Swastikas sprayed on walls and windows of Redditch mosque during break-in

“MEETINGS are to take place between police and Muslim leaders after a Redditch mosque was attacked and racist graffiti, including swastikas, was painted on the building.

The damage at the mosque in Jinnah Road was caused between 2am and shortly before 4.30am this morning, when it was discovered by a targeted police patrol.

Graffiti including swastikas had been sprayed onto walls and at least six windows, using paint taken from builders’ cabins on the site, which is still under construction.

Photo from BBC news website

Entry to the site was forced via a gate and the intruders then broke into the main building. It is not known at this stage whether anything has been stolen.

Police have informed mosque representatives and are currently guarding the site and carrying out local reassurance patrols. Forensic examinations are ongoing.

North Worcestershire police commander, Superintendent Kevin Purcell, said: “For as long as I can remember the relationship between the Muslim community in Redditch, the police and the wider community would best be described as excellent.

Photo from BBC news website

“Due to incidents happening nationally targeted patrols have been put in place and these will now be further increased as we will not tolerate mindless attacks of this nature.

“I will be arranging meetings with the chairs of the mosques, local civic leaders and the Independent Advisory Group to reassure them of our commitment and determination to do everything possible to prevent any further such incidents and track down those responsible for this attack.”

Link

Meanwhile in Worcester..

Two women subjected to “vile tirade” of racist abuse

 Do you know man who racially assaulted taxi driver?

 New image of man who racially assaulted taxi driver in Worcester

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

“UKIP county councillor Eric Kitson facing the sack for posting racist comments on Facebook”

Eric Kitson ‘racist comments’

A NEW UKIP councillor in Worcestershire has sparked fury amid allegations he unleashed a series of racist abuse online.

Eric Kitson, who won a seat in Stourport just 11 days ago, is facing the sack today over a cartoon of a Muslim being spit-roasted on a fire fuelled by copies of the Koran on his Facebook page.

In one comment, which was believed to have been posted since becoming a councillor, he said in reference to Muslim women: “Hang um all first then ask questions later.”

A raft of anti-Jewish remarks have also appeared on his Facebook site, and in a separate post he has called for the repatriation of “six million migrants and refugees”.

There was also false claims posted on his site that the Rothschild banking dynasty had controlled Nazi Germany’s leader Adolf Hitler.

His Facebook page has also called for Muslim women to be hanged, suggested Islam is “a cancer” that should be eradicated “with nuclear weapons” and expressd support for UKIP leader Nigel Farage teaming up with BNP boss Nick Griffin.

His site also called for the world to “unite against Islam” and supports the far-right English Defence League.

The pages have been re-published on a website called Stand for Peace, which has condemned his actions.

The Muslim community has called the rants “sickening” and a petition is being circulated around mosques tonight calling for his removal.

Councillor Adrian Hardman, the leader of Worcestershire County Council, said: “This looks like criminal activity because he’s inciting racial hatred – he should do the honourable thing and resign because he has brought shame on the county.”

The attacks are currently being investigated by UKIP HQ in London, and have been condemned as “disgusting” by senior figures at Worcestershire County Council this morning.

Councillor Kitson has only just been through training for being an elected politician, and is one of four UKIP members to have just been elected to the authority for the first time ever.

If he is removed from his position it would be the shortest spell any elected politician has ever had in County Hall – and would trigger a by-election.

A UKIP spokesman told the Worcester News: “The party is looking into it because we need to find out exactly what has gone on here.

“We don’t want to dismiss him outright until we investigate it.

“Our understanding is that he has offered to resign over it, but we need to establish what’s happened.

“A conversation will be taking place and if we find out he has behaved inappropriately, he would have to go.”

Councillor Peter McDonald, leader of Worcestershire’s Labour group, said: “These remarks are disgusting and it brings the whole office of being a councillor into disrepute.

“It’s a terrible mess, he has let himself down, the council down, and the voters who elected him in down – they did not vote for this.

“It’s terribly sad and pretty shocking what he has done – this man is now an elected councillor.”

