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Loyalists and Fascists national |
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news report
 Monday December 09, 2002 17:22 by Pat C - Anti-Fascist Action PO Box 3355, Dublin 7
 From ‘NO QUARTER’, magazine of Anti-Fascist Action, Ireland. More information at: http://www.geocities.com/irishafa Loyalists and Fascists Links between Unionists/Loyalists in the North and British Fascists go back over 80 years. As far back as the 1920s the 'British Fascisti' set up a group in Co. Down which led a pogrom against catholics and in the 1930s members of the Glasgow fascist gang the 'Billy Boys' visited Belfast to take part in sectarian rioting during the 12th of July weekend. However this article will focus on links in recent years. (Some people on indymedia seem to be unaware that it is Loyalism which has links with Fascism. Hopefully this will put a few things in perspective for them. This article isnt on the AFA site yet, Pat C) From ‘NO QUARTER’, magazine of Anti-Fascist Action, Ireland. Loyalists and Fascists Links between Unionists/Loyalists in the North and British Fascists go back over 80 years. As far back as the 1920s the 'British Fascisti' set up a group in Co. Down which led a pogrom against catholics and in the 1930s members of the Glasgow fascist gang the 'Billy Boys' visited Belfast to take part in sectarian rioting during the 12th of July weekend. However this article will focus on links in recent years. The convicted UDA terrorist Johnny Adair, recently released from Maghaberry jail, is a man with a background even more sinister than that of the average death squad commander. In 1994 Adair pleaded guilty to 'directing terrorism' and was sentenced to 16 years, serving only five until he was released under the Good Friday Agreement. In an interview he admitted to being the loyalist known as 'Mad Dog' and boasted of being involved in the sectarian murders of 20 Catholics. While in jail Adair forged close links with Billy Wright, leader of the LVF, and the UDA carried out sectarian murders of Catholics to avenge Wright's death in 1997. Adair and Wright were also linked by their prominent involvement in drug dealing in the North. But Adair, who rose to leadership in the Belfast UDA/UFF in the early 1990s, has a far longer political pedigree. Belfast National Front 1980s In April 1983 a group of young loyalist skinheads from a gang called 'NF Skinz' killed a homeless alcoholic on the Lower Shankill. Patrick Barkey, a catholic, died after being beaten unconscious and hit on the head with a concrete block. Three skinheads, William Madine, Clifford Bickerstaff and Albert Martin were charged with murder. Madine and Bickerstaff pleaded guilty to manslaughter and got two years and eleven months at a young offenders centre. Martin was found guilty of GBH and got a 12 month suspended sentence. Press reports stated that the skinheads were provided with character references by [unnamed] Belfast Unionist politicians. The Belfast NF broke up anti-racist and punk gigs in the city. The NF was active around football and sold their publications at Northern Ireland games at Windsor Park. The NF youth paper 'Bulldog' published a 'league of louts' - detailing the most racist fans - Linfield and Coleraine featured regularly. In January 1998 Mo Mowlam visited the Maze prison to meet the leaders of the loyalist prisoners. The UDA/UFF leaders in the Maze were Adair and Sam McCrory, both from the Shankill Road. At the time of Mowlam's jail visit the media reported that McCrory has 'White Power' and 'Skins' tattoos on his right hand. Investigations by Anti-Fascist Action revealed that in the early 1980s both 'Skelly' McCrory and Adair played in a Belfast nazi skinhead band called 'Offensive Weapon'. This band played a few gigs on the Nazi skinhead circuit in Britain in the mid 80s. In August 1998 the Irish News printed a photograph of Adair and McCrory on the 'gluesniffers' NF March in Belfast in September 1983. With them was Donald Hodgen, another skinhead who also became a UDA member and later a prominent activist in the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party. Nearly twenty years later the 30 to 40 young skinheads who led the National Front branch in Belfast in the 1980s now form the core of Adair's 'C Company' of the UFF. They moved on to more serious sectarian violence but never left behind their 'white power' beliefs. From a small gang of teenage thugs they turned themselves into so-called 'defenders of the people', which involved murdering scores of innocent catholics. In 2000 they tore their community apart in a savage feud with the rival UVF. They are a classic example of what happens if fascism is not forcefully opposed when it first appears. The early 1990s, when Adair was leader of the UDA/UFF on the Shankill, marked a period of increased contact between Northern loyalists and Fascists in Britain as close links developed between the UDA and London based Fascists. Eddie Whicker and Frank Portinari were both 'UDA Organisers' in Britain. Portinari was jailed in 1993 for gun running to the UDA. Portanari was involved in C18 in the 1990s but now heads a pro-UDA group in London called the British Ulster Alliance. Charlie Sargeant, the former leader of Combat 18 now serving life in England for the murder of a fellow fascist, often boasted of his personal friendship with Johnny Adair. In the mid 1990s C18's control of the Blood and Honour 'music' network allowed them to put on several gigs in the North. 