Two teenagers involved in racist chanting at a group of boys at an anti-racism football match in Dagenham have been banned from attending games for three years.

Keith Meredith, of Holgate Road, Dagenham, and Lee Bates, of Seymer Road, Romford, both 18, appeared at Romford Magistrates Court on October 16.

They were among 25 to 30 youths seen and heard shouting abuse at the Tower Hamlets schoolboys during a Daggers Against Racism game with Bradford FC, held in Victoria Road, Dagenham.

The ringleaders of the disorder, which happened on March 3 this year, were ejected from the stadium by police and club security, but only identified through CCTV and arrested later to avoid disrupting the match.

Meredith was found guilty of a racially aggravated section 5 public order act offence and sentenced to a three-year football banning order, £100 fine and ordered to pay £315 in court costs.

Bates, who admitted a section 5 public order act offence, was sentenced to a three year football banning order, £135 fine and ordered to pay £115 in court costs.

On July 29 two boys, aged 16 and 17, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public order offences. They both received a four-month referral order to a local youth offending scheme and were ordered to pay £75 each in costs. A further 11 people received varying bans direct from the football club following the chants.

Steve Thompson, managing director of Daggers, said: "We welcome the sentences given to Lee Bates and Keith Meredith.

"We aim to provide a club facility that caters for families and gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the match without the disruption of intolerance or bigotry.

"The club will continue to do everything in its power to take appropriate action against anyone who chooses to be involved in such abuse."

Barking & Dagenham Post, 6 November 2012

See also Metropolitan Police news report, 25 October 2012

You can read an eyewitness account of the abuse to which the Tower Hamlets schoolchildren were subjected here. Racism and threats of violence were accompanied by chants of "E-E-EDL, E-E-EDL".

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A man arrested in connection with an EDL protest against a newly-approved mosque has been fined after he admitted swearing at riot police.

Gary Donaldson, 32, had been drinking at the Chesters Pub in Chester Road in Sunderland, when he was confronted by officers with video cameras.

Sunderland Magistrates' Court heard how Donaldson screamed expletives into the camera and became aggressive towards the officer holding the device. He was one of 13 people arrested during the protest on October 6, 2012.

Representing himself at the short hearing, Donaldson, of Frederick Street, Seaham, pleaded guilty to drunk and disorderly on Friday October 26. He was fined £35, and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge as well as £85 costs.

Around 200 people were involved in the demonstration on St Mark's Road, which saw members of far-right groups including the English Defence League and National Front clashing with anti-fascists and members of the Muslim community.

Scores of police armed with batons were called in as the disorder escalated, and a firecracker in a glass bottle was seen being thrown at officers.

Eight men arrested on suspicion of public order offences and another three arrested on suspicion of affray are on bail pending further enquires.

Sky Tyne and Wear, 27 October 2012

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Paul Ross and Shaun BuntingA group of men linked to the English Defence League have been fined for chanting racially motivated abuse after attending a football match. The six, from south-west Durham, were found guilty of shouting highly inflammatory chants at Middlesbrough railway station.

Yesterday, more than 50 members of the far-right organisation gathered outside Teesside Magistrates' Court to show their support, and anger flared when court officials would only allow five of them in the public gallery. There was a heavy police presence in the town after supporters met in a nearby pub before going to the court.

The court heard how the men, who represented themselves at last month's trial, shouted abuse at the station in December last year, after Middlesbrough's game against Brighton. The court was told they were singing EDL chants and when they started singing a highly inflammatory religious chant, a police officer decided to eject them from the station. As the group left, one of the men, Christopher Caswell, 32, became aggressive and raised his fist and a British Transport Police officer responded by spraying him with CS gas and calling for police back-up.

Paul Ross, 47, who told the court he runs the south-west Durham division of the EDL, said the group had just been taking part in a bit of banter.

Kevin Smallcombe, in mitigation, said: "All of the defendants will recognise the decision that this court has made, but that is not to say it is accepted, and there will be an appeal."

Elizabeth Hutchinson, the chairwoman of the bench, said: "You knew exactly what you were doing and you deliberately set out to use racially abusive language and intimidate members of the public, in particular the PC who was carrying out his duties."

Jak Beasley, 23, of Cedar Road, Bishop Auckland , was ordered to pay £970 in fines and costs; Caswell, 32, of West Auckland Road, Darlington, was ordered to pay £970; Ross, 48 of Auckland Wynd, Shildon , was ordered to pay £1,040; Shaun Bunting, 33, of Fenhall Green, Newton Aycliffe , was ordered to pay £935; Ross Williams, 23, of Ebberston Court, Spennymoor , was also ordered to pay £935 and Dean Spence, 22, of Yew Close, Spennymoor, was ordered to pay £970.

When the fines were announced, one supporter was ordered out of the public gallery for swearing, and others started chanting when the six defendants left the court building.

Northern Echo, 15 September 2012

See also "Middlesbrough railway station race abuse group to pay £6k", Evening Gazette, 15 September 2012

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A Bradley man has admitted racially assaulting an Asian police officer. And a court heard he then made an English Defence League salute after he was arrested.

Laszlo Michael Lankovits, of Elder Road, Bradley, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence on May 21.

Kirklees Magistrates were told yesterday that the remarks were made when Lankovits was arrested at his mother's address for breaching bail conditions.

Prosecutor Astin Bill told the court Lankovits said to the female officer: "I am British. I've served in the army. Where are you from? Go back to your own country."

He told the court that once in custody Lankovits then shouted out EDL before putting his hand to his chest and making a salute.

Defence solicitor Jonathan Slawinski told the court that his client deeply regretted his actions and was not a member of the English Defence League.

Huddersfield Examiner, 7 June 2012

Via ENGAGE

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One year after France introduced a law banning women from wearing full-face veils in public, officials report that around 300 have been fined.

The ban on wearing the niqab in any public place was introduced on April 11th 2011. It is illegal for any woman to wear the veil except when they are at home, worshipping in a religious place or travelling as a passenger in a private car. Wearing the veil can lead to a fine of €150 ($200) and forced attendance at a citizenship class.

Interior ministry officials reported that "in one year there have been 354 police checks and 299 fines issued," reported Le Parisien newspaper.

At the time of the law being passed, officials estimated that around 2,000 women were wearing the full-face veil. In January, interior minister Claude Guéant told parliament that "the number of women wearing the veil has fallen by half" since the law was introduced.

Rachid Nekkaz of the group "Touche pas à ma Constitution" (Don't Touch My Constitution) claims that 367 women have been fined and questioned in police stations for "between one and a half and three hours." Two-thirds of the women questioned are divorced or single, according to Nekkaz. He believes this proves the women are not wearing the veil "by force of a husband."

The Local, 11 April 2012

See also Deutsche Welle, 11 April 2012

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