FPÖ leader StracheThe southern Austrian state of Carinthia was long a source of inspiration for right-wing populists across Europe. As early as 1989, the Freedom Party of Carinthia (FPK) briefly nabbed the governor's mansion in the state. In 1999, the right-wingers – behind the charismatic leadership of Jörg Haider – emerged victorious in state elections once again, and have managed to hold onto the state since.

Until Sunday, that is. In a key state election seen as a bellwether for the Austrian general election approaching in September, Carinthian voters delivered a painful blow to the FPK, the state chapter of the national Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ). Sunday evening exit polls indicated that the FPK managed a mere 17.1 percent of the vote – a veritable collapse since their 45 percent result four years ago. It was the largest vote-on-vote disintegration ever seen in postwar Austria.

The Social Democratic party SPÖ won with 37.1 percent of the vote, while the center-right ÖVP landed in third place with 14.2 percent.

Sunday's result – combined with their meager 8.2 percent showing in the other Austrian state election on Sunday, in Lower Austria – does not bode well for the right-wing populists this autumn. "It was a clear rejection and a … clear demand for a restart," said a visibly irate FPÖ head Hans-Christian Strache on Austrian television on Monday morning.

Spiegel, 4 March 2013

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Far right demonstrates outside High CourtA high court judge has banned protests by groups such as the English Defence League being held within 500 metres of the home of the radical Islamist cleric Abu Qatada.

Mr Justice Silber said the injunction issued on Monday was necessary because the protests, which have been held on a weekly basis, had terrified the cleric's family, particularly his children, the youngest of whom is aged 11.

Abu Qatada, who was once described by a Spanish judge as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, is currently out on bail under a 16-hour daily curfew. The home secretary, Theresa May, is appealing against a ruling by British judges that he cannot be sent back to Jordan while there is a risk he faces a trial based on evidence obtained through torture.

The high court injunction issued on Monday will ban the English National Resistance, the English Defence League, Britain First, the South East Alliance, the English Volunteer Force and others from staging demonstrations within 500 metres of Abu Qatada's London home.

"There was powerful evidence from the claimants of weekly demonstrations with much shouting of abuse such as 'Abu Qatada off our streets', 'all Muslims are terrorists', 'murdering scumbag', 'go back to Jordan', 'just murder him' and 'forget all this just kill him', Silber said in his ruling. He said some of the chanting and shouting had lasted up to six hours.

Abu Qatada's wife and five children, who brought the case, said the protests had terrified them. The 11-year-old said: "I feel they are a threat to us and I feel scared in the house. I also feel scared when walking outside even on a normal day (when there is no demonstration)."

The cleric's second eldest child, aged 21, said: "When the demonstrations occur, usually on Saturdays, the whole family has to stay in the house. When they first arrive it is very startling and then it is frightening … the demonstrators frighten and panic me and have the effect of worsening a medical condition that I suffer from."

The groups staging the protests vowed on their websites never to stop the demonstrations, and to expose his every address. "We intend to make his life a misery," they said.

The judge said the order would extend a temporary ban issued on 1 February to prevent a demonstration taking place outside the house the next day. Silber stressed that it was perfectly legitimate to protest against Abu Qatada's presence in Britain and the provision of a taxpayer-funded house for the cleric and his family to live in. Abu Qatada himself was not involved in the case.

A second injunction granted on Monday prevents the publication of the names of the children, their pictures and the schools they attend, to prevent further harassment.

Guardian, 25 February 2013

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Police watched over a council planning meeting where emotions ran high over a proposal to create a Muslim-run community and welfare centre.

Officers attended plans panel north and east at Leeds City Council where members unanimously voted to give the go-ahead to convert the derelict Lingfield pub in Moortown.

Applicants UKIM, UK Islamic Mission, who bought the site, want to create a public gym, IT suite, library, training facilities and a prayer room for up to 70 worshippers.

More than 400 letters of objection were received over traffic, congestion and noise concerns. Many also expressed fears the centre would be used exclusively by the Islamic community. The night before the planning meeting the words "a mosque" were repeatedly daubed on the exterior of the forlorn building.

