Homophobic hate crime in the city of Portsmouth has risen by 12 per cent, this year, compared to 2004.
Over half the people who responded to a local council survey said they'd experienced hate crime in the area, according to Portsmouth News.
Fifty nine per cent of respondents had experienced one or more incidents or homophobic crimes in the last year. To put that into context, the national average is 12 per cent.
But the problem is not just with people outside of the community – 29 per cent said they had experienced some kind of abuse within a current or former relationship.
However, the survey found the gay community's confidence in public services was rising thanks to lesbian and gay liaison officers.
Pink News
Friday, 13 August 2010
Resistance grows among Christian Democrats against Geert Wilders
The number of signatories to a petition by Christian Democrats against the involvement of Geert Wilders and his anti-Islam PVV party in any government has doubled in one day.
Since the petition was published in Trouw on Thursday, the number of signatories has reached 100, up from 44.
The signatories want the party to stop negotiating with the PVV and the Liberal VVD for a minority government supported in parliament by Wilders. They say the ideology of the PVV is 'against the Dutch constitution and a threat to our demoncratic society'.
A spokesman for party leader Maxime Verhagen told the press on Thursday that Verhagen understands the concerns of the party members, but added: 'We are only at the beginning of negotiations and it's the result that matters'.
Party conference
A special party conference is scheduled for the end of August when Verhagen will explain to party members what sort of support Wilders is offering and what he wants in return. But the signatories, who include local politicians and former MPs and mayors, are not prepared to wait.
According to historian Wouter Beekers, who initiated the petition, Christian Democrats will tend to accept what Verhagen says at the conference and action must be taken now, reports the Volkskrant.
Unique action
It is most unusual for Christian Democrats to make any criticism of their party public, particularly in the form of a mass demonstration. But many members are still keeping silent.
Some, like Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, have already fought back. The former Nato general secretary told the Volkskrant he would not be joining 'that herd of old elephants'. In his opinion, former politicians always think they know best.
Dutch News
Since the petition was published in Trouw on Thursday, the number of signatories has reached 100, up from 44.
The signatories want the party to stop negotiating with the PVV and the Liberal VVD for a minority government supported in parliament by Wilders. They say the ideology of the PVV is 'against the Dutch constitution and a threat to our demoncratic society'.
A spokesman for party leader Maxime Verhagen told the press on Thursday that Verhagen understands the concerns of the party members, but added: 'We are only at the beginning of negotiations and it's the result that matters'.
Party conference
A special party conference is scheduled for the end of August when Verhagen will explain to party members what sort of support Wilders is offering and what he wants in return. But the signatories, who include local politicians and former MPs and mayors, are not prepared to wait.
According to historian Wouter Beekers, who initiated the petition, Christian Democrats will tend to accept what Verhagen says at the conference and action must be taken now, reports the Volkskrant.
Unique action
It is most unusual for Christian Democrats to make any criticism of their party public, particularly in the form of a mass demonstration. But many members are still keeping silent.
Some, like Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, have already fought back. The former Nato general secretary told the Volkskrant he would not be joining 'that herd of old elephants'. In his opinion, former politicians always think they know best.
Dutch News
BNP want Jewish 'comrades' to fight Muslims (UK)
Small groups of BNP and English Defence League supporters are championing the Jewish state as part of a perceived struggle with the Muslim world.
They call for Israel and the BNP to be "comrades in arms".
One person commenting on a pro-BNP blog suggested that the party should open an office in Israel to "show solidarity with the Israeli people".
But Jon Benjamin, Board of Deputies chief executive, warned: "No one in their right mind should have any truck with the BNP or their ilk."
A blogger on The Green Arrow, an independent website which supports the BNP, encouraged others to look to Israel to avoid the West's "meek surrender to Islam".
Under the name Reconquista, the blogger wrote: "Against the backdrop of an enormous anti-Israel propaganda campaign waged by Muslims and by the Marxist left, Israel continues to fight for its very survival.
"I believe it is absolutely imperative for British Nationalists to be fully aware of the lies, deceptions, hypocrisy and moral cowardice surrounding Israel and the Jewish people."
One person commented on the blog: "I have written several times calling for committees for the mutual defence of white and Jewish communities to be set up here. Both people are under attack… Jewish people need to stop opposing us as their enemy."
Another adds: "We need Israel. We must join with them to fight this terrible wave of Islam trying to take over the world. The Jews know all about ethnic cleansing, and they will never allow themselves to be in that position again."
In May, the extreme right-wing anti-Islamic fundamentalism group the English Defence League launched a "Jewish division", encouraging Jews to "lead the counter-Jihad fight in England".
Mr Benjamin said: "Short-term political expediency and pronouncements of this kind are merely a cynical ploy by the BNP to try to re-invent themselves to capture the support of those who should know better."
A CST spokesman said: "There may be the odd BNP activist who thinks that antisemitism is stupid, and there may well be others who think that supporting Israel is a good idea, but none of it changes what the BNP is all about."
Such concerns may be well-founded. The Green Arrow site includes readers' comments such as "it's the Jews who own all the media".
The JC
Court approves neo-Nazi march, but bans counter demonstration (Germany)
The administrative court confirmed its decision on Thursday to exclude the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB), overturning a previous ruling by a Schaumburg district court, which had said there were not enough police there to handle both sides at the same time. But the Hannover court said the some 2,000 officers could at least handle one demonstration.
Because the neo-Nazis registered for permission first, and officials expect violence-prone anarchists to be attracted to the counter demonstration, the far-right extremists will be allowed to march unopposed, the court said.
The DGB called the decision an “unbelievable ruling” and said it would appeal to the state of Lower Saxony’s top administrative court.
Right-wing extremists have come to Bad Nenndorf since 2006 to stage a "funeral march" in honour of Nazis they say were mishandled there between 1945 and 1947 at an interrogation centre by occupying British troops.
The Local Germany
Racist Serial Stabber Arrested By FBI (USA)
A young man notorious for being a racist serial stabber has been arrested for attacking 20 men.
Commonly known to everyone as Racist Serial Stabber, the person stabbed 20 men out of whom 5 died and 15 survived having severe injuries. The victims belong from Michigan, Virginia and Ohio.
The people whom Racist Serial Stabber attacked were mostly dark men. Only two of the attacked victims were of white skin. He got his Racist Serial Stabber name from there.
The suspect was wearing a dark green Chevy blazer when authorities at the airport caught him after spotting him via security cameras at the airport. His portrait was already released by police after he was seen at the site of his last crime.
According to police, the suspect was boarding flight for Tel Aviv from the Hartsfield-Jackson International airport. Further details about the case will be released once the investigation is done.
All Voices
Commonly known to everyone as Racist Serial Stabber, the person stabbed 20 men out of whom 5 died and 15 survived having severe injuries. The victims belong from Michigan, Virginia and Ohio.
The people whom Racist Serial Stabber attacked were mostly dark men. Only two of the attacked victims were of white skin. He got his Racist Serial Stabber name from there.
The suspect was wearing a dark green Chevy blazer when authorities at the airport caught him after spotting him via security cameras at the airport. His portrait was already released by police after he was seen at the site of his last crime.
According to police, the suspect was boarding flight for Tel Aviv from the Hartsfield-Jackson International airport. Further details about the case will be released once the investigation is done.
All Voices
Champagne binge woman's racist tirade (UK)
A woman who launched a racist rant after drinking champagne at Fortnum and Mason was spared jail yesterday
Holly Mercer, 20, subjected doorman Jean Luc Abenou to a barrage of abuse at another bar after she was wrongly accused of stealing a wallet. Southwark crown court heard she called him a "f***ing black man" and added: "I will send you back to Jamaica where you belong ... BNP will get you all out."
She admitted racially aggravated harassment. Judge Nicholas Lorraine-Smith gave her a 12-month community order. She must do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 costs. "Your behaviour was atrocious [but] what you shouted didn't betray your true views," he said.
The court heard Mercer, of Aldwych, spent the night of April 13 in bars including Fortnum in Piccadilly. She abused Mr Abenou in the Ku Bar, Soho.
