Merseyside BNP's lies exposed

This is a re-post from the Truth, Reason, Liberty Blog

On April 23rd, Peter Tierney and Steve Greenhalgh of the Merseyside BNP were among the thugs who attacked antifascist leafleters in Liverpool City Centre. Despite their claims of self-defence, assault charges against their chosen anti-fascist fall guy were dropped months ago as utterly untenable. Today, at the antifascist's trial, even the flimst criminal damage charges would not stick.

At the Dale Street Magistrates Court, Steve Greenhalgh and a couple of other fascists were already on site waiting for Peter Tierney when antifascists arrived. Tierney today faced a committal hearing so that his case can go to a jury trial at the Crown Court. More news on that will follow when it is available.

In the meantime, antifascists were not there for Tierney and his ramshackle crew. We were there to show solidarity with one of our own, originally falsely accused by Tierney of assaulting him back in April. According to the lie that appeared on the BNP mailing list in July;

"On St George's Day, Peter was distributing leaflets in Liverpool with an elderly crowd of BNP activists. As they were leaving, a hate-filled mob of Communist UAF thugs turned up and physically attacked Peter and his fellow activists. The police then arrested Peter - for defending himself! Other BNP activists in the group that day were also attacked, including an 80-year-old pensioner."

However, since then the assault charges disappeared, with only a criminal damage charge - against a camera which continued to film after the alleged incident took place - in its stead. Greenhalgh was apparently not aware of this, "taunting" our comrade by saying (in reference to his wearing a suit)
"you didn't look that respectable when you were assaulting someone."

As the antifascist himself pointed out, however,

"last time I saw him, he was trying to attack me with an upturned stall table."

The roadshow of calamity that is organised fascism on Merseyside continued with the appearence of Tierney's brother Andrew, who immediately began taking pictures of those assembled. Of course, with the BNP's new "respectable" image this will have nothing to do with intimidation tactics, one can only wonder why Andrew might need lots of pictures of men.

When one of the crowd objected to having his picture taken and shoved the camera down Andrew, who almost looks like a bruiser, showed his true colours by whining that he had been "touched," "insulted," and "assaulted" by the antifascist in question. The police are, perhaps, lucky that they no longer need to employ fascists as strikebreakers anymore if that's what they're made of.

In court, the criminal damage charge against the accused antifascist was dropped, making all BNP claims to self-defence meaningless. A public order charge was upheld, the crime there being to say "get that fucking camera out of my face" and to cover the lens. In recognition that this was a response to fascist intimidation tactics, the charge of breaching public order under duress came with a small fine and no conditions.

We now await Merseyside BNP's claims of a police conspiracy when a jury trial convicts Peter Tierney of assault. Few beyond the ranks of fascists, I imagine, would see smashing someone's head in with a camera tripod as a justifiable "self-defence" against having your camera lens covered up because you were only filming people as an intimidation tactic.

Against Homophobia

Bulletin from Love Music Hate Racism

CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA Sunday 1st November at 8 pm on Stanley St Liverpool


Everything we said about Nazi Nick Griffin being on Question Time has been proved right in the most horrible way.

Just three days after Griffin ranted about militant homosexuals in schools a gay police officer, James Parkes, is left fighting for his life after a homophobic attack.

We must all stand beside the gay community at this time.

There is a vigil organised this Sunday 1st November at 8pm on Stanley St in Liverpool city centre. We urge all our supporters and friends to attend this event.

BNP membership where you live | News | guardian.co.uk

BNP membership where you live News guardian.co.uk

After the last BNP membership leak Jo Brand provoked a tirade of abuse when she famously said: “Now I know where to send dog shit.” Well it seems that the BNP are not to be trusted with data and cant abide by the Data protection act’s demand that “Appropriate measures should be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of the data.” Yes their membership list has been leaked online again. Jo can keep her own list “accurate and up to date” and thus comply with the Data protection act. The Guardian have published a ward-by-ward breakdown of the numbers and it appears that the membership is slightly down. It should be noted, however, that the list is still out of date. It was a snapshot of membership in April 2009, we do not know whether membership has risen or fallen since then, the run up and success at the Euro elections could have caused it to rise. One thing is for sure though, the videos made in the BNP office in the lead up to the election, did not feature people clambering to join the party as they claimed; more likely it was disaffected members ringing up to resign from the party. We wont publish the list here, a quick search on google should provide the list, if you can differentiate between new and old, and are that inquisitive. But please no dog shit!

