Britain First (BF) are the most infamous right-wing political party in the UK. When the party emerged, when I was a child, the name seemed almost innocent – as if they were simply putting the needs of Britain first. But a quick google-search will reveal their odd definition of “British” – a definition which doesn’t seem to include Brits of colour, particularly Muslims. And, it goes with out saying, they don’t have any regard for anyone non-British, especially people of colour (and, up until recently, Polish migrants).
A first, they seemed to be going the way of the English Defence League (EDL) or the British National Party (BNP): ridiculously out of fashion just like their backwards beliefs, but with the increase in Islamophobia came an increase in their direct attacks upon Muslims.
Britain First leader Paul Golding and his deputy Jayda Fransen are figureheads of the racist movement.
Often seen brandishing banners, KKK-like crosses and their own ridiculous catch-phrases, Britain First have demonstrated several times this year. Over the past month, Britain First have demonstrated both in London and Birmingham – only to be met by anti-facist groups forming counter-demonstrations.
Britain First can often be heard squawking about “Christian values”, “Muslim paedophiles” and can be spotted often outside, or inside despite restraining orders, of Mosques.
Even after the tragedy at Grenfell, while British and non-British Muslims were coming to the aid of the homeless after the blaze, Britain First felt it enormously necessary to cause disturbances outside of a Mosque which was offering charity. Sounds like they care a whole lot about the British people they pretend to protect who were involved in the Grenfell tragedy.
Britain First felt it necessary to harass Muslims aiding victims of the Grenfell Tower blaze.
Despite their hatred of Muslims, Britain First have taken up the values of another, more popular, Abrahamic religion – Christianity – to represent their beliefs. The party even goes to the extend of going on its own “Christian Patrols”, where they can be found distributing Islamophobic leaflets and hurling abuse at Muslims.
Britain First have been denounced by every major Christian denomination in the UK.
After the first “Christian Patrol” the two leaders of the movement were arrested for wearing political uniform, and the movement has been denounced by every single major Christian denomination in the UK.
Leaflets distributed by BF allege that Muslims are violent, terrifying paedophiles. Their own website encourages us to “Secure a future for British children”. While claiming to be “protecting children” – Britain First have no intention of protecting those abused under the symbol of the cross that they brandish so happily.
Britain First have demonstrated to Muslim children that they are unwelcome in their eyes.
They are also happy to demonstrate to Muslim children that they are unwelcome, and have even mistakenly posted a photo of children doing yoga as they believed it was part of a Muslim prayer.
BF also claim Muslims hate women, a common Islamophobic sentiment. Despite this apparent care about Muslim women’s issues, Britain First can be routinely found verbally abusing Muslim women.
Muslim women are verbally abused by Britain First.
Their deputy, Fransen, has been fined £2,000 for abusing a Muslim woman in front of her children. If they’re genuinely worried about the treatment of Muslim women, why do they contribute to the mistreatment?
So, we’ve established that Britain First didn’t care about the victims of Grenfell – and chose instead to dedicate their time to harassment of Muslims offering charity.
Britain first don’t care about children – they are happy to demonstrate to Muslim women and children they are unwelcome, they are happy to distribute images of school children online for political purpose, and don’t care about British Muslim children.
We’ve also been able to establish that Britain First couldn’t care less about British Muslim women either, as they are happy to abuse them in public, on leaflets, and even in their places of worship.
And it is certainly true that Britain First don’t care for British Christians, especially those who support religious freedom and acceptance, nor do they care for Jewish Brits – who have rejected them and their attempts to divide them against Islam.
Britain First, as the name of the racist, neo-Nazi movement suggests, don’t care for anyone “non-British”. But even within Britain, they’re keen to reject Muslims, they’re keen to reject Brits of colour, they’re keen to reject settled migrants, they’re even keen to reject people who share the “Christian values” they preach about.
So I repeat – exactly who are Britain First protecting?
