Today In Parliament (Real Audio)

Lords debates banning websites like Redwatch (it's a few minutes into the programme).

(I notice they've had to spread across a few different ISPs lately because they keep having their hosting taken away...)

I wanted to show a collegue why we have to be careful posting personal pictures and saw in the 'news' section of the redwatch site mr Braggs personal adress....

I sure hope someone manages to close them down.

I mentioned this to a friend yesterday (she asked if there were any pictures of Tolpuddle) - when I explained the reason for the password protected gallery she was horrified and informed me a minute or two later that she had e-mailed Jeremy Vine (Radio 2) asking him to raise awareness of this and join the campaign to have the site closed down.

Hmm, alright, maybe this won't make me very popular but...

How do you feel about things like say 'Searchlight' or as a more extreme example, what groups like 'Red Action' were doing in the 80s/early 90s. ie, in much the same way spreading details of right wing groups/members and/or photos?

Just asking, like...

Good point Paul. Personally I didn't agree with that either. Publishing peoples identities on the net without their agreement should, I feel, be illegal.

IMO - so what, how many peoples lives have actually been affected by red watch? I'm at the pit face at the mo, so no luxeries like radio for me

If they go into some detail, then do enlighten me. However it all strikes me as a bit of the old 'ganda, init? The Beeb are here to entertain - sounds like an entertaining story to me.

What you should be aware of is more sinister goings on like 'the programme', which is an interesting way of keeping information on people.

??????
Would you care to explain?

Would like to, but I canny. Not stirring either, it's one of those things you know about or don't. On the whole it's not that sinister if you have nowt to hide, though civil liberties are debatable.

Oooh now I do feel ignorant..... not.

Cheeky

Look towards that office down whitehall way, the one that co-ordinates all the other govt depts. Think about information resources that are stored and what would you do?

Is Spikester SYME's paranoid sibling?

Sorry dude, I'm not a great believer in conspiracy thinking and I don't worry about it because for me there are more important issues that require attention. If this is your thing, go for it.

Hey, not to worried meself -

Thanks Joe, unfortunately I seem to have missed it ... did they reach any conclusion?

Someone mentioned 'Searchlight', originally formed by British Jews and their friends to combat the re-emergence of fascism in Britain ...

Here is their web site, SearchLight and here is what they are about ...

Searchlight

Searchlight's aim is to combat racism, neo-nazism, fascism and all forms of prejudice. Searchlight is a non-sectarian organisation in political, ethnic and religious terms. It believes in achieving the broadest possible unity in the fight against racism, neo-nazism, fascism and prejudice.
Searchlight has existed for more than 30 years. In summer 1962, in response to a resurgence of open and violent neo-nazi activities, a group of people from a wide variety of political and religious backgrounds met in London to set up the Searchlight Association. Searchlight has appeared as a monthly magazine since 1975. It is now read all over the world. Simon Wiesenthal, the greatest of the post-war nazi-hunters, described Searchlight as the best English language publication of its kind anywhere in the world.

Searchlight is available on subscription only and if you wish to subscribe, like me, then contact - SearchLight Subscription

Edited by Alberr - 20 June 2005 to update url's

This may be of interest to anybody looking at the redwatch thingie ...

.

Full story ... YahooAbuse

From last week's Education Guardian notebook:

Teachers tackled the murkiest end of politics this month when they asked the home secretary to take action against the far-right website Redwatch. The site, which prints names, addresses and photographs of opponents of the British National Party and other far right groups, has led to attacks on teachers and was exposed in the Guardian last year. Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers - whose details appear on the site - said Clarke had pledged to do what he could to close it down. Helen Brook, a young teacher from Cambridge, told the ATL conference : "If you stand up to them they will feature your details and photograph on the site. But no matter how great the threat you have to stand up and be counted."

That's right. Apart from feeling slightly sickened by the fact people might be actively seeking you out to administer punishment for actions you see as just and in fact benefiting society (which interestingly enough could be looked at both ways, these people obviously believe what they're doing is right no matter which side of the fence they sit on), part of me would feel proud to have done enough to make opposers scared - they obviously think you have the power to defeat them otherwise they wouldn't try and bring you down! Every person, every action counts. Stand strong and fight for bringing justice to what you believe in.

BNP leader charged with race hate

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15561610-29277,00.html

Probe into anti-racist 'hit list'
By Tim Clarke
June 09, 2005
From AAP

POLICE in Perth are investigating claims a known associate of the white-supremacist Australian Nationalist Movement (ANM) is planning to set up an online 'hit list' of anti-racist campaigners in Australia.

Western Australia Police was today passed details of the Redwatch Downunder project, which anti-racism campaigners Fight Dem Back claim was being established by a former supporter of the ANM.

A spokesman confirmed the State Security Unit would examining claims that emails were being used to draft support for the online intelligence network based on a similar Redwatch website in the UK.

"We have been sent the details, and have passed them onto the State Security Unit, who will be looking into them," the spokesman said.

"We would have been aware of the group's activities, and forensic officers keep an eye on any activity surrounding the ANM."