The authority has already had one request for the Standards Committee to investigate, and has released a statement in the last few minutes.

Simon Mallinson, head of legal and democratic services, said: “Whilst we would avoid commenting on any individual case at this stage, elected members are expected to comply with the council’s code of conduct when they act in their role as county councillors.

“Any complaint that this code has been breached when acting in such a role will be carefully considered.”

Coun Kitson has yet to respond to calls from the press, nor has Wyre Forest’s UKIP branch.

Muslim Mumshad Ahmed, a former county councillor, said: “I am sickened and disgusted by this, I cannot believe the hatred he is creating.

“I will be taking a petition around mosques tonight to get people to sign it, this man is doing something very dangerous – when a Koran was burned there was riots around the world.

“I cannot see why he’s done this.”

Link

See the rest of Kitson’s facebook posts here

Dismal times for BNP scum in local elections

Results from yesterday’s local elections.

Riverside, Worcester: Whitwam, BNP – 32 Majority Geraghty, Con – 999

Nunnery, Worcester: Mason, BNP – 201  Majority Agar, Lab – 1059

St John, Worcester: Draper, BNP – 86 Majority Udall, Labour – 982

Bedwardine, Worcester Whitwam, BNP – 16  Majority Prodger, Cons – 847

Evesham South: Hartland, BNP – 220  Majority Banks, Cons – 945

Bromsgrove South: Dolphin, BNP – 163  Majority Bloore, Lab/Co-op – 1088

Bromsgrove West: Smith, BNP – 145 Majority Mallet, Lab/co op – 1200

Bromsgrove east: Bates, BNP – 19 Majority Taylor, Cons – 952

Bromsgrove Central: Llewellyn, BNP – 29 Majority Blagg, Cons – 835

Alvechurch: Murphy, BNP – 12 Majority Griffiths, Cons – 709

Clent Hills: Dolphin, BNP – 11 Majority Jenkins, Ind – 1388

Wythall: Tomkinson, BNP – 90 Majority Peters, Wythall RA – 1083

Beacon: Wainwright, BNP – 173 Majority McDonald, Lab – 1374

St Chads: North, BNP – 25 Majority Oborski, Liberal/KLLT – 767

Majorities for UKIP scum in St Mary’s, Redditch south, Arrow valley east and Stourport on severn.

More local results as they come in here (Worcester evening news)

*For the record: 3CAFA states that all political parties are scum and not to be trusted. “We are led by fools who waste our lives” (punk slogan)

“Banning order following fan’s racist outburst at Harriers game”

A FOOTBALL fan who made racist comments to a Kidderminster Harriers player has been banned from attending UK matches for the next three years.

Nathan Sprengel made the comments to Harriers striker Amari Morgan-Smith during the side’s clash with Alfreton Town at Aggborough last month.

The 34-year-old defendant, of Woodfield Road, South Normanton, Derbyshire, received the Football Banning Order after admitting racially aggravated harassment at Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court.

Sprengel, who was in the away end during the match, also received a £470 fine and was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £47 victim surcharge.

The abuse was reported to the referee in charge of the Blue Square Bet Conference Premier clash which Harriers won 3-1.

Shortly after the match, Morgan-Smith tweeted: “So was racially abused today when will this stuff stop.”

Both clubs were said to have “co-operated fully” with the joint West Mercia Police and the Derbyshire Constabulary investigation.

“We take the use of racist language and behaviour extremely seriously,” said Wyre Forest District Inspector Paul Crowley.

“It is completely unacceptable and, as this case shows, we will take action against offenders.

 “Both clubs have co-operated fully with the investigation as, like us, they understand racism has no place in today’s game and the importance of kicking it out of football all together.”

Article from the Worcester Evening News

“Attacker racially abused victim then hit him with pool cue”

“AN argument over playing pool in a Worcestershire pub led a 31-year-old man to racially abuse another man and hit him on the head with a cue.

Christopher Spires, of Churchill Road, Sedgeberrow, Evesham, was jailed for nine months after the court was told he swore at Gideon George and made references to him being black.