This is London
Holly Mercer, 20, subjected doorman Jean Luc Abenou to a barrage of abuse at another bar after she was wrongly accused of stealing a wallet. Southwark crown court heard she called him a "f***ing black man" and added: "I will send you back to Jamaica where you belong ... BNP will get you all out."
She admitted racially aggravated harassment. Judge Nicholas Lorraine-Smith gave her a 12-month community order. She must do 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 costs. "Your behaviour was atrocious [but] what you shouted didn't betray your true views," he said.
The court heard Mercer, of Aldwych, spent the night of April 13 in bars including Fortnum in Piccadilly. She abused Mr Abenou in the Ku Bar, Soho.
This is London
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Facebook vows new security measures to combat alarming 'trolling' abuse trend
Engineers at Facebook are reportedly working on new systems to fight the trend of “trolling”, where anonymous online users “bombard” victims with offensive messages or abuse.
Reports have claimed a growing number of “tribute” pages had been targeted including those in memory of the Cumbria shootings victims and soldiers who died in Afghanistan
In other extreme cases such abuse has led to some teenagers committing suicide.
At present users can only manually delete abusive messages. But in efforts to combat the growing trend, Facebook officials said they were working on new systems that automatically delete abuse.
Administrators of such sites will also be given new advice on how to cope with “trolls” and be given access to the new tools.
It comes just weeks after the announcement that children using Facebook could now report bullying and suspicious behaviour directly to the authorities after the launch of a new application.
Officials figures from Ofcom show that children as young as eight were using Facebook despite age restrictions.
Jim Gamble, the chief executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), who has been working with Facebook to combat cyber bullying, welcomed the news.
Mr Gamble, Britain's most senior official responsible for protecting youngsters online, said the “ClickCEOP” application on Facebook had been downloaded more than 10,000 times since the button's launch last month.
The application gives users a direct link to advice, help and the ability to report cyber problems to the centre.
“We're working with Facebook. They are a good partner and we're going to get closer and closer to them,” he told ITV News.
“But in the longer term, we want the Click CEOP button to be a default. So you don't have to be sensible to realise you need it there, that you don't need to be a motivated parent to be reassured that your child is best protected.”
Mr Gamble has openly criticised Facebook, recently for not following the example of similar sites such as Bebo and failing to introduce the panic button on each user's profile page.
He has warned that officers had seen a significant increase in complaints from parents and children reporting alleged paedophiles, bullies and hackers who were exploiting the site.
A Facebook spokesman said that while the company already employed “robust” systems, engineers were developing new programmes to combat the threat.
“Because ‘trolls’ tend to set up fake accounts, we employ robust systems to flag and block them based on name and anomalous site activity,” he said.
“Users who send lots of messages to non-friends, for example, or whose friend requests are rejected at a high rate, are marked as suspect.
“We’ve built extensive grey lists that prevent users from signing up with names commonly associated with fake accounts.”
He added: “Through the reporting process our team is also able to identify additional accounts using the same IP address so it is possible in certain situations to proactively remove multiple fake accounts.
“There’s always room for improvement, which is why we have a team of security experts and site integrity engineers working on these systems and developing new ones.”
The Telegraph
Last Laugh Is on German Far Right in Court Case (Germany)
Germany’s far-right supporters lost a major court case on Wednesday after a judge ruled that a satirical anti-racist clothing label depicting a stork that looks like Hitler was not damaging to a clothing label much favored by neo-Nazis.
The case pitted Storch Heinar, the anti-racist and anti-fascist label, against Thor Steinar, the cult label for far rightist movements here. The ruling, in Nuremberg, is seen as a victory a left-leaning youth group, Endstation Rechts, whose name translates as “last stop for the right wing.”
Set up by a group of Social Democrats in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2008 to combat growing rightist extremism there and also in the state of Saxony, Endstation Rechts hit on the idea of starting its own clothing label aimed at satirizing the far-right political parties.
The youth group’s label, Storch Heinar (Storch is the German word for stork), has as its emblem an awkward and scrawny stork, which has become a symbol for a growing movement that is trying to oppose the influence of far-right parties, such as the National Party of Germany, or N.P.D., and neo-Nazi movements.
The N.P.D. is represented in the state governments of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well as Saxony.
From the beginning, Storch Heinar was turned into a cartoon character that satirizes Hitler. It has a Hitler-esque mustache and wears an oversized military helmet. Satirizing Hitler’s own life, the stork has an unhappy childhood, is not recognized as an artist, has a very big superiority complex and above all has ambitions to be the greatest fashion designer of all times.
Such humor did not go down at all with Mediatex, the company that owns Thor Steinar. The label won wide appeal among far-right supporters in Germany because of its emphasis on Nordic mythology, which the Nazis used to propagate their philosophy of racial purity.
Mediatex at first tried to take over the trademark of Storch Heinar and copyright the avian name. But it failed.
Then this year, Mediatex filed a complaint against Mathias Brodkorb, a Social Democrat legislator in the state Parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and one of the founders of Storch Heinar. Mediatex alleged that Storch Heinar was injuring and disparaging Thor Steinar. The case went to court last month.
In his ruling, Judge Horst Rottmann said Wednesday that there was no danger that the two labels could be confused, so the danger of Thor Steinar losing potential customers was not an issue. As for denigrating or disparaging Thor Steinar, Mr. Rottmann said satire, as artistic expression and freedom, was protected under the country’s freedom of speech laws.
NY Times
The case pitted Storch Heinar, the anti-racist and anti-fascist label, against Thor Steinar, the cult label for far rightist movements here. The ruling, in Nuremberg, is seen as a victory a left-leaning youth group, Endstation Rechts, whose name translates as “last stop for the right wing.”
Set up by a group of Social Democrats in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2008 to combat growing rightist extremism there and also in the state of Saxony, Endstation Rechts hit on the idea of starting its own clothing label aimed at satirizing the far-right political parties.
The youth group’s label, Storch Heinar (Storch is the German word for stork), has as its emblem an awkward and scrawny stork, which has become a symbol for a growing movement that is trying to oppose the influence of far-right parties, such as the National Party of Germany, or N.P.D., and neo-Nazi movements.
The N.P.D. is represented in the state governments of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well as Saxony.
From the beginning, Storch Heinar was turned into a cartoon character that satirizes Hitler. It has a Hitler-esque mustache and wears an oversized military helmet. Satirizing Hitler’s own life, the stork has an unhappy childhood, is not recognized as an artist, has a very big superiority complex and above all has ambitions to be the greatest fashion designer of all times.
Such humor did not go down at all with Mediatex, the company that owns Thor Steinar. The label won wide appeal among far-right supporters in Germany because of its emphasis on Nordic mythology, which the Nazis used to propagate their philosophy of racial purity.
Mediatex at first tried to take over the trademark of Storch Heinar and copyright the avian name. But it failed.
Then this year, Mediatex filed a complaint against Mathias Brodkorb, a Social Democrat legislator in the state Parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and one of the founders of Storch Heinar. Mediatex alleged that Storch Heinar was injuring and disparaging Thor Steinar. The case went to court last month.
In his ruling, Judge Horst Rottmann said Wednesday that there was no danger that the two labels could be confused, so the danger of Thor Steinar losing potential customers was not an issue. As for denigrating or disparaging Thor Steinar, Mr. Rottmann said satire, as artistic expression and freedom, was protected under the country’s freedom of speech laws.
NY Times
UN watchdog criticises France for resurgence of racism
France is experiencing "a significant resurgence of racism" and lacked the political will to fix the problem, experts from the UN's anti-discrimination watchdog said Wednesday.
The criticism came as a panel of 18 experts from the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination presented a 90-page report on racism in France, the first since 2005.
After the session, the French delegation unexpectedly announced the preparation of a national action plan against racism.
Despite numerous legal instruments, France was facing "a notable resurgence in racism and xenophobia", Togolese expert Ewomsan Kokou said.
According to U.S. inspector Pierre-Richard Prosper, the resurgence was due to "the absence of true political will".
The debate covered treatment of traveller communities and the Roma, the debate on national identity, the non-recognition of the rights of minorities and the hardening of political discourse.
The situation of travelling communities and immigrants is a hot-button issue in France, following a threatened crackdown by President Nicolas Sarkozy in the wake of recent violence.
