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| Katie Hopkins branded 'PR machine for extremists' after meeting group aiming to sabotage refugee rescues in Med | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Katie Hopkins has sparked outrage for travelling to Sicily to meet a far-right group who have launched a boat in the Mediterranean to hamper the rescue of refugees. | Katie Hopkins has sparked outrage for travelling to Sicily to meet a far-right group who have launched a boat in the Mediterranean to hamper the rescue of refugees. |
| Defend Europe, which is made up of a network of young anti-immigrant and anti-Islam activists, aims to send refugees “back to Africa” by harassing and blocking NGO search and rescue vessels such as Save the Children which save refugees. | Defend Europe, which is made up of a network of young anti-immigrant and anti-Islam activists, aims to send refugees “back to Africa” by harassing and blocking NGO search and rescue vessels such as Save the Children which save refugees. |
| The Mail Online columnist, who was recently axed from LBC radio after calling for a “final solution” to Islamic terrorism in the wake of the Manchester Arena terror attack, met some of the crew in the Sicilian city of Catania. Peter Sweden, a Swedish UK-based journalist who denies the Holocaust happened and has made anti-Semitic comments, was among them. | The Mail Online columnist, who was recently axed from LBC radio after calling for a “final solution” to Islamic terrorism in the wake of the Manchester Arena terror attack, met some of the crew in the Sicilian city of Catania. Peter Sweden, a Swedish UK-based journalist who denies the Holocaust happened and has made anti-Semitic comments, was among them. |
| The photo, screengrabbed by another person on Twitter, shows Hopkins alongside him and included the caption: “Good to meet Team C-Star @DefendEuropeID. Young people, eight nations, crowd-funded, shining a light on NGO people traffickers in Med.” | The photo, screengrabbed by another person on Twitter, shows Hopkins alongside him and included the caption: “Good to meet Team C-Star @DefendEuropeID. Young people, eight nations, crowd-funded, shining a light on NGO people traffickers in Med.” |
| Hopkins, who said she wanted to “use gunships to stop migrants” in 2015, then deleted the tweet, changing her wording and removing the image of Sweden. | Hopkins, who said she wanted to “use gunships to stop migrants” in 2015, then deleted the tweet, changing her wording and removing the image of Sweden. |
| Hopkins appears to have made a number of other seemingly supportive gestures to Defend Europe. She has retweeted the Defend Europe Twitter account and just over a week ago she wrote on Twitter: “Looking forward to meeting the crew of the C-Star in Catania tomorrow. Setting out to defend the Med. All this week @MailOnline”. | Hopkins appears to have made a number of other seemingly supportive gestures to Defend Europe. She has retweeted the Defend Europe Twitter account and just over a week ago she wrote on Twitter: “Looking forward to meeting the crew of the C-Star in Catania tomorrow. Setting out to defend the Med. All this week @MailOnline”. |
| Last week Hopkins article was pulled from the Mail Online website after being published for at least two hours. A representative for Mail Online refused to comment on why this was the case. | Last week Hopkins article was pulled from the Mail Online website after being published for at least two hours. A representative for Mail Online refused to comment on why this was the case. |
| Hopkins’ activities in the Italian island have been fiercely criticised by charities and people on social media. | Hopkins’ activities in the Italian island have been fiercely criticised by charities and people on social media. |
| A spokesperson for anti-racism campaign Hope not Hate, who have extensively lobbied against Defend Europe, told The Independent they were deeply concerned by the controversial commentator’s meeting. | A spokesperson for anti-racism campaign Hope not Hate, who have extensively lobbied against Defend Europe, told The Independent they were deeply concerned by the controversial commentator’s meeting. |
| “What Katie Hopkins did, posing next to Italian fascist graffiti, having pictures taken with Holocaust deniers and right-wing extremists, and openly sharing content from Defend Europe, was move from being a journalist or even a commentator, into a full-on propaganda/PR machine for an extremist operation,” they said. | “What Katie Hopkins did, posing next to Italian fascist graffiti, having pictures taken with Holocaust deniers and right-wing extremists, and openly sharing content from Defend Europe, was move from being a journalist or even a commentator, into a full-on propaganda/PR machine for an extremist operation,” they said. |
| “Ms Hopkins is obviously trying to drive traffic via ‘horrifying’ liberal opinion, but to those such as Defend Europe, this is carte blanche from a mainstream media commentator. Perhaps even the Mail has had enough now, with news that Ms Hopkins has returned to the UK and her first article from Sicily being mysteriously pulled from their site”. | “Ms Hopkins is obviously trying to drive traffic via ‘horrifying’ liberal opinion, but to those such as Defend Europe, this is carte blanche from a mainstream media commentator. Perhaps even the Mail has had enough now, with news that Ms Hopkins has returned to the UK and her first article from Sicily being mysteriously pulled from their site”. |
