Youths in North Wales tried for goth attacks

Teenagers dealt with over assaults - North Wales News - News - Daily Post North Wales

Nov 7 2007 by Aaron Boland, Daily Post

SIX teenagers appeared in court yesterday for their roles in a series of assaults in Colwyn Bay.

A youth court at Llandudno heard how the darkly-clothed “Goths” – boys and girls aged 14 and 15 – were walking along Abergele Road at Old Colwyn last April when four “hoodies” approached. A boy was kicked and punched and a friend also hit.

Prosecutor Nita Dowell said five days later a man living in Lawson Road, Colwyn Bay, had been threatened with violence by a group of boys as he returned home.

The same month one of the defendants, a boy of 16, had been involved in a disturbance in Station Road, Colwyn Bay, where a man was punched. There was further trouble in Greenfield Road when a group of youths including him and a second defendant allegedly hurled bricks towards a man.

The 16-year-old was also involved in an assault near the skate park in Eirias Park when a youngster was set upon. He received a twelve-month referral order and must pay £100 compensation to this victim, and £60 costs. He admitted four counts of threatening behaviour and a fifth of common assault.

In May a youth was hit with a stick and bitten by an assailant near the skate park after five youths approached him. Two boys of 15 admitted assault causing actual bodily harm although they were not the main aggressors.

One of them also admitted two counts of threatening behaviour. They received referral orders and must pay £60 costs. The second boy was ordered to pay £100 compensation. Two others, aged 15, who admitted threatening behaviour, received referral orders and must pay £60 costs.

Another 15-year-old boy, who pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, receiving a stolen fire extinguisher and criminal damage, was bailed for reports with a community-based penalty indicated.

Interesting case in that it seems to follow a pattern to the other attacks on subcultural groups. Putting aside the "chav"/hoodie sterotype aside we seem to have a pattern of people who are already involved in a range of criminal behaviour and skate parks are a favoured target area for them. Two of the suspects in the Sophie case were refused bail because of their background for example.

Cradle of Filth t-shirt trial - Shopkeeper who sold 'obscene' Jesus T-shirt escapes trial for prejudice

"A SHOP owner charged with religious prejudice after selling an obscene T-shirt will not face trial.

Daniel Moore, 45, sold the T-shirt - which features the slogan "Jesus is a c***" and a pornographic picture of a nun - to an undercover policeman. Minutes later a team of ten police officers raided his Edinburgh shop and he was charged with selling obscene material aggravated by religious prejudice.

Moore insisted on his innocence during several appearances at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, and the Crown has now decided the case can be dealt with through an alternative to prosecution..."

The article goes onto list a whole series of cases in connection to the t shirt. read more...
Scotsman.com News - Scotland - Edinburgh - Shopkeeper who sold 'obscene' Jesus T-shirt escapes trial for prejudice

Don't the police and courts have something better to do? Admittedly the t-shirt is in very bad taste but this type of fuss simply magnifies the situation. No prizes to Cradle of Filth though as it exactly is this kind of thing based on shock value alone and sold as merchandise, which lets the media portray metal fans in a very bad light. It is always difficult to balance freedom of speech with the need to display tolerance for other people.

Goths raise money for lifeboats

Goths push the boat out - Bexhill Today - Back to Home Page: A masked 'gothic' ball was held to celebrate one year of business and to raise money for Eastbourne RNLI. Fox Xnoubis, 37, and Angel Darkside, 43, of The Darkside, a shop offering gothic clothing and accessories in Terminus Road, gave customers a party to celebrate a year of trading. It was held at the Kingfisher Tavern, Langney, and the proceeds were donated to Eastbourne RNLI.
05 November 2007 6:20 AM"

Flagship Shop Gets Only Three Shoppers A Day (from Lancashire Telegraph)

The shop owner involved in the recent anti goth Emo saga in Blackburn reveals his concerns. Sounds like he made a bad business move and now is blaming kids for his woes.

