Galloway brings in police over EDL death threat

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Police to probe Facebook death threat to Galloway
Brian Currie
Political Editor
28 Jul 2011
heraldscotland.com

A DEATH threat to George Galloway is being investigated by police in London. Mr Galloway asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate after a threat was posted online by a member of the far-right English Defence League (EDL).

He contacted the police at Streatham near his south London home after a senior EDL member Daryl Hobson, who has boasted of the group’s links with Norwegian killer Anders Breivik, posted a message reading “Kill George Galloway” on his own Facebook page. Mr Hobson, who organises EDL demonstrations, encouraged others to add comments. One claimed he would kill the controversial former MP.

Mr Galloway said: “This is a clear incitement to murder me and I have passed on, through my lawyer, my complaint to the Metropolitan Police. Hobson admits that the crypto-fascist EDL have had extensive links with Breivik so I would be mad not to take this threat seriously. I have, in the past, been attacked at a meeting by EDL thugs. But they will not silence me or anyone else campaigning against their vile, violent, racist methods.”

Officers from Streatham Police office visited Mr Galloway’s home yesterday and have arranged to interview him today. A Met spokesman confirmed that officers were investigating the internet threat.

Mr Hobson, 43, said in an online posting that Breivik had about 150 EDL members on his friends list but said “bar one or two doubt the rest of us ever met him, altho [sic] he did come over for one of our demo [sic] in 2010 but what he did was wrong. RIP to all who died as a result of his actions”. EDL leader Stephen Lennon yesterday described Breivik as a “horrible monster”, claiming the EDL condemned his “disgusting” actions. “We are anti-fascists and condemn all violence,” he said.

When asked about Breivik’s alleged links with the EDL, he added: “The media are cherry-picking what they want to fit their agenda and demonising our organisation. But there is a warning and what happened in Norway is a wake-up call. The fact that so many people are scared – people have to listen to that. What happened in Oslo shows how desperate some people are becoming in Europe. It’s a ticking time bomb. If they don’t give that frustration and anger a platform as such and a voice – and a way of getting emotion out in a democratic way – it will create monsters like this lunatic.”

Mr Lennon said he was in touch with regional EDL leaders to find out whether the gunman had contact with members of the group. "It could turn out that one of our members met with him but at this point we’re not turning anything up,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Defence League has been urged to cancel a planned demonstration in Irvine town centre on Saturday. West of Scotland Labour MSP Margaret McDougall said: “I am appalled to see this event take place, especially in light of the tragic events that took place in Norway.”