'Blood and Honour' magazine boasted of Welsh band Celtic Warrior's visit to Belfast and published photographs of loyalist bandsmen playing alongside them at a 'White Christmas' gig on the Lower Shankill Road. 'Blood and Honour' magazine also printed photographs of two UDA prisoners in Long Kesh, who sent greetings to C18 and said that they were 'dedicated to keeping Ulster British and white' and the loyalists' prison journal 'Warrior' also published pro-C18 articles C18/LVF and Portadown In July 1999 Combat 18 brought 25 supporters from Britain to Portadown. Combat 18 members attended at the unveiling of a memorial to Billy Wright and he is also idolised on C18 websites. On July 11th 1999 a 'Blood and Honour' gig was held in a social club in Portadown. The English fascist bands 'Razors Edge', 'Chingford Attack' and 'No Remorse' played alongside loyalist flute bands. According to a C18 report on the event: In July 2000 another C18 delegation attended the Drumcree march. The fascists, from Bolton, Burnley and Preston in the North of England, stayed with LVF members in Portadown's Corcrain and Brownstown estates. A TV documentary showed a prominent Orangeman from Portadown, Ivan Hewitt, displaying his 'Blood and Honour', 'SS' and other Nazi tattoos. David Jones, leader of the Orange Order in Portadown, claimed that he did not know Hewitt. 'Free Johnny Adair' At the funeral of Steven McKeag, a major drug dealer, on the Shankill in September 2000 a large wreath was carried which read 'C18'. McKeag, who had died accidentally from drink and drugs, was the notorious UFF gunman nicknamed 'Top Gun'. He was known to be personally responsible for at least a dozen sectarian murders. He had been a teenage member of the NF and Adair's right hand man, taking over command of the Shankill UDA when Adair was jailed in 1994. Greysteel Killer and C18 The LVF There have been revelations in recent years of strong links between the LVF and nazis in the North West of Britain. These include C18 members and supporters within the British army. In May 1999 C18 members distributed leaflets at Blackburn's football ground attacking Rosemary Nelson, the human rights solicitor murdered by loyalists. Ian Thompson, a former soldier Royal Irish Regiment, was the LVF's main linkman with Combat 18, he organised the visits of British fascists to Portadown. He was arrested in March 2000 on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Rosemary Nelson. The RUC found the personal details of Combat 18 leaders and scores of nazi music CDs in his home in Hamiltonsbawn, Co Armagh. In 2001 Thompson was sentenced to 9 years for arms offences. The internet guestbooks of many fascist groups contain support messages for the UDA, LVF, Orange Volunteers, Red Hand Defenders, etc. A support group called the ‘Loyalist Prisoners Welfare Association’ holds fundraisers and events in Britain. The second leader of the LVF, Mark 'Swinger' Fulton, was found dead in his cell in Maghaberry prison in June 2002. A post mortem showed he had committed suicide. Within hours fascist websites carried tributes to him, including one from C18 which stated. "Mark Fulton. Rest in peace comrade, you were a loyal soldier and brave warrior in our struggle for freedom. You will never be forgotten. Valahalla will welcome such a great man with open arms! condolences sent from all C18 units world wide! 14/88". National Front British National Party Andrew McAlorie has recently reappeared as a BNP spokeperson in the North. McAlorie, a teacher, was last heard of in 1986 when as NI treasurer of the National Front he was jailed for two years for his involvement in the petrol bombing of RUC homes during the 'Ulster Says No' campaign against the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Ulster Independence Movement David Kerr ran as the 'Ulster Third Way' candidate both the General and local elections in June 2001. Describing himself as a 'non-sectarian radical Ulster nationalist', he gathered a less than spectacular 116 votes in West Belfast and a magnificent 28 in the council elections. His campaign may not have been helped by his stated policy of support for free over the counter sales of heroin and cocaine. Conclusion
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8(Ignorance should not be bliss; there are many on indy who would do well to study the following; take notes.)
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.
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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]
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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'.