"Flagship shop gets only three shoppers a day By Tom Moseley

AN award-winning interior designer insists there is room for his store in Blackburn - despite admitting business has been poor. East Lancashire's 'king of wallpaper' John Wilman said that only three people a day were going into Pavilion Interiors, Church Street, after it opened 11 weeks ago. Among the items for sale are Aga cookers, which cost thousands of pounds, but only one has been sold, prompting fears that the high-class store is out of touch with the town centre. The shop is one of three occupying the council's flagship Pavilions buildings, restored at a cost of 1.3million in 2004. Mr Wilman, behind the Coloroll wallpaper brand in the 1980s and 1990s, insisted there was a place for the store in the town.
He claimed parking problems and building work were also hitting trade, and has recently hit out at gangs of so-called 'emos' and 'goths' who he said were putting off customers." more
Flagship Shop Gets Only Three Shoppers A Day (from Lancashire Telegraph): Oct 31st

Media moves school shooting blame onto Internet

The ongoing saga of the blame for the Finland school shooting seems to have diverted at least in relation to blaming it on the music Pekka-Eric Auvinen was listening to. Instead reports are now focusing more on his use of youtube and the internet as a better target. Certainly Auvinen's ideas had some backing from stuff he found on the net but that is far from the entire story. See...

Don’t blame me, says girlfriend who
Times Online, UK - 10 Nov 2007
Yesterday she acknowledged that she had been the girlfriend of Pekka-Eric Auvinen, the 18-year-old Finnish student who last week launched a murderous ...

Teenage punk rocker saves a mans life

"Mark O'Dwyer owes his life to a 14-year-old punk rocker and an edgy television science program.

The 54-year-old was waiting at Lisarow train station on the Central Coast at 2.45pm on October 19 when he fainted and toppled two metres from the platform onto the tracks below, as a freight train bore down on the station.

Julian Shaw, who is 180 centimetres tall and weighs 70 kilograms, was travelling home from school with classmates when he saw Mr O'Dwyer, who is 187 centimetres tall and weighs 110 kilograms, fall. Julian leapt into action.

"I jumped down on to the tracks, lifted him off the ground and put him on my shoulder - he was heavy but there was enough adrenaline rushing through to help me," said Julian, who is in year 9 at Lisarow High School and plays guitar in punk rock band Checkered Fist.

With the train "just a couple of metres away", Julian moved the North Gosford resident to the edge of the track and rolled him under the platform.

But danger was not totally averted.

"[As the train roared past] the noise pierced your ears and there was a suction that pulled us in," Julian said."

Read more:

Schoolboy Julian's lifesaving MythBuster moment - National - smh.com.au:

BLABBERMOUTH.NET - STURMGEIST Mainman Comments On Finnish High School Massacre

STURMGEIST mainman Cornelius von Jackhelln (also of SOLEFALD) has released the following statement (via Season of Mist, STURMGEIST's record company):

"Today [Wednesday, November 7] an 18-year old man shot seven people in a high school massacre in Tuusula, Finland. The killer referred to himself as 'Sturmgeist89' on YouTube. 'Sturmgeist' is not only the name of my band, but also of a character in the video game 'Medal of Honor'. As of yet, it is not established wherefrom the murderer took the name. Understandably, journalists keep calling me, eager to prove a link between my band and the massacre. However, as an artist, I can neither control the actions of my fans nor be held responsible for them.

"It is my firm conviction that if somebody wishes to go down as the cause of a massacre like that in Tuusula, explanations beyond music must be sought. In an interview with the Oslo-based newspaper Dagbladet today I argue that although extreme metal as a genre deals with topics such as isolation, misanthropy and despair, blaming the musicians is both wrong and unfair. It is people that kill people. Not music.

"Extreme metal has a potential both for social comment and personal katharsis, given its dealing with problems ordinarily shunned by mainstream society: suicide, madness, pollution, violence, warfare and drug abuse all occur regularly in extreme metal lyrics, mostly subject to critical scrutiny.

"I do recall how lonely and isolated I felt as a teenager, how strong an impact music had on my life. Extreme metal helped me channel my aggression in a constructive way; where SLAYER's album 'Seasons in the Abyss' described the psychology of a mass murderer, CANNIBAL CORPSE's 'The Bleeding' gave graphic accounts of extreme violence. Even though I adored both albums, I did not go out and kill people.

Read more:

BLABBERMOUTH.NET - STURMGEIST Mainman Comments On Finnish High School Massacre

Finland school shooting - blamed on KMFDM

And remember that this is my war, my ideas and my plans. Don’t blame anyone else for my actions than myself. Don’t blame my parents or my friends. I told nobody about my plans and I always kept them inside my mind only. Don’t blame the movies I see, the music I hear, the games I play or the books I read. No, they had nothing to do with this. This is my war: one man war against humanity, governments and weak-minded masses of the world! No mercy for the scum of the earth! HUMANITY IS OVERRATED! It’s time to put NATURAL SELECTION & SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST back on tracks!