Mat Henderson-Hau, from Fight Dem Back, said the group had evidence dozens of emails had been sent to white supremacists around Australia and New Zealand seeking information.

"They say they want information on 'anarchists, reds, homos and multiculturalists', including names, addresses, phone numbers, and vehicle registrations," Mr Henderson-Hau said.

"The purpose of this website is to threaten, intimidate and facilitate physical assaults against people who stand up against white supremacists in our community. As far as we are concerned, this is a terrorist threat."

Earlier this year, the British Home Office launched an investigation into the Redwatch website, which publishes home addresses and telephone numbers of anti-racism campaigners, politicians and journalists.

Police raided webmaster Simon Sheppard's home early last month, seizing computers and books under legislation that outlaws incitement to racial hatred.

The site, which is still active, publishes individuals' information under the slogan: "Remember places, traitors' faces, they all pay for their crimes."

In Perth, several members and associates of the ANM have this year been convicted for race-hate graffiti attacks on a synagogue and other buildings around the city.

The men admitted to spray-painting swastikas, racist slurs and anti-semitic messages, such as "Hitler was right" and "Asians Out" on buildings, fences and bus shelters, and to plastering several locations with posters promoting the ANM.

ANM leader Jack van Tongeren and his deputy, John van Blitterswyk, are awaiting trial after denying they ordered the graffiti attacks, and that they were plotting to reprise a racist firebombing campaign against Perth's Asian community.

I can't believe any Australians would be ignorant enough to believe not only that they are better because of the pigment in their skin, but also that they might actually achieve something by writing 'Asians out' or whatever anywhere. Have they counted the number of foreign-culture Australians living here? I know they might have failed math at school but really. Not to mention that white Australians are the imposters in this land anyway. geezus, get a grip dudes

Well Fenella, sounds like these aussies are originally from my neck of the woods, and it were some other dutch expats who invented 'apartheid'.....

Sorry

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1660283,00.html

Stephen Fry listed as hate target on neo-Nazi website
Maurice Chittenden

STEPHEN FRY, the comedy actor, has put been on a hate list by a neo-Nazi group. The television presenter was told by researchers at Searchlight, the anti-fascist organisation, that his name had been posted on a far-right website.

Fry describes hearing of the threat in an interview in today’s Sunday Times News Review. His name and details were posted on Redwatch, a website which is used by extreme right-wing groups to publicise details of their enemies.

Many of those whose names have been listed have subsequently been attacked. A teacher in West Yorkshire had his car firebombed allegedly the day after his name and address had appeared.

Fry’s Jewish descent and left-leaning political views are thought to have marked him out for targeting by the right. Few people realised that he had Jewish blood until he talked of his family’s history at a recent literary festival.

“They think we deserve to be taught a lesson. The Jews are regarded as clever and they don’t like that,” said Fry. “I was told I could get help with fitting panic buttons — Jews look after our own — but I decided against it.

“Yet the threats are real. Someone like Denis Norden (the television presenter) is for ever receiving threats. We are still witnessing the smouldering ashes of (the Holocaust).”

Fry also mentioned his ancestry in his autobiography, Moab is My Washpot, published in 1997. His mother’s grandfather was a Hungarian Jew named Neumann who lived for a time in Vienna.

In the book Fry recalled that his “blood ran cold” when he read that a Hungarian Jew with the same surname had given Hitler a long black overcoat in Vienna in 1910.

Fry added that “one can’t help wondering if it really might be true that one’s great-grandfather might have befriended and kept warm a man who would decimate a large part of his family”.

Fry, host of the BBC2 quiz show QI, visited his ancestor’s grave in Slovakia last month only to find that it had been desecrated.

Gerry Gable, who runs Searchlight, said he believed that Fry’s name had been put on the website in the hope that some harm would come to him. He blamed some members of the British National party and remnants of the outlawed Combat 18 terrorist group.

“They will go for anybody,” said Gable. “They will put people’s names on there hoping that a young person who wants to make a name for himself or an older pyscho will take action. At best it is going to be a phone call, at the worst your house will be burnt down.”

Despite the threat, Fry is continuing to support opposition to the government’s racial and religious hatred bill on the grounds that it attacks free speech.

Tomorrow Rowan Atkinson, his friend and fellow Blackadder star, will be joined by Ian McEwan, the novelist, Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, and MPs from all three main political parties to voice opposition to the bill in a meeting at Westminster.

Redwatch did not return e-mails asking for comment.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/armed-...4840797275.html

One of Redwatch's contributors has been arrested and sectioned under the 1983 Mental Health Act.

http://www.gomechewatch.com/

Just looked at the Redwatch site. Fuckinel what a bunch of paranoid nutters, lock em all up I say and throw away the key (Oh fuck I sound like Leeds Steve, tin man etal)

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/frank_...te_and_red.html

Interesting - I agree with his logic. I wanna hear what Wedge has to say.

On the rightwing website Redwatch, hundreds of photographs of anti-war and anti-fascist activists are posted - with the message that they will 'pay for their crimes'. And now a number of those people have been attacked. So why hasn't the site been closed down? Matthew Taylor investigates

http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,1887102,00.html