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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/17/football-lads-alliance-secret-facebook-page-racism-violence-sexism
The Football Lads Alliance, the group behind marches against what they call “Islamist extremists”, uses a secret Facebook page full of violent, racist and misogynistic posts, targeting Sadiq Khan and Diane Abbott, as well as playing down the crimes of the Finsbury Park mosque attacker, Darren Osborne.
The Observer has gained access to the FLA’s 65,000-strong Facebook group in the run-up to its planned march “against extremism” in Birmingham on 24 March, which anti-racists fear could be the UK’s biggest ever Islamophobic mobilisation.
The page, which is invite-only and monitored by a team of administrators, states the FLA are “not fascist thugs” but includes posts by members calling for Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor, to be “hanged” and for Abbott, Britain’s first black female MP, to be “run over”. There are also posts claiming mosque attacker Osborne is a “scapegoat” and suggesting he was right to plot to kill Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The findings come after Facebook removed the pages of Britain First, the far-right group, for repeatedly violating its community standards and sending out anonymous anti-Muslim letters to addresses across the country.
Tottenham Hotspur supporter and former hooligan John Meighan, who founded the FLA after the London Bridge terror attack and led a march of thousands of fans through the streets of London last October, insists the group is made up of ordinary supporters opposed to all forms of extremism. But the main speaker in Birmingham is the rightwing former Ukip leadership candidate Anne Marie Waters, who calls Islam “evil” and has links to an ex-member of the far-right British National party.
FLA members posted this month that Khan was “the enemy within” and a “Trojan horse” who should be hanged “as a warning to all”. Others called Khan a “traitor”.
The Football Lads Alliance, the group behind marches against what they call “Islamist extremists”, uses a secret Facebook page full of violent, racist and misogynistic posts, targeting Sadiq Khan and Diane Abbott, as well as playing down the crimes of the Finsbury Park mosque attacker, Darren Osborne.
The Observer has gained access to the FLA’s 65,000-strong Facebook group in the run-up to its planned march “against extremism” in Birmingham on 24 March, which anti-racists fear could be the UK’s biggest ever Islamophobic mobilisation.
The page, which is invite-only and monitored by a team of administrators, states the FLA are “not fascist thugs” but includes posts by members calling for Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor, to be “hanged” and for Abbott, Britain’s first black female MP, to be “run over”. There are also posts claiming mosque attacker Osborne is a “scapegoat” and suggesting he was right to plot to kill Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The findings come after Facebook removed the pages of Britain First, the far-right group, for repeatedly violating its community standards and sending out anonymous anti-Muslim letters to addresses across the country.
Tottenham Hotspur supporter and former hooligan John Meighan, who founded the FLA after the London Bridge terror attack and led a march of thousands of fans through the streets of London last October, insists the group is made up of ordinary supporters opposed to all forms of extremism. But the main speaker in Birmingham is the rightwing former Ukip leadership candidate Anne Marie Waters, who calls Islam “evil” and has links to an ex-member of the far-right British National party.
FLA members posted this month that Khan was “the enemy within” and a “Trojan horse” who should be hanged “as a warning to all”. Others called Khan a “traitor”.
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As one of the highest-profile black women in parliament and a critic of the FLA, Abbott is a regular target on the page. FLA members last month repeatedly demanded that Labour’s British-born shadow home secretary “should be deported” and shared explicit racist memes.
There is a constant stream of sexist and racist references to Abbott’s appearance, with FLA members asserting, without challenge from the administrators, she is “a primate with lipstick”, “fat pig” and “bitch”. Meighan denied the group was rightwing and said he did not condone racism or sexism. “Anyone who shows any form of racism is expelled straight away. We have moderators who remove people,” he said. He said he had invited Waters as a specialist on Islamic terrorism. “We are not against moderate Muslims. We are worried about people carrying out extremist attacks,” he said. FLA members were “frustrated” with Abbott and Khan, Meighan said. He said Abbott was a regular critic of the FLA and claimed she was racist towards white people. “That is why people have taken offence to her,” he said. “It has been proven that she is actually racist herself so you need to [do] a little bit of investigation into that, around white people.” Meighan confirmed he had been banned from all football grounds for three years in 2006 but said he was a family man now: “It’s 12 years ago. It’s hardly worth reporting it.” Abbott said the threats had to be taken seriously, following the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox by a far-right extremist in 2016: “They are inciting racial hatred. Both Sadiq and myself are black and minority ethnic politicians. It is actually quite frightening ... because we know with Jo Cox that anything could happen.” Weyman Bennett from Stand Up to Racism, which is planning a counter-demonstration in Birmingham, said the FLA was like the EDL before it morphed into a violent street movement that brought chaos to towns and cities across the country. “They are the EDL mark two, except they are much bigger and have tried to learn the lessons of the EDL. They have hidden a lot of their views. That is why they are in a closed Facebook group.” |
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Unfortunately these types of groups will always be attractive to tiny elements of racists.