The Pekka-Eric Auvinen Manifesto..

The killing of eight people iby Pekka-Eric Auvinen is a tragic and sad development performed by a psychologicaly maladjusted individual. Yet the media seem bent on justifying his claim in his manifesto that modern society is stupid and manipulative.

There are now 1,337 news articles linking the killer to KMDFM. Check this out for an example:

German band KMFDM linked to Finnish school massacre
TV3 News, New Zealand - 4 hours ago Thu, 08 Nov 2007 05:21p.m.

The song the killer used in his video was Stray Bullet from the German industrial band KMFDM. The lyrics in the track include: "I'm your nightmare coming true / I am your worst enemy." And if that sounds familiar there is a reason. It is the same music and same lyrics the Columbine killers quoted.

One of those shooters, Eric Harris, posted the lyrics on his website before his shooting rampage. This raises the question: has the music of this band spurred another shooting, or has the Finnish gunman modelled himself on the Columbine killers?

The German band's name is an acronym that translates in full into English as "no pity for the masses". After the Columbine Massacre they issued a statement saying: "KMFDM are an art form - not a political party. From the beginning, our music has been a statement against war, oppression, fascism and violence against others."

Of course if he was not a real KMDFM fan had he absorbed KMDFM’s message he would never have shot anyone. They have spent the last few albums discussing the futility of war check out WWIII (2003). I notice that the article doesn't point out the wider context and full details.

In wake of the Columbine High School massacre it was revealed that lyrics to KMFDM songs ("Anarchy", "Power", "Son of a Gun", "Stray Bullet", "Waste") were posted on the website of shooter Eric Harris, and that the massacre coincided with the release date of the album Adios and the birthday of Adolf Hitler. In response to Columbine, Sascha Konietzko founding member of the band issued a statement the following day:

First and foremost, KMFDM would like to express their deep and heartfelt sympathy for the parents, families and friends of the murdered and injured children in Littleton. We are sick and appalled, as is the rest of the nation, by what took place in Colorado yesterday.

KMFDM are an art form — not a political party. From the beginning, our music has been a statement against war, oppression, fascism and violence against others. While some of the former band members are German as reported in the media, none of us condone any Nazi beliefs whatsoever.

The fact is Eric Harris also was a "social darwinist" killer who just like Pekka-Eric Auvinen felt he was above the people he murdered. Harris has a similar manifesto to Auvinen available online which mentions natural selection and weeding out the unfit. Most people don't know that because as we know Columbine was about the music the two supposedly listened too and the trenchcoats they supposedly wore (in fact neither of them even liked Marilyn Manson or goth and nor did they wear trenchcoats generally see Columbine - The Legacy of Hatred). Of course Auvinen was inspired by Harris he mentions he admires and studies serial killers in his manifesto and online. The use of the same KMFDM track was an obvious tribute to Harris and Auvinen's YouTube site included video footage of the Columbine school shootings alongside the 1993 Waco siege in the United States, the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo, and bombs falling on Baghdad during the 2003 invasion plus WWII Nazi footage. It is classic case of a copycat killing one motivated not by music, but what appears to be a stupid philosophy created from extreme right wing and left wing rantings and previous sick crimes. Harris even wrote somewhere his choice of music should not be blamed for the killing just like Auvinen did. Interesting to note Auvinen carried out his massacre on Wednesday's 90th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia.

Well at least this semi-philosophical basis is what Auvinen wanted us to think was behind the crimes. Instead the truth is both in this case and Columbine those involved were too weak to handle everyday life and like bullies they supposedly despised they turned to violence. Auvinen's actions were probably as much to do with the fact his girl friend had left him as anything deeper.

Auvinen’s former girlfriend insisted that he was not crazy. “I have received many e-mails and phone calls claiming it is my fault and that I am a murderer because I rejected him,” said the 20-year old woman, who recently broke up with Auvinen.

The YouTube killer: eight die in schoolroom shooting massacre Times Online November 8, 2007

At least the Finnish are sensible enough to look at altering laws in the wake of the disaster.

