No let up for Lennon

Stephen Lennon of the EDL was arrested again this morning. This time for not handing his passport into the police on time.

If there is any other country out there that could please give Stephen a passport, we will gladly give him a one way ticket.

Matthew Collins – Hope not Hate

Four held as cops target fascist web masters

Police arrested four people suspected of running an international far-right extremist website after early morning raids on 24 addresses in 11 of Germany’s 16 states – and one in Britain – on Thursday.

Federal police confiscated several computers and external hard-drives as well as handwritten documents from people believed to be thought to be connected to the Thaizi website – a platform used by rightwing extremists to contact each other and, most notably, share racist music.

Although the majority of the raids were conducted in Germany, one address was also raided in the UK.

Andreas Gärtner, Rostock state prosecutor told The Local, “It was an address in West Sussex in a town called Chichester. No arrests were made. We are still waiting for a report from our colleagues in the British police.”

The BKA said that 26 people between the ages of 22 and 64 are now under investigation. They are suspected of putting the lyrics of more than 2,400 songs on the website as well as 1,400 downloadable files containing songs inciting racial hatred and violence.

Holocaust denial and the promotion of a Nazi government were also common themes on the Thiazi site.

Special forces were called out alongside normal officers for the morning raids, which in Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania resulted in the arrest of a 30-year-old child care assistant known to help run the site.

In Baden-Württemberg two people were arrested, including a 30-year-old housewife and mother thought to have been helping keep the site going for a number of years. One other in Saxony-Anhalt was also arrested.

Police also targeted locations in the states of Lower Saxony, Berlin, Bavaria, Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Rhineland Palatinate and Thüringen.

Head of the BKA Jörg Ziercke called the operation a “clear message” that rightwing extremism and spreading racial hatred would not go unpunished. “The internet is not a law-free space,” he said.

DPA/The Local/jcw

The truth about “Snowy”

Shaw: A cruel and inhumane individual

News broke yesterday how a Llama farmer in Yorkshire pleaded guilty to causing ‘unnecessary suffering leading to death’ and two counts of ‘not providing a suitable diet’ and failing to protect his llamas from pain, suffering and disease.’

The farmer in question pleaded poverty; he told the court that he just could not afford to feed these poor animals, so they starved to death. It was by all accounts, an agonising, slow and painful death right in front of his house.

By all accounts, Llamas are a very friendly animal. Some Llama farmers say they’re as friendly and as intelligent as dogs. When a Llama likes you, it blows warm air into your face (known as a ‘whiffle’). In America, some psychologists believe that Llamas actually reduce stress and can be a great companion for people that have room for them.

They’re a herbivorous animal. They live on grass mainly but are also partial to hay and grain. If you fancy treating your Llamas to a little treat, you could spend a “whopping” £190 for a tonne of corn grain. Add an extra £20 onto that, and they’ll even deliver it to your door.

A tonne could be described as rather excessive, so how about the odd bag of grain for a fiver? I hope you’re getting the picture. Llamas are not excessively expensive to keep. Still, these are tough economic times and farmers feel the pinch as much as anybody. When farmers fall on hard times, they can often reach out to others in the community for a little help.

Not so in this case. According to the court not only did a herd of five Llamas starve to death, “other animals were found in an emaciated state in a frozen field” with “scant grazing, an empty ring-feeder and dilapidated shelter” in the freezing cold of February this year.

Heavens, rather then see my animals starve to death, I’d take to wearing a sandwich board by the side of the road to ask for help, or better still, I’d give them away to somebody who could look after them. In Yorkshire alone, there are half a dozen animal sanctuaries and wildlife parks that could have been contacted to take the animals. One in West Yorkshire has loads of Llamas. The kids who visit the park, love them apparently. Instead of this, Shaw tried to sell the animals initially. He wanted up to £5000 for one of them at one stage.

It’s no secret to anyone that the said farmer is the vile racist, Jew hating, Islamophobe John “Snowy” Shaw, the swashbuckling leader of the EDL breakaway ‘Infidels’. “Snowy” is the one with all the bright big and expensive banners that bang on and on about Muslim paedophiles etc, etc.

When he’s not doing roof top protests or holding provocative marches and empty demonstrations in the north of England or the streets of Scotland, Snowy also likes marching with a Loyalist flute band in Yorkshire, or even popping over to Northern Ireland to visit people in Derry and Belfast. We were told by one Loyalist there how he likes to “swagger(ing) around like he is the cock of the north, drinking lagers and having his photograph taken in front of murals”.

The average cost of a flight from Manchester to Londonderry or Belfast, is around £100 if you book early. Add onto to that the cost of getting to Manchester as there appears to be no flights from Leeds Bradford to Derry, he’s looking at about £120 just for starters.

It is our estimate, that in the last twelve months on travel alone, John “Snowy” Shaw will have easily spent way over £1500 on trains, boats, petrol and planes. Easily.

