Claims over neo-Nazism and an ‘extreme right-wing’ takeover at a village community centre were aired at a public meeting earlier this week.
Serious concerns have been raised about the use of Wootton Bridge Community Centre, and there is a question over it being an appropriate polling station venue at the upcoming Isle of Wight Council elections.
A resident, Derk, told Wootton Bridge Parish Council (WBPC) on Tuesday evening (20th January) that some people in the village no longer felt welcome at the centre and some had been turned away.
He suggested an action committee be set up to address the issue which he said could “end up quite nasty”.
It was previously revealed that the Charity Commission (CC) opened a compliance case over “alleged political activity” at the centre, which is leased from County Hall by a charity, Wootton Bridge Community Association.
Posters had recently adorned the exterior of the premises promoting the Patriot Club Isle of Wight but according to the group it has “cut ties” with the centre and no longer holds meetings there.
Referring to those in control of the centre, Derk said:
“They’re not like Reform, they’re neo-Nazis. They’ve been chucked out of Reform.
Article continues below this advertisement “They’re extreme right wing and they took over the place – we don’t know why they’ve done it. They’re still an association with the CC and they’ve definitely held political party meetings there.
“They need getting rid of. It needs an action group setting up to sort it out…we could do a leaflet drop around Wootton Bridge…saying the club’s no longer welcoming residents of Wootton Bridge.”
Sophus E. Magill, who was co-opted onto the parish council at the meeting, described the Patriot Club as a “type of hate group”. Another resident, Darren Hopkins, said the community centre was “an essential asset” and everyone had the right to use it.
Liz Kingston, clerk of Wootton Bridge Parish Council, voiced concern over the centre in its current form being used as a polling station.
She has raised the matter with the Isle of Wight Council.
“I will be having another conversation with the Isle of Wight Council, probably beginning of February,” she said. “I have emailed the CC to ask if there were any updates.
“I don’t have an issue who they want to rent the centre out to, along as they rent it to everybody.
“If they want Katie Hopkins to come there and people want to go see her, that’s those people’s choice. But likewise, if Keir Starmer wanted it, it should be able to rent it to him as well.”
Cllr Linda Pitcher said:
“It’s not doing the village any good at all the way it is, we don’t want them here.”
Controversial commentator Katie Hopkins is due to speak at the centre on 23rd as part of her ‘Free Range’ stand-up tour, according to her website.
The Patriot Club strongly denies being a hate group and refutes all the allegations made at the meeting, including that residents were excluded.
It described itself as a “lawful, community-based association” made up of local residents.
A spokesperson said:
“We are aware of concerns that the current administration of the community centre has, at times, exercised personal discretion in ways that our own administrative team did not feel were appropriate, transparent, or in line with our objectives or values.
“We raised these concerns internally, as we believe community spaces should be managed fairly and consistently.”
They have now “cut ties” with the community centre and no longer holds meetings there.
County Hall has confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service an alternative location will be used after fears of an ‘extreme right-wing’ takeover of the centre were aired at Wootton Bridge Parish Council earlier this week.
The Charity Commission (CC) has opened a compliance case over “alleged political activity” at the site, which is leased from County Hall by a charity, Wootton Bridge Community Association.
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said this afternoon:
“We are aware that the matter has been raised with the CC who have opened a compliance case and we await the outcome of the Charity Commission consideration of this.”
None of these parties are any good, they lack morals.
Reform are no better, majority of their voters are r acist
thugs.
We need well educated people running the country
not a load of football h ooligans.
Enough is Enough
Wow! What hypocrisy goes on in this tiny little place, Wootton!
IF they are truly concerned about “political activity”, how come they co-opt Sophus E. Magill (LOL), an avowed member of the Hants & IoWight Leftist Solidarity and Palestine Solidarity, onto the Parish Council?
I am fairly sure that there are decent people in Wootton who would not vote for this person, so who “co-opted” and why?
Here we go utter bullshit yet again.
I have to say it, the world is Fcuked, since the Plandemic
old normal is no longer.
I wish I could turn time back to 2019 before all this
ballsh*t started.
Sophus E. Magill who describes Patriot Club IOW as a “hate group”. Describes himself on his various social media accounts as a “Leftist Political Activist”.
And as for Derk who describes the group as “neo-Nazis”. Who is Derk? Is ‘Derk’ a made up name? We have no way knowing his politics. Probably another left wing political activist.
If you wave a flag for any country other than your own, your loyalty is understandably brought into question.
What, you mean like Nigel Farage wearing his Make America Great Again hat?
Yes quite.
To my knowledge, no left-leaning activists here have ever decided, or tried, to hold public group meetings with banners proclaiming them to be ‘patriots’, thus implying that those who don’t join them are not.
There are Green ‘activists’ who lobby for the environments, animals etc, there are Left wing activists who lobby for social concerns, there are union activists who lobby for employment rights and employees.
All of them can be considered patriots as they are all working for the good of the communities they represent.
Even the Conservatives who often actively work against the above rights and activities don’t often go as far as dog-whistle politics, and that is why Reform was born. There was no place for that line of nasty, spiteful, vengeful and hate prompted politics within the Conservative party.
Historically, the ultra right-wing political organisations were formed from those who strongly believed in white purity, argued for MORE ethnic cleansing, promoted anti-semitism, economic protectionism (that’s making the rich even richer), and opposed feminism, LGBT rights, and democracy in general. They also oppose anti-fascism. Hitler was a fascist so read that again. They OPPOSE ANTI-fascism.
They were organisations called things like the National Front, the British National Party, Britain First, the English Defence League, the Committee for Nationalist Unity and latterly, Ukip and now, Reform.
Every single one of the has been classified as neo-fascist, or neo Nazi. The original playbooks or ‘internal manifestos’ think nothing of the use of recruiting the working classes, using poverty and fear to swell the ranks. They think nothing of using long-arm ‘nothing to do with us really’ groups for marches and rallies and have traditionally had a quasi-paramilitary group designed to protect those rallies and marches from the more even-minded, or, those who might object to their fascism. One was called Combat 18; the name was a nod to Adolph Hitler. Look it up.
These groups may tell you they care about the community, will tidy up kid’s playgrounds, will install speed bumps but these things are not their primary goal. You must ask yourself if the swings in the park are worth the hate being directed towards not just minorities, but women, the poor, anyone gay or even slightly different. The disabled for example.
Freedom of speech, freedom of expression can take many forms and should stay an absolute right, but allowing it to become freedom to incite hatred with dog-whistle politics is very very dangerous. Anywhere.
Finally people are starting to wake up to these GASLIGHTING leftie woketards, I was at the Advance uk event at this community centre last year, all the people there were lovely, so friendly & just concerned that our beautiful country is being destroyed, it’s our children’s future at risk here & I fear for them, Katie is a great person, she’s not afraid to call these people out for their wrong doing. The sooner labour are out the better then we can hopefully repair the damage that’s been done.
Why whoever can you mean? Gaslight? Surely sunshine is good for you?