Britain First runs ‘fight club’ for supporters to confront Muslims

The Daily Record reports on Britain First’s promotion of “sinister ‘fight clubs’” to train its supporters to ‘fight Muslims on the streets’.

It follows the revelation last month that the group has been recruiting former English Defence League members and teaching them boxing and martial arts.

A Facebook post appearing on the group’s page appears to encourage vigilante violence stating:

“Are you capable of defending your loved ones?

“Can you handle yourself in a tight spot? Things are bad and will only get worse so don’t you think it’s time to get in shape and learn how to protect the ones you love…and yourself?

“We don’t want ‘shouters’ Britain needs FIGHTERS!”

In another section, the BF page states: “We feel this is a vital part of building a real movement for the future struggle to take back our country.”

Britain First, led by ‘religious zealot’ and ‘race hate fanatic’ Jim Dowson, has already garnered attention with its ‘operation fightback’ antics which involves the movement ‘invading’ mosques, confronting Muslims and handing out Bibles to Muslim worshippers.

A Channel 4 feature on the movement described Britain First as ‘the violent new face of British fascism’.

The tendency to violence echoes findings regarding BNP members among whom there are an “inner core of activists who are both expecting, and endorse, violence”, according to a 2012 report published by Chatham House.

Moreover, it is interesting to note that Britain First’s Facebook page was recently temporarily removed for containing ‘hate speech’.

Although the Independent reported that Facebook claimed the removal of the page was a “mistake”, the Huffington Post observes that a screenshot appeared to show Facebook had removed the BF page following a complaint regarding “hate speech or symbols” that violated their Community Standards.

The BF Facebook page contains numerous Islamophobic, pro-military memes and “catchy slogans” such as “Save Your Country (UK) BAN HALAL” and “this is England – love it or leave it” and pictures of members holding ‘no more mosque’ banners outside council buildings.

As highlighted by the Independent and Mancunian Matters, BF’s online popularity is worthy of concern with the far right group enjoying a Facebook following that outstrips the mainstream parties. While the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have ‘likes’ of between 98,400 – 228,000, and UKIP on 225,000, Britain First has just over 495,000 ‘likes’.