Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Far-Right Poppy-Burning Rumour Debunked

The British far-right have been sharing a picture to stir up tension between communities which has been circulating across social networking site Facebook.

It asserts that two men were sentenced imprisonment for spray painting a mosque despite much lesser sentences being handed out for other examples of racial crimes but actioned out by “Muslims”. It reads:
Quote: “In May 2010 Tohseef Shah spray painted a British War Memorial with  slam will dominate osama is coming he was fined £50 & walked free from court. In November 2010, Emdadur Choudhury burned a Poppy during the. 2mins silence. He too was given a fine, £500 and walked free from court. Today, 2 men have been sentenced to 12 months in prison for spray painting a Poppy on a mosque. Pass this on if you think its a disgrace.”

Why the picture is wrong

One of the war memorial vandalisers named, Tohseef Shah, was not just fined £50. He was fined £500 in compensation, £85 court costs and a two year conditional discharge for spray painting a memorial statue.

The two men who were trialled in Portsmouth on-the-other-hand, did more than paint a poppy on a mosque. The Durham Times reported that they also text eachother about “Muzzy bashing” and defaced a nearby store and guest house, which were owned by Asians. An upstairs window on the store was smashed with a brick too.

They were not sentenced to six months as the picture tells us. One of them got a 12-week prison sentence.

Here’s the SURPRISE!

The Durham Times reported that the two men who vandalised the mosque, the store and the guest house, were in fact supporters of the EDL and the North East Infidels (NEI). The initials EDL and NEI as well as the words “no surrender”, the cross of St. George and figures of red poppies were sprayed in the area.

Further reading:
  1. Former English Defence League members jailed over mosque and shop attack
  2. Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Spray Painting Mosque - Facebook Rumour

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