QT Drinking Game

All at MCARF are deeply disappointed that the BBC has misinterpreted its brief to provide balanced coverage of political parties in election campaigns, to mean that they have to give openly racist parties, such as the BNP, a seat on Question Time. Barring success for Peter Hain’s belated attempt to stop the invite, or a strike by technicians, it looks as though the broadcast is going to go ahead. Some people are suggesting an armchair boycott of the program, to show mass disgust at the BBC for creating a media spectacle by inviting a holocaust denier to spread lies on nationwide TV. Personally I will be sitting back and getting ready to note down every comment he makes. Then the facts he claims to be talking about can be checked and his myth making blown out of the water. Should he use inflammatory language at any point I will be sending a complaint to a number of institutions, contacts below. So join me sit back with a supply of drink and award yourself the following penalties for each occurrence of the following.

1. Griffin is unable to talk due to excessive audience booing = Drink 2 fingers width of beer (or wine)

2. Random audience member shouts out fascist, and it makes the final cut = Shot of spirits

3. Griffin refers to panel members Bonnie Greer and Baroness Warsai as

immigrants or not ethnically British = 3 fingers of Beer

4. Griffin mentions Black Police Association in justification at BNP’s racist

membership criteria = Shot of spirits

5. Claim that “White’s only” policy has nothing to do with race but is simply

protection of ethnic Britons = 2 Fingers of beer

6. Claim that majority of racist attacks are carried against white people = 2 shots of spirits

7. Griffin claims there is a conspiracy against BNP by the liberal/Marxist elites

especially in the media = 4 fingers of beer

8. Angry technicians disrupt the broadcast for a minute or more = Finish whole drink

9. Griffin makes claim that anti-fascists routinely use violence against his party,

who are always the victim of crime = shot of spirits

10. Use of BNP’s favoured euphemism ‘Voluntary repatriation’ instead the more commonly used term ‘Ethnic cleansing’ = 4 fingers of beer

11. Griffin squirms and looks uncomfortable as Dimmbelby reads out verbatim

quote relating to ‘well directed boots and fists…’; ‘orthodox opinion once holding that

the earth was flat…’; ‘huge influence of a certain ethnic minority over the media….’ or

‘non-whites have no place here at all…’ = 2 Shots of spirits

12. Griffin makes outrageous claim which he says is backed up by statistics, the rest of the

panel or Dimmbelby fail to challenge him on his assertion = 3 fingers of beer

13. Griffin claims he doesn’t want to see Britain ruled from Brussels, despite the fact

that his own party is. = 4 fingers of beer

14. Griffin claims that attempt to stop his appearance on QT were an attack British

Freedom of Speech = Shot of Spirits

15. Poorly aimed egg is thrown from the audience, Griffin ducks and the egg

splatters on Jack Straw's face. = Finish current drink

16.Mash up of Griffins statements put over Downfall Hitler clip appears on

Youtube the next morning = 1 hair of dog

If you’re still sober enough at the end of all that watch the extended footage on the website. Remember to note down every instance of him using racist or inflammatory language. The BBC will realise its error and never invite this neo-nazi onto its show again.

Once you have compiled your list of Griffin gaffes follow the BBC complaints procedure here

Phone them through on: 03700 100 222 or write to: BBC Complaints, PO Box 1922 Glasgow.G2 3WT

Please also send your complaints to Ofcom

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/progs/specific/?itemid=286480

You can telephone them 9am -5pm 020 7981 3040 or 0300 123 3333.

Ooops they did it again

Despite their attempt to prove that they are not neo-nazis, the group of defence leagues which have recently sprung up seem to let their actions to the talking. This time it the Welsh branch of the EDL ,who call themselves the WDL.

WDL - Actions speak louder than words

It begs the question, how hard can it be not to do a Nazi salute? Allow one to slip through the net and it is possible to claim it as an isolated incident, but last week in Manchester and at yesterday's Swansea rally these guys have shown their true colours, simply by their inability to keep their arms by their sides. Clearly the cameras can not be on them at all times and I can only imagine that there are many more incidences like this. Actions like the burning of the Swastika in front of TV cameras look increasingly hollow. Mind you does the fact that it was carried out by 10 men who wore masks, not because they want to intimidate people but because they are fear retribution, not give their lie away?

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight | Under the skin of English Defence League

Just in case you missed this program on Monday catch it here – click link if the videos don’t work on this blog BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight | Under the skin of English Defence League