Look at the problems that TR had keeping them out of the EDL. It is media and governments way of shaming the wider public from avoiding protesting about terror and the grooming gangs. The middle classes will never march with them until this stigma is removed and because that the problems will never be addressed. Politicians who support playing the issue down are untouchable. Anyone of them that speaks out is removed. Lord Pearson is right. The EU was only taken on when UKIP forced the Tories to act through the ballot box. It is the same for this issue. |
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Never ever oppose mainstream moral high ground 'progressive' theory. You can loose your job speaking out. Telford is only one of many issues currently being played down and any one not following the agenda is passe and ridiculed. It really is quite that simple.
The guardian is a oily rag(I rather like that). In large part they ignore anything that doesn't suit their 'lives matter' and 'me too'(the rich elite love them, but have nothing in common with the issues that women face every day trying to survive.# Etc etc- But these people grab the limelight and are constantly thrust at you on the televisual experience daily so that you learn the message. They brook no interference - you won't get in a word edgeways or be constantly interrupted on tv news. Watch it and see the bias. ho ho  |
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It is media and governments way of shaming the wider public from avoiding protesting about terror and the grooming gangs.
Good grief |
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That's the sort of country that the politicians have created, its inevitable.
Can only become worse as history shows, multicultural societies are always more violent |
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pp,
Jack Straw was condemned when he pointed it out in 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12142177 Sarah Champion had to leave the Shadow Cabinet for speaking out in 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/02/sarah-champion-labours-floppy-left-falls-silent-when-issues-touch-on-race If MPs and Peers are denounced they when they speak out it is left to the working class as the only voice left. And unfortunately however hard people like TR try to keep racist elements out it is very difficult. |
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The politicians wont listen , its important that we don't listen to their nonsense or anything that the guardian prints, everything it says can be discounted as lies
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I suggest they stop bleating when things go wrong, they caused it
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Now if they want things to improve in this country I am afraid its probably impossible
They should have listened to people like the FLA a long time ago |
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An interview taken on the FLA march through London last October... The 2nd woman (50 seconds onwards) is so articulate and on point...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrAb26T4f5o Doesn't fit the narrative though does it... |
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That woman lux speaks more sense than any political figure ( betting without Nigel)i have ever heard.A shining beacon who will NEVER be allowed to express her views on shows such as QT.What a pity only a few people will hear her words of wisdom.
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Can't be very secret if it has 65,000 members
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She speaks total sense. It is I believe the general view held by the majority of non Muslims
Here's the thing. If you have 65,000 members it's not secret. If you have 65,000 members, some of those members will hold extreme views especially given the circumstances we live in. The Guardian pointing out a few threatening posts to suggest all group members hold similar beliefs is hypocrisy in the extreme. We are told time and again that not all Muslims are terrorists, or opposed to democracy and freedom of speech (although I believe a large proportion of Muslims are opposed to democracy and free speech). Very few are terrorists thankfully. I can't recall any mainstream publication suggesting we ban Islam. Be fair, be equal, be open, and consider the other sides view. The only way things will ever get better. Hypocrisy and double standards will only ever make things worse. |
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clydebank - there are well known surveys that show some rather shocking views amongst a group that must not be mentioned.
Particularly towards women, violence, law etc. |
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Lux, that video should be on mainstream television,this truth is what has them running...
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Why blame little Khan and Diane Abbott?
They're only doing their jobs and following the agenda that's been set out for them. The ones you should blame are the smooth talking politicians and people in the media who called everybody racists for opposing immigration. How many of them care anything at all about how ordinary people have to live? And now they're busy covering up their wrongdoings, by suppressing the news and snuffing out protest groups before they get a good foothold. |
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If the establishment ignore the people's concerns, the people will act.
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Yes flush,
They should start by identifying the politicians who got us into this mess. And stop voting for them at elections. When a right-winger stands as a candidate - give them your vote instead. That's the way to shake 'em up. |
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Do the Guardian cover Marches in places like Luton ,where billboards with the words "death to infidels are carried" ?
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I know people who wont go to London because they fear Islamist terror attacks. It is not unreasonable to be concerned about Islamist terrorists in London! That doesn't make you racist!
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There was a phone- in on BBC Radio London last week asking the question " why are tourist numbers down by 20%"
The BBC line was because its so expensive.A number of callers pointed to the terrorist attacks and feeling like a stranger in a foreign country.The presenter was having none of it and accused them of being "kinda racist" AND THERE IN A NUTSHELL WE HAVE IT FOLKS! |
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Don't bring that up casemoney, you might offend someone on behalf of someone who someone knows.
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be careful I have my fence and gate if needed
the only problem is that it's been flattened after the last gales and is now propped up it is going to be easier for people to take it!!!! oh ho ho ho I must be the wittiest forumite around and a leading cult |
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F.L.A
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