Danish online ‘newspaper’ is vehicle for anti‑migrant, anti‑Muslim propaganda

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Den Korte Avis pie chart

The Danish online newspaper Den Korte Avis (DKA) has gained a substantial readership since its launch in January 2012. It has also attracted sharp criticism for the right-wing, anti-migrant line promoted by its owners and editors Karen Jespersen and Ralf Pittelkow.

The English-language Danish monthly The Murmur has published a revealing analysis by Elías Thórsson of the content of DKA’s so-called journalism. The Murmur surveyed of all the articles on DKA’s website on a random day (22 October), and placed them according to subject matter in one of five categories. The findings, summarised in the above pie chart, are extremely disturbing. Thórsson writes:

There were 45 stories on the website when we made our survey. 21 were negative stories about Muslims or immigrants, with topics ranging from Muslim gang members in Denmark to a woman in France who was thrown out of the opera for unwittingly breaking the country’s niqab ban. Ten stories were general interest, and five were critiques of left-wing politicians. Of the seven video articles, three were negative stories about Muslims or immigrants. The two remaining articles insinuated that Muslims or immigrants were responsible for criminal acts by specifying that the criminal acts took place in neighbourhoods with large immigrant populations.

In total, 26 of the 45 articles (58 percent) either directly or indirectly cast a negative light on Muslims and immigrants in Denmark.

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British Muslims face worst job discrimination of any minority group, according to research

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Muslims are facing the worst job discrimination of any minority group in Britain, according to new research which found that they had the lowest chance of being in work or in a managerial role.

Muslim men were up to 76 per cent less likely to have a job of any kind compared to white, male British Christians of the same age and with the same qualifications. And Muslim women were up to 65 per cent less likely to be employed than white Christian counterparts.

Muslims were the most disadvantaged in terms of employment prospects out of 14 ethno-religious groupings in the UK, researchers Dr Nabil Khattab and Professor Ron Johnston found using data from the Office for National Statistics’ Labour Force Survey of more than half a million people. Skin colour made little difference to the figures.

Dr Nabil Khattab, of Bristol University, said the situation was “likely to stem from placing Muslims collectively at the lowest stratum within the country’s racial or ethno-cultural system due to growing Islamophobia and hostility against them.

“They are perceived as disloyal and as a threat rather than just as a disadvantaged minority,” he added. “Within this climate, many employers will be discouraged from employing qualified Muslims, especially if there are others from their own groups or others from less threatening groups who can fill these jobs.”

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Top Ukip aide linked to race hate groups and has BOASTED of taking part in far‑right demonstrations

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Misty ThackerayA top Ukip aide boasted of taking part in far-right demonstrations. Arthur Thackeray, the taxpayer-funded chief of staff for the party’s Euro MP David Coburn, told of marching with the English and Scottish Defence Leagues.

The revelations will hugely embarrass UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who has ­repeatedly insisted his party is not racist.

Thackeray, 53, from Glasgow, was put on the public payroll by Mr Coburn, one of 24 Ukip candidates elected to the ­European Parliament in May this year.

But just two years ago Thackeray boasted on Facebook about taking part in an SDL demo in Glasgow on February 25, 2012. Months earlier he told how he joined the EDL at a protest in Blackpool on October 15, 2011, with “patriots old and new”.

He spelt out his support for the far-right groups in a post on September 3, 2011, writing: “I personally support the aims and objectives of the Defence Leagues. Ukip has no official party line on this issue.”

A day earlier, on the eve of an EDL demo in east London, he wrote: “To all London-bound patriots… stand proud and stay safe NS (no surrender).” When another activist urged people to join EDL to stop “Muslim paedophile gangs”, Thackeray replied: “Good post.”

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Minnesota: County GOP official resigns after anti-Muslim remarks

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Jack WhitleyThe Republican party county chair who came under fire for comments about Muslims on his Facebook page has resigned.

Big Stone County GOP Chair Jack Whitley [pictured] called Muslims “parasites” and wrote “FRAG ’EM!” when they travel to Mecca, slang for a fragmentation hand grenade.

Those comments were condemned by Muslim community leaders and GOP party Chairman Keith Downey.

Whitley has resigned as chair, effective Friday. He was also fired from his hardware store job in Ortonville.

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Soldier Ryan McGee jailed for making nail bomb

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ryan McGee and bomb

A soldier said to be obsessed with far-right politics has been jailed for two years for making a nail bomb at his family’s home in Greater Manchester.

Ryan McGee, 20, was serving with 5th Battalion The Rifles when held in December 2013 at a UK base in Germany. Police found the bomb after raiding the Eccles property on another matter.

McGee had admitted making the device and having information – a book with bomb-making tips – likely to be useful to a terrorist, at the Old Bailey.

The bomb contained 181 metal screws and shards of glass. The book he pleaded guilty to possessing called the Anarchist Cookbook was published in the 1970s and also had instructions for the home-manufacturing of drugs.

The court heard when an officer found the device in a bedroom of the family’s three-bedroom house, bomb disposal experts were called in and Greater Manchester Police’s counter-terrorism unit launched an investigation.

Prosecutor Roger Smart said imitation firearms and ammunition were found along with components for similar devices, suggesting a “preoccupation that goes far beyond any amateur enthusiast’s collection”.

