Monthly Archives: June 2012

Chester-le-Street EDL pleads guilty to throwing firecracker at teen.

A supporter of the English Defence League has admitted throwing a firecracker into a crowd of anti-Jubilee protesters after he was caught on camera by Sky Tyne and Wear.

Anthony Crawford, 22, of Elmway, Chester-le-Street, admitted guilty to lighting a firecracker before throwing it into a group of demonstrators at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle on June 4, 2012.

The incident took place when a crowd of more than 100 English Defence League and National Front members moved in to intimidate and attack a small group of anti-Jubliee peaceful protestors. EDL members were also seen making Nazi salutes.

Since its inception in June 2009, the English Defence League has made a number of claims about what it stands for and what it is trying to achieve.  Let us examine some of those claims in light of the news story above.

The EDL has claimed on numerous occasions that it is an organisaton solely opposed to Islamic extremism. Yet on Monday 4th June 2012 members of the EDL viciousy attacked a peaceful demonstration in Newcastle, which had absolutely nothing to do with Islamic extremism.

The EDL has also claimed that it is a peaceful organisation. Yet, as in the example above, violence seems to follow the EDL wherever it goes, whether it be Luton, Blackburn or up here in Newcastle. And this is not a one off. EDL supporters have been accused of attacking the Peacefully protesting Occupy Newcastle camp at the monument last November and also Union members. 

The EDL claims to defened British and English values. Two of the most important of those are the right to the peaceful expression of one’s views and the tolerance which is the cornerstone of our democracy. The appalling, intolerant reaction of members of the EDL to the demonstration at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle in June, seems to have more in common with the fascist policies of hardline Islamic regimes, such as that in Iran, than anything to do with English or British values.

The news story above highlights yet again just how un-English, intolerant, violent and hypocritical the EDL really are.
See: Sky News

Hope Not Hate

Civil Liberty Or Just Old Fashioned Anti Semitism?

Ex North East BNP has belittled the death of half a million Jews during world war two.
Scott initially posted an online newspaper article entitled ” Hungarian Jews seek removal of anti-Semitic writers from curriculum” The article refers to Hungarian Jews calling for the removal of four anti-Semitic authors off the Hungarian national high school curriculum.As an introduction Scott posted “The last time ethnic Jews shouted the odds in Hungary after the First World War it didn’t end well!” This is a reference to the 500,000 Jews massacred in Hungary during World War Two.

It is interesting to see how numerous long-standing BNP activists, such as Kevin Scott, are returning to their anti-Semitic roots now that the BNP is in terminal decline. It certainly seems to prove what a lot of us said for years: that behind the neat suits and forced smiles, the BNP have always been nothing but a rabble of fascists, whose real views run counter to the fair-minded traditions of the people of North-east England and Britain as a whole.

Scott’s anti-semitic views also remind us of the views of the odious Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists, who came to North-east England with the BUF and wound up being chased out of North Shields and Benwell.       

See Hope Not Hate

Youth found guilty after hurling racist abuse at shopkeeper

A CUSTOMER hurled race-hate abuse at a shopkeeper after he was refused the sale of alcohol.Newcastle Crown Court heard that Michael Mullen threatened to attack the employee of a petrol station and began a tirade of insults against at the shop worker in relation to his race. Unfortunately for Mullen, the incident was witnessed by an off-duty police worker who was also subject to abuse by Mullen.

Mullen, of Lily Crescent, Whitburn, admitted to the racially aggravated public order offence and received four months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with supervision.

See: Sunderland Echo

Durham University research finds racism is a major problem in the North East

Racism has been identified as a major problem for the North East, according to Durham university’s newcastlelatest research.
It concludes that North East areas targeted by right-wing extremists are particular worrying, and that North-East of England is 40 years behind the rest of the country in terms of attitude to race.
The study identified that many of the racist incidents were not taking place exclusively in regions with high BME populations.

The report revealed that some community organisations have helped to make improvements, but the situation is still very worrying for some, particularly in areas which are targeted by right-wing extremists.

One response to the study said that women in traditional clothes in a city indoor shopping centre had been spat at, verbally abused and had their hair scarves pulled off.

This research shows that the North east organisations and individuals need to continue vital work in combatting extremist right wing groups such as the English Defence League and challenge their hateful and destructive views.

For further information in fighting far right extremism in the North East, contact TWAFA or make a donation.

See Sunderland Echo
Daily Mail

Jarrow racist back in court for 2nd attack on same Asian Shopkeeper

Racist thug Natalie Dodsworth is today back behind bars after launching another race hate tirade on the same shopkeeper she targeted 18 months ago.

Dodsworth 30, of no fixed address, was handed a 12-month prison sentence for biting Balwant Singh and trashing his off licence on High Street, Jarrow, in January last year, when he told her she could not bring her dog into the store. Mr Singh’s two young sons also witnessed the attack.

The court heard that Dodsworth vowed she would petrol bomb the shop to get her own back. She received a restraining order banning her from contacting Mr Singh or going within 100 yards of his shop.

Dodsworth has three previous convictions for biting people. In 2005 she sank her teeth into two paramedics trying to tend to her, in 2006 she bit a man on the chest and in 2008 she bit a man on the forearm. She was also jailed in 2009 after being convicted of making a false rape claim.

Yet again we see the consequences of someone from our region making the wrong choice and deciding to disregard our reputation for warmth and friendliness, for tolerance and decency.

It is difficult to say anything new about yet another sad and sorry tale of somebody allowing the worst side of their character to take over and end up acting in an appalling and totally unacceptable manner.

 This much however, is clear. The message from this case, as it has been from numerous others, comes across loud and strong. If anybody in North-east England allows racism to poison their mind and hatred to fill their soul, then the inevitable consequence, sooner or later is, a prison sentence.

 One has to wonder how many more pathetic news stories like this we will have to comment on, before that simple message gets home to each and every member of our communities here in North-east England.

One can only now hope that Natalie Dodsworth gets the help she clearly needs in prison and reflects seriously on those actions which have now seen her twice imprisoned for appalling racist behaviour.  Perhaps she can put all this behind her and move on, and in the process redeem herself. Let’s hope so.  If not then Natalie must surely know the consequences.  The path of racism, the way of hatred is nothing but the road to nowhere – except a custodial sentence that is.

See Shields Gazette

Evening Chronicle