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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.
for these reasons republicans, socialists, anarchists must back the mainstream UDA against Johnny Adair and the LVF.Even the mainstream UDA has sussed what Adair and the LVF are about. The UDA is trying to reform, and recently is actively embracing the peace process, through leaders like Andre Shoukri etc. We know Shoukris past, and we have all done things in the past, but situations change and opinons alter, similarly Desi'O'Hare has changed. Johnny Adair and the LVF have always had the backing, support and protection of the PSNI, they had this backing during their feud with the UVF, and because the UDA and others stood by through ignorance, Johnny Adair and the LVF were not dealt with as they should have been. If others had backed the UVF, Johnny and his murdering LVF chums would not be around today. The UVF realised what Johnny was about early on, its a pity noone else believed them. If both mainstream republican and loyalist paramilitaries unite, they stand a real chance against Adair and the LVF. To despatch Adair and his murdering LVF chums to valhalla.
Adair has been behind the recent upsurge in violence in north belfast. this started Last weekend when a calvalcade of Adair's goons ran amok in the Westland estate, burning their former colleagues caravan and house, just becos this man, wants nothing more to do with johnny's vile activities. This led to the pipe bombing of John 'snowy' whites house in carrickfergus. John white a close allie of Adairs, got his retaliation the next day, when mainstream UDA leader John Gregg's car was booby trapped.
Adair's goons have also tried to murder catholic Stephen McEntee, only for the assasin's gun jamming Stephen McEntee would be dead. Stephen was drinking in the morning star pub, off Ann st, belfast city centre, when the gunman struck, having been alerted by a scout. Who this scout was remains to be ascertained, but what we do know is that an undercover PSNI peeler was drinking in the morning star!maybe he was tailing McEntee, or more likely maybe it was the PSNI peeler who alerted Adair's men to the whereabouts of McEntee, enabling them to target McEntee. Stephen McEntee's girlfriends Manor st, home was pipebombed after Stephen who shared a cell landing with adair in Maghaberry, spoke out revealing the Adair made £2000 a week whilst in prison, from pushing hard drugs to prisoners. Stephen McEntee has vowed to avenge the attack on his girlfriend and children by Adair's goons, and was recently stabbed whilst surveying Adairs lower crumlin rd stronghold. we wish Stephen McEntee and those who would dare to take out Adair all the luck in the world, you're going to need it. God be with yous.
Just want to say good work on your article about facist/loyalist activities. At the moment, aside from all their usual bullsh!t, spurious lies and propaganda, some of their websites are listing names and addresses of nationalist politicians , community workers, ex-prisioners, and anyone in the nationalist community who speaks out againts them or tries to stand up for people in their area.
These sites are incentive to attacks or even murder of those people listed and should be shut down but it dosent seem to be happening. Perhaps some of you lads might have some hacker friends in the afa community who could do a bit of damage or something.anyway keep up the good work.
The BUA have also been attacking people from the academic world. One Asian Post Graduate who was taking photos at their demo in London had his camera stolen and was beaten to a pulp by the BUA. The BUA were fully aware that he was there for academic purposes. What was sad was not only did they cause him serious injury, but also that he himself is a Irish Protestant.
R.E. comments about loyalist being fascist & bigots, why No mention of Hitlers pope who did not intervene when millions of Jews, Gypsy's & indeed catholics who disagreed with national socialism were sent to the gas chambers and is it not true that the Irish republic recognized Hitlers national socialist goverment & why NO comments about the new Holy father being a member of the Nazi Party in his youth also NO comments about the fascist group (the i.r.a.) who bombed, slaughtered Innocents of all faiths In the name of freedom, pure FASCIST GANGSTERISM supported by Amercan FASCISTS Who supply weapons to terrorist groups for GREED & the love of Power.
I shall be very suprised if this is published on your Bigoted site as Fascists (Nazi's) do not believe in free speech , remember the book burning in Germany in the 30's
Fascism is not linked to any particular religion and more so even rejects it. Hitler and Mussolini had no time for religion but entered into an alliance with the clergy where both sides benefited from opressing the left.
Yes there was a Nazi Pope as there was also a british fascist movement (mosley) and a so called reform club in england whose members openly supported the Nazis. The prince of wales and the duke of Edinbourgh were among its most prominent members. One of them even hugging and kissing Hitler.
Why do you think the royals changed their name from house of hanover to the windsors. The loyalist /unionist culture is firmly embedded in that tradition and is the continuation of Anglo-fascism. Why else is the BNP marching along the UVF and loyalist members have links to the KKK.
The current pope was never a member of the Nazi party. Get your facts right you political illiterate. He was in the Hitler youth as were 99.9% of all young german males at the time. I hate people making unqualified statements. Start reading first or at least stop reading "the sun".