‘Spreading hate’ claim over group
BRITAIN FIRST ACCUSED OF RACISM AFTER CLAIMING THAT BURTON IS HOTSPOT FOR ISLAMIC GROOMING GANGS –
FASCIST far-right party Britain First has been accused of racism after claiming Burton is a “hotspot” for Islamic grooming gangs during a visit to the town.
Its members based their claims on just two previous cases, one of which saw four Burton Muslims jailed for child grooming offences three years ago.
The other case involved a drugs gang - and there was no evidence they had committed any grooming offences or were Muslims.
Now, one of the town’s religious leaders has slammed Britain First, claiming the party is spreading hate, and making it clear grooming gangs do not have origins in one culture.
A video shot in the town centre on Saturday, May 8, shows members of Britain First approaching staff many of whom are South Asian - at businesses including taxi ranks and takeaways, to make them aware of what they describe as “grooming gang activity” in the area.
Seven screenshots of past news articles are shared in the video - six of which are the same story from different publications.
Those articles date back to a court case in 2018, when Taiyab Hussain, then 19; Mohammed Hizar Rizwan, then 18; Shaheem Ratyal, then 19; and Sohail Raja Ali, then 19; all from Burton, pleaded guilty to child grooming offences.
They were jailed for between four and five years and their victims were five girls aged from 13 to 16.
The only other article shared involved a child rescued from a drugs gang operating in Burton in 2020.
A total of 28 people were arrested, including one from Burton. The ethnicity and religion of those arrested was not divulged and there was no suggestion the child had been groomed.
When asked by thhe Burton Mail what made Britain First believe Burton is a “hotspot” for Islamic grooming gangs, leader Paul Golding said: “Based on previous cases, it’s safe to assume that Burton is a town where grooming gangs operate.
“We are not the police, so do not know of current investigations.”
We also asked if the members had visited the library, cafes and supermarkets separate to taxi ranks and takeaways, to which Mr Golding said: “We visited taxi ranks, taxi offices, takeaways and the police station.”
Mr Golding also said they received a “positive” reaction from people in town.
The visit is part of party’s Operation Downes, named after victim Charlene Downes, who was murdered by a grooming gang in Blackpool.
In the video, a spokesman for the group said: “We are here in Burton raising awareness about the grooming gang problem in this town and in the local area.
“Pretty much every town, not only in the East Midlands (Burton is in the West Midlands), but all over the UK, has been afflicted with the problem of grooming gangs and we want to stamp this problem out.
“One of the best ways of going this is to make everyone aware that this problem exists and they should keep an eye out for men who are grooming children and plying them with drink and drugs.
“We are going around all the local businesses in the area, especially kebab shops, taxi ranks, taxi offices, places where we know this kind of grooming activity has been going on and we are speaking to all the business owners and advising them that if they see anything that shouldn’t be there they should call the police.”
Tariq Hussain, a spokesman for the Central Jamia Mosque Rizvia, in Uxbridge Street said: “I don’t think there is a problem in Burton of any grooming and certainly no one in the community supports that kind of behaviour.
“The grooming gangs don’t have origins from one culture. They are criminals who prey on the vulnerable. Britain First are racist, bigoted people who prey on the vulnerable people and spread hatred. They are not concerned about vulnerable people.
“The victim in the 2018 was 15 and the offenders were about two years older. This is compared to the case in Rotherham where the men were
in their 50s or all middle aged. Obviously it is still not right, but there are big comparisons.
“I don’t believe there is a problem in Burton. We are very fortunate here.
“People don’t need Britain First coming to spread hate.”
In response, Mr Golding said: “Mosque leaders should be applauding people for trying to eradicate grooming gangs, not calling them ‘racists.’”
In 2018, “anti-extremism” group Quillam - which disbanded this year due to the strain covid was putting on the non-profit organisation - published research claiming 84 per cent of child
sexual exploitation gangs were of Asian origin.
The research was subsequently disputed and called into question by highprofile figures, academics and researchers.
Mr Golding said: “Eighty-five per cent of street grooming gangs are from an Islamist or Pakistani background.
“We can’t just go around calling everyone a racist who points that out.”
Staffordshire Police has been contacted to clarify whether there are any current investigations in Burton involving suspected grooming by Islamic gangs.