Sarkozy's threat to strip foreign-born nationals of French citizenship if they committed crimes came in for particular criticism.
"I don't know what a 'French person of foreign origin' is," said Gun Kut, a Turkish inspector. "I ask if this is compatible with the constitution."
The panel would wait for responses from the French delegation in a session Thursday before drawing up their recommendations.
"France has been placed on the grill," said Malik Salemkour, from the League of Human Rights.
Vancover Sun
The criticism came as a panel of 18 experts from the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination presented a 90-page report on racism in France, the first since 2005.
After the session, the French delegation unexpectedly announced the preparation of a national action plan against racism.
Despite numerous legal instruments, France was facing "a notable resurgence in racism and xenophobia", Togolese expert Ewomsan Kokou said.
According to U.S. inspector Pierre-Richard Prosper, the resurgence was due to "the absence of true political will".
The debate covered treatment of traveller communities and the Roma, the debate on national identity, the non-recognition of the rights of minorities and the hardening of political discourse.
The situation of travelling communities and immigrants is a hot-button issue in France, following a threatened crackdown by President Nicolas Sarkozy in the wake of recent violence.
Sarkozy's threat to strip foreign-born nationals of French citizenship if they committed crimes came in for particular criticism.
"I don't know what a 'French person of foreign origin' is," said Gun Kut, a Turkish inspector. "I ask if this is compatible with the constitution."
The panel would wait for responses from the French delegation in a session Thursday before drawing up their recommendations.
"France has been placed on the grill," said Malik Salemkour, from the League of Human Rights.
Vancover Sun
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Terrified family tormented by vandals' racist attacks
A family told today how they are living in fear of a gang of young racist thugs who have been laying siege to their home for months.
Abdur Rahim, 32, and his heavily-pregnant wife Nazama, who are originally from Bangladesh, have suffered a campaign of vandalism and harassment since the beginning of the year.
The gang throws stones, smashes windows and vandalises taxi driver Mr Rahim's car outside his Broomhouse home. In one of the latest incidents at the weekend, a stone crashed right through the window, leaving a golf ball-sized hole.
Police today confirmed they were treating the attacks as racially motivated and appealed for information as Mr Rahim said he was at a loss to explain why he was being targeted.
The couple, who have a seven-year-old daughter, have lived in Broomhouse Loan for ten years, but the problems only started in January when the gang of around five teenagers began to attack.
Mr Rahim said: "We've never done anything against them but they have suddenly taken exception to us being here, so I can only assume they have a problem with the fact that we're ethnic Asians.
"My family is originally from Bangladesh but my daughter is Scottish and my new baby will be Scottish as well.
"My neighbour is also Bangladeshi and he's had the same problems that I've had. We're the only two houses on the street that are being targeted by this gang so our ethnic origin is the only explanation for it.
"We just don't know what to do. There's a big hole in our window but when we replace it, it will only get smashed again."
Mr Rahim's car is also covered in chips, dents and scratches left by the vandals.
Mrs Rahim, 31, a John Lewis assistant, is expecting the couple's second child later this month and fears for the safety of their family. She said: "They've smashed our windows and scratched our car, and who knows what they could do next.
"I've recently been diagnosed with diabetes and, coupled with the pregnancy, I'm already under a lot of strain, but the added stress has made me fear for the safety of my unborn child.
"The atmosphere in the house over the last eight months has been terrible."
A police spokesman said they were following a "positive line of inquiry" over the attacks
He said: "We are currently working with our partner agencies to address this issue "Anyone with information that can assist us with our inquiries is asked to contact police immediately.
"Lothian and Borders Police will not tolerate racially- motivated crime."
Local councillor Eric Milligan, who sits on the police board, said he would be speaking to the chief constable to ensure that those responsible were prosecuted "to the full extent of the law".
He said: "Having been a member of the police board for many years now, I have been continuously impressed with how robustly the police deal with incidents such as this.
"We have made a lot of progress in community relations in recent years and reports of this kind have become increasingly rare.
"However, we cannot let this progress be spoiled by a few individuals, or allow their actions to besmirch the good name of Broomhouse."
News Scotsman
Abdur Rahim, 32, and his heavily-pregnant wife Nazama, who are originally from Bangladesh, have suffered a campaign of vandalism and harassment since the beginning of the year.
The gang throws stones, smashes windows and vandalises taxi driver Mr Rahim's car outside his Broomhouse home. In one of the latest incidents at the weekend, a stone crashed right through the window, leaving a golf ball-sized hole.
Police today confirmed they were treating the attacks as racially motivated and appealed for information as Mr Rahim said he was at a loss to explain why he was being targeted.
The couple, who have a seven-year-old daughter, have lived in Broomhouse Loan for ten years, but the problems only started in January when the gang of around five teenagers began to attack.
Mr Rahim said: "We've never done anything against them but they have suddenly taken exception to us being here, so I can only assume they have a problem with the fact that we're ethnic Asians.
"My family is originally from Bangladesh but my daughter is Scottish and my new baby will be Scottish as well.
"My neighbour is also Bangladeshi and he's had the same problems that I've had. We're the only two houses on the street that are being targeted by this gang so our ethnic origin is the only explanation for it.
"We just don't know what to do. There's a big hole in our window but when we replace it, it will only get smashed again."
Mr Rahim's car is also covered in chips, dents and scratches left by the vandals.
Mrs Rahim, 31, a John Lewis assistant, is expecting the couple's second child later this month and fears for the safety of their family. She said: "They've smashed our windows and scratched our car, and who knows what they could do next.
"I've recently been diagnosed with diabetes and, coupled with the pregnancy, I'm already under a lot of strain, but the added stress has made me fear for the safety of my unborn child.
"The atmosphere in the house over the last eight months has been terrible."
A police spokesman said they were following a "positive line of inquiry" over the attacks
He said: "We are currently working with our partner agencies to address this issue "Anyone with information that can assist us with our inquiries is asked to contact police immediately.
"Lothian and Borders Police will not tolerate racially- motivated crime."
Local councillor Eric Milligan, who sits on the police board, said he would be speaking to the chief constable to ensure that those responsible were prosecuted "to the full extent of the law".
He said: "Having been a member of the police board for many years now, I have been continuously impressed with how robustly the police deal with incidents such as this.
"We have made a lot of progress in community relations in recent years and reports of this kind have become increasingly rare.
"However, we cannot let this progress be spoiled by a few individuals, or allow their actions to besmirch the good name of Broomhouse."
News Scotsman
Drunk jailed after glassing boxing fan in racist attack (UK)
A drunk who smashed a bottle into the head of a boxing fan during a racist attack in a pub has been jailed.
Doyle Leech is starting an 18-month jail term after racially abusing Adrian Johnson, then hitting him across the forehead with the bottle.
The attack left Mr Johnson – who had been returning from a boxing show – with a three-centimetre cut to the head which needed butterfly stitches in hospital.
But Stafford Crown Court heard Leech could not remember the attack – because he had drunk 20 double vodkas and seven pints of beer.
The 37-year-old, of Kent Grove, Stone, admitted racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm at the Crown and Anchor, in Stone, on October 23.
Paul Farrow, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Johnson had become involved in an argument in the pub with the defendant's cousin and, as they left, punches were thrown. But Leech was then seen to pick up a bottle, run at Mr Johnson and, jumping into the air, smash it on to his forehead.
Eugene Hickey, defending, said: "There is a difference between someone who attacks someone because of their ethnic group and someone who uses racist language. It would not have mattered what racial group the injured party belonged to – he was involved with my client's cousin.
"His cousin had been involved in some sort of incident with the complainant. He is deeply ashamed of his behaviour."
Recorder Adam Feest told Leech: "In a quite deliberate and violent way, you smashed the bottle over his head. To compound that violence you used foul, abusive and racist language, the sort which has no place in this country.
"You were extremely drunk. Twenty double vodkas and seven pints is a lot in anyone's book."
This is Staffordshire
Doyle Leech is starting an 18-month jail term after racially abusing Adrian Johnson, then hitting him across the forehead with the bottle.
The attack left Mr Johnson – who had been returning from a boxing show – with a three-centimetre cut to the head which needed butterfly stitches in hospital.
