 | |
Type of site | Far-right politics,anti-communism |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Founded | March 1992 (in print) Early 2000s (website) |
| Dissolved | Summer 2019 |
| Predecessor | Redwatch (print magazine) |
| Headquarters | |
| Owner | Simon Sheppard |
| URL | redwatch.org (defunct) redwatch.org.uk (defunct) redwatch.net (defunct) redwatch.co.uk (defunct) |
| Commercial | No |
| Registration | None |
| Current status | Defunct |
Redwatch was a British website associated with members of the far-rightBritish People's Party. It published photographs of, and personal information about, allegedfar left andanti-fascist activists. It typically targeted activists in political parties, advocacy groups,trade unions and the media. The website's slogan was "Remember places, traitors' faces, they'll all pay for their crimes", a quote fromneo-Nazi musicianIan Stuart Donaldson.
The information gathered by Redwatch was indexed by cities or regions. Many of the people listed were members of theUnite Against Fascism or otheranti-racist orleft-wing groups, such as theSocialist Party (England and Wales), theSocialist Party (Ireland),Sinn Féin,Social Democratic and Labour Party,Alliance for Workers' Liberty,Workers' Power (UK) andSocialist Workers Party (Britain). SomeLabour Party,Liberal Democrat andConservative members were also listed. Trade unionists, in particular teachers and journalists, figured prominently in the listings. There were dozens of photographs ofanarchists and single-issue protesters.[citation needed]
A now-defunct printed magazineRedwatch was first published by theneo-Nazi paramilitary groupCombat 18 in March 1992,[2] when its slogan was "oderint dum metuant": "let them hate as long as they fear"[3] (a quotation fromCaligula).
The website was hosted bySimon Sheppard, a formerBritish National Party (BNP) member who was expelled from the organisation after circulating a leaflet which the leadership of the BNP regarded as aprima facie breach of race-discrimination legislation.[4] Other BNP contributors to Redwatch included Adrian Marsden (a former BNP councillor in Halifax), Mike Lester (then the party's organiser inStockport, named "Activist of the Year" at aRed, White and Blue festival organised by the party), Trevor Agnew (County Durham organiser and confidant ofNick Griffin, then the BNP leader)Mark Collett (then the Yorkshire BNP organiser), Keith McFarlane (a leading Sunderland activist at the time) and others.[5] On 1 May 2005, Sheppard's home inHull was searched by police investigating "incitement to racial hatred."[6]
In January 2004, questions concerning the legality of the Redwatch website were raised in theHouse of Lords. TheHome Office stated that listing public information online is not a crime.[7]
The website has been heavily criticised by theTrades Union Congress and many affiliated unions. Following the TUC's annual Congress in September 2004, where an anti-Redwatch resolution was passed, the TUC General SecretaryBrendan Barber wrote to Home SecretaryDavid Blunkett, requesting a meeting to discuss the issue. Further discussions and correspondence with government members ensued, and in March 2005, a meeting took place with Home SecretaryCharles Clarke. The TUC have promised to provide the Home Secretary with examples of experiences that trade unionists and other left-wing campaigners have had as a result of having their details published on Redwatch, whilst the Home Secretary promised to hold discussions with the police about what could be done to stop the activities of the website.
The website temporarily became unavailable around 6 December 2008, with all of its various URLs leading directly to error or Internet service provider pages. It returned later that month. On 2 March 2013 the anti-fascistHope not Hate claimed that the police had arrested Kevin Watmough from Redwatch and confiscated his computers for investigation.
Redwatch justified its content as a reaction to leftist websites and magazines who display similar content: "Photographs and information about the reds who attempt to harass and assault British Nationalists and their families. The red scum target us, Redwatch plays them at their own game". Justifications provided by the website include an email circulated in August 2001 by theAnti-Nazi League, containing the home addresses ofNick Griffin (leader of theBritish National Party) and his mother, who was involved in the organisation of a BNP festival.[8]
The website went offline in the summer of 2019.
There have been many reports to the police of people receiving death threats after their details have appeared on the Redwatch website. These have includedMembers of Parliament and their families.[9] According toSearchlight, aLeeds teacher who complained about afar right activist, Antony White, leafleting his school, had his details listed on Redwatch, allegedly after the jailing of White. Far right supporters thenfirebombed the teacher's car.[citation needed]
According toIndymedia, an anti-racist was followed and attacked on 16 May 2006 after the recent appearance of his personal data on the Redwatch website. The assailants reportedly shouted "We'll kill you, you leftist motherfucker!"[10]
Due to its association with violence, BNP leaderNick Griffin warned party members not to use the site. However, in 2004 BNP Youth organiserMark Collett was filmed discussing the website with BNP councillor Dave Midgley, accusing the website of promoting a "street war" between thefar-right andfar-left. Collett also claimed that the site was organised by theNational Front, and told Midgley how to post pictures of a local councillor, while acknowledging that it was against the party's policy.[11]
MerseysideTrades Union Congress organiser Alec McFadden received death threats shortly after his details appeared on the website. At precisely the same time, Joe Owens, a Merseyside BNP candidate with several convictions for violent offences, began sending him emails gloating that he had photographic details of his house, car and family.[12] Since standing as aRespect - The Unity Coalition candidate in the May 2006 elections, McFadden has been physically attacked, including being stabbed in the face at his home.[citation needed]
In May 2006, a Polish political activist was attacked and stabbed, requiring surgery. He stated that he believed the attack was linked to his recent listing on the Polish version of the website.[citation needed] In March 2008, the attacker, a member of the neo-Nazi groupBlood and Honour, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for attempted murder.[citation needed]
The British website links to Redwatch sites in Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand. As of January 2007, the links provided for New Zealand, Germany, and the Netherlands led to aBlogspot blog with no posts, an unrelated cybersquatted site, and a dead link respectively. The Polish site was closed in December 2024.[13]
In 2010, three men were sentenced to short jail terms (up to one and a half years), for their role in editing the Polish Redwatch site.[14]