“He surfed the internet, he bought supplies, and he watched videos and read books about how to make explosive devices,” Mr Smart had earlier told the court.

But Mr Smart also said it was accepted that rifleman McGee was not a terrorist or intended to help a terrorist group.

He told the court McGee had links to far right groups in Europe on his computer and watched a video of two men being executed under a swastika flag. McGee also had a “keen interest in the English Defence League” and had attended one of their marches but was not a member of the group, said the lawyer.

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Ukip South Thanet member ‘no longer on Twitter’ after mistaking Westminster Cathedral for mosque

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The Ukip member running the party’s South Thanet branch Twitter account is “no longer on the social media site” after mistaking Westminster Cathedral for a mosque. Ukip said it would “probably apologise” after misidentifying the landmark British cathedral.

The party’s South Thanet Branch replied to a tweet from the BBC’s Daily Politics show, asking why it was holding an opinion poll on whether Nigel Farage ‘has what it takes to be Prime Minister’ outside a ‘mosque’. In reply BBC reporter Giles Dilnot tweeted: “You are SO wrong you might be embarrassed by that”.

However, Ukip South Thanet demanded the location of the building, at which Dilnot pointed out it was Westminster Cathedral – the most important Catholic church in Britain.

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Muslim community centre divides Woodford Green residents

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Woodford anti-mosque sticker

A plan to build a Muslim community centre with prayer facilities has split opinion among residents.

Cllr Robin Turbefield has asked his Bridge ward constituents to offer their opinion on the prospect of the Woodford Green Muslim Community Centre, a charity, replacing the vacant retail unit in Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green.

The planning application shows two prayer or activity rooms side-by-side. The application states on Friday during prayer time the centre can expect to hold 50 to 60 people for around 20 minutes each time.

The Islamic organisation, which submitted the plan, writes on the application its main objective is “to advance the Islamic faith for the benefit of the public”.

A website which exclusively reports anti-Muslim attacks, called tellmamauk, posted a photo of a note it claimed to be on the side of the retail unit on Monday. The note read: “Enough is enough. A mosque is not wanted in Woodford. The rivers of blood are close to overflowing.”

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John Cleese & Bill Maher debate political correctness, muse ‘You can’t make jokes about Muslims, they’ll kill you’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Monty Python scion John Cleese has described political correctness as “condescending” and a barrier to comedy. The comedian mused on the subject on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher on Friday.

Cleese, who was on the show to promote his memoir So, Anyway, was led into the matter by Maher who gleefully asked him: “Let’s bitch about political correctness.”

Cleese complied, saying: “It’s so awful isn’t it. It starts out as a halfway decent idea and then it goes completely wrong. I used to go out and do these race jokes. I’d say ‘The French, you know, why did the French have so many civil wars? So they can win one now and again’.

“’Why are Australians so well balanced? Because they have a chip on each shoulder…’ you know, I used to do these jokes. And then I say ‘There were these two Mexicans…’ and the whole place is aghast.

“I make jokes about Swedes, Germans, French, English, Canadians, Americans… why can’t we make jokes about Mexicans? Is it because they’re so feeble that they can’t look after themselves? It’s very, very condescending. Who are the people you can’t make jokes about?”

Quick as a shot, Maher replies with a knowing laugh: “Muslims. Try that, see what your Twitter feed says.” A giggling Cleese says: “That’s not saying that you can’t, that just means they’ll kill you.”

“Oh yes, I’ve said that. I’ve made jokes like ‘It’s a religion of peace… there’s a piece of you over there, there’s a piece of you over there'”, Maher responds.

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Hereford Muslims defy abuse over proposed community centre

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Hereford’s Muslim community is still set on its first centre in the city despite receiving a torrent of abuse after its initial plan was turned down.

The Hereford Times took the unusual step of deleting a story from its Facebook page this week after an article reporting Herefordshire Council’s rejection decision attracted dozens of hate-fuelled anti-Muslim comments.

Community prayer leader Zack Pandor said there was still interest in converting an old shop off Holme Lacy Road, Hinton, that is owned by Hereford Islamic Society. The society, said Mr Pandor, wanted to start a “reasonable conversation” with the wider community not represented by those “hiding behind websites”.

Interest in Islam had seen the society receive a number of local converts, he added.

Neville Meredith, Herefordshire Council’s community cohesion and integration officer, said the society’s experiences would be welcomed at a multi-faith conference in the city next month.

Area councillor Chris Chappell said he accepted the public’s objections to the centre on highway grounds but added: “Some of what was said in objections to the council was inappropriate. Herefordshire needs to be in the 21st century.”

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Arrest warrant issued over mosque attack

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Corey EllisAn arrest warrant has been issued for a man sought over an attack of a worshipper at a Newcastle mosque.

The 47-year-old worshipper was leaving the mosque at Wallsend after evening prayers on November 12 when he was confronted by a man.

Police say words were exchanged and the offender tried to punch the victim, and then grabbed his hair, before pushing him. The man then got into a car with several other people and drove off.

The 47-year-old was not injured.

Police have spent recent weeks reviewing CCTV footage and have today issued a warrant for the arrest of Corey Ellis.

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