UAF welcome Sane Verdict on Breivik

                                                       Breivik giving a Nazi salute in court.

From UAF.

Friday 24 August 2012

Anders Breivik and the politics of hate

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) welcomes the guilty verdict handed down to racist mass murderer Anders Breivik by a Norwegian court. The verdict that Breivik was “not insane” means that the far-right cannot dodge its responsibility by claiming that its virulent anti-Muslim racism and anti-immigrant rhetoric played no part in Breivik actions.


Weyman Bennett, joint secretary of UAF, said:

Our thoughts at this moment are with the families of Breivik’s victims. We hope that the guilty verdict will help ease the deep pain they are feeling. Too many of our young people — black, white, Asian — have fallen victim to the hatred spouted by the fascists and the far-right parties.

We believe that all those who are deeply repulsed by Breivik’s actions, and the politics of hate that he represents, should stand together to say ‘Never Again’. We are united in our condemnation of racism and fascism, and condemn those in the mainstream parties who are attempting to make political capital by echoing the far right’s dangerous anti-migrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric.”

UAF’s Unity Magazine spoke to Norwegian anti-racism campaigners before the guilty verdict was known. They spelt out the significance of the trial, and why Breivik actions were politically motivated.

On 22 July 2011, Breivik set off a car bomb in central Oslo, the capital of Norway, killing eight people and injuring at least 209, many of them seriously.
As authorities struggled to cope with the devastation, Breivik headed off to a Norwegian Labour Party youth camp on the tiny island of Utoeya where he gunned down 69 young people in a rampage that has left a deep scar on the country.
This was a political massacre. These young people Breivik gunned down were killed for their ideas.
Breivik used his trial as a platform to spout his hatred of immigrants, Muslims and multiculturalism. While his defence team has attempted to write off his actions as that of a “madman”.
His case has come to symbolise growing fears over the influence of far-right groups, Islamophobia and a new breed of fascism in Europe.
This was not the first racist murder in Norway, but the scale of the killings revealed the depth to which debate about immigration has plummeted.
In 2001 a group of neo-Nazis called the “Boot Boys” murdered black teenager Benjamin Labaran Hermansen. Some 40,000 people protested in one of the biggest demonstrations in Norway’s history. That popular protest killed off the chances for the neo-Nazis groups to grow at the time.


Racist rhetoric
But over the following decade far-right parties gradually began to dominate the debate over immigration and the harsh tones of anti-immigrant as well as anti-Muslim rhetoric became more acceptable.

Kari Helene Partapooli and Shoaib Sultan are from the Antirasistisk Senter (anti-racism centre) in Oslo.
Kari said: “The way we see it, the Breivik trial is not the breakthrough we were hoping for. Among ordinary people attitudes are changing, but not for those in power.
“The temperature in the debate over immigration has gone down, and people are more careful in what they say. In the upcoming elections they will be more nuanced in how they frame their message so as to distance themselves from Breivik.”
Shoaib said: “The influence of the far-right is now widespread, but they have softened their language, especially among some of the better-known figures.
“But they are testing the waters, and there has been a return to some of the unpleasant pre-22 July language — that multiculturalism and immigration is a problem, and that the government is to blame.“
Norway is a big country with a tiny population. It has vast oil reserves and unemployment hovers at 3 percent. On the surface it has few of the problems facing other countries.
Yet, Islamophobia has been gaining ground. Norway has become an “echo chamber” for the far-right ideas sweeping Europe.

EDL links
In his “manifesto”, Breivik praised the English Defence League (EDL) and other anti-Muslim groups. He drew inspiration from Islamophobic rhetoric, as well as the standard fascist imagery and myths.
Although Breivik’s ideas are from the fringes of the extreme right, the racism that he preaches has become acceptable in Norway.
Kari believes that the insanity plea will allow the right wing to dissociate themselves from his actions.
“In 2008 there was an attack on a Somali centre, the perpetrators said they were influenced by articles on immigration in the local media. But the man who murdered a Somali migrant was simply declared ‘insane’.”
“The right wing will be very pleased if the court finds Breivik insane. They can say it is not his ‘ideas’ that lead him to his actions. But what is clear is that he is not confused, and he is clear in his politics.”
Islamophobia constantly seeps into the mainstream, and 2009 was one of the worst years. A survey of the media in the national elections found that the word “Muslim” received more mentions than “prime minister”. All of it was negative.
The biggest group of immigrants to Norway are from Sweden, followed by those from Poland and other eastern European countries. But the debate about migration focuses mainly on those from Muslim or African countries.
“We must remember that there are only 100,000 Muslims in Norway out of half a million immigrants, in a country of five million people,” Kari said.

Backlash
The trial exposed the breadth of these racist ideas, but it also created a backlash, with more people questioning the anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Shoaib said, “A small campaign called Tea Time, where immigrant communities invited their Norwegian neighbours for tea, suddenly became very popular and very significant.
“What the far-right need is the illusion that they are bigger than they are. Let us not miss the big picture that the majority of people in Norway do not agree with these groups.”
Two incidents during the trial dramatically illustrated the scale of this backlash. During the trial one of the victim’s relatives threw a shoe at Breivik. The act was full of symbolism.
This “Arab insult” (made famous when an Iraqi threw his shoe at US President George Bush) has become a popular expression of disgust at acts of tyranny.
One relative said after the incident, “I am pleased that we can express our love for each other. But when and where can we express our anger?”
The second incident was when it emerged that Breivik hated the popular 1970s pop hit Children of the Rainbow. Tens of thousands of people descended on central Oslo to sing the song. It was an emotional act of mass rejection of Breivik and all he stood for. This popular sentiment fed a growing anti-racist movement.
In June the Norwegian branch of the EDL attempted to hold a demonstration in a small town of Stavanger. Only 30 turned up, to be met by a counter-demonstration of 800 people.
As the trial draws to its conclusion, many Norwegians are determined that the ideas Breivik represents are pushed back into the gutter.
The 22 July massacre serves as a warning of right-wing terrorism feeding off the toxic mix of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant racism.