Alex Warren, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court Mr George had gone to Ruby Jack’s, Bewdley Street, Evesham, on August 30 last year with friends.

They put money on the pool table for three games but during the first one, Spires started leaning on the table and nudging Mr George as he played.

When the game finished, Mr George started to set up the next one but Spires said it was his turn and made a racist comment. He then grabbed Mr George’s cue, reversed it and swung it with both hands, hitting him with the thicker end just above the left eye.

Mr George took hold of the cue and they both fell to the floor before being separated.

As police led Spires away, he saw Mr George, who needed three stitches to the cut, and shouted “I’m glad your face got smashed in,” and made more racist comments. He then spat towards Mr George, who said in a victim statement he was now wary of going out at night in Evesham.

 Nicholas Roberts, defending, said Spires was deeply ashamed of his actions.

He had drunk eight cans of beer and some brandy and whisky on the night of the incident. He said Spires was not a racist and would not have made the comments if he had not been drinking.

“He accepts his comments were deeply offensive,” Mr Roberts said.

The court was told that he had 27 convictions for 87 offences but the majority of these were thefts to finance his 10-year heroin and crack cocaine habit, which he was now taking steps to tackle.

Spires pleaded guilty at South Worcestershire Magistrates Court to the offences in December and was committed for sentence.

He was given six months for assault causing actual bodily harm and three months consecutively for racial harassment.”

Worcester evening news

Racists butcher family’s pet rabbit and leave remains in garden of house in Kidderminster, Worcestershire

“Police are urging witnesses to come forward as they investigate a ‘hate campaign’ against families in the Sutton Park area of Kidderminster who have had racially offensive signs put up outside their homes and one of their pets killed.

Crimestoppers has now offered a £2,000 reward to help track down the offenders following an escalation in incidents of harassment directed at the families concerned in Tomkinson Drive and neighbouring Lister Road.

Detective Inspector Dean Jones of Kidderminster CID said there had been sporadic incidents over the past 18 months during which signs had been placed outside properties which were abusive, racist, and threatening. There had also been instances of criminal damage with paint thrown at brickwork and fluid substances poured over cars.

Overnight between Tuesday (29 May) and Wednesday (30 May) last week one of two pet rabbits which had only just been bought was found cut up in the garden of one of the families being targeted. The animal had been removed from the hutch where it was kept and after being killed it was left in open view of the house. Another racially offensive sign appeared in an alleyway near the same property overnight between Friday (1 June) and Saturday (2 June).

 Det Insp Jones said that an ongoing investigation had resulted in three arrests but there had been insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution.

Despite high visibility police patrols the problem had escalated in recent weeks.

Det Insp Jones said: “These despicable and mindless offences amount to a hate campaign with no regard for the victims and their wider families – and that includes young children.

“Understandably it has caused considerable distress to the families concerned who are at a loss as to why they should be targeted in the way that they have been. They are desperate for us to get to the bottom of it and we are determined to bring the person or people responsible to justice.

“We are convinced that this is a local issue and that someone in the neighbourhood will know who is responsible for these crimes or has seen something that could help solve this case. I would urge them to come forward now and tell us what they know.”

To help the investigation the independent charity Crimestoppers has offered up to £2,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the inquiry. To be eligible for the reward information must be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via a secure online form which can be found on their website at http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/.

Information can also be given to detectives at Kidderminster CID on 101.”

Source

BNP suffer massive defeat in Worcester

Carl Martin Mason the British National Party candidate for the Nunnery ward in Worcester suffered a massive defeat last night in the local elections by only managing to scrape together a pathetic (but very heartening!) 150 votes compared with overall winner’s Labour who took 1011 votes.

The conservatives also lost overall control of the city.

Last month Mr Mason and an equally rabid sidekick stormed into the Worcester college of Technology demanding that the college flew a union jack outside the building rather than an EU flag. The pair quickly scarpered when security were called.

“Rachel Gower, head of communications at Worcester College of Technology, returned to her office to find Carl Mason and another man waiting to film him presenting her with the nation’s flag. She called the stunt an “act of intimidation.”