The DM Reporter
The murder of soldier Lee Rigby has provoked a backlash of anger across the UK, including the attacking of mosques, racial abuse and comments made on social media.
The murder of soldier Lee Rigby has provoked a backlash of anger across the UK, including the attacking of mosques, racial abuse and comments made on social media.
Eleven people have been arrested
around Britain for making 'racist or anti-religious' comments on Twitter
following the brutal killing in Woolwich
on Wednesday.
The incident has also prompted a huge increase in anti-Muslim incidents,
according to the organisation Faith Matters, which works to reduce
extremism.
Before the attack about four to eight
cases a day were reported to its helpline. But the group said about 150
incidents had been reported in the last few days, including attacks on
mosques.
Fiyaz Mughal, director of Faith
Matters, told BBC Radio Five Live: 'What's really concerning is the
spread of these incidents. They're coming in from right across the
country.
'Secondly, some of them are quite
aggressive very focused, very aggressive attacks. And thirdly, there
also seems to be significant online activity...suggesting co-ordination
of incidents and attacks against institutions or places where Muslims
congregate.'
A great character: Father of one and soldier Rigby of Greater Manchester
It comes as 22-year-old man appeared
before magistrates in Lincoln today charged with posting a 'grossly
offensive' anti-Muslim message on Facebook following the
Woolwich murder.
Benjamin Flatters, of Swineshead,
Lincs, faces a charge under the 1988 Malicious Communications Act
following a message he posted on Facebook on 22 May which is alleged to
be offensive to Muslims.
No details of the message were given at the
hearing but another man was warned about his conduct on social media.
Flatters, who spoke only to confirm
his name, age and address, was refused bail by Lincoln Magistrates
following a 20 minute hearing.
The court was told he faces further
matters including four charges of inciting under-age girls to engage in
sexual activity by sending sexual messages by Facebook as well as two
drugs charges.
Flatters was remanded in custody until Wednesday when he will appear before Skegness Magistrates via video link.
Lee Rigby, pictured relaxing on Army leave
Attack: Drummer Rigby was killed on the street in Woolwich, south London when Michael Adebolajo launched his attack
His court appearance came within 24
hours of Lincolnshire Police warning users of social networking sites
such as Facebook that they face arrest if posts were likely to incite
racial hatred or violence.
A force spokesman said 'We have
received a number of reports from local members of the public about
tweets and Facebook comments that could potentially incite racial hatred
and violence.
'These are currently being
investigated. If such communications are reported to us and they do
breach the law, those messages may be monitored; captured and robust
police action will be considered.
'We would urge people to consider the very real impact of their online comments in relation to this matter.'
Flatters court appearance comes after
two men were arrested and released on bail for making alleged offensive
comments on Twitter about the murder of Lee Rigby.
Complaints were made to Avon and
Somerset Police about remarks that appeared on the social networking
website, which were allegedly of a racist or anti-religious nature.
A 23-year-old and a 22-year-old, both
from Bristol, were held under the Public Order Act on suspicion of
inciting racial or religious hatred.
Suspect: Michael Adebowale, 22, of Greenwich,
south-east London, with a knife in his hand at the scene where Lee Rigby
was stabbed to death
Shocking: The Twitter comments come after the attack in London. Police say they do even more harm to the community
Detective Inspector Ed Yaxley of Avon
and Somerset Police said: 'These comments were directed against a
section of our community. Comments such as these are completely
unacceptable and only cause more harm to our community in Bristol.
'People should stop and think about
what they say on social media before making statements as the
consequences could be serious.'
Two men will also appear at Thames
Magistrates Court today charged with religiously aggravated threatening
behaviour over an incident in an east London fast food restaurant on
Thursday.
Labourer Toni Latcal, 32, and
plasterer Eugen-Aurelian Eugen-Beredei, 34, both from London, were
arrested following the incident at 9.15pm on Thursday.
Latcal was charged with religiously
aggravated threatening behaviour and causing criminal damage, while
Eugen-Beredei was charged with religiously aggravated threatening
behaviour.
Surrey Police said a 19-year-old man
has been charged in connection with comments placed on a social media
website following the murder of the soldier.