But Stafford Crown Court heard Leech could not remember the attack – because he had drunk 20 double vodkas and seven pints of beer.
The 37-year-old, of Kent Grove, Stone, admitted racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm at the Crown and Anchor, in Stone, on October 23.
Paul Farrow, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Johnson had become involved in an argument in the pub with the defendant's cousin and, as they left, punches were thrown. But Leech was then seen to pick up a bottle, run at Mr Johnson and, jumping into the air, smash it on to his forehead.
Eugene Hickey, defending, said: "There is a difference between someone who attacks someone because of their ethnic group and someone who uses racist language. It would not have mattered what racial group the injured party belonged to – he was involved with my client's cousin.
"His cousin had been involved in some sort of incident with the complainant. He is deeply ashamed of his behaviour."
Recorder Adam Feest told Leech: "In a quite deliberate and violent way, you smashed the bottle over his head. To compound that violence you used foul, abusive and racist language, the sort which has no place in this country.
"You were extremely drunk. Twenty double vodkas and seven pints is a lot in anyone's book."
This is Staffordshire
British taxpayers fund trip to far-Right conference
British taxpayers are paying for Far-Right politicians to attend the first conference aimed at creating an official worldwide alliance between extreme nationalist parties.
The three-day gathering, which is the first of its kind, is being organised by Issuikai, a Right-wing Japanese party which disputes the extent of the Nanjing massacre in China.
At least 100 representatives of far-right parties - including the BNP - from eight countries, are expected to attend the conference in Tokyo which will include a tour of the controversial Yasukuni Shrine to more than 1,000 Second World War criminals.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of France's National Front, is due to make a key-note speech at the conference on Friday.
It comes as fears over the growing popularity of European Right-wing groups increase following gains in national elections and the European Election of last year.
The Alliance of European National Movements, the coalition of Europe's Far-Right parties is sending 20 delegates to the Future of Nationalist Movements conference.
Bruno Gollnisch MEP, the vice-president of France's Front National, is expected to attend along with members of Hungary's Jobbik party, which recently won 17 per cent in the country's general election, Vlaams Belang from Belgium, Portugal's Partido Nacional, and Italy's Fiamma Tricolore.
Adam Walker, a high-ranking member of the BNP who was accused of calling immigrants "savage animals" when he worked as a teacher, is representing the British National Party.
Issuikai is covering the delegates' accommodation, local transport, and food costs but those attending are to fund their own return flights to Japan, which often cost up to £1,000.
MEPs are entitled to a personal travel allowance outside their member country of up to 4,000 euros a year and many are thought to be using some of the money to fly to the conference.
Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Leader of the Conservatives in the bloc called for the European Parliament's auditors to investigate.
Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is yet another example of MEPs abusing expenses. It would be a disgrace for British taxpayers' money to be used to fund MEP's travel to a conference which is in part organised by a group that denies war crimes such as the Nanjing Massacre.
"Any money MEPs receive should be subject to more scrutiny and they should be more accountable to those who pay their salaries and expenses, they should not have free rein to use taxpayers' money to propagate abhorrent views like those of Issuikai."
The Telegraph
The three-day gathering, which is the first of its kind, is being organised by Issuikai, a Right-wing Japanese party which disputes the extent of the Nanjing massacre in China.
At least 100 representatives of far-right parties - including the BNP - from eight countries, are expected to attend the conference in Tokyo which will include a tour of the controversial Yasukuni Shrine to more than 1,000 Second World War criminals.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of France's National Front, is due to make a key-note speech at the conference on Friday.
It comes as fears over the growing popularity of European Right-wing groups increase following gains in national elections and the European Election of last year.
The Alliance of European National Movements, the coalition of Europe's Far-Right parties is sending 20 delegates to the Future of Nationalist Movements conference.
Bruno Gollnisch MEP, the vice-president of France's Front National, is expected to attend along with members of Hungary's Jobbik party, which recently won 17 per cent in the country's general election, Vlaams Belang from Belgium, Portugal's Partido Nacional, and Italy's Fiamma Tricolore.
Adam Walker, a high-ranking member of the BNP who was accused of calling immigrants "savage animals" when he worked as a teacher, is representing the British National Party.
Issuikai is covering the delegates' accommodation, local transport, and food costs but those attending are to fund their own return flights to Japan, which often cost up to £1,000.
MEPs are entitled to a personal travel allowance outside their member country of up to 4,000 euros a year and many are thought to be using some of the money to fly to the conference.
Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Leader of the Conservatives in the bloc called for the European Parliament's auditors to investigate.
Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is yet another example of MEPs abusing expenses. It would be a disgrace for British taxpayers' money to be used to fund MEP's travel to a conference which is in part organised by a group that denies war crimes such as the Nanjing Massacre.
"Any money MEPs receive should be subject to more scrutiny and they should be more accountable to those who pay their salaries and expenses, they should not have free rein to use taxpayers' money to propagate abhorrent views like those of Issuikai."
The Telegraph
POLICE STARTING TO SERVE EVICTION NOTICES TO ROMA CAMPS IN HELSINKI (Finland)
Makeshift tents and laundry hung to dry on trees near the car park of Finlandia Hall had to leave, along with 32 foreign Roma who had set up camp there, when police evicted the group on Monday. Police patrols have served eviction notices on a weekly basis to camps of itinerant Roma around the city at the request of the Public Works Department of the City of Helsinki. Printed notices have been handed out at dozens of unauthorised camps around the Finnish capital. “Generally the campers have left voluntarily. We have told them how things are, and urged them to find a location that is appropriate for camping”, says Mika Pöyry of the Helsinki Police. “Last week there was a community of 50 tents in Arabianranta, which left after being given an eviction notice. We have not had to use any force.” Helsinki has a policy of zero tolerance toward unauthorised camping. “The view of the city is that Rastila campground is the only place where camping is allowed over here”, says Pekka Henttonen of the Public Works Department. According to Public Works Department project planner Hannu Jukarainen, the number of people camping out in Helsinki has not diminished, even though the department’s cooperation with the police has worked well. “The campers move to a new unauthorised camping place as soon as they get an eviction notice.” One reason for the hard line taken toward unauthorised camping is that the camps have brought many complaints from the public. Mika Pöyry says that people living in the camps include citizens of several European countries - mainly Romanians and Bulgarians. The first of the written eviction notices were printed about three weeks ago in several languages, including Romanian and Bulgarian.
hs.fi
hs.fi
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO ALIENS ACT DRAWS FIRE (Finland)
Who should be responsible for the subsistence of an elderly person who has moved into Finland? This question has surfaced when the Ministry of the Interior has been working on proposed amendments to the Aliens Act following the furore among Finns relating to the deportation decisions of two grandmothers - Egyptian citizen Eveline Fadayel and Russian citizen Irina Antonova - made by the Finnish Immigration Service. According to the draft bill, the grown-up child of an elderly immigrant parent will have to be able to provide for his or her livelihood in Finland, if the parent cannot support himself or herself. The purpose is to establish the subsistence possibilities when the parent in question is applying for a Finnish residence permit for the first time.
The subsistence requirement has attracted attention when the draft bill has been circulated to ministries and official bodies for comments. For example, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health regards the requirement as problematic. ”The requirement is based on a concept according to which grown-up children are responsible for the livelihood of their parents”, Permanent Secretary Kari Välimäki and Senior Officer Helena Kantola write in their statement. The MInistry points out that all residents of Finland are entitled to the social security benefits as well as social and health care services. The municipalities are in charge of organising and paying for them. Even the statements issued by the cities of Espoo and Vantaa comment that grown-up children cannot be ordered to support their parents in a way that is contradictory to the obligations of other citizens. According to the MInistry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland would be treating different immigrant groups unequally, if the entry into Finland could be granted on the basis of their children’s prosperity.