‘We need to ask more questions’
ROY Pederson is head of Oslo’s Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). He spoke to Unity Magazine on the trade union response to the massacre.
‘The events of 22 July were a shock to all of us. No-one expected such things to happen. Now we are asking what can be done to prevent this happening again.
Breivik is a neo-fascist. Many people dismiss his actions as “insane” and refuse to challenge his political views.
But it is important that we challenge Islamophobia, that the “immigrants are taking over”, as well as other such myths.
We have to tackle the inequality and low wages, and we need to work harder to organise immigrant workers. We need to raise questions over the impact of the “soft neo-liberal” policies on our country, especially as we are rich in resources and our country is growing fast.
Instead we should be helping immigrants get access to learning Norwegian and work on integration in our schools.
At the heart of this is the attempts to divide people. So our fight against racism is also one for a better solution for us all.’

Tommy Robinson :EDL are joining March for England event in Brighton.

Tommy Robinson, the leader of the EDL was quoted on BBC Sussex Radio this morning saying that members of the EDL would be coming to Brighton this Sunday to support the March for England demo.There has always been some crossover between the two organisations.

 MfE supporters and flags are regularly in evidence at demos organised by the racist and fascist thugs of the EDL.

Their Brighton event is also being backed by the EDL-linked racist football hooligan organisation Casuals United, which has told supporters not to wear ‘colours’ – EDL or Casuals clothing or insignia. They wanted to pretend their racist demo is just a St George’s day event.  Now apparently they have decided to go public .Whether this is a policy shift or one of Tommy Robinsons gafffes,who can say?


March for  England have always maintained that their MFE St.Georges event was a fun family day out.

This fiction is impossible to maintain when you have the EDL turn up.Who will, if previous experience is anything to go by , be trollied on Stella and Charlie and chanting obscenities.

Some family day out.

The mask is off .It is imperative we have one final push for a huge  anti-fascist presence to make sure they realise they are not welcome in Brighton.

 Brighton UAF and all Brighton Anti-fascists are calling for the largest possible mobilisation.

Assemble Queens road,top of Gloucester road 11.am Sunday 22nd.

Anti Edl Protest at the Home Office.

Counter protest against the EDL called by UAF and PCS.

Brighton :Oppose March for England.Sunday 22nd April

Antifascists in Brighton are organising against ‘March for England’ – an outfit with close ties to the English Defence League that has announced a march in the city on Sunday 22 April.
MfE supporters and flags are regularly in evidence at demos organised by the racist and fascist thugs of the EDL.
Their Brighton event is also being backed by the EDL-linked racist football hooligan organisation Casuals United, which has told supporters not to wear ‘colours’ – EDL or Casuals clothing or insignia. They want to pretend their racist demo is just a St George’s day event.
Antifascists are determined to expose and oppose these racists. UAF supporters an other antifascists will meet on Queens Road, at the top of Gloucester Road at 11.30am on Sunday 22 April.

Public meeting

Brighton UAF has also organised a public meeting, titled ‘How should we oppose racism and fascism?’ on Tuesday 17 April at 7pm, South Wing Community Base.
The meeting will be chaired by Professor Raf Salkie, with speakers including Simon Burgess (Labour party), Phelim McCafferty (Green party) and longstanding UAF and Love Music Hate Racism activist Lee Billingham.


For people planning to go to protest from Portsmouth.Please contact: portsmouthuaf@gmail.com 

BNP standing in Gosport again.(revisited)

Gosports new BNP candidate.

You may remember Barry Bennett,the BNPs candidate in the general election.This was his comment on Stormfront the white supremacist network.“I believe in National Socialism, WW2 style, it was best, no other power had anything like it,” ‘he wrote. “The ideology was fantastic. The culture, nothing like it. If it was here now, I’d defect to Germany.”

Due to comments like this that the BNP became known locally as the Luftwaffe Solidarity Campaign.

Sunny Martin local BNP regional organiser and longtime BNP member is their new candidate.She is pictured above with the BNP fuhrer Nick Griffin. Perhaps its worth reminding ourselves what he and the BNPs values are.




Like most of the BNP she holds views on race which are at complete variance with the rest of the country.Also she is a supporter of the EDL.Whose alcohol and drug fuelled antics have scarred many British cities and were responsible for a drunken rampage outside the main Portsmouth Mosque.


She is also a supporter of Emma West. Whose revolting behaviour can be seen below.







She is also a big fan of Saga, the Nazi singer songwriter who features prominently amongst the line up at Blood and Honour,and other Nazi events.Saga was also mentioned as a significant influence in Breivek's tract that was released after the slaughter in Oslo.