Finland's gun laws to be examined after killings Euronews.net

After targeting his victims, Pekka Eric Auvinen turned the weapon on himself and later died in hospital. The shootings have sent a shock wave through Finland, which has the lowest crime rate in Europe.

But the popularity of hunting as a pastime means that 56 out of every hundred Finns have a gun - putting it third behind the US and Yemen in terms of ownership, according to research. The government has said it will now look at the issue of firearms legislation. Anyone aged 15 and over can apply for a licence in Finland if they can give a valid reason. The easiest way to do this is by joining a shooting or hunting club, as Auvinen did in October.

Violent incidents are rare at Finnish schools and metal detectors, common in the United States, are unheard of. An emergency centre has been set up in Tuusula where staff and students from the school are being offered counselling. Auvinen also posted a rambling manifesto online, describing himself as a "social darwinist" and "storm spirit".

The media are just looking for simplistic nonsense come up with this in The Times:

Tuusula shooting was a very Finnish affair

Rather ridiculous article if school shootings are so Finnish why is this only the second one ever despite 50% of households have a have a gun? If all Finnish school children are depressed friendless, internet geeks why are incidents of school and youth violence lower than the UK?

Crime in Finland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Finland also has the highest homicide rate per capita in Western Europe, but these are mostly domestic incidents not using guns.

Finland like other Scandinavian countries has a large fan base for alternative music of all kinds.

Thus Finland sent Lordi a rock / heavy metal band noted for their elaborate monster-like costumes depicted during live shows and in music videos to Eurovision. They won the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with a record 292 points, giving Finland its first ever victory. The video had zombies in a high school... I am surprised the media haven't pointed this out as a reason for the killing. Perhaps Lordi inspired the two recent crimes they faced in their US tour?

LORDI Manager, Bodyguard Shot At Following Louisville Concert - Oct. 30, 2007

Certainly Pekka-Eric Auvinen liked industrial and metal music, he also liked violent movies, video games and read Plato, Nietzsche, and existentialist philosophers. None of these things made him a sick killer, millions of other people have the same interests without killing anyone. Why do the media want to seemingly justify his ridiculous manifesto by acting as if they are in fact as stupid as he liked to claim they were?

Tasmanian goth and emos attacked

THREE Hobart victims of bullies have blamed subculture rivalry for attacks on them and fear there may be a turf war. The trio were all assaulted last Thursday in three separate incidents around the city centre. Nathan, 18, was bashed unconscious in the Hobart bus mall on Thursday afternoon and collapsed to the ground covered in blood. Soon after, Michael, 15, was punched in the face and then pushed up against a bus near Franklin Square. Then Sebastian, 18, was hit on the back of the head by a group outside the Commonwealth Bank in Liverpool St. The three have said the bullies are a group of 'bogans' who target those from the alternative scene, such as 'emos' and 'goths'. " Read more...

Bashing victims' fears of turf war | Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania: "Bashing victims' fears of turf war Article from: The Mercury MARIA RAE November 07, 2007

Find out about Bogans (roughly UK townies/chavs without the track suits) here:

Bogan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emo under attack or attacking itself?

The same paper which told us Emos are under attack in Tasmania a few days ago said back in May that Emo is connected to self harm.

The Mercury: Fears for teens :

"HOBART teenagers are being drawn to a youth subculture which actively promotes self-harm. The Emo movement, which grew out of the punk movement in the 1980s, recently hit the national news when two Victorian girls who had links to the subculture committed suicide. The movement also made the headlines in March when South Australian police investigating the murder of 15-year-old Carly Ryan uncovered a trail of internet-based Emo message boards and websites involving bondage, suicide and drug use. Tasmanian Catholic Schools Parents and Friends Federation president Bill Button said parents were very concerned about Emo culture. 'I reckon the Emo culture is more prevalent than people realise or want to face and is becoming even more prevalent because of the internet,' Mr Button said. 'Parents are concerned because all of a sudden their child, if they have access to a computer, can turn into an Emo.' Department of Health and Human Services Community Resilience and Mental Health Promotion project officer Dion Butler said the popularity of the subculture was growing in Hobart.

But it is not unique to Hobart," Mr Butler said.

"It is also very strong on the mainland where often the term Emo is seen as an insult.

"Emo stands for very emotional, and so, Emos are seen by some to be very depressed individuals with a mental-health issue.

