STAND up to Racism has expressed its concerns over a new “community group” that have begun to patrol the streets of Harlow

A spokesperson said: “This is a worrying development because, although claiming to be a ‘community safety group’ it was in fact set up by far-right racists in Epping during the campaign of intimidation and violence against refugees outside the Bell Hotel there.

Founder Jack Golding has been pictured at the Bell Hotel protests, and his own Facebook page contains racist and misogynistic comments towards women, black people and people from Pakistan. A post on his page also advocated support for the neo–Nazi British National Party.

“The Essex Spartans Facebook page also contains a derogatory post towards asylum seekers, and, according to their own Facebook posts, it is an organisation supported by far-right activist Mathew Durham of the ‘Harlow Says No’ anti-asylum seeker group as well as Craig Kitts, the notorious ‘Flag Man’ responsible for the deliberately intimidatory display of flags around our community.

They continued: ‘the far-right Essex Spartans vigilante group is part of a pattern of fascistic groups around the country setting up street patrols to normalise intimidation of refugees.

At first, they take a ‘softly, softly’ approach to ingratiate themselves with local communities, similar to that taken by Neo-Nazi Callum Barker in Epping who set up litter picking patrols before organising violent protests at the Bell Hotel.

This may have even fooled some participants. The fundamental aim of the organisers, however, is to whip up the fear that communities are threatened by people seeking asylum and that our country has to be ‘taken back’. But this is not true.

“Our communities are more at risk from violent far-right activists like those creating mayhem outside the Bell Hotel. Our town is a town for everyone. Our community is united. We will not let it be torn apart by racists and hatemongers.’