The leader of the group Paul Golding declares that the group's intention is ‘to make sure people aren't affected by sharia law'. The deputy leader distributes the so-called ‘Christian Patrol' leaflets calling for the banning of mosques and niqabs to anyone who will take them. The response by one man is to call them ‘racist scumbags'.
PUBLICITY: Far-right group Britain First starts ‘Christian Patrols’ in wake of Charlie Hebdo attacks http://t.co/YYKXla3lc2
— Britain First (@BritainFirst) January 20, 2015
The on-street conflict begins and police officers appear on the scene to diffuse the tension. But it's not just on Brick Lane. Christian Patrols have been deployed elsewhere in the UK in areas that the far right group describes as ‘occupied territory'.
http://t.co/p56nSQDprT The fact this is happening where I live frustrates and scares me. In no way is E LDN 'occupied' by muslims…
— Sally McLennan (@Lennan12) January 19, 2015
"We want to take our country back", Paul Golding tells Sputnik UK. "The media lies, the self serving politicians and immigration have made British citizens second class citizens".
The ‘Christian Patrols' in London, Cardiff, Bradford and Dewsbury follow in the footsteps of a self-styled ‘Muslim Patrol' vigilante group in which three members were jailed last year for harassing, intimidating and assaulting people in East London, claiming they were there to enforce Sharia law.
"We get people ringing us all the time and contacting us online, telling us there are Muslim gangs operating who are targeting people not following Sharia law. And we say: if you're having hassle — contact us. We'll deal with it", says Golding.
But it's not just Muslims in certain areas of the country that Britain First appears to resent:
"We hate white politicians — all of them, treacherous self serving career politicians".
Responding to the patrol in East London, Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, told Sputnik UK: "Time and again, people in the East End have come together to reject hatred and intolerance.
"The divisive rhetoric of fringe groups such as ‘Britain First' has no place in our East End, the proud home to one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in the UK."
Britain First have upped efforts to start a holy war, and it's putting the public at risk http://t.co/Q6obpA8uaW
— TellMAMAUK (@TellMamaUK) January 20, 2015
Britain First denies being anything like the extreme far right group British National Party that surfaced in 1982. Its leader tells Sputnik UK that they intend to tell all their 125,000 members to vote UKIP. However, in areas where UKIP "are not bold enough to lock horns with radical Islam", Golding says "Britain First is going to stand as a political party in the general election in Luton, Blackburn and Bradford: to highlight the suffering".
However, Golding says it's not a political group just using Britain's political system to spread their message. Weyman Bennett, joint national secretary for the counter-extremist group Unite Against Fascism, says Golding came from the BNP.
"I think we have to be very clear that they are a fascist group. Golding is a previous BNP member and a group of people who go around in military uniforms attempting to intimidate people from a religious minority with their far right views is a threat to all our democratic rights — and we must unite to stop them".