| The Board of Deputies of British Jews has called for the former Apprentice star to apologise for posting with Holocaust denier Mr Sweden. | The Board of Deputies of British Jews has called for the former Apprentice star to apologise for posting with Holocaust denier Mr Sweden. |
| Marie Van der Zyl, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, said: “It was distressing to see Katie Hopkins posing for a photo with a Holocaust denier, as part of her trip to support the ‘Defend Europe’ campaign. | Marie Van der Zyl, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, said: “It was distressing to see Katie Hopkins posing for a photo with a Holocaust denier, as part of her trip to support the ‘Defend Europe’ campaign. |
| “This follows Ms Hopkin’s previous call for a ‘final solution’. Ms Hopkins should apologise, and think twice about giving her backing to a far-right campaign whose supporter base seems to be made up of anti-Muslim propagandists and Neo-Nazis”. | “This follows Ms Hopkin’s previous call for a ‘final solution’. Ms Hopkins should apologise, and think twice about giving her backing to a far-right campaign whose supporter base seems to be made up of anti-Muslim propagandists and Neo-Nazis”. |
| Defend Europe is made up “Identitarians” – a network of people in their 20s and 30s who endeavour to preserve Europe’s identity and prevent Islamification of the continent. Members of the movement, who have raised almost £180,000 and chartered a 422-tonne vessel called the C-Star for their latest efforts, have used direct action tactics to further their causes. This has included blockading roads around Calais, occupying mosques, clashing with leftists and already trying to block an NGO ship in Sicily. | Defend Europe is made up “Identitarians” – a network of people in their 20s and 30s who endeavour to preserve Europe’s identity and prevent Islamification of the continent. Members of the movement, who have raised almost £180,000 and chartered a 422-tonne vessel called the C-Star for their latest efforts, have used direct action tactics to further their causes. This has included blockading roads around Calais, occupying mosques, clashing with leftists and already trying to block an NGO ship in Sicily. |
| “We don’t think Defend Europe is suddenly the “acceptable” face of European opinion on migration and the refugee crisis. In fact, it’s quite clearly an operation manned by extremists with a history of far-right activity and stunts, and supported by many of the most extreme voices on the far right the world over,” said the spokesperson for Hope not Hate. | “We don’t think Defend Europe is suddenly the “acceptable” face of European opinion on migration and the refugee crisis. In fact, it’s quite clearly an operation manned by extremists with a history of far-right activity and stunts, and supported by many of the most extreme voices on the far right the world over,” said the spokesperson for Hope not Hate. |
| “We’re continuing to monitor Defend Europe’s ship, the C-Star, which we revealed was likely carrying armed personnel.” | “We’re continuing to monitor Defend Europe’s ship, the C-Star, which we revealed was likely carrying armed personnel.” |
| The originally stated aim of the Defend Europe “mission”, which is supported by former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke, was to actively block search and rescue (SAR) NGO ships. They now claim they will “monitor” the situation and intervene should they see wrongdoing by the NGOs. | The originally stated aim of the Defend Europe “mission”, which is supported by former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke, was to actively block search and rescue (SAR) NGO ships. They now claim they will “monitor” the situation and intervene should they see wrongdoing by the NGOs. |
| Just days ago, the ship was stopped in Egypt’s Port Suez because of “a lack of documentation and papers”. The vessel is thought to be off Cyprus at the time of writing. | Just days ago, the ship was stopped in Egypt’s Port Suez because of “a lack of documentation and papers”. The vessel is thought to be off Cyprus at the time of writing. |
| “After heading NNE from the Suez Canal yesterday and overnight with an AIS silent profile, the vessel arrived in Famagusta Bay at 09.30z this morning. She is probably heading to Famagusta for fuel and supplies,” said the spokesperson for Hope not Hate. | “After heading NNE from the Suez Canal yesterday and overnight with an AIS silent profile, the vessel arrived in Famagusta Bay at 09.30z this morning. She is probably heading to Famagusta for fuel and supplies,” said the spokesperson for Hope not Hate. |
| More than 85,000 refugees and migrants, the majority of them sub-Saharan Africans, have been rescued and brought to Italy this year, with concerns the total could get to 200,000 by December. More than 2,000 have died in crossings. | More than 85,000 refugees and migrants, the majority of them sub-Saharan Africans, have been rescued and brought to Italy this year, with concerns the total could get to 200,000 by December. More than 2,000 have died in crossings. |
| Sea migrant arrivals to the entirety of Italy are approaching 100,000 this year – an increase of 17 per cent on last year. | Sea migrant arrivals to the entirety of Italy are approaching 100,000 this year – an increase of 17 per cent on last year. |
| A representative for Hopkins did not immediately respond to request for comment. | A representative for Hopkins did not immediately respond to request for comment. |