Smashed windows, arson attacks and anti-Muslim threats have left town centre businessmen claiming Weston has a “very big racist problem” and that they are being targeted because of their nationality.
Police are investigating a Turkish-run eatery’s claims that someone attempted to blow up its premises after a fire was started near a set of gas canisters, while one convenience store worker was told “I hate Muslims” after putting a Halal poster in a window – which was also smashed.
Last week we reported on the frustration of plans by the “counterjihad” publication Dispatch International to organise meetings in Malmö and Copenhagen at which Stephen Lennon and Kevin Carroll were to describe their heroic struggle against “England’s Islamization”.
A fall-back plan to have the English Defence League leaders address a small group of sympathisers, with their speeches broadcast by video link, was thwarted when police impounded Lennon’s passport. Attempts to hire premises for larger public rallies had already collapsed after bookings were cancelled when the purpose of the meetings became clear. Management at the Malmö Konferenscenter/Folkets Hus objected that the EDL was an “extreme right organization” and declared “we will have nothing to do with organizations of this type”.
During this same period Dispatch International‘s difficulties intensified when PayPal asked to examine the content of the publication to see if it contravened their rules against the promotion of racism and xenophobia. DI refused to cooperate, no doubt reasoning that such an examination would indeed reveal that it was in breach of the ban on hate speech, with the result that its PayPal account was withdrawn.
Last week Guramit Singh Kalirai, at one time a leading figure in the English Defence League, was sentenced to over six years in prison for his part in a violent attack on a shopkeeper during an attempted robbery. Kalirai wasn’t in court because he absconded ahead of the trial. A warrant is now out for his arrest.
Hull North MP Diana Johnson has written to the Justice Secretary to express concerns at the “lenient” sentence given to an EDL thug who punched a man during a march. As previously reported in the Mail, John Claydon, 46, laughed as he left court after receiving an 18-month community order for attacking anti-fascist protester David Harding outside St Stephen’s shopping centre.
Claydon, who had a string of convictions for violence, was also ordered to do 100 hours’ unpaid work and pay £500 compensation. But Ms Johnson believes the sentence, passed by Recorder Michael Smith, was too lenient and has written to Justice Secretary Chris Grayling with her concerns.
Martin Lennon, Ms Johnson’s researcher, said: “Diana wrote to Mr Grayling because she was concerned by the sentencing guidelines employed by the judge in this case. Diana felt that there were several aggravating factors in this case that were not properly taken into account. This was a particularly vicious attack, which was not provoked. Moreover, Mr Claydon had a history of violence.”
A woman arrested for breaching bail conditions shouted racist abuse at the police officer taking her back to the police station. Blackburn magistrates heard the officer, who had 10 years’ service, had never experienced such bad racist abuse which lasted the whole of the eight-minute journey to Greenbank police station. And as they drove into the police station, Jasmine Astin was shouting “EDL”.
We have previously covered the difficulties the “counterjihad” publication Dispatch International has faced in booking meetings in Malmö and Copenhagen for English Defence League leaders Stephen Lennon and Kevin Carroll.
Earlier this week DI regretfully announced that the EDL speaking tour has now been called off: “Rarely has an arrangement met with so many problems. First we couldn’t rent a hall and now we have to cancel the meeting altogether.”
Three criminals tied up a shop assistant and threatened to slash his throat in a botched robbery in Notts.
Andrew Wheelhouse, 31, David Mura, 26, and Guramit Singh Kalirai, 31, went into gardening shop Simply Hydro, in Wigwam Lane, Hucknall, at about 12.30pm on Thursday, May 2, with the intention of raiding it. They attacked a shop assistant, pinned him to the ground and threatened to slash his throat if he did not give them money.
Seven right-wing thugs who attacked a Liverpool City Centre anti-fascist meeting were jailed after admitting charges of violent disorder.
The men, who were either members of or associated with groups including the National Front, the English Defence Force or North West Infidels punched and kicked people heading for a fundraising gig at the News From Nowhere Bookshop on July 6 last year.
CCTV footage shown to Liverpool Crown Court showed the men, led by 25-year-old Liam Pinkham, running across Bold Street and attacking a smaller group walking past the Cafe Tabac bar and restaurant.
The attackers, some of whom were wearing masks, punched and kicked their victims who were pursued into the Tabac where the violence continued, sending tables and chairs flying.
Anya Horwood, prosecuting, said: “It would appear that the motivation for this violent disorder was polarised political opinions and personal enmity. The attacking group shared right-wing beliefs and the victims anti-fascist.”
A plan to open a ‘car-free’ mosque in Worcester Park was rejected after councillors dismissed the idea no-one would drive to it. Sutton Council refused planning permission for a mosque to be opened in the old Bank Chambers building in Green Lane near the junction with Green Lane at a heated meeting last night.
The scheme was rejected after councillors on the development control committee refused to accept the developers claims that no-one would drive to the mosque and said plans would exacerbate and already-existing problem with traffic in the area. It is the second time an application to convert the building, which has been abandoned for more than four years, has gone before the council.
At approximately 12.00pm today the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre management was contacted by police, alerting us to a possible bomb threat.
The entire complex was evacuated safely, whilst mosque staff assisted police in checking for any suspicious packages.
The buildings were declared safe an hour later, just before the midday prayers. Dilowar Khan, our Executive Director, later informed worshippers to report any suspicious behaviour or packages to staff.
We remain vigilant in the face of such threats.