Saga has been referred to as the Madonna of the National Socialist movement.Any viewing of her performances on youtube get some idea of what she is about.Blood and Honour gigs are notorious for their "sieg heiling " and adoption of overt and unapologetic Nazi imagery.

I don't know if Ms Martin goes to see Saga at blood and Honour gigs.

 Here are some people who do .That is an official Blood and Honour T-Shirt.

Notice anything about it?

There is little chance of her being elected ,but council elections can sometimes deliver protest votes.So complacency is not an option.

UAF will be out campaigning in Gosport against the BNP in the election.

Anyone who wants to get involved should contact UAF at portsmouthuaf@gmail.com

"All that is necessary for evil to prevail is that good people do nothing."

BNP and other Fascist candidates.

From UAF.

The British National Party has managed to stand only around 130 candidates for the local elections on Thursday 3 May.

The number of BNP candidates is well down on the 268 it stood last year and less than a quarter of the 612 they stood when the same seats were up for election in 2008.

Defeats


This low figure shows the parlous state of the BNP, after crushing electoral defeats in Barking and Dagenham in 2010 and Stoke-on-Trent last year wiped out the BNP councillors in what it thought were its heartlands. Since then, the fascist party has been wracked by internal warfare and financial scandal, with members leaving in droves.

These elections could see the final nails hammered into the BNP’s coffin.

But other fascist candidates are also standing in these elections – including 34 for the National Front. And many former BNP candidates have simply swapped rosettes and have reappeared under new party names.

The English Democrats – a new home for the BNP

The English Democrat Party is standing 95 candidates. This is a right-wing nationalist party with a history of racist rhetoric. It has recently toned down its public statements a bit, although it still attacks multiculturalism and immigrants, who it contrasts with the ‘indigenous English’ – code for ‘white people’.

But the English Democrats have welcomed BNP fascists with open arms. The EDP is standing 95 election hopefuls, with a large number of these former BNP candidates.

EDP candidates include Chris Beverley, who is standing in Leeds and is also PA to the BNP’s die-hard Nazi MEP Andrew Brons.

They also include Eddy Butler, formerly the BNP national organiser and the architect of its ‘Rights for Whites’ campaign in the 1990s.

Butler (pictured top, with his new EDP leaflets) is listed on Brons’ website as his political researcher – but he is standing for the English Democrats alongside their party leader Robin Tilbrook in Epping Forest, Herts.

Tilbrook and the EDP are clearly more than happy to offer a new home to these recently arrived BNP stalwarts.

Their campaign will be focused in the Yorkshire and Humber and East of England regions in areas that have previously been BNP hunting grounds.

In Barnsley, nine of the EDP’s 16 candidates previously stood for the BNP. In Southend, Essex, the figure is six out of nine. There are many more BNP turned EDP candidates around the country.

The British Freedom Party – allies of the EDL


The elections will also see the British Freedom Party stick its toes in the water, with six candidates standing. The party was set up by former senior BNP members, who later discreetly removed themselves from its executive body in an attempted clean-up.

It has announced an alliance with the English Defence League, giving them the classic fascist structure with both electoral and street-fighting wings. Since then it has attracted a further slew of disgruntled BNP members too.

The BFP was not expected to stand many candidates this year – it is instead aiming at 2013-14. But its chief nominating officer Peter Stafford has nominated himself and two other members of the Stafford family to stand in Liverpool. All three are former BNP candidates, as is Peter Squire, one of the two other BFP candidates in Liverpool. The BFP’s only other candidate is standing in Basildon, Essex.


London a key battleground



The elections for the Greater London Assembly will be a key battleground, as the BNP see to regain the seat that Richard Barnbrook took for the party in 2008, through the ‘top-up list’.

The BNP is standing Carlos Cortiglia as a candidate for mayor of London – a move that will mean that a BNP election address will be included in the election material put through every door in London. Their top-up list is headed by Steve Squire, who will be seeking to breach the 5% barrier that could get him elected.

The fascist parties are also standing in the GLA member elections in some areas, notably Redbridge and Havering, where the BNP’s Bob Taylor is joined by EDP candidate Mark Twiddy and the NF’s longtime Nazi Richard Edmonds, formerly a deputy leader of the BNP. Taylor is also standing in a Barking and Dagenham byelection on 19 April.

But it is the GLA list that presents the greatest danger – Barnbrook got in with just 5.3% of the vote in 2008. It is important that Londoners use their votes to keep the BNP out this time.

Yorkshire and Humber


This is the main target area for the EDP, with 33 candidates – more than a third of their total – standing in areas that the BNP has targeted in the past, with sunstantial slates in Barnsley, Leeds and Doncaster.

There are a clutch of BNP candidates in Rotherham, and the NF are putting up four in Hull. The BNP is standing in Bradford’s Queensbury ward, where it still holds a seat. But in Kirklees, where the BNP has had influence in the past, no fascists are standing this time.

North West


The BNP is standing 35 candidates across the region – a quarter of its total – with the EDP and BFP (in Liverpool) also putting in an appearance.

The BNP, EDP and NF are all standing in Liverpool’s mayoral election, seeking extra publicity.

In Salford, the BNP and EDP are both standing for mayor, with the BNP also putting up eight council candidates. Other areas with clutches of BNP candidates include Stockport (seven) and Burnley (six), where the remaining BNP councillor Sharon Wilkinson could be kicked out of her seat.

