud history of community cohesion which the city council, voluntary, community and faith groups, local public services and businesses have all worked hard to build and maintain."
After the meeting, Leicester East MP Keith Vaz said: "I have directly contacted the Home Secretary Theresa May to emphasise the strength of feeling here in our city. All three Leicester MPs will be lobbying her directly on this issue."
Leicester West MP Liz Kendall said: "It is a massive decision to attempt to ban a group's right to protest, but it's the only option available."
In a report on the proposed English Defence League march in Thursday's Leicester Mercury, we reported that campaign group Hope Not Hate was planning a counter demonstration.
We have been asked to point out that Hope Not Hate is, in fact, hoping to hold a peace vigil the night before the proposed EDL protest and is not planning a counter demonstration.
It is also involved in plans for a celebration of the city, which is scheduled to take place a day after the EDL event on Saturday, October 9. We are happy to clarify the situation.
This is Leicester
Guardian Angels Charged With “Hate Crime” (USA)
The fledgling Guardian Angels franchise in Millville, New Jersey was forced to shut down in September of 2009 after several of its members were arrested for their alleged involvement in a “hate crime” attack on a White girl who was dating an African-American boy.
NJ.com reports two adults and a juvenile – James L. Chard, 21, Amanda E. Schemeley, 20, and a 16-year-old Millville girl – were charged in the attack, which happened on either August 20th or 21st.
They are charged with carving racist slurs into the 16-year-old girl’s car and slashing its tires, causing between US$500 – US$2000 in damages.
The Daily Journal reports that Chard and Schemeley were trainees with the Guardian Angels.
Police have also arrested Gilpatrick H. Matos, 26, for allegedly trying to get two of the suspects to recant their statements and give false testimony. Matos was also a member of the Millville franchise.
This was not the first time the Millville franchise had problems. Several dramatic personality conflicts caused the outfit to dwindle down to three members several months prior to the incident.
It was hoped the new trainees would inject new life into the franchise.
The Right Perspective
NJ.com reports two adults and a juvenile – James L. Chard, 21, Amanda E. Schemeley, 20, and a 16-year-old Millville girl – were charged in the attack, which happened on either August 20th or 21st.
They are charged with carving racist slurs into the 16-year-old girl’s car and slashing its tires, causing between US$500 – US$2000 in damages.
The Daily Journal reports that Chard and Schemeley were trainees with the Guardian Angels.
Police have also arrested Gilpatrick H. Matos, 26, for allegedly trying to get two of the suspects to recant their statements and give false testimony. Matos was also a member of the Millville franchise.
This was not the first time the Millville franchise had problems. Several dramatic personality conflicts caused the outfit to dwindle down to three members several months prior to the incident.
It was hoped the new trainees would inject new life into the franchise.
The Right Perspective
Hate crime appeal for attack in Southsea (uk)
Between 10pm on Wednesday and 7am yesterday, paint was poured through the letterbox of the victim's front door in Malvern Road, Southsea.
The words 'Irish F Q' were daubed on the front door in paint, a television set was dumped on the front step and more paint poured over it.
The offender also cut the heads off flowers planted in pots outside the woman's front door.
Anyone with information should contact PC Hannah Buckley at Southsea station on 101.
Portsmouth News
The words 'Irish F Q' were daubed on the front door in paint, a television set was dumped on the front step and more paint poured over it.
The offender also cut the heads off flowers planted in pots outside the woman's front door.
Anyone with information should contact PC Hannah Buckley at Southsea station on 101.
Portsmouth News
Thomas Honeyman hit couple with bar stool in racist attack (uk)
 |
| Thomas Honeyman |
Thomas Honeyman, 21, battered Tracey Mitchell and her husband, Melville, with a bar stool in a pub in Bishop Auckland.
Earlier he had hurled racial and personal insults at Mrs Mitchell as they sat with friends in The Cumberland Arms Hotel, said Richard Bennett, prosecuting.
The couple both needed treatment at Darlington Memorial Hospital after the attack, which left Mr Mitchell with a cut head and his wife with an injured hand after she had tried to protect herself.
Teesside Crown Court was told Honeyman had been sitting at a nearby table on November 1 last year when he began making “rather childish” comments about Mr Mitchell.
Mr Mitchell had an argument with him before returning to his table, and then the couple became aware of Honeyman approaching them at speed carrying a bar stool above his head, which he brought down with some force on them, knocking them both to the floor.
Honeyman ran outside as customers and staff helped the couple.
Police officers found him walking along the street, bare-chested and bleeding from a cut to the head.
He said that he had fallen over, said Mr Bennett.
But Honeyman was later arrested for the attack and claimed Mrs Mitchell had called him a “dirty, stinking gipsy”.
Honeyman was released on police bail, during which he robbed a man walking alone past The Llewellyn pub, in Ferryhill, County Durham. A total of £90 was stolen.
Bryan Russell, defending, said Honeyman admitted he had gone “spectacularly off the rails” in the later part of last year, but while in prison on remand he had taken part in courses to tackle his drink and drug problems.
Judge Peter Bowers told Honeyman that if he had wanted to be harsh he could have sentenced him to six years in jail.
The judge added: “Unfortunately, these two offences do merit sentences of one after the other, but I will reduce them.”
Honeyman, of Chillerton Way, Wingate, County Durham, was jailed for four years after he pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated actual bodily harm, assault and unlawful wounding and to robbery.
The Northern Echo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)