Under the skin of English Defence League Defenders or threat - who are the EDL? Watch Paraic O'Brien's full report By Paraic O'Brien BBC Newsnight One night in September I was invited along to a large disused warehouse in Luton for an English Defence League (EDL) "press conference". The windows of the warehouse had been boarded up. Fifteen men in balaclavas unfurled a swastika flag and proceeded to try to set it alight for the cameras. The message - look we are not Nazis. On Saturday members of EDL were on the streets of Manchester The flag proved stubbornly, and embarrassingly, incombustible. While we waited for it to catch fire I spoke to the leader of the Luton division, a man calling himself Tommy Robinson - though that is not his real name. The real Tommy Robinson was an infamous football hooligan with the MIGs, the Men In Gear firm associated with Luton Town Football Club. According to this Tommy, EDL's raison d'être is to take a stand against the rise of radical Islam on Britain's streets. When you ask the rank and file though they will tell you they are just anti- Muslim. Over the last five weeks I have got to know some of EDL's main players. So, who are they? Part of the problem with answering that question is they do not quite know themselves. Youth wing The organisation is about seven months old and only started gathering any kind of momentum after 10 Muslim extremists staged an anti-war demo at a Royal Anglian Regiment parade in Luton in March this year. The big divisions are in Luton, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff. They are a rag tag group of about 400 self-styled English patriots, loosely affiliated with football hooligan firms. They have a female division and a youth division. The leader of the youth division is Joel, an 18-year-old who lives with his grandparents. His father is Irish, his mother Afro-Caribbean and Joel grew up in multi-cultural Harrow, North London. Police say that EDL members are becoming much more organised He did not worry about Muslim extremism until he happened upon EDL's website in April. Now he organises the youth division and sells EDL merchandise - adapted hoodies with a mask you can pull down over your face for demonstrations. Joel admitted to me that he finds the cut and thrust of street demonstrations "exciting". He also acknowledged that when there is a face-off between EDL and Muslim youths on the street "it plays into our hands". Joel denies that there is any militant undertone behind the balaclavas and black shirts, but as he talks you get the feeling he enjoys the drama of it all. There is, of course, a difference between looking scary and being dangerous and one of the key questions being asked in the wake of recent demonstrations is, are EDL dangerous? Threat of hijack About a fortnight ago I was invited along to a pub near the Barbican in London. The leadership of EDL were meeting some potential sponsors. One of them was an IT consultant working in the City. They were offering technical expertise to EDL. During the conversation it was also let slip that someone purporting to be from the Ulster Defence Association had been in contact, interested in starting a branch in Northern Ireland. This could be just bluster, but it raises a serious question - are EDL becoming a sort of lightning rod for other groups of people that are altogether more clever, and altogether more sinister. Prof Matthew Goodwin is an expert on far right groups and advises the Home Office. According to him the group is at a crossroads. Four hundred people that can be quickly mobilised online and will travel to demonstrations is seen as very useful resource. Within the organisation a debate is under way about whether it should stay as a street based protest movement or something more organised and political. The direction EDL takes next largely depends on who decides to try to hijack it.

Demonstrate at BBC Liverpool Against Griffin on Question Time

As you are probably aware the BBC have, amazingly, invited the fascist leader of the BNP, Nick Griffin to take part in Question Time on THURSDAY 22^nd OCTOBER. 

The BBC says the BNP should be treated as if it were a democratic party, but there is nothing democratic about the BNP. It is a racist and fascist organisation dedicated to kicking every single black and Asian person out of this country .Griffin himself wrote: "When the crunch comes, power is the product of force and will, not of rational debate."  He isn't interested in impressing people with his arguments - he wants to back up the BNP's slogans with "well-directed boots and fists".

Demonstrations will take place around the country at BBC Studios, with the biggest taking part  in London.  A demonstration will take place in Liverpool from 5.30.p.m. on the 22^nd outside the offices of the BBC in Hanover Street Liverpool

PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND

BRING YOUR TRADE UNION & TRADES UNION COUNCIL  BANNER

Events for Black History Month

Please see the National Museums Liverpool website for events in the remainder of Black History Month, which takes places throughout October.

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatsonnet/eventseries.aspx?sid=7

Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum will also host the annual Anthony Walker Memorial Lecture on Friday 23rd October.  The event, sponsored by the NUT, commemorates the brutal murder of Anthony, an a-level student from Huyton, in 2005.  This year the lecture will be delivered by Anthony’s mother, Gee Walker.  Further details and a booking form are available here.

http://www.teachers.org.uk/resources/pdf/Anthony-A5-Flyer%20-%206499.pdf

Freedom of Speech Part 2: EDL are outed

Yesterday this blog reported on the underhand and intimidatory tactics that the BNP resort to in order to prevent the truth about their organisation being revealed in local newspapers. They threatened to boycott small businesses and inundated them with harrasing phone calls demanding that they stop their sponsorship of the South East paper the news shopper which had published an article about the failure of BNP councillor represent his electorate.

Tonight it has been revealed that the BNPs far-right allies the EDL are prepared to go one step further and have launched a campaign of death threats against an anti-fascist activist.

Sky news has broadcast that campaigner Julie Keller has been targetted with death threats after the EDL wrongly accused her of disrupting the two minutes silence they held in Manchester on Saturday. EDL supporters set up a facebook group listing her personal details including her phone number and address. Police have been forced to project Ms Keller because of the very serious threat to her saftey.