West Midlands


The BNP looks to have preserved more of its organisation here than in any other region. It is standing 48 candidates here, more than a third of its total nationally. These include 18 in Birmingham, 11 in Coventry and eight in Nuneaton.

There are also handfuls of NF and EDP candidates in the West Midlands.

But North Staffs antifascist campaigners were celebrating the absence of fascist candidates in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where the BNP had been expected to stand despite its wipeout in neighbouring Stoke.

The main threat in the East Midlands is in Amber Valley, where five BNP and one NF candidate are standing. BNP councillor Cliff Roper could be unseated here.

East of England


In the East of England, the EDP is having a notable push, particularly in Essex and Herts. Eddy Butler and Robin Tilbrook are standing for the EDP in Epping Forest alongside two BNP members – one of them current BNP councillor Pat Richardson. Six of the nine EDP candidates in Southend have previously stood for the BNP, as has ‘independent’ candidate Geoff Strobridge.

A scattering of EDP candidates across the region are standing in areas once targeted by the BNP. But in Thurrock, the NF has put up four candidates, alongside one BNPer. The NF’s bunch include former Isle of Dogs Nazi Derek Beackon, who was pushed into fourth place when he stood for the BNP just last year.

In the North East, the BNP’s main push is in South Tyneside, with eight candidates. There are a handful of BNP and NF candiadtes elsewhere in the region.

The South East and South West of England have been largely ignored by the far right, with just three BNP, two EDP and one NF candidate, all in the South East.

Scotland has eight NF candidates, with six of these in Aberdeen and two more in West Lothian. In Wales, the fascists have rustled up just two BNP and two NF candidates across the entire country.

Christine Blower introduces a short film outlining the work of UAF/LMHR.

The NUT has been central in our campaign against the growth of the far right in recent years.


Christine Blower amongst others talks about the work of LMHR/UAF in a new short film aimed at teachers.

Breivek declared legally sane.

From the BBC

A second psychiatric evaluation of Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has found him sane enough to face trial and a jail term.

The findings contradict a previous evaluation, published in November, that found him legally insane.

Breivik is due to stand trial on Monday over a bomb attack and shooting spree last July that killed 77 people.

The 33-year-old, who insists he is mentally stable, was "pleased" with the new assessment, his lawyer said.

Geir Lippestad told reporters his client would defend his actions during his 10-week trial, adding, "he will also regret that he didn't go further".

Both reports will be considered by the court when it decides, at the end of the trial, whether he should be sent to a psychiatric ward or jail.

If Breivik is deemed to have been sane at the time of the killings then he could face 21 years in prison with the potential for indefinite extensions to his term as long as he is considered a danger to the public.





The second evaluation was approved by a court in January following widespread criticism of last year's assessment that concluded he was psychotic at the time of the attacks and diagnosed him as a paranoid schizophrenic - meaning he would most likely be detained in psychiatric care.

Many of his surviving victims believed he was sane, and that the only proper punishment would be a prison sentence.

"Our conclusion is that he is not psychotic at the time of the actions of terrorism and he is not psychotic now," psychiatrist Terje Toerrissen, who carried out the second assessment with fellow psychiatrist Agnar Aspaas, told the Associated Press.

The full report is confidential, and the two psychiatrists will give their reasons for arriving at a different conclusion to the first team of experts when they testify during the trial, AP reports.

Breivik was charged with terror offences last month.

Prosecutors said at the time they were prepared to accept that he was criminally insane and would therefore seek compulsory psychiatric care, but they reserved the right to alter that view if new elements emerged about his mental health.


Breivik's victims

Eight people killed and 209 injured by bomb in Oslo
69 people killed on Utoeya, of them 34 aged between 14 and 17 including Eva Kathinka Lutken
33 injured on Utoeya

Breivik has always admitted carrying out the attacks, saying they were an atrocious but necessary part of a "crusade" against multi-culturalism and Islam. He denies charges of terrorism.

In a recent letter to Norwegian tabloid Verdans Gang, he said being sent to a psychiatric ward would be a "fate worse than death".

"To send a political activist to an asylum is more sadistic and more evil than killing him!" he wrote.

Mostly teenagers



The attacks on 22 July last year were the worst act of violence Norway has seen since World War II, and have had a profound impact on the country.

Breivik disguised himself as a police officer to plant a car bomb that exploded close to government offices in Oslo, killing eight people and wounding 209.

Still in uniform, he then drove to the island of Utoeya, where a summer youth camp of Norway's governing Labour Party was being held.

In a shooting spree that lasted more than an hour, he killed 67 people - mostly teenagers - and wounded 33, while a further two people died falling or drowning.

According to prosecutors, nearly 900 people were affected by the two attacks - 325 in Oslo and 564 on Utoeya.

Oppose the EDL in Luton.

UAF is calling on all antiracists and antifascists to mobilise for a national demo against the English Defence League in Luton on Saturday 5 May.


A coalition of local trade unionists and community groups in Luton is organising the march against the EDL.



This will assemble at 11am, Wardown Park, New Bedford Road, Luton LU3 1LP and march to St George’s Square in the centre of town.





We want as many people as possible from around the country to join the protest against the EDL, which has called its own demo in Luton on that day.

Luton is where the EDL was formed, after a balaclava-clad mob of violent racists ran rampage through the town in 2009.