A total of a dozen or so authorities and organisations delivered their statements on the draft bill prepared by the Migration Department of the MInistry of the Interior by the deadline - Monday. Many of the statements called for various adjustments to the proposed amendments to the Aliens Act, but none of them contested the aim to loosen the practice in cases like those of Antonova and Fadayel. However, the Ombudsman for Minorities and the Legal Affairs Unit of the Ministry of the Interior argued that even without amendments, the present law would allow for a more lenient policy. According to the draft bill, one of the residence permit criteria would be - apart from the subsistence requirement - that the parent who is living alone in his or her home country should be significantly dependent on the grown-up child residing in Finland. The child in question would have to be a Finnish citizen and he or she would be obliged to pay for the subsistence of their parent in Finland. In March, the government agreed that the Aliens Act would be amended to allow for greater discretion in cases that require a humanitarian perspective.
hs.fi
The subsistence requirement has attracted attention when the draft bill has been circulated to ministries and official bodies for comments. For example, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health regards the requirement as problematic. ”The requirement is based on a concept according to which grown-up children are responsible for the livelihood of their parents”, Permanent Secretary Kari Välimäki and Senior Officer Helena Kantola write in their statement. The MInistry points out that all residents of Finland are entitled to the social security benefits as well as social and health care services. The municipalities are in charge of organising and paying for them. Even the statements issued by the cities of Espoo and Vantaa comment that grown-up children cannot be ordered to support their parents in a way that is contradictory to the obligations of other citizens. According to the MInistry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland would be treating different immigrant groups unequally, if the entry into Finland could be granted on the basis of their children’s prosperity.
A total of a dozen or so authorities and organisations delivered their statements on the draft bill prepared by the Migration Department of the MInistry of the Interior by the deadline - Monday. Many of the statements called for various adjustments to the proposed amendments to the Aliens Act, but none of them contested the aim to loosen the practice in cases like those of Antonova and Fadayel. However, the Ombudsman for Minorities and the Legal Affairs Unit of the Ministry of the Interior argued that even without amendments, the present law would allow for a more lenient policy. According to the draft bill, one of the residence permit criteria would be - apart from the subsistence requirement - that the parent who is living alone in his or her home country should be significantly dependent on the grown-up child residing in Finland. The child in question would have to be a Finnish citizen and he or she would be obliged to pay for the subsistence of their parent in Finland. In March, the government agreed that the Aliens Act would be amended to allow for greater discretion in cases that require a humanitarian perspective.
hs.fi
Blockade sparked by racism allegations ends near Halifax (Canada)
A blockade set up by more than two dozen protesters amid allegations of racism ended Tuesday on a rural road east of Halifax.
The blockade began Monday when some protesters alleged that residents of North Preston, a predominantly black community, were being denied access to a shortcut around a nearby construction site.
The residents pointed out that a group of 10 white families living near the construction site at Lake Major had access to a private, former logging road to reach the nearest highway.
However, they said the 2,000 residents of North Preston — about five kilometres away — did not.
“This whole matter of preferential treatment was blown totally out of proportion and I'm discouraged that it did take the action that it did take,” said area councillor David Hendsbee.
The blockade ended around noon on Tuesday after the protesters met with Mr. Hendsbee, the mayor, business owners and the owners of the locked road.
Instead of opening up the shortcut to the protesters, Mr. Hendsbee said the road's owners decided to restrict access to everyone but themselves and emergency vehicles.
“The lock will be changed and those keys that some of the other local residents had in the area will no longer be operational,” he said.
The road, which Mr. Hendsbee said was too small to open up to North Preston traffic, will also be used as an emergency evacuation route, if needed.
Mr. Hendsbee said the white residents were initially given access because of where they live, not the colour of their skin.
He said about eight homeowners would no longer be able to use the shortcut, though he didn't expect that would be an issue.
“Only a few of them were using it ... they found it just as easy and convenient to use the North Preston detour, which I knew would be the case,” he said.
The protesters said North Preston residents have to use an unlit, partially paved road to reach the highway, which has raised safety concerns.
Mr. Hendsbee said those issues rest with the province and Nova Scotia Power.
The detour is expected to be in place until Sept. 2, he said.
The Globe and Mail
The blockade began Monday when some protesters alleged that residents of North Preston, a predominantly black community, were being denied access to a shortcut around a nearby construction site.
The residents pointed out that a group of 10 white families living near the construction site at Lake Major had access to a private, former logging road to reach the nearest highway.
However, they said the 2,000 residents of North Preston — about five kilometres away — did not.
“This whole matter of preferential treatment was blown totally out of proportion and I'm discouraged that it did take the action that it did take,” said area councillor David Hendsbee.
The blockade ended around noon on Tuesday after the protesters met with Mr. Hendsbee, the mayor, business owners and the owners of the locked road.
Instead of opening up the shortcut to the protesters, Mr. Hendsbee said the road's owners decided to restrict access to everyone but themselves and emergency vehicles.
“The lock will be changed and those keys that some of the other local residents had in the area will no longer be operational,” he said.
The road, which Mr. Hendsbee said was too small to open up to North Preston traffic, will also be used as an emergency evacuation route, if needed.
Mr. Hendsbee said the white residents were initially given access because of where they live, not the colour of their skin.
He said about eight homeowners would no longer be able to use the shortcut, though he didn't expect that would be an issue.
“Only a few of them were using it ... they found it just as easy and convenient to use the North Preston detour, which I knew would be the case,” he said.
The protesters said North Preston residents have to use an unlit, partially paved road to reach the highway, which has raised safety concerns.
Mr. Hendsbee said those issues rest with the province and Nova Scotia Power.
The detour is expected to be in place until Sept. 2, he said.
The Globe and Mail
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Bradford delegation calls for ban on English Defence League march
A delegation of politicians, religious leaders and campaigners from Bradford will arrive in London tomorrow to ask the home secretary to ban a planned demonstration in the Yorkshire city by the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
The delegation, which includes the Bradford West MP, Marsha Singh, says the proposed demonstration is an attempt to provoke trouble in a city still recovering from the riots in 2001 that followed an attempted march by the National Front.
"The EDL is a racist, anti-Muslim organisation that is coming to Bradford with the sole intention of whipping up tensions and trying to provoke a riot," said Singh. "Unfortunately, we know only too well what this type of terror can bring and Bradford is still recovering from the disturbances of 2001."
The EDL formed in Luton last year and has become the most significant far-right street movement in the UK since the National Front in the 1970s. It claims to be a peaceful, non-racist organisation opposed only to "militant Islam". But many of its demonstrations have ended in confrontations with the police after some supporters became involved in violence as well as racist and Islamophobic chanting.
The group has held demonstrations across the country but its plan to target Bradford over the August bank holiday weekend is its most provocative yet, with between 5,000 and 10,000 EDL supporters expected to descend on the city.
Tomorrow's delegation will present a petition signed by more than 10,000 Bradford residents to Home Office officials calling on the police and government to ban the demonstration.
"This is not some bureaucratic or passive appeal to the authorities, but real people demanding that those who are supposed to serve and protect us actually do just that," said Singh. "We are calling on the home secretary and West Yorkshire police to listen to the will of the people of Bradford."
West Yorkshire police are expected to make a decision on whether they think the EDL demonstration should go ahead in the next week. It will then be down to the home secretary, Theresa May, to decide whether to ban the march.
Singh added: "The Conservative government was elected on a policy of localism, of giving local people a greater say in the running of their community. Now is the time to see if they mean it."
The Guardian
Lee Barns BNP's Legal Eagle quits
Formal Resignation Letter.
10th August 2010.
Just over a month ago I won a court case for the BNP against Greenwich Council that not only changed the entire basis of electoral law in England, it also saved the party around ten to fifteen thousand pounds in legal costs and damages.
The legal arguments I drafted up and sent to the court ensured that the BNP won the court case.
For those idiots who will seek to attack me on the grounds of me being a red / traitor / unqualified crank (tick the usual pejorative as applicable) I mention this legal case I won for the party so as to ensure that decent people, and not the idiot sock puppets we see on the VNN Forum and Green Arrow site who are the vermin in the gutter of British Nationalism, understand that until yesterday when news of the mass suspension of party activists and organisers was announced I was still a loyal officer and supporter of the party.
I have pleaded with people to put the interests of the party first and before their own personal animosities and feuds.
As this has been ignored I have no choice but to take this action.
Over the last few years since the arrival of Jim Dowson into the party, Nick Griffin and Jim Dowson have repeatedly chosen to break the most obvious of laws including such debacles as ;
1) The Marmite Case
2) The unlawful use of stock images from a photoshop company during the European Elections
3) The EHRC court cases
4) The unlawful sacking of Michaele Mackenzie
5) The illegal suspension of Peter Mullins and many others
All of these were done under the orders of both Nick Griffin and Jim Dowson.
