Two photos of the joint Fascist/Loyalist protest, with UFF and BUA flags, at Downing Street on October 5th
(See report at end of page)
Two photos of the joint Fascist/Loyalist protest, with UFF and BUA flags, at Downing Street on October 5th
(See report at end of page)
UDA Killer Steven Irwin (centre) with nazi boneheads at a C18 event in London in 2000
Loyalists and Fascists United
On Saturday October 5th a protest is taking place at Downing Street in London which reflects an important development in co-operation between far-right groups in Britain and Ireland.
The demonstration has been called by a group known as the 'British Ulster Alliance' and is being held to promote the cause of 'loyalist communities' in the North. They also clain that nationalists are involved in 'ethnic cleansing' in Belfast. The demonstration is against the alleged 'pro-republican' British government, which the loyalists believe is 'selling them out'. The aim of the London protest is to present a pro-loyalist 'spin' in the media and also to get fascists and British based loyalists more active.
An internet website called 'Support Cluan Place' has been set up which claims to represent the views of residents in Cluan Place in East Belfast. Cluan Place is a small cul-de-sac from which large number of non-local loyalists, many from the UDA and UVF, have been carrying out sectarian attacks on the nationalist Clandeboye estate in Short Strand. Attacks on nationalists homes have taken place with blast bombs, stones and other missiles almost every night for six months.
The 'Support Cluan Place' website was not set up by people in Cluan Place. It was created by an extreme loyalist gang in Wales called 'Swansea Loyal', whose website has essays in praise of Enoch Powell and many pro-UDA murals.
A message board on the Cluan Place site has statements of support from a loyalists and fascists from all over Britain as well as Orange lodges and Rangers supporters clubs in America. Also weighing in with support is Andy McLorie of the Ulster BNP who says "Should the British National Party succeed and gain power in Gt Britain, then for the first time Sinn Fein will rightly face the wrath of a British Government which has the political will and the stomach for a fight. You will be avenged." Also supporting the site are the 'Concerned Residents of Upper Ardoyne', the group which held protests against children attending school at Holy Cross.
Many of the messages use racist language, describing catholics as 'scumbags', 'bastards', 'vermin' and 'filthy, lazy layabouts' who have "have polluted our country for 30 years". The claim of loyalist 'victimhood' is exploded by statements such as "Every brick, bottle and petrol bomb that is thrown should make us stronger." Many posters sign off with the slogan 'K.A.T.' ('Kill All Taigs').
The demonstration in London is organised by the British Ulster Alliance, which is a UDA front group. It is led by Frank Portinari. In the early 1990's Portinari was head of the London branch of the UDA and recruited many fascists to the organisation. In 1993 he was jailed for 5 years for running guns to the UDA. The BUA, allied with football hooligans and fascist gangs, have attacked Irish events in London. In recent years British loyalists and
fascists have also held joint protests in Britain on the theme of 'Free Johnny Adair.
Neo-nazis stage loyalist protest in London
Emerging from beneath a UFF banner and cheered on by members of
Combat 18 and other British fascists - including Andrew Frain,
member of the Chelsea Headhunters and serial thug, who together
Jason Marriner was jailed in December 2000 for attacking members
of the Bloody Sunday march in London - a group of east Belfast
loyalists, claiming to be residents of Cluan Place, handed a
letter of "protest" into 10 Downing Street on Saturday afternoon.
As they crossed the road and returned to their comrades they took
the opportunity to scream sectarian and other abuse at members of
the Wolfe Tone Society and anti-fascist protestors who had
mounted a counter-demonstration a few yards further down
Whitehall. The WTS was also protesting against the police raid on
Sinn Fein's Stormont offices on Friday.
The Cluan Place letter was part of the so-called loyalist 'day of
action', organised by the England-based fascist group the British
Ulster Alliance, which managed to muster around 100 neo-nazis,
most dressed in wannabe loyalist paramilitary regalia and who,
just as the incipient loyalist feud was cranking into action in
Belfast with one fatal shooting and one serious injury, waved
placards demanding that the British government 'Stop the genocide
of British citizens'.
Although relatively few in number, the gathering necessitated a
large police presence, partly because of the violence associated
with Combat 18 but also because, as one police officer pointed
out, most of its members had been drinking heavily before the
protest began.
[ Report from: RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit]
Far-Right to March - English Gang to Visit Whitewell Flashpoint
By Colm Heatley
North Belfast News 1 November 2002
A gang of far-right loonies are planning a trip to North Belfast to
coincide with Remembrance Sunday commemorations next week.
The British Ulster Alliance held a 'Loyalist Day of Action' in London
last month and have posted details of their 'North Belfast trip' to
members.
And the North Belfast News can reveal that the England-based gang
will be visiting the notorious Whitewell Road flashpoint.
The trip has heightened fears of renewed riots in the area.
When English Neo-Nazis visited North Belfast this time last year they
became involved in rioting on the Limestone Road.
But Newtownabbey SDLP councillor and World War II veteran Tommy
McTeague has warned all far right groups to stay away from North
Belfast. "We don't need these people coming over to North Belfast, we have
enough problems of our own. We want to get rid of the loonie bins in our society not import them from England.
"I would have to wonder why these people want to commemorate
Remembrance Sunday anyway. I fought in World War II and as a veteran of that war I can say that I do not want these people over her commemorating the war dead."
And Tommy McTeague says it is ironic that a group with links to anti-Jewish organisations will be staying in an area festooned with Israeli flags.
"Some of these people don't like Jews but they will be runningaround in a place that has Israeli flags all over the place. It just shows that they are not even interested in politics as such, just spreading hatred. They are not interested in getting on with people from the other side of the fence. It is all about division and hatred and we just don't want that. I think these people have nothing to offer Belfast."
The British Ulster Alliance boasts of links to groups who call for
the deportation of Jews and Muslims who live in England.
And many messages posted on its official website call for Catholics
to be killed while praising the actions of the UDA.
Bizarrely the website even has a memorial dedicated to a dead
UDA 'volunteer' from the organisation's previously unheard of 'London
Brigade'.
Israeli flags taken down for fascist visit to the Village
Andersonstown News – 11 November 2002
The UDA in South Belfast ordered the removal of all pro-Israeli signs and flags from the Village area because they didn’t want to offend Nazi groups who were visiting the area over the weekend.
The far-right loonies were in town to take part in the loyalist terror group’s Remembrance Day commemoration in which they honour their slain paramilitary allies.
The Hitler-worshipping fanatics stayed at loyalist homes in both the Village and Whitewell — areas where they have strong ties. Then on Sunday they joined other loyalists who went en masse to Roselawn ceremony to take part in the commemoration.
Like other loyalist hotbeds throughout the city, Israeli flags flew from every other lamp post in the Village. Sick graffiti glorifying the murder of Palestinians also adorned walls in the area. But come last weekend, it had all disappeared.
Sinn Féin Balmoral representative Stiofán Long says the UDA’s Israeli u-turn proves that loyalists will court any group, no matter how crazy, for support.
"If anything highlights loyalist stupidity then this is it," he said. "I wouldn’t be surprised if the pro-Israeli graffiti and flags went back up as soon as the neo-Nazis are on the plane home. Neo-Nazis and fascists have always had close links with loyalists and they are regular visitors to Belfast. Is it any wonder no one takes loyalist politics seriously when they are bedfellows with groups such as the BNP and Combat 18."
The Village is also home to a notorious mural glorifying race hate group the Ku Klux Klan. The mural, which went up last May, still remains in the area despite calls from politicians from all sides to have it removed.
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