But Luton does not belong to the EDL – it is a multiracial, multicultural town where the overwhelming majority of local people reject the EDL’s message of anti-Muslim racist hate.


In September, thousands of antifascists successfully stopped the EDL from setting foot in Tower Hamlets – the demo they had described as their ‘big one’. The 600 EDL thugs who turned out could not set foot accross the borough boundary.


The day was a victory for all those who oppose the EDL.


But the EDL has not been knocked out and has been able to regroup in some areas – helped by irresponsible national TV coverage and the decision by police to let just 450 EDL supporters march through Leicester.


And Luton is where they want to rally their forces and boost themselves up. Last year, they brought around 3,000 to Luton – above their usual turnouts at the time.


They were opposed by demonstrators in the centre of town and by huge numbers of people who gathered in Bury Park – which has a large Muslim population – to defend the local area from the EDL.


Now we need to make sure there are huge numbers of people on the Luton march against the EDL on 5 May, to deal a decisive blow against the racists and fascists in the town they seek to claim as their ‘home ground’. We want to show them they are not welcome in Luton – or anywhere else.


There will be transport going from portsmouth.

Tickets will be fifteen pounds waged,ten pounds unwaged.

More info contact:portsmouthuaf@gmail.com or tel:07954218281

Also see Facebook page:LMHR/UAF:Stop the EDL in Luton.

http://www.facebook.com/events/318043608250585/

Please get the word out .Remember to forward to Trade Unions
Community and faith groups etc.

Protest against March for England: Brighton,St. Georges day.April 22nd.

The racist March for England are holding another protest in Brighton this St.Georges day.This will attract the usual bunch of EDL,BNP ,NF and other assorted racist and fascist bigots.

It is important we get as large a mobilisation as possible to this. Whether we organise a minibus, coach or just sort out block booking on the train will depend on numbers. All those wishing to attend the counter protest please contact me on portsmouthuaf@gmail.com, or telephone: 07954218281.


No,to this sort of thing.

Let's go and celebrate the real multicultural and diverse Brighton.

Doreen Lawrence made President of Unite Against Fascism.

UAF is very proud to announce that Doreen Lawrence has agreed to become our honorary president.

Doreen is the mother of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered by racists in 1993.

The vicious murder took place in Eltham, south east London, near to the Welling headquarters of the Nazi British National Party.

Doreen has campaigned tirelessly for justice in the years since Stephen’s death. Gary Dobson and David Norris were finally convicted of his murder in January this year.

She also set up the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust to boost opportunities for disadvantaged young people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

In 2003 Doreen was awarded an OBE for services to community relations.

Portsmouth News "outs" EDL football coach.

Below an article from The Portsmouth News.

Nice bit of investigative journalism from Clare Semke.



"I'm not a racist at all" claims insists youth football manager.


By Clare Semke
Published on Friday 16 March 2012

A YOUTH football team manager is under investigation after racist and homophobic comments appeared on his Facebook page.


Hampshire Football Association and the FA are probing allegations made against Steve Clarke, who manages the under-15s squad at Havant and Waterlooville Youth FC.

Mr Clarke strongly denies making the offensive comments about Muslims and homosexuals and says the only explanation he can think of is that his profile on the social networking website was hacked.

The 45-year-old told The News he had been friends with youth team players on Facebook, which means they could have seen the posts online. He said he no longer has the Facebook account.

Mr Clarke, who has previously used an image of himself with young players as his profile picture on Facebook, said: ‘I can get a letter from every player [on the team] who can say I have never preached any racist or homophobic views.

‘I have never, ever, ever, ever, preached any racist or homophobic views to any of the team. Every single player in my team is prepared to write a letter to say they have never heard me say any of that. I’m not a racist at all.’

Mr Clarke said he had attended meetings of the English Defence League in Portsmouth after being invited along.

But he says he stopped attending after two meetings as he believed there was squabbling within the groups and that he is not a member of the organisation.

Mr Clarke added: ‘People who know me know I’m not racist and I’m not homophobic. I wouldn’t have a problem if anyone [on the team] was gay, as long as it didn’t affect football. I do think that two gay people is wrong. It’s my own feeling. But I wouldn’t go preaching to any of my players.’

Mr Clarke is still managing the youth team while the FA investigates. A Havant and Waterlooville Youth FC spokeswoman said: ‘Havant and Waterlooville Youth Football Club have passed all the information relating to the allegations to Hampshire FA who are investigating it further. We will continue to fully support Hampshire FA in their investigation.’

A Hampshire FA spokesman said: ‘Information was forwarded to Hampshire FA by Havant and Waterlooville Youth Football Club regarding allegations made about Steve Clarke on an internet blog. The matter is currently being investigated by Hampshire FA and the Football Association.’

Trevor Brock, secretary of Havant and Waterlooville FC, says the youth club has no links to the Hawks.

‘Havant and Waterlooville Football Club Ltd is a completely separate organisation and affiliated separately to this club,’ he said.

Meanwhile Hampshire police are investigating after Mr Clarke complained that he had received death threats.

A police spokesman said: ‘Police are investigating a report of nuisance communications targeting a 45-year-old man living in Havant.

‘An officer has spoken with the victim during the past week. Enquiries are continuing to identify and contact other members of the public who may have further information.’

Call Havant police on 101.


Campaign groups welcome FA’s investigation

GROUPS which are fighting racism and homophobia welcomed the Football Association’s decision to investigate the comments on Steve Clarke’s Facebook page.