The EDL Facebook group threatens Ms Keller

This is further proof that depsite the calls for freedom of speech on the extremist-right they are quick to use intimidation and threats of violence to prevent any criticism of themselves. It also shows that the EDL, who have claimed that their sole aim is to prevent the rise of Islamic extremism, are violent and authoritarian. Many of us already knew this when they rampaged through Luton this summer smashing up Asian owned businesses and homes, and later caused a riot in Luton, leading to 90 arrests for violence.

It seems that the extremist-right, which includes both the BNP and EDL, are only interested in their own right to hold a placard demanding "No More Mosques" or to offer Hitler salutes, as these shots from Saturday's demo show.

EDL Manchester 10th Oct 2009

When it comes to the rest of society intimidation and threats are the language that fascists fall back on. They have no love of freedom, they only want to forward their own message and will go to any length to ensure this happens.

Freedom of Speech? As long as that doesn’t mean criticising the BNP

 

Whether it is demanding an equal footing on Question Time or that a rally, which is likely to aggravate racial tensions and lead to violence goes ahead, people on the far-right are always emphasising their right to freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is one of the most precious rights that a society can offer its population. And whilst the BBC have no legal obligation, despite what they might claim, to air the disgusting and racist views of Nick Griffin, he and his party have the right to express their vile viewpoint. Nobody seeks to deny them this right, campaigns against them involve distributing literature showing the real BNP, which is racist and frequently features poorly disguised admiration for neo-nazism, and organising groups of people to counter demonstrate against them. The BNP on the other hand seek to have it both ways, they demand that their viewpoint is heard, but then encourage intimidation of media, companies and individuals who criticise them for their immoral views.

In late September the London local paper ‘News Shopper’ published a residents damming verdict on their recently elected councillor in Sevenoakes, Paul Golding (pictured).  They claimed that residents said Golding had done nothing for the area, he had not joined any council committees and kept silent at council meetings.  They also mentioned that Golding had published a video in which he tried to cover up the membership of the BNP of Helen Forrester who had been convicted of racist violence. 

Useless liar Paul Golding 

In response to what they see as an unfair attack, despite all the facts being verifiable, the BNP sent an e-mail to their on-line contacts list demanding that they fight back.  In this e-mail they asked:

“Do you want to help the BNP fight back against media lies? If so, then we are calling on you and all our online supporters, numbered at over 40,000 at present, to complain to the advertisers of the lying gutter rag News Shopper. If enough people do this, then they will be cowed into dropping any future attempts to smear our Party”

The e-mail went on to give contact details for three small scale companies who advertised with the News Shopper.  It also admits to a similar campaign being run against the Manchester Evening News in the run up to the 2009 European election.  This amounts to an official attempt by the BNP to prevent the free operation of press in Britain and to stop criticism of the party at a local level.  They actually use the word cowe to describe the intimidation they intend to bring to media outlets and organisations who actively oppose them.

The News Shopper has today followed up the story and reports that all three of the listed advertisers have been inundated with calls threatening to boycott them.  In spite of the economic downturn the party, which time and again has shown that it does not care for the concerns of ordinary Britons, is trying to damage the reputation and threaten the survival of British businesses. This shows that that despite their claim to be sticking up for free speech, the BNP care for nobodies rights but their own.

Racist attacks Must not be tolerated on Merseyside

 

The Liverpool echo and BBC report today that a mother and three children were attacked by Racists in Stockbridge village on Friday night.  The main acts appear to include throwing rocks leading to the breaking of windows in the family’s home.  Racist attacks of any type are to be wholly condemned and it is hoped that Merseyside police swiftly find and charge the perpetrators of this act.

Whilst condemning the violence incident we must also look at the factors which have led people to believe that this behaviour is acceptable.  In recent weeks there has been a renewal of BNP activity on Merseyside, with their party leader and Euro MEP for the North West Nick Griffin appearing in South Liverpool and giving a speech outside the Jaguar plant at Halewood.  Behind their pseudo-legitimate politics lies a web of hatred, as demonstrated by Griffin claiming recently that he would like to see boatloads of immigrants sunk by the navy.  This type of activity and their recent poll success, which was aided by the inertia of much of the electorate, has given racists and violent extremists a feeling of legitimacy.  This is clearly visible in the appearance of the BNP-linked English Defence League who held an anti-Muslin rally in Manchester on Saturday.  Racists feel that their shameful feelings, which they have for a long time kept bottled up, now have an outlet.  When the BNP can visibly be seen campaigning and militant racist groups such as the EDL hold demonstrations on north west streets people are influenced and feel that they are able to get away with such crimes.

We must act as one community and show that such attacks are not acceptable on Merseyside.  We live in an ethnically diverse city region, which boasts many different communities who have lived side by side and together for centuries.  The BNP and their right wing racist allies, such as the paramilitary British Freedom Fighters and the EDL, would love to tear the community apart and set people against each other based on religious belief or skin colour, but we must not let this happen.