"The reality is that apart from the self-harm issue the Emo subculture is no different from any other youth subculture and is really about young people finding a place to belong," Mr Butler said.

"Indeed it can be argued that all youth subcultures have both positive and negative effects. For example, the sports culture is seen to be positive for youth, but to an extent it encourages drinking."

Mr Butler said the only real concern was the self-harm issue.

"I understand that some Emo groups require youth to cut themselves as an initiation -- if they don't cut, they can't join," Mr Butler said.

"However, self-harm is not an exclusive Emo practice. An alarming number of teenagers engage in it, but it does appear that teenagers who identify as being Emo are more likely to engage in self-harm because of the Emo culture."

Queensland psychiatrist Graham Martin, who started researching the Emo movement when a relative started dressing in their style, agreed there were positive and negative aspects to the subculture.

"We know that young people who are resilient and connected to a group are largely protected from behaviours like self-harm and suicide," Dr Martin said.

"So the fact young people are connected to some sort of group is positive. My concern is that this subculture is about the joining together of disaffected young people who are often angry and distressed about their lives. They are then in a position where they rely only on that group and don't seem to reach out to other avenues for help."

Dr Martin said his research, particularly online, had blown him away.

"What I found was an incredible mix of extraordinary information," he said.

"There was material that was fun, material that was very intellectual and material that was absolutely horrible -- like pictures of knives and wrists with dotted lines drawn on them."

Dr Martin said he feared young people who identified with the Emo subculture were at greater risk of self-harm.

"A UK study on the Goth subculture found there was a significantly increased risk for self-harm within members of this group.

"Emos become enraged with people who suggest they are similar to Goths -- they say the distinction is that Emos hate themselves and Goths hate everyone -- but, as the reported incidence of cutting behaviours is said to be a key feature of Emo culture, the risk appears to be there."

Dr Martin said parents should not panic. "Parents should see it as a sign their child feels they can no longer talk to them and make an effort to resolve that by really listening to what their child wants to say."

Dr Martin said the community should also be concerned that growing numbers of young people felt alienated from society.

"We have to provide an environment which lets these young people talk and be heard before this gets out of hand."

Fears for teens | Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania: "May 20, 2007 12:00am

Of course it brings up the infamous British Medical Journal article which did not prove "there was a significantly increased risk for self-harm within members of this group.[ie goths]"

It proved that in a small sample of Glasgow goth teenagers more had indulged in self harm at some point in their lives than other people in the survey. Most of them did it before they became goths. So you can argue that goth actually stops self harm. See Goth stops self harm

Plus half the stuff this expert looked at online was probably a joke. I mean a statement like "they say the distinction is that Emos hate themselves and Goths hate everyone" is just nonsense. I mean there are a number of silly anti-emo websites which claim they spend time cutting themselves constantly many are not by emos. It is just a stereotype, one that some emos promote themselves as well: either because they have a sense of humour and are doing it with a satirical intent or because they take themselves too seriously and use self harm as a fashion statement. This it must be stressed is a minority, for the majority emo is about community, music and clothes and they are sick of the connection to self harm.

As noted in earlier posts professionals have consistently noted self-harm problems cannot be confined to any particular sub culture. If it was then it would be easily solved in fact it can affect any person and their clothing style is irrelevant.

The real danger is in articles like this is they it can be used as justification by thugs. If you look at anti-emo rants online most of them claim emos need to be stamped out because they self-harm. The logic is brilliant: Emos self harm therefore you have a right to harm them.
Exactly the same route is being followed as what happened after Columbine which intensified the hassle goth and metal teens faced.

It seems the murder of Carly Ryan seems to have sparked off a whole moral panic in Australia. Needs further investigation.

Fox 11 News Undercover: EMO SCENE KIDS!

In May 2007 Fox News went undercover to expose a new development in the United States, Emo. As you might expect it is somewhat inaccurate, but it is an interesting report in that it examines the cult of emo bashing, including some online videos of attacks, rather than going on about self harm for a change. It notes the noticeable prejudice from punks, metalers, and even goths against emo kids which is so obvious online.

At first I thought it was more of a US thing in that although in the UK members of other subcultures certainly are often pretty scathing of emo music, they don't go so far as suggesting beating them up is a good idea. (Well the ones I know don't). But looking into it more closely this type of intoleraance is more serious in the UK than I thought. Of course while much of this type of online emo bashing is meant in a humorous way, it seems not just