Andy Wasley, of lesbian, gay and bisexual charity Stonewall, commended the FA for taking the allegations seriously.

Mr Wasley said: ‘We’re delighted to see the FA taking allegations of homophobic abuse so seriously.

‘In recent months we’ve seen a number of top-flight footballers disciplined for making insulting homophobic remarks on Twitter.

‘This investigation shows that our national game’s governing body knows it has to challenge discrimination at every level of the sport – from local youth sides to Premiership teams.’

A spokesman from the Kick It Out equality and inclusion campaign, which aims to kick racism out of football, added its support to the investigation into the Facebook comments, which Mr Clarke denies were posted by him.

‘For us as an organisation not only is it unacceptable to use racist and homophobic language but it mars the perception of the game,’ the spokesman said.

‘The damage it does is that people won’t want to engage or play the game.’

UAF Conference Reportback.

Delegates packed into UAF’s annual national conference to discuss the fight against racism an fascism in 2012.

The 440 delegates, including trade unionists, students, black and Asian activists and campaigners came from as far afield as Scotland to Conway Hall in London’s Red Lion Square.

Mobilisations
The conference heard UAF national officer Martin Smith set out the tasks in the months ahead. Antifascist mobilisations had seen the English Defence League confined and pushed back over the last 12 months, but there was no room for complacency, he said.

UAF would also focus on kicking the British National Party out of its remaining seats at the Local elections, with removing Richard Barnbrook – who was elected on a BNP ticket – from the Greater Lonon Assembly a key priority.

Antifascists would also target the British Freedom Party – a lash-up between disgruntled former BNP members and the EDL, Martin said.

Racism
The conference set the fight against fascism in the context of a climate of institutional and public racism. UAF joint secretary Weyman Bennett warned that institutional racism was ‘opening up’ space for the fascists.

A number of black and Muslim speakers, among others, highlighted the increasing level of public racism, whether directe at women wearing hijab or black footballers. Farooq Murad from the Muslim Council of Britain spoke out against politicians who ‘use Islamophobia to buy cheap votes’.

Former professional footballer Leroy Rosenior, from Show Racism the Red Card, made a moving speech that was a highlight of the day, discussing his own experience of racism and the need to take on racist – and homophobic – arguments.

Debate
Many speakers from the floor contributed to a lively but very fraternal debate over whether antifascists should call for EDL marches to be banned or not. All agreed that despite differing views on this question, we should all unite to mobilise on the streets against the fascists.

The conference also heard from Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary of the PCS civil service union, who paid tribute to Kevin Gately, who was killed on an antifascist demonstration in Red Lion Square – outside the conference hall – in 1974.

Communication Workers Union general ecretary Billy Hayes, National Union of Teachers deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney, Jeremy Corbyn MP, and student activists also among the speakers.

And Roma rights campaigners from Amnesty International and organisations in Hungary and Italy spoke at an international session.

EDL"s primary financial backer suspended from job in city.

by Tash Shifrin
A key strategist and funder behind the English Defence League has been suspended from his management post at a major international development bank.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development suspended Alan Ayling after he was named as the EDL founder who uses the alias ‘Alan Lake’.

The powerful bank was set up by international treaty to fund development and privatisation schemes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Reveal

We can reveal that Ayling is the manager in charge of the team that runs the EBRD’s Oracle databases – a post in which he is believed to earn around £70,000 a year, plus bonuses.

He was suspended after his ‘Lake’ identity became public at the end of last year.

‘Lake’ was named in the Sunday Times in December as 57-year-old Alan Ayling, who until January 2011 was a director of City investment fund Pacific Capital Investment Management, which was wound up in August.

He lives in a plush £500,000 flat in London’s prestigious Barbican development.

Well paid

But Ayling has a well paid City job as well as his former company directorship – and his political activity as a key figure in the shadowy network of far-right and Islamophobic groups who call themselves ‘counterjihadists’.

Ayling is no stranger to multiple identities. In 2009, he told a seminar organised by leading members of the fascist Sweden Democrats party:

You’ve got to have pseudonyms, you’ve got to have, you know, five email addresses, one for your friends, one for your counterjihad, one for your really extreme counterjihad comments, and all the rest of it.

As ‘Alan Lake’, Ayling has hosted and spoken at EDL demos. He has admitted funding the EDL, telling Norway’s TV2 channel: ‘I have given some money to help some EDL things happen.’

It was at Ayling’s Barbican flat that the EDL was established in 2009, according to disaffected founder member Paul Ray.

The founding meetings brought together Lake and the counterjihadists together with Ray, Stephen Yaxley Lennon – AKA ‘Tommy Robinson’, the former BNP member who now leads the EDL leader – and his cousin Kevin Carroll.

Breivik inquiry

Ayling has also been interviewed as a witness as part of the Norwegian police investigation into the massacre by fascist gunman Anders Behring Breivik.

Although Ayling/Lake denies having met Breivik, he has admitted meeting the deeply Islamophobic Norwegian blogger ‘Fjordman’ – real name Peder Jensen – who is cited repeatedly in the manifesto issued by Breivik.

‘Alan Lake’ has described Breivik’s massacre of 76 people, mainly members of a socialist youth camp, as chickens ‘come home to roost’ on his 4Freedoms website – remarks that sparked a bust-up with EDL leaders in August.

