This is the latest shocking and deeply inflammatory piece of material from the extremist group Britain First. The poster states, “Welcome to Rotherham, the Islamic Paedophile Capital of Britain.”
In the early hours of this morning we highlighted how racist and anti-Muslim incidents and attacks in Rotherham were a real concern and we highlighted these here. We have published a detail report on the language of hate and prejudice on the extremist Britain First Facebook page and where there have also been threats made and which have been targeted at Islamic institutions and mosques.
Yet, knowing that such material will inflame the passions of people and agitate an already sensitive situation in this small town, it seems that the extremist group Britain First simply do not care. Cynically, they add-on the bottom of the leaflet, “good standards of behaviour apply.” Well if that was the case, people would not join Britain First is the simple answer.
We call upon members of all communities to remain calm and to ensure that such groups do not get the tension and aggression that they feed off. Such groups do not put the ‘Great’ in Great Britain and are a public embarrassment as are those who have abused so many young people in various grooming scandals. The latter are people who should spend long periods of time losing their liberty and reflecting on the harm they have done, whilst the former simply have no care for the peace which we enjoy in our country.
We ask that the people of Rotherham be left alone so that they can pick up the pieces and build; that they come together against criminality, against bigotry and against intolerance and that never again, should those who abuse people get away with it. There is a responsibility to speak up and there is also a responsibility to speak against those whose main aim is to cause separation, segregation and violence. Not in our name to both groups.