Mohammed Mazar, of Balmoral Drive,
Woking, has been charged with improper use of public electronic
communications network under Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.
Horror: A large crowd of people gather near the
scene where the soldier was killed as police and ambulance
services arrive
Investigation: Police officers have been
searching the block of flats in Greenwich, south east London, where
Michael Adebowale, 22, is believed to have lived
A police spokesman said Mazar has been freed on police bail to appear at South West Surrey Magistrates' Court on June 11.
Superintendent Matt Goodridge said:
'Surrey Police will not tolerate language used in a public place,
including on social media websites, which causes harassment, alarm or
distress.'
Another unemployed 28-year-old has been charged by police after allegedly posting an offensive message on Facebook.
Sussex Police said Adam Rogers, of Kingsman Street, Woolwich, was arrested in Hastings, East Sussex, yesterday.
He will appear at Brighton
Magistrates' Court later today accused of sending an 'offensive,
indecent or menacing message' online.
A police spokesman said: 'The entry was allegedly in connection to an incident in Woolwich on Wednesday.'
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old woman has
been charged with allegedly sending a 'grossly offensive' message on
Facebook, Hampshire Constabulary said.
Michaela Turner, of Lumsden Road,
Southsea, was arrested at her home yesterday evening after a post was
uploaded at 10.42pm on Wednesday. The post has since been removed.
Grief: A wellwisher outside the army barracks,
200 yards from where Drummer Lee Rigby was killed, by the huge - and
growing - pile of flowers
'Dear soldier': A handwritten note left in honour of Lee Rigby close to the scene of the brutal murder in Woolwich
Turner was charged overnight with an
offence contrary to Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003. She has
been bailed to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court on June 7.
A police spokesman said: 'Following
the terrorist incident in Woolwich this week, Hampshire Constabulary is
working closely with local partnership groups to safeguard all members
of the community.
'This includes monitoring social
networking sites, and we will seek to arrest and prosecute anyone
inciting hatred or violence online.'
Police have also arrested three people ahead of an EDL protest for allegedly making racist tweets.
Northumbria Police said two people
from Gateshead and a third from Stockton, Teesside, were held earlier.
The EDL has planned their demonstration for months, but the horrific
murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich on Wednesday has heightened
tensions in the local community.
A counter demonstration by opponents of the EDL has been planned.
Northumbria Police said it will
'allow people the right to peaceful protest, protect the safety of
everyone in the city and prevent serious disorder and damage'.
Newcastle area commander chief
superintendent Gary Calvert said: 'We appreciate that the events in
London on Thursday may have heightened community concerns about this
weekend's planned protests in Newcastle.
'We are constantly monitoring the situation and will continue to adapt accordingly.'
SoRo: Meanwhile, a group of Muslims filmed themselves laughing at Rigby murder while driving past the memorial and uploaded it to the internet...
As far as I have been able to determine, they are still free.
'A controversial project claiming to measure anti-Muslim attacks will not have
its government grant renewed after police and civil servants raised concerns
about its methods.
The project, called Tell Mama, claimed that there had been a “sustained wave
of attacks and intimidation” against British Muslims after the killing of
Drummer Lee Rigby, with 193 “Islamophobic incidents” reported to it, rising
to 212 by last weekend.
The group’s founder, Fiyaz Mughal, said he saw “no end to this cycle of
violence”, describing it as “unprecedented”. The claims were unquestioningly
repeated in the media.
Tell Mama and Mr Mughal did not mention, however, that 57 per cent of the 212
reports referred to activity that took place only online, mainly offensive
postings on Twitter and Facebook, or that a further 16 per cent of the 212
reports had not been verified. Not all the online abuse even originated in
Britain.
Contrary to the group’s claim of a “cycle of violence” and a “sustained wave
of attacks”, only 17 of the 212 incidents, 8 per cent, involved the physical
targeting of people and there were no attacks on anyone serious enough to
require medical treatment.'
http://tinyurl.com/k8n6f2m
1 comment:
plasterer sutton
RPS Plastering Service base in Sutton with works carried out with in the M25 and surrounding areas.
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