In a deputation to the panel, Gavin Boby, of the Law and Freedom Foundation, said he spoke against the plan on behalf of the Lingfield community: "Community use is laughable. It is a lie. It is a facility for a specific sector alone. You will find it will only be used by one sector."

Asked how many local people he knew would use the centre, Mohammed Arif of UKIM, said five households. He added that all facilities, including the "thorn in everyone's side", the prayer room, would be open to everyone.

The proposed community centre is subject to 21 restrictions, including opening hours from 8.30am to 10.30pm, or midnight during the month of Ramadan when visitor numbers can be no more than 65. The building cannot be used for weddings and must be open to community use.

Mr Arif said: "I am relieved by the result. We are in no mad rush and need to forge links with the community first."

Yorkshire Evening Post, 22 February 2013

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A racist yob from Harlow who was branded a "disgrace to the values of this country" after making Nazi salutes and unleashing a torrent of anti-semitic abuse in a London pub has failed in a bid to have his prison sentence reduced.

John Patrick Hennigan (46), of Long Banks, Harlow, was caged for 21 months after he was convicted at the Old Bailey in October of breaching an anti-social behaviour order for the seventh time.

He has now lost his application to have the sentence cut when judges at the Court of Appeal ruled it was "richly deserved".

Judge Michael Stokes QC said Hennigan was barred from using foul, threatening, racist or abusive language under the terms of an ASBO imposed in 2005.

But he flouted the order when he went to The Magpie pub at Bishopsgate in central London – from which he had been barred twice before – in February of last year.

"He had been seen to make Nazi salutes and engaged in racist and anti-semitic language and, when the manager required him to leave, he resisted", said the judge.

Hennigan continued to make racist remarks and started singing an offensive song associated with the English Defence League. When he was told the police had been called he continued to resist and said "If I were a Jew, you wouldn't be doing this."

Hennigan also hurled abuse at police officers, calling one a "f***** pathetic little creature" as he was arrested.

In his grounds for appeal, Hennigan claimed the trial judge over-rated the seriousness of the breach and had imposed a sentence which he described as "manifestly excessive". But Judge Stokes, sitting with Lord Justice Leveson and Mr Justice Nicol, rejected the appeal, saying:

"Hennigan's behaviour in a crowded pub could have led to serious disorder. He takes no notice of court orders, which is in itself a serious aggravating feature, and a significant custodial sentence was inevitable in this case.

"We have considered the grounds of appeal but reject arguments that the judge erred. This sentence was not wrong in principle or manifestly excessive; on the contrary, it was fully justified and richly deserved."

Harlow Star, 8 February 2013

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Finnish lawmakers on Wednesday forced a member of the opposition Finns Party to resign from an influential parliamentary committee after he was fined for making racist remarks, the latest in a string of setbacks for the anti-euro party.

Finns Party lawmaker Jussi Halla-aho was fined by the Supreme Court on Friday for comments posted on his personal blog in 2008 which linked Islam to paedophilia and Somalis with theft. Somalis are a major immigrant group in Finland.

Members of all political parties other than the Finns Party agreed on Wednesday that Halla-aho should quit as chairman of a parliamentary committee dealing with immigration and state security. He resigned from the post, although he will stay in parliament.

"Although I consider the attack against me as unreasonable ... I don't want to unnecessarily prolong the circus generated by others," he said on his party's website.

The Finns Party rose from obscurity to become the country's top opposition group in last year's general election after focusing on criticism of European bailout plans. But the party has since been hit by controversy.

Party lawmaker James Hirvisaari was fined for inciting racial and ethnic hatred after saying Muslims brought violence to Finland. Another member, Teuvo Hakkarainen, was punished last year for using a derogatory word for blacks and mockingly imitating a Muslim call to prayer in an online video.

Finland's largest daily Helsingin Sanomat reported on June 1 that a poll it commissioned showed popular support for the Finns Party at 14.5 percent, down from 19.1 percent in the 2011 parliamentary election.

Reuters, 13 June 2012

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