The police were asked to look at the vile far-right racist site Redwatch after Belfast councillor Niall Kelly discovered several pictures of himself along with dozens of images of members of the public attending rallies in Belfast city centre. A caption above the SDLP man’s picture, taken at last month’s anti-racism rally in support of the Romanian families who were intimidated out of south Belfast, read: “Fenian reds, causing trouble in South Belfast attempting to win support for Gypsy parasites turning the Protestant Village area into a slum.”
In England, a number of MPs and Mersyside trade union leader Alec McFadden received death threats from right wing violent extremists after their details appeared on Redwatch. It is now feared that some people in Northern Ireland could now be targeted.
Pictures of Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, former Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Ekin, north Belfast SDLP councillor Pat Convery and prominent UDA figure Jackie McDonald attending various rallies, including anti-racism and anti-war protests, also appear on the sickening site. It is understood some of the photographs were lifted from Mr Kelly’s Flickr site.
“Obviously I am concerned to see pictures of myself and party colleagues appear on this sinister website,” Mr Kelly told the Belfast Telegraph.
“Since this matter has been brought to my attention I have alerted the police who have informed me that they have been monitoring this website for a while now as this organisation appears to be engaged in hi-tech fascism. However, neither I nor my party will be deterred from standing for the rights of others. The SDLP has faced down threats before and we will continue to do what is right as we strive to fight against racism, sectarianism and bigotry.”
Redwatch was originally published in paper form by the far right racist group Combat 18 in March 1992. Among the Redwatch targets are journalist Eamonn McCann, Irish Trade Union Congress leader Claire Moore and Patrick Yu, executive director of Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities whose contact details including telephone number and address have been posted alongside his picture.
Crowd shots showing members of the public attending at rallies in Belfast dating back as far as 2004 are also posted and in a worrying development appeal for information on those in the picture.
A caption read: “Send us details of your local red scumbags — we want their names, addresses, phone numbers, photographs, work details — anything and everything about them to publish here in the same way as they are doing to our people. We are going to give them exactly the same treatment as they are. Fight back. Any further info on the freaks below will be gratefully received.”
However journalist Eamon McCann said he would not be intimidated.
“I am not in the least bit intimidated. I would be almost insulted if these people had been making a list of their enemies in Northern Ireland and I was not on it.”
A spokeswoman for the PSNI said: “We do not comment on the security of individuals. The police service does not monitor internet sites on a day-to-day basis. However it will take appropriate action when complaints are received of criminal offences that occur within its jurisdiction.”
Niall Kelly: still campaigning
A neo-Nazi website has published
photographs of a Belfast councillor and accused him and others who
supported Romanian victims of racist attacks of being "Fenian reds"
determined to destroy loyalist areas.
SDLP councillor Niall Kelly (25)
says he won't be intimidated by the 'Redwatch' website which he
described as "extremely sinister". Some who have featured on the site
have later received death threats or been the victims of violent
attack. Last month, over 100 Romanians left Belfast following attacks
on their homes. Redwatch accused Kelly and others supporting them of
being "Fenian reds causing trouble in south Belfast, attempting to win
support for gypsy parasites turning the Protestant Village area into a
slum".
The eight photographs included the
SDLP councillor at protests supporting the Romanians, at a gay rights'
demonstration, with John Hume and at internal SDLP events. Kelly said:
"I have reported Redwatch to the police who have said that their E
(electronic) crime unit is monitoring the website. This organisation is
engaged in high-tech fascism.
"Even BNP leader Nick Griffin has
denounced those behind the site which shows what lunatics they are.
Redwatch's activities are disturbing but not for one second would I
consider letting such intimidation stop me from continuing to campaign
against racism and helping those who have been the victim of racist
attacks."
Redwatch has published the names
and addresses of other anti-racist activists. Other pictures are of
Ogra Sinn Féin members and pro-Palestinian protestors in
Belfast, and anti-racist, anti-Iraq war, and Shell to Sea demonstrators
in Dublin, including members of Labour Youth. Pictures of those
demonstrating in the Republic in favour of a woman's right to choose on
abortion are also printed. There are two pictures of a woman in
Limerick whom Redwatch claimed tore down racist posters. Above the
pictures, it announces: "Any further info on the freaks below will be
gratefully received."
Bizarrely, one of the photographs
of anti-racist demonstrators is of UDA leader Jackie McDonald at a
recent protest outside City Hall. The website's slogan is "Remember
places, traitors' faces - they'll all pay for their crimes".
The REDWATCH site can be viewed here