Regardless of how much income the party has had over the last few years, hundreds of thousands of pounds have been squandered on avoidable court cases.
Whilst party income has undoubtedly rose since Jim Dowson became involved with the BNP, so has the vast amount of money paid out by the BNP in legal costs incurred by the BNP.
Legal issues that were once dealt with internally within the party have been ’outsourced’ from the party to individuals paid by Jim Dowson and Nick Griffin, resulting in the parties internal legal affairs no longer being scrutinised or run by the BNP Legal Unit.
This ‘outsourcing’ of legal issues and cases, such as the drafting up of the new BNP constitution and dealing with the Marmite Case, have resulted in the party wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds on fighting legal cases that could have been avoided, had the party debated and addressed those legal issues internally.
What was particularly galling for me was the Michaela Mackenzie case.
I informed Nick Griffin on the day he sacked her that what he was doing was unlawful.
Not only did he ignore my advice, he later went to an Employment Tribunal and called me a ‘crank’ as a way to ‘explain’ why my advice to him was ignored.
The actions of Nick Griffin in this case alone has cost the party over twenty five thousand pounds, and as of Friday last week the money owed to Michaele Mackenzie has still not been paid.
This means the party will now be dragged back into court and probably bankrupted as a result.
As far as I am aware the party is now technically insolvent.
Outstanding court costs, wages bills, election expenses and also forthcoming legal cases against the party mean the BNP is now technically bankrupt.
As far as I am aware donations to the party have flowed to a trickle as well as party renewals and new inquiries.
This means the party should be avoiding creating new legal cases and liabilities, not rushing into them as though the party is awash with money to fight such legal cases.
Bankruptcy of the party will have very serious implications for the BNP membership.
If the party is made bankrupt then the BNP membership as a whole will be directly financially liable for its outstanding debts as an unincorporated association and not Nick Griffin or Jim Dowson.
This is because Nick Griffin has no assets and Jim Dowsons financial assets are probably hidden away in some Spanish or Swiss bank account outside the UK.
In relation to the illegal suspension of Peter Mullins and others, I spent months trying to get Nick to see sense on this issue.
It was only after months of arguments that Nick Griffin was forced to relent, drop their suspensions and re-admit them.
During this time I was threatened by Jim Dowson with violence for putting the parties legal interests first as he was the person pushing Nick Griffin to expel Peter Mullins and others.
I am not the only BNP member or BNP officer to have been threatened with violence by Jim Dowson.
It appears that when Jim Dowson doesn’t get what he wants he likes to threaten people with his connections to loyalist killers and terrorists in Northern Ireland in order to intimidate people into doing his bidding.
My complaints to Nick Griffin about Jim Dowsons threats of violence directed at me and other party members have been ignored.
All I can say is that Peter Mullins is a decent, honourable man whilst Jim Dowson is a convicted criminal, with links to Loyalist terrorism and terrorists with a string of failed companies to his name who bought his ’reverend’ title off of the internet.
These facts are easily ascertained off the internet, as the media have undertaken investigations into Jim Dowson and published this information widely.
Unfortunately, as the Peter Mullins case revealed, Nick Griffin thinks the law as regards the unlawful expulsion of members does not apply to him, even though he was shown by the courts during the John Tyndall case that the law does apply to the BNP.
The decision yesterday to unlawfully suspend dozens of activists simply for them standing against Nick Griffin in the leadership contest is the action of utterly irresponsible incompetents.
Nick Griffin knew before the leadership challenge even began that he could not be removed as leader of the party.
The BNP constitution was re-written specifically to ensure that no-one can ever remove Nick Griffin from his role as chairman.
Therefore to suspend the people who supported the leadership challenge is both unlawful and tactically inept.
The people who supported Eddy Butler would have been facing the choice of either knuckling down or resigning from the party.
Instead they have been unlawfully suspended and therefore can now launch new legal actions against the party.
The law is clear.
BNP members have a constitutionally protected right to stand for party leadership.
To suspend them for doing so is unlawful.
The way they have been suspended is also unlawful.
I have no doubt that they will now unite to form a class action against the party thereby incurring more legal costs and damages against an already virtually bankrupt party whose debts far outweigh its income.
The tragedy is that Andrew Brons has been dragged into this idiotic affair, for he will have no choice but to do as Nick Griffin and Jim Dowson say and declare that the leadership challengers did not get enough nominations and so cannot stand against Nick Griffin for a leadership election.
But what has most sickened me over recent weeks is the way that the serious allegations of sexual assault from the BNP member Shelley Rose have been ignored by Nick Griffin.
I have never met Shelley Rose, nor have I ever spoken to her.
I do not know the truth or otherwise of the allegations she has made.
As soon as I saw the Youtube video of her allegations I sent an e mail to Nick Griffin, and spoke to him on the phone, asking that in order to ensure the party and its public image is protected that both Shelley Rose and Jim Dowson be suspended as members and as party officers and that a full and transparent investigation is initiated.
The BNP cannot ever be seen as a party that protects perverts or a party that refuses to address allegations of such a serious nature from a female member.
Any allegations of sexual assault by any female BNP member against any male BNP member must be treated with the utmost seriousness and an full investigation begun.
Failure to do that allows the media to attack and undermine the party and its public image.
Jim Dowson is not a member of the BNP, so therefore in order to demonstrate that the party was taking these allegations seriously then he should have been immediately suspended as a party officer and from all party offices until the investigation and disciplinary procedures into the allegations were finished.
If Shelley Rose was found to have lied then she should have been expelled.
If Jim Dowson was found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute, Gross Misconduct and sexual assault then he should have been dismissed and sacked from all party offices he holds.
Instead what has happened is that Shelley Rose has been suspended, no investigation has been initiated and no sanction applied against Jim Dowson.
Instead of having a transparent investigation into the allegations, the internet attack dogs on sites like the Green Arrow website and the VNN Forum have been set upon Shelley Rose and abused her name and reputation.
They have slandered, threatened and vilified her and by so doing have disgraced not just the BNP but British Nationalism as a political movement.
This is intolerable.
The BNP cannot be seen as a political party that punishes the victim of a sexual assault whilst protecting the perpetrator of the crime.
All such allegations have to be treated with the utmost seriousness.
All such allegations must be investigated.
The issue is simple enough to understand.
Any married BNP party officer in a senior position who spends the night in a hotel room with a BNP female member other than his wife must be sacked.
This must be done for one simple reason.
A party officer lured into a secret affair opens himself up to being blackmailed or manipulated.
Such a scenario creates a fundamental conflict of interest between their personal life, their professional duties and their political responsibilities that is simply unacceptable.
A party officer who is in charge of the BNP finances via its income, who controls the BNP membership lists and who has such influence over the chairman of the party must be entirely above reproach at all times.
If it had been someone working for MI5 who had lured Jim Dowson into a sexual assignation in a London hotel room and then filmed him with hidden cameras and used that film to blackmail him, then MI5 would now be in control of the BNP’s finances and income and have access to all our membership data bases and be able to virtually control the party.
And we would never know about it.
Any married man foolish enough to have been discovered having stayed the night in a hotel room with a young woman other than his wife, and especially a ’reverend’, is an individual who may also have done so in the past and therefore is not suitable to be in that position.
In the world of business, and in the education system and police, any senior manager who has an affair with a junior member of his staff that threatens the good name of the organisation is guilty of Gross Misconduct and dismissed.
Whilst it may be acceptable for the Tories, Lib Dems and New Labour to act in such a manner it is not acceptable for senior officers of the BNP to do so, especially senior officers in charge of BNP finances and income and the membership data base.
But it appears that Jim Dowson is an ’untouchable’ in the party and that whilst Nick Griffin is prepared to sacrifice dozens of loyal members with decades of party loyalty, he will not deal with Jim Dowson.
It therefore appears that Nick Griffin no longer wishes to receive any counsel from anyone who wishes to put the legal interests of the BNP, its members, our public image and our future electoral expansion before the interests of Nick Griffin and Jim Dowson.
