Britain First Leaders BOTH NICKED

Although neither Stephen Yaxley Lennon, who styles himself Tommy Robinson, nor former UKIP leadership hopeful Anne Marie Waters, nor the party’s former Oberscheissenführer Nigel “Thirsty” Farage, nor indeed Battersea bedroom dweller Paul Watson have mentioned it today, the leaders of Britain First, one of whom achieved notoriety recently when Combover Crybaby Donald Trump Retweeted her fake videos, are in trouble.

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In fact, they are in Being Nicked trouble: Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen arrived at court in Belfast this morning, a place that knows not only about terrorism, but also that it does not have to involved followers of The Prophet, for Ms Fransen to make a scheduled appearance. But instead of accompanying her into the building, Golding was arrested and taken away to a nearby Police station for one of those friendly chats.

Ms Fransen, as the BBC has reported, “was in court over two charges relating to behaviour intended to or likely to stir up hatred … Her lawyer told the court that she intended to plead not guilty”. Stirring up hatred? That sounds rather like the arrest of both Golding and Ms Fransen last May on suspicion of inciting religious hatred. Ms Fransen has since been arrested twice, once for jumping bail in order to swan off around Europe.

So, as Golding was having a “polite conversation” with the PSNI,  his deputy faced the court alone, which probably made her even more of a victim. The Beeb again: “Ms Fransen spoke only once in the dock - to confirm she understood the charges against her … A small group of supporters were in Belfast Magistrates Court - and after Ms Fransen was re-arrested, they staged a short but angry demonstration, holding placards and chanting in front of the media gathered outside the building”.

The BBC’s report includes a photo showing all of seven supporters. And what was that about Ms Fransen being re-arrested? “The police confirmed that a 31-year-old woman had been arrested as part of an investigation into ‘an incident at a peace wall’”.

The Beeb explained “It is believed Ms Fransen has been re-arrested over social media posts she made from a peace wall in Belfast on Wednesday … Peace walls are used to separate Catholic and Protestant residents in areas where tension between the two communities can run high”. Or, to put it directly, the PSNI have enough on their plate keeping the peace without hotheads from outside town sticking their bugles in.

There was, therefore, concern about Ms Fransen’s social media activity, but as the Guardian has reported, the judge “did not limit Fransen’s social media activity, but said [she] was not to be within 500 metres of any demonstration or parade in Northern Ireland”. What may have fuelled the concern was that she “referred to the Belfast Islamic Centre, located in the south of the city, as a ‘den of iniquity’”. Been there, has she? Thought not.

Ms Fransen will be having another trip to Belfast next month, when she will find out just how impressed the courts there are with her Not Guilty plea. In the meantime, there will no doubt be plenty of victimhood playing. But, as ever, the Police are there to uphold and if necessary enforce the law. Maybe one day Golding and Ms Fransen will understand that.