I dare not ask how long it takes for a Llama to starve to death. But in February this year, the month the poor animals were found in their appalling condition, the ‘Infidels’ were active in Glasgow, where they had a massive drinking binge and Hyde in Greater Manchester. They also had one demonstration in the freezing cold snow in Rochdale where “Snowy” addressed about thirty of his supporters, before the gang ended up having a huge drinking binge at the Copthorne Hotel inSalford, Greater Manchester. The choice of beers there are apparently excellent, but I doubt you’ll get much change out of £4 per pint.

I wrote this blog because like most Brits, I am an animal lover. Not overly keen at times on my fellow human beings, but animals I do not mind at all. Often I cringe when the Neanderthals of groups like the EDL, BNP and ‘Infidels’ are described as animals.

Unable to sell his animals, let alone look after them, John “Snowy” Shaw allowed them to starve to death. He didn’t even ask the advice of his racial comrade, the pig farmer Nick Griffin.

Previously to his torture of these animals, Shaw had even shot a dog with an air rifle (the same one he likes to hold while playing war games on his property), using the defence that he was protecting his herd. Others who know him better allege even worse cases of cruelty that I am not allowed to go into here.

Poverty was not his reason to behave in this manner at all. Those animals suffered because he was too lazy to bother to look after them as he ran around the country with a gang of drunken thugs terrorising people. The supposed animal lover had no problems however, campaigning against Halal meat when it suited him. There is no comparison of that practice and the time it takes an animal to starve to death in agony.

He is scum.

For sale: The price of an animal’s life?

Shaw: How does he sleep at night?

Hypocrites: The Infidels facebook page

Not Impressed: Even the EDL were not!

Matthew Collins – Hope not Hate

EDL Lying Over Child Abductions

In a disgusting attempt at recruiting assorted racists and fascists to attend their forthcoming Dewsbury protest, it seems the English Defence League have stooped to an all time low when it comes to making up a story.

The EDL’s Dewsbury division started a rumour about Muslim men attempting to abduct two young girls from the local area of Kirklees.

The EDL said that they had “clear evidence” regarding the attempted abductions and claimed that they would have street patrols due to police inactivity.

The EDL also claimed that local residents had been forced to keep quiet regarding the abductions.

The truth , however, is somewhat different.

DCI Paul Jeffrey of West Yorkshire Police denied the abduction attempts and said that a 10 year old girl had contacted the police after a van driver had tried to talk to her. The girl could not describe the driver and did not say he was of Asian appearance.

The EDL also claimed a similar incident occurred in the Heckmondwike area, however the police said they have no record of the event, so it either did not happen or was not reported to police.

DCI Jeffrey said “We can categorically state no such series of crimes along the lines of what has be alleged have been brought to the police’s attention”

Simon Cressy – Hope not Hate

Two arrested after EDL clashed with anti-jubilee protestors in Newcastle

TWO men have been arrested after EDL members clashed with anti-jubilee protestors in a city centre flare-up.

Police launched an investigation after trouble broke-out on Monday June 4 during a protest at the Monument, in Newcastle city centre, when firecrackers went off among a crowd of people.

A teenage protestor suffered a slight injury and received hospital treatment before being discharged.

Now Anthony Crawford, 22, of Elmway, Chester-le-Street, has been charged with common assault and a public order offence.

A 45-year-old man from South Tyneside was arrested on suspicion of affray and he has been bailed pending further enquiries.

Chronicle Live

British Freedom Make Violent Criminal Organiser

Charlotte Lewis

British Freedom, the far right political party with ties to The English Defence League has made a violent extremist with criminal convictions one of its local organisers.

Charlotte Lewis, one time BNP organiser and candidate has been promoted to the position of Croydon organiser within British Freedom.

Lewis was jailed for six months in 2001 after being found guilty of four charges of harassment as part of a concerted campaign against the staff of Huntingdon Life Sciences, whom she called “animal abusing scum”.

Lewis, who was a member of Stop Animal Rights Cruelty, wrote a series of anonymous threatening letters to people working at the Cambridgeshire laboratory. One warned the recipient: “If you don’t quit HLS then your life will not be worth living. You will always have to be looking over your shoulder.” Another threatened: “This is a warning. Your life is in grave danger if you don’t stop working at HLS. You will find yourself having a gun aimed at your stupid ugly head.”

One family received over 50 such letters from animal rights activists before a brick was thrown through their window. Shortly afterwards Lewis wrote to them saying: “I was there when a brick was put through your window. If you don’t quit HLS you can expect more of the same.”

She was arrested after forensic scientists matched her saliva with DNA found on the back of the stamps used to post the letters.

In 2010 police investigated Lewis after she posted racist comments on her Facebook page advocating the murder of illegal immigrants.