I cannot remain as the Legal Officer of a party that acts unlawfully towards its own members, that rewards years of party loyalty with unlawful suspensions and expulsions, that covers up serious allegations of sexual abuse by senior officers, that expels long standing members who ask for financial transparency within the party and that refuses to act to protect its own officers when they are threatened with violence by other senior officers.
Such a political party cannot be trusted with political power in our society.
If I stay on within such a party then it will appear as though I am supporting and condoning such actions.
Unless the BNP begins ;
1) An immediate fully transparent investigation into the ongoing allegations of financial mismanagement within the party which allows BNP members and officers to ascertain exactly what the party finances are, where party assets have gone and what the background behind the legal costs of recent legal cases have been. This is required in order to ensure that internal party mechanisms are in place to protect the party from such legal liabilities and allegations of financial impropriety in the future.
2) An immediate and fully transparent investigation into the threats of violence made against any party members and officers by Jim Dowson.
3) An immediate and fully transparent investigation into the allegations made by the BNP member Shelly Rose against Jim Dowson.
4) An immediate and fully transparent investigation into who authorised the unlawful suspensions of BNP party members Peter Mullins and others and also whether the present suspensions of members and organisers suspended for being involved in the leadership challenge are also legal. As part of the inquiry it must establish whether an independent body within the party should be established that vets and checks any orders for the suspension of members and officers of the party issued by the chairman or other officers are legal before the suspensions or expulsions are authorised and issued. This is required to protect the party from legal potential legal liabilities.
5) The establishment of an internal ‘BNP Reconciliation Committee’ which allows all BNP members and officers to air their grievances and discuss issues about issues of concern to officers and the membership without fear of suspension and expulsion so as to allow us to move forward as a united party.
6) An immediate party inquiry into how the party can establish an internal mechanism for protecting the employment rights of party officers from arbitrary dismissal so as to ensure no more legal cases and legal costs are imposed against the party.
7) An immediate party inquiry into establishing an internal party mechanism that requires the chairman of the party to discuss and debate with senior officials of the party any financial or business actions that may impinge or impact upon the party directly or accrue legal or financial liabilities for the party before those decisions are taken.
8) Jim Dowson now controls the BNP membership database, the BNP donor database, the BNP treasury department, the BNP subscriptions operation, the BNP media & communications operation and the BNP website. This is completely unacceptable and legally questionable. There is no power in the constitution for the chairman to devolve such internal party offices or party operations to an individual who is not a party member. The BNP constitution does not give the chairman the power to allow a non-member of the party to hold, have access too or have power directly over BNP party finances or confidential information relating to party members. Nor does the chairman have any power to move party assets owned by the party outside the party and especially into the hands of an individual who is not a member of the party. Therefore all financial assets owned by the party and under the control of Jim Dowson must be declared and returned to the party. No officer of the party, either member of non-member, should be ever again be allowed to have such internal control and influence over such a vast amount of essential internal BNP operations now or in the future. Such over centralisation of power around Nick Griffin and Jim Dowson means the party is now vulnerable.
If party assets have been moved out of the party and into companies owned by Jim Dowson by Nick Griffin then this is potentially defined as "Fraud by abuse of position" and is defined by Section 4 of the Fraud Act 2006. This is such a case where a person occupies a position where they are expected to safeguard the financial interests of another person such as BNP members, and abuses that position; this includes cases where the abuse consisted of an omission rather than an overt act.
In such cases of potential fraud, it requires that for an offence to have occurred, the person must have acted dishonestly, and that they had to have acted with the intent of making a gain for themselves or anyone else, or inflicting a loss (or a risk of loss) on another. The fact that such issues may have potentially arisen means the party is at serious risk of investigation and prosecution.
I do not believe the list of assurances that I believe the party requires in order to allow it to move forward as a united organisation will be given by Nick Griffin.
In all good conscience I can therefore no longer remain as an officer of the party.
If I stay on as an officer of the party then I will be seen as condoning the above issues and problems.
I am not prepared to do that.
I hereby quit my role as BNP Legal Adviser with immediate effect.
L. J. Barnes LLB (Hons)
Originally posted by Kirklees Unity.
Race issue gives Sarkozy an easy route to boost support (France)
Can it just be a coincidence, the critics ask, that Mr Sarkozy is ranting about crime and foreigners when the economic crisis, and now a party-financing scandal, have brought his approval ratings to their lowest ever ebb? What is "foreign origin", anyway? Will the new law apply only to people who were born abroad? Or will it also apply to second and third generation immigrants? What would happen to people left with no nationality? On Friday, a poll in Le Figaro gave high approval ratings to this and other recent proposals by Mr Sarkozy to get tough on crime. The figures were received with undisguised glee in the Elysée Palace. "A slap in the face for the well-meaning," said Mr Sarkozy's childhood friend, the Interior Minister, Brice Hortefeux. "As usual, 'Sarkozyism' is out of step with the élites but in step with society."
Another informative poll appeared yesterday. According to an annual survey by the Journal du Dimanche, the French West Indian pop singer and former tennis player Yannick Noah remains the most popular person in France for the sixth year in succession. The second most popular Frenchman is the retired footballer Zinédine Zidane, born in Marseilles to Algerian parents. Seven of the people in the top 10 are, arguably, to use Mr Sarkozy's phrase, "of foreign origin". Racist, the French? President Sarkozy, also "of foreign origin", did not feature in the top 50. The list is, admittedly, freighted with singers, actors, sports stars and television presenters (many of whom are unknown outside France).
Two incidents sparked the President's recent series of diatribes against criminals and especially criminals "of foreign origin". Shots were fired at police last month during riots in Grenoble, after a young man of North African origin was killed by police while trying to rob a casino. Gypsies of French origin rioted in a small town in central France after a gendarme shot dead a young gypsy whose car failed to stop at a checkpoint. In the first case, the rioters were a typically disparate bunch of teenagers from the "troubled" suburbs of Grenoble: brown, black and some white but all, almost certainly, born in France. In the second case, the "travelling people" who rioted were people with French surnames whose families have lived in France for centuries. President Sarkozy's response to the Grenoble incident was to make a speech linking crime and immigration and promising to remove the French nationality of people "of foreign origin" who fired bullets at policemen. His response to the second incident was to launch a crackdown on the Roma who have entered France illegally from Eastern Europe in recent years (but had nothing to do with the rural riot). A Roma camp near Lyons was cleared by police on Friday.
In both cases, President Sarkozy made a connection between crime and legal and illegal immigration which was at best wilful, and worst dishonest. There is a problem with Roma entering France illegally but vigorous efforts were already being made to repatriate them. Five years after the riots of October 2005, the troubled multi-racial banlieues of French cities remain a powder keg. Before his election in 2007, Mr Sarkozy promised to encourage the many positive things which also happen in the banlieues. Little has been done. Racist, the French? No, but they are depressingly willing, it seems, to be led by the nose by simplistic, xenophobic formulae and slogans.
The Independant
SUSPECTS CAUGHT IN MURDERS OF ROMA IN HUNGARY ARE EXTREME-RIGHT PROMOTERS
The Hungarian State Investigation Office (NNI) has completed its investigation into a series of anti-Roma attacks in 2008 and 2009 during which six Roma were murdered including a five-year-old child, the MTI agency reports. NNI is now suggesting prosecutors indict four detained suspects. News server Novinky.cz reports the detainees are promoters of extreme-right organizations. The attacks occurred at nine separate places. They involved 78 instances of gunfire and Molotov cocktail attacks on seven homes. Police say the attacks are exceptional not only in the annals of Hungarian crime, but in those of Europe. Six Roma did not survive the racist incursions, and another five (including another child), were seriously injured. Investigators say the attacks put a total of 55 people in danger.
András Tóth of the NNI said at a press conference that three of the four men detained are suspected of having fired shots at the Roma. Police say the fourth detainee was the driver in two anti-Roma attacks. The NNI says the motivation for the attacks is also exceptional. They are said to have been revenge for an alleged wrong committed by members of the Roma community a long time ago and an attempt to create fear in the community. The victims were unconnected to one another and the places were selected completely at random. The attacks took place in central and eastern Hungary between July 2008 and August 2009 and prompted international outrage. The attacks mostly took place at night, when the Roma were asleep. In November 2008, two Roma lost their lives in the village of Nagycsécs in the north-east when attackers threw Molotov cocktails at their homes and fired at them with shotguns as they fled. Last February, a Roma father and his young son did not survive an attack in the municipality of Tatárszentgyörgy. Both were killed fleeing their burning home. Last August, in the municipality of Kisléta in the east of the country, a 45-year-old Roma woman was shot and her 13-year-old daughter suffered serious injuries.
