Accused spoke at far-right protests - court
A protester accused of stirring up racial hatred at city centre demonstrations has travelled around the country giving speeches at events attended by far-right groups, jurors have heard.
Prosecutors claim William Charlton’s public protest talks in Sunderland city centre spread hatred against “immigrants, Asians, black people and the police” and caused a rise in the city’s racial crime and disorder.
It is claimed Charlton, known as “Billy”, hid his racist agenda under the “cloak of respectability” that he wanted to protect women and children from attacks by speaking at the protests.
The 53-year-old, of no fixed address, denies six offences of stirring up racial hatred and is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court. Jurors have now heard evidence from a former Metropolitan police spotter, who gathered intelligence and policed rallies in conjunction with local forces.
The ex-officer said he saw Charlton at protests attendedbytheEDL,NationalFront and the now proscribed National Action, among other, similar groups. The court heard Charlton attended a march organised by splinter groups of the English Defence League, in Berwick on July 5, 2014.
The protest was entitled “ban the burka” and the officer said he believed Charlton gave a speech at the event.
The court heard Charlton attended and spoke at a “white man march” on March 21, 2015 in Newcastle, which was again attended by members of right-wing and far-right groups and where flags were burned. The court was told Charlton attended and spoke at a protest in Rotherham in May 2015, again organised by splinter groups of the EDL who wanted “no more mosques”. The court heard Charlton attended a protest at Bishop Auckland on June 6, 2015 and gave a speech.
The court was told Charlton was at an event, which had been organised by the North West Infidels, in Preston on October 10,2015.
Charlton was spoke at an event in Scarborough, to protest against homelessnessamongstarmyveterans, whereanEDLgrouppromoted the slogan “no more refugees”, the court heard.
Charlton denies all charges.
The trial continues