Her comments refered to taxi driver Derrick Bird, who went on a killing spree in west Cumbria shooting dead 12 people and injuring 11 others.

Lewis wrote “Ok, so I may well get in to trouble for saying this – but I’ve got to get it off my chest. I wish that Derrick Bird could have come down to London & shoot dead some illegal immigrants, rather than killing his fellow British people. If that offends you then tough; it’s my opinion and I’m entitled to it.”

When quizzed by her local newspaper the Croydon Guardian regarding her comments on Facebook she told them “It would be preferable to kill illegal immigrants than fellow British people, because they shouldn’t be in this country.”

Simon Cressy – Hope not Hate

John “snowy” Shaw – Animal ban after llamas left to starve

A HERD of llamas starved after being deprived of food on a holding in Yorkshire, a court was told.

Harrogate magistrates heard five of John Shaw’s llamas died, while the other animals were found in an emaciated state in a frozen field on the outskirts of Knaresborough in February, with scant grazing, an empty ring-feeder and dilapidated shelter.

Shaw, 41, of Littondale Avenue, Knaresborough, said he could not afford to feed them.

He pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering leading to death and two counts of not providing a suitable diet and failing to protect the llamas from pain, suffering and disease.

He was jailed for 12 weeks, suspended for a year, and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work, with £3,050 costs, and given a 10-year ban on keeping animals.

Yorkshire Post

Golden Dawn threatens hospital raids against immigrants in Greece

Far-right party says it will throw immigrants and their children out on the street, as some hospitals run short of supplies

In an atmosphere that has become increasingly electric before Greece’s crucial election, the far-right Golden Dawn has ratcheted up the rhetoric by threatening to remove immigrants and their children from hospitals and kindergartens.

Earning loud applause at an election campaign rally in Athens, Golden Dawn MP Ilias Panagiotaros said: “If Chrysi Avgi [Golden Dawn] gets into parliament [as polls predict], it will carry out raids on hospitals and kindergartens and it will throw immigrants and their children out on the street so that Greeks can take their place.”

Medical supplies and beds at some hospitals are running desperately short. The governor of the state-run Nikea hospital, Theodoros Roupas, called on doctors to stop non-essential surgical interventions because of a critical shortage of gloves, syringes and gauze. The order was revoked when Roupas found emergency supplies later in the day.

“The situation is really critical and getting worse every day,” said Dr Panaghiotis Papanikolaou, a neurosurgeon at the hospital. “There is not enough medical staff to cope and huge shortages of supplies. There’s no money to even service scanners and surgical microscopes … we’re talking about a major healthcare crisis – not in the making, it is happening now.”

The paralysis spawned by six weeks of political instability following Greece’s indecisive poll on 6 May has exacerbated the country’s parlous public finances. Sunday’s fresh general election is viewed as decisive for the county’s future in the euro.

Alexis Tsipras, leader of the leftwing Syriza alliance, said it was obvious that Greece’s rudderless state could no longer continue. A government had to be formed. “The country has to have a government, be it of the right or left,” he said. Syriza is neck and neck with the conservative New Democracy party.

“The next 10 days following the election are extremely important,” he said referring to a host of critical EU meetings, including an emergency summit scheduled at the end of the month.

He said the forthcoming vote would boil down to a single choice – whether Greeks wanted to support or reject the “memorandum” of onerous terms demanded by the EU and IMF in return for financial assistance.

“Greeks should know that, if Syriza is elected, there will be no memorandum on Monday,” he said. “Syriza will replace the memorandum with a national plan of recovery … I think we have been totally clear.” He said Syriza would ensure that minimum wages were increased, unemployment benefits extended and the public sector expanded.

Tsipras and his colleagues attempted to brush off the shock defection of Nikos Hanias, Syriza’s candidate in Corinth. In an excoriating letter, the veteran leftist lambasted the party, saying its elevation to power “if only for an hour” would be catastrophic “for Greece and our children”.

“It is shameful and dishonourable that, by exploiting the justified rage of society, you are gambling with our future, betting on the non-existent possibility that our creditors are bluffing without proposing something if the case is the contrary,” Hanias wrote. He said he could no longer participate in a party that was “extremely dangerous for the Greek people and its future”.

Conceding that Syriza was a conglomeration of parties “with many tendencies,” Tsipras suggested the extraordinary outburst was linked to campaign dirty tricks. Hanias, who failed to be elected in last month’s inconclusive election, had previously been a member of the socialist Pasok before joining the leftwing coalition.

“I want to say that we are ready for everything, and to see everything. When a system of power sees the ground slipping from underneath it, it can do anything,” said Tsipras.

The Guardian

Genome test slammed for assessing ‘racial purity’

Hungarian far-right politician certified as ‘free of Jewish and Roma’ genes.