In the Czech Republic, a Roma family in VÃtkov became the target of an attack last April when arsonists set their house on fire. The family’s youngest member, Natálka, suffered serious burns over 80 % of her body during the blaze. The trial of the four alleged assailants has been underway since May. The Roma community in Hungary is the country’s largest national minority, comprising 5 – 7 % of its 10 million inhabitants. Along with the country’s growing economic problems and unemployment, Roma are more and more frequently becoming the target of seditious attacks by extremist political parties such as the ultra-right “Movement for a Better Hungary” (Jobbik), which made it into parliament during the recent elections.
translated by Gwendolyn Albert
CTK
András Tóth of the NNI said at a press conference that three of the four men detained are suspected of having fired shots at the Roma. Police say the fourth detainee was the driver in two anti-Roma attacks. The NNI says the motivation for the attacks is also exceptional. They are said to have been revenge for an alleged wrong committed by members of the Roma community a long time ago and an attempt to create fear in the community. The victims were unconnected to one another and the places were selected completely at random. The attacks took place in central and eastern Hungary between July 2008 and August 2009 and prompted international outrage. The attacks mostly took place at night, when the Roma were asleep. In November 2008, two Roma lost their lives in the village of Nagycsécs in the north-east when attackers threw Molotov cocktails at their homes and fired at them with shotguns as they fled. Last February, a Roma father and his young son did not survive an attack in the municipality of Tatárszentgyörgy. Both were killed fleeing their burning home. Last August, in the municipality of Kisléta in the east of the country, a 45-year-old Roma woman was shot and her 13-year-old daughter suffered serious injuries.
In the Czech Republic, a Roma family in VÃtkov became the target of an attack last April when arsonists set their house on fire. The family’s youngest member, Natálka, suffered serious burns over 80 % of her body during the blaze. The trial of the four alleged assailants has been underway since May. The Roma community in Hungary is the country’s largest national minority, comprising 5 – 7 % of its 10 million inhabitants. Along with the country’s growing economic problems and unemployment, Roma are more and more frequently becoming the target of seditious attacks by extremist political parties such as the ultra-right “Movement for a Better Hungary” (Jobbik), which made it into parliament during the recent elections.
translated by Gwendolyn Albert
CTK
Shimon Peres denies calling British 'anti-Semites'
Amid growing controversy over his comments, published on a Jewish website, Mr Peres fought back to insist that he had “the highest regard” for the way in which Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
“President Peres never accused the British people of anti-Semitism,” his spokesman said in a statement issued last night. “The president does not believe that British governments are motivated by anti-Semitism, nor were they in the past.
In an interview with Benny Morris, an Israeli historian, published in the Tablet journal last week, Mr Peres claimed that there had always been something “pro-Arab” and “anti-Israel” in the British establishment.
Asked whether this was due to anti-Semitism, Mr Peres replied: “Yes, there is also anti-Semitism. There is in England a saying that an anti-Semite is someone who hates the Jews more than is necessary. But with Germany, relations are pretty good, as with Italy and France.”
Mr Peres’s office said that the president viewed Israeli relations with Britain as “of the greatest importance” and insisted that his comments were driven by dismay that some in Britain did not understand the grim reality of living under the threat of terrorism.
“The president did express concern that some people in Britain do not fully appreciate the difficulties of facing an onslaught of terror whilst adhering to democratic practice, as Israel does,” the statement read. “Israel civilians have endured over 10,000 missiles fired on them from Israel.”
Among ordinary Israelis, there was considerable support for the president’s attack on Britain, which has been denounced in some quarters in the United Kingdom.
“The only reason why Britain is upset is because they know what Peres says is true, and the truth hurts,” said Yael Weisman, a teacher in Jerusalem.
Her husband Yigal agreed.
“Britain has become the most anti-Semitic country in Europe,” he said. “It’s clear what’s happened. London has become Londonistan and the government there is more afraid of upsetting Muslims who are taking over than Jews who are more polite and far away.”
Mr Peres said the Labour party had failed to give Israel support in the wake of the country’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. He said Whitehall had failed to recognise the huge sacrifice the Jewish state had made to pull back.
“We evacuated 8,000 settlers, and it was very difficult,” he said. “It cost us $2.5bn in compensation.
“We left the Gaza Strip completely. Why did they fire rockets at us? For years they fired rockets at us … When they fired at us, the British didn’t say a word.”
Mr Peres subsequently stood by the observations on Gaza. “The President did express concern that some people in Britain do not fully appreciate the difficulties of facing an onslaught of terror whilst adhering to democratic practice, as Israel does,” the statement released by his office said. “Israel civilians have endured over 10,000 missiles fired on them from Gaza.”
David Cameron, the prime minister, caused a furore in Israel last week by describing Gaza as an open prison camp.
The additional factor that many MPs must address a muslim constituency that was imposing an additional burden on the Jewish state.
“There are several million Muslim voters [in the UK]. And for many members of parliament, that’s the difference between getting elected and not getting elected,” he said.
“They think the Palestinians are the underdog. In their eyes, the Arabs are the underdog. Even though this is irrational.”
The Telegraph
“President Peres never accused the British people of anti-Semitism,” his spokesman said in a statement issued last night. “The president does not believe that British governments are motivated by anti-Semitism, nor were they in the past.
In an interview with Benny Morris, an Israeli historian, published in the Tablet journal last week, Mr Peres claimed that there had always been something “pro-Arab” and “anti-Israel” in the British establishment.
Asked whether this was due to anti-Semitism, Mr Peres replied: “Yes, there is also anti-Semitism. There is in England a saying that an anti-Semite is someone who hates the Jews more than is necessary. But with Germany, relations are pretty good, as with Italy and France.”
Mr Peres’s office said that the president viewed Israeli relations with Britain as “of the greatest importance” and insisted that his comments were driven by dismay that some in Britain did not understand the grim reality of living under the threat of terrorism.
“The president did express concern that some people in Britain do not fully appreciate the difficulties of facing an onslaught of terror whilst adhering to democratic practice, as Israel does,” the statement read. “Israel civilians have endured over 10,000 missiles fired on them from Israel.”
Among ordinary Israelis, there was considerable support for the president’s attack on Britain, which has been denounced in some quarters in the United Kingdom.
“The only reason why Britain is upset is because they know what Peres says is true, and the truth hurts,” said Yael Weisman, a teacher in Jerusalem.
Her husband Yigal agreed.
“Britain has become the most anti-Semitic country in Europe,” he said. “It’s clear what’s happened. London has become Londonistan and the government there is more afraid of upsetting Muslims who are taking over than Jews who are more polite and far away.”
Mr Peres said the Labour party had failed to give Israel support in the wake of the country’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. He said Whitehall had failed to recognise the huge sacrifice the Jewish state had made to pull back.
“We evacuated 8,000 settlers, and it was very difficult,” he said. “It cost us $2.5bn in compensation.
“We left the Gaza Strip completely. Why did they fire rockets at us? For years they fired rockets at us … When they fired at us, the British didn’t say a word.”
Mr Peres subsequently stood by the observations on Gaza. “The President did express concern that some people in Britain do not fully appreciate the difficulties of facing an onslaught of terror whilst adhering to democratic practice, as Israel does,” the statement released by his office said. “Israel civilians have endured over 10,000 missiles fired on them from Gaza.”
David Cameron, the prime minister, caused a furore in Israel last week by describing Gaza as an open prison camp.
The additional factor that many MPs must address a muslim constituency that was imposing an additional burden on the Jewish state.
“There are several million Muslim voters [in the UK]. And for many members of parliament, that’s the difference between getting elected and not getting elected,” he said.
“They think the Palestinians are the underdog. In their eyes, the Arabs are the underdog. Even though this is irrational.”
The Telegraph
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