He has also used the site to issue predictions that the UK would fragment into ‘Islamic enclaves’ in 20 to 30 years’ time and discussed the possibility of executing prime minister David Cameron, his deputy, Nick Clegg, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ayling’s employer, the EBRD, has a sensitive position as an international agency charged with a political remit to encourage democracy as well as privatisation and market development.

The database manager’s suspension comes as the bank takes steps to expand into Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco – all with mainly Muslim populations.

A spokesperson for the bank said:

The EBRD became aware of various allegations made about a member of the bank’s staff in mid December.

The bank immediately launched an investigation into these allegations. The member of staff was suspended from duties pending the outcome of this investigation. The investigation is still ongoing.

Leeds
Meanwhile, Leeds City Council has suspended Chris Knowles from his post in the children’s services department after he was identified by UAF as ‘Aeneas’, another key “counterjihadist” backer of the EDL.

We revealed Knowles was director of the well funded US-based organisation, the Centre for Vigilant Freedom, which exists to promote Islamophobia internationally.

The CVF operates as the International Civil Liberties Alliance, whose website is run by Knowles in his ‘Aeneas’ guise. Knowles coordinates the CVF/ICLA’s European work from his West Yorkshire base.

Ray names Aeneas/Chris Knowles among the clique who met to set up the EDL. And Knowles has remained an important behind-the-scenes figure and a link between the EDL, the moneyed CVF strategists and other racist and far right groups internationally.

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said the authority was committed to equality and diversity and opposed to all forms of discrimination. She added that allegations against a member of staff were being taken very seriously.

A member of staff has been suspended while we undertake a thorough investigation. If there has been any breach of the council’s policies or code of conduct we will take appropriate action.

No Platform policy passed at Portsmouth University Students Union.

Portsmouth Students Union has just passed a No Platform policy.This has been achieved as the culmination of two years of campaigning by activists at the students union.

I don't think it appropriate to go into the arguments in depth here,for those interested there is an article on No Platform by john Molyneux on this blog which i would advise people to read.

What I think is pertinent to raise is the fact that No Platform having been under attack a few years ago is now accepted as common sense not just by the left but amongst a broad cross section of students.The people who argued against it were in a tiny minority.They also found themselves against Labour students Greens, SWSS and Conservatives.

Nick Griffins comments about the function of democratic debate within the BNPs overall strategy has informed most people of the Nazis approach to debate.
"The electors of Millwall did not back a post modernist rightist party, but what they perceived to be a strong, disciplined organisation with the ability to back up its slogan "Defend Rights for Whites" with well-directed boots and fists."

What makes Nazis different is their reliance upon steet violence as the primary method of gaining political power.Providing them with a platform merely gives them a veneer of respectability, which they desperately crave.

The Nazis have no more right to unfettered freedom of speech than I have the right to shout fire in a crowded theatre.

I don't for a minute believe that there are forces at UPSU who have any intention of inviting Fascists into the Union, but it will make people feel more confident the next time the EDL saunter into the Students Union as they have done in the past.

It is important to have passed this as it has put a marker down.It has made an important statement that will help to empower anti fascists.It also makes it clear that the union takes equal opportunities seriously.

Godfrey Atauhene the Education and democracy sabbatical Officer who proposed the motion should be warmly applauded for the leading role he has played in achieving this.As should all the students who turned up to achieve this.

Vigil in Guildhall Square: Portsmouth says No to the EDL!

The EDL are landing in Portsmouth on the 16th.Now they have not been given permission to march to the War Memorial, the mask is beginning to slip.Now they are saying they will march whether given permission or not and people had better get out of their way.

On their facebook pages some of their leading members are referring to the police as c***s and saying they will no longer speak to the police and they're going to riot.We should not be alarmed, by thursday they will be speaking again.It's all very familiar EDL brinkmanship and bullying.


The EDL have distinguished themselves by an ability to be both vicious and boring.


We will be having our event in Guildhall Square,a very different event to theirs.


Ours has the backing of Portsmouth Trades Council and a panoply of political and religious groups.


Our event will not be just an anti-Edl event.Ours will be a celebration of multi culturalism and diversity.


Let's turn Guildhall Square into Tehir Square,obviously ours will be a model village version .We can however take some inspiration from its energy and diversity.


We want to have political groups faith groups and community and trade unionists.


We need people to bring musical instruments, poems and prayers and if they wish to, to try to create art and music on the spot.

We need to create a positive alternative to their hate based politics by promoting a vibrant alternative.

Everybody needs to make sure their own communities,faith groups and friends and families turn this into a major event.


http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=104117486347293&ref=ts

For the attention of The English Defence League,and those who might be thinking of supporting their demonstration.

Letter from the Grandmother of a recently deceased Soldier.




"It has just come to my attention that Portsmouth City Council has recently granted permission for the English Defence League to parade through Guildhall Square on July 16th, in close proximity to the War Memorial.



I write to protest against this disgraceful decision which dishonours our service men and women who have given their lives in the fight against fascism and other extreme regimes, and those who are still putting their lives on the line, and to ask you to ensure that the Council changes its mind on the matter.



Many members of my family gave their lives or were gravely wounded in World Wars One and Two; last month my beloved grandson, Royal Marine Sam Alexander, MC was killed in Afghanistan,where he was fighting,as he firmly believed, to save the people there, especially the women, from the oppression of the Taliban. All of them would have been appalled by the Council's action.



Despite what they would have us believe, the EDL has at its centre a hard core of dedicated fascists. It is is simply inconceivable that such people should be allowed anywhere near the War Memorial.



My family have many connections with Portsmouth, I started my married life to a Naval Officer there, and Sam grew up in Hamble. I simply cannot believe that, in the county I love, the hard-core Nazis,the hooligans and the misguided of the EDL should be allowed to flaunt themselves anywhere near a War Memorial."



Angela Kirby (Dr)



Postscript:Permission has not been given,but the EDL are currently haggling for it.

Jewish woman leaves English Defence League over its Nazi members.

Even a complete whack-job like Roberta Moore can no longer stomach the EDL.

From the Jewish Chronicle
by Jennifer Lipman

The hardline activist at the forefront of the "Jewish Division" of the extreme right-wing English Defence League has announced that she does not wish to be a part of it any longer because of Nazi elements within it.

Roberta Moore, who has led the Jewish Division since it was launched more than a year ago, was accused earlier this month of being a divisive figure in the EDL.

Ms Moore had attempted to co-ordinate her efforts with those of the far-right American Jewish Task Force, whose leader Victor Vancier has been imprisoned for terrorism offences. The move, in February, was heavily criticised by the EDL leadership.

In a statement which she posted on Facebook, the Brazilian-born Ms Moore said she had been offered work on "an international level" elsewhere and so had decided to step down from the Jewish Division.

Although she described the EDL as "doing a fantastic job" she said the party had been hijacked by elements who wanted to use it "for their own Nazi purposes".

Ms Moore said she still supported the EDL leaders and "all the genuine patriots out there who struggle to get their voices heard" but added that she no longer wished to be a part of it.

"I sincerely hope that the leaders will get the strength to squash the Nazis within," she said.

"They will destroy this movement if allowed to remain."

Mark Gardner, from the Community Security Trust, said: "This latest development shows, yet again, why Jews should not be involved in such circles."

Protest Against The English Defence League March July 16th.

A peaceful EDL demo.


Vigil against the EDL
Provisional details 12.00 noon. Guildhall Square.

The situation is still extremely confused,and we are still unsure what has been decided.From what we can gather the EDL are not to be allowed to have a wreath laying at the war memorial-but are to be allowed to march across the square.

After having been given assurances that the EDL would be denied use of council property, it now appears they have been given access to everything.


Below is a comment made by one of their demo organisers posted on our facebook page.

Jaco English

"By the way - The whole Demo has been 'sanctioned' :) We are working closely with the council, who have also given us Victoria Park to hold our Demo. They have also given us full use of coach parking in the city, free of charge. Your cries are falling on deaf ears, you deluded bunch - People agree with us, they relate to us. You are gaining no support - Time to call it a day :)"

Portsmouth Council take a bow.


We will be demanding use of Guildhall Square for an anti-racist vigil.
If we are denied this and forced to go elsewhere we want people to ask why they are being treated with such largesse.

However we assert our right to assemble in our own square.

Please write to the council and The Portsmouth News to ask what the hell is going on.

No EDL at Portsmouth War Memorial .No EDL in Guildhall Square.

In the last couple of years the EDL have sieg heiled defecated and vomited their way accross the city centres of many towns.Now they want to pay us a visit.

The policy of UAF has remained the same,if they are given town squares we have national mobilisations against them.If it appears they are having their rally at the war memorial inevitably that is what will happen.

Their conduct is well known and it hardly needs to be discussed further.However,the tactics in dealing with their right to protest possibly do.

In recent months rather than allowing them to take over city centres and effectively close them for the local community ,they have been pushing their events into car parks and outskirts facilities.

This has had the effect of making their events less attractive and allowing everyone else to get on with their lives.

Last week in Dewsbury they did much the same and it minimised the impact of their presence considerably.The idea of them at The Guildhall War Memorial would be a huge step backwards.Apart from the fact that it would be unacceptable due to the large number of EDL who have fascist sympathies to use it as a platform,it would give a huge boost to them in giving them the focus they so desperately crave and would pull more of them into Portsmouth from far afield.

The other more salient point would be; What message does it send out? Some would see it as almost a reward for their conduct outside the Jami mosque before christmas,when fireworks, broken bottles bricks and roofslates were thrown at the people who turned out to defend the Mosque.

They haven't even waited for permission they are already publicising this event.This is also the same night as the graduation ball, and they are known for their hatred of students.Their wannabee Fuhrer Tommy Robinson,or whatever he's calling himself this week, seems to think they have a God given right to march anywhere,and that people should adapt to his plans.

At one point last year they were squealing that the incidents outside the Jami Mosque were nothing to do with them.Now it seems things have changed.




The promotional video for their demonstration,above,includes images of the disgraceful scenes outside the Jami Mosque last year.This begs certain questions.

Exactly what kind of people are they trying to attract?

Exactly what will be the nature of their event?

The Guildhall is about 10-15 minutes from the Jami Mosque,and on previous occasions they have broken through police barriers and rioted.To say this is cause for unease would be a masterpiece of understatement.

The presence of the EDL in the town centre is unacceptable.
UAF have protested about the nature of this event at the war memorial ,as has Portsmouth Trades council.
We urge everyone to write to their councillors, the Police, their local MPs and the media to voice their concerns and to demand this event is moved out of the town centre.