Officials in Hungary united this week to condemn ongoing ethnic violence and anti-Semitic attacks, including an assault on the former Chief Rabbi on 5 June. But a cause for further soul-searching has emerged: a scientific scandal recalling discredited notions of racial purity.

Hungary’s Medical Research Council (ETT), which advises the government on health policy, has asked public prosecutors to investigate a genetic-diagnostic company that certified that a member of parliament did not have Roma or Jewish heritage.

The MP in question is a member of the far-right Jobbik party, which won 17% of the votes in the general election of April 2010. He apparently requested the certificate from the firm Nagy Gén Diagnostic and Research, which rents office space at the prestigious Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. The company produced the document in September 2010, a few weeks before local elections.

The certificate — with the MP’s name blacked out — emerged on the web last month and was seized on by the Hungarian media. One of Nagy Gén’s financial partners, Tibor Benedek — a three-time Olympic water-polo gold medallist and a member of a prominent Jewish family — immediately pulled out of the company.

The ETT’s secretary, József Mandl, chair of medical chemistry at the Semmelweis University in Budapest, says that the certificate is “professionally wrong, ethically unacceptable — and illegal”. The council discussed the issue on 7 June and concluded that the genetic test violates the 2008 Law on Genetics, which allows such testing only for health purposes.

“The council’s stand is important,” says Lydia Gall, an Eastern Europe and Balkans researcher at civil-rights group Human Rights Watch, who is based in Amsterdam. In Hungary, “there have been many violent crimes against Roma and acts of anti-Semitism in the past few years”, she says. Politicians who try to use genetic tests to prove they are ‘pure’ Hungarian fan the flames of racial hatred, she adds.

Nagy Gén scanned 18 positions in the MP’s genome for variants that it says are characteristic of Roma and Jewish ethnic groups; its report concludes that Roma and Jewish ancestry can be ruled out. The certificate adds: “For an interpretation of the test result and for genetic consultation relating to the family-tree research, please contact us as soon as convenient.”

Nagy Gén did not respond to e-mail and telephone requests from Nature for comment. But a statement on its website claims that newspapers had reported the story “incompletely” and points to the certificate’s recommendation for further consultation. It argues that the company “rejects all forms of discrimination, so it has no right to judge the purpose for which an individual will use his or her test result, and so for ethical reasons it could not have refused to carry out the test”.

The certificate first appeared on a right-wing website, which described the intention behind the gene test as “noble”, although it questioned the science. After the news blog Petőfi utca republished the certificate on 14 May, the Hungarian Society of Human Genetics issued a statement condemning the test. István Raskó, director of the Institute of Genetics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Szeged, and the society’s vice-president, says that it is impossible to deduce origins from genetic variations at a few places in the genome. “This test is complete nonsense and the affair is very harmful to the profession of clinical genetics,” he says.

Nagy Gén’s rental contract with Eötvös Loránd University ended this month, says György Fábri, a university spokesman. “The university is not commenting publicly on the affair because it is not our business — our researchers had no contact with the company.” In a written statement he added that the university “fully rejects” the abuse of scientific results to promote discrimination or hatred.

Nature

Neo-Nazi Bill White, on the Lam, Arrested in Mexico

Well-known Virginia neo-Nazi and convicted felon Bill White was arrested in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, after nearly a month on the run.

He missed a scheduled check-in with his probation officer and disappeared from his home in Lynchburg last month. White, who faces federal charges of violating the terms of his supervised release, is expected to be returned to Roanoke, Va.

White was once the leader of the American National Socialist Workers Party and had a reputation as a vicious and volatile Internet gossip. His Overthrow.com was the second most popular racist website during its heyday.

In 2004, he was convicted of assaulting a woman who was handing out fliers that identified him as a neo-Nazi landlord. He was held in contempt of court when he cursed at the woman from the witness stand. In 2009, a federal jury found him guilty of threatening several people through intimidating phone calls and Internet postings. In January 2011, he was found guilty of using his website to encourage violence against a jury foreman in the trial of Matt Hale, another white supremacist.

White was released from prison in April 2011 after serving two years. A federal judge threw out his conviction with regard to the jury foreman on First Amendment grounds. One of the conditions of his release was a court-ordered restriction on Internet use that required that he refrain from participating in “any Internet related business or hobby involving a website, and the posting of any information on any website.” Nevertheless, White got around that by writing for the print version (which is also available online) of the American Free Press, an anti-Semitic weekly founded by Holocaust denier Willis Carto.

Earlier in May, White allegedly wrote a Facebook post (in direct violation of the court restrictions about Internet use) in which he claimed that he had been tortured in prison and had “left the United States several weeks ago after accepting an offer of asylum from a foreign nation that shares my view that the United States government is not legitimate.” He claimed he would not be returning and requested that anyone with an interest in commissioning or licensing his work contact him. He also asked for donations to help him settle in his new land.

SPLC