Update: “Police seize computer and search home of UKIP’s Eric Kitson”

UKIP’s Eric Kitson

“POLICE have raided the house of a UKIP politician embroiled in a race hate storm – as he confirmed his formal resignation as a councillor is taking place today.

Officers from West Mercia Police have searched the Stourport-based home of Eric Kitson and seized his computer to gather evidence for a possible prosecution.

The 59-year-old has not been arrested, but has been voluntarily interviewed about the saga of his anti-Muslim, anti-Jewish Facebook rants.

He will formally resign as a councillor at 4pm today – despite only winning a seat at Worcestershire County Council 13 days ago.

It means his spell at County Hall is the shortest of any elected politician in the authority’s history, and will trigger a by-election.

A statement released on his behalf by UKIP said: “It is with sadness that I am announcing my resignation as a councillor.

“I am extremely sorry to have let down my friends, the people in the hardworking UKIP team that got me elected, the people of Stourport, and of course my family.

“Like many people who are not professional politicians I used my Facebook page a general post board.

“That was foolish – I am no racist, but I can understand why people could think so.”

 The UK Independence Party say a meeting is due in the coming days of its decision-making National Executive Committee, which is almost certain to revoke his membership too.

He was outed over the weekend for filling his now-deleted Facebook page with a host of racist images and cartoons.

Among the most shocking was a cartoon of a Muslim being spit-roasted on a fire fuelled by copies of the Koran.

He also made comments referring to Muslim women, saying “hang um first then ask questions later” and called for the repatriation of “six million migrants and refugees”.

West Mercia Police had received complaints from the public over the saga, and acted by searching his home last night.

A spokesman said: “Eric Kitson, from Stourport, was voluntarily interviewed by officers from West Mercia Police over concerns raised by the public about allegedly offensive and racist comments made on social media.

“A computer was seized and a property in Stourport searched by police for evidence gathering purposes.

“A file has been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration.”

Police have also taken a statement from Mumshad Ahmed, a Muslim former county councillor, who wants him prosecuted for inciting racial hatred.”

Link

Further reading: “More Ukip horror as investigation exposes racist abuse”

Latest (mainstream): 12.06.13:  Support for UKIP plummets by A THIRD – leaving them tied with the Lib Dems, poll reveals

Update on Kitson: Defeated councillor John Thomas wins Stourport by-election

40 EDL knuckledraggers in Redditch flop

“DESPITE some early unrest and a number of arrests the EDL march passed off largely peacefully. Around 40 EDL supporters gathered for an assembly at the bandstand and about 200 counter demonstrators gathered in Easemore Road.

By the time the assemblies had dispersed there had been only three arrests – one for a breach of the peace and two on suspicion of assault.They were all men and believed to have been attached to the counter EDL demonstration. All three were taken to a police station in Worcestershire.

After listening to speeches at the bandstand, EDL supporters were escorted by police back to the railway station where they had arrived earlier. Counter demonstrators then held a short gathering at the bandstand before dispersing.

Superintendent Adrian Pass of West Mercia Police said: “There were very few problems during the build-up to and during the assemblies and there have been no reports of damage to property. “The success of the operation is due to a number of factors, not least the support from partner agencies who helped in preparing the town for  today’s event and the fantastic co-operation we have had from the public.

“A significant number of officers and staff were involved in policing the protest and we would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of our colleagues from British Transport Police and neighbouring forces who were involved.

We are grateful for their support.” Superintendent Pass said that in the main supporters of both rallies had been good natured and officers had encountered very few problems. He said: “I realise that this has been a challenging time for everybody but the fact that the demonstrations have passed off largely without incident vindicates the decisions taken by us and our partners while planning our operation.

“What arrests there have been have followed isolated incidents and our officers on the ground responded to these and dealt with them quickly and robustly. “This was a great effort by the whole community and it is a tribute to all those involved that the town is calm and everything is returning to normal so quickly.””

Report taken from The Redditch Advertiser ..pics from elsewhere.

Update – There are now plans to set-up a Redditch Against Fascism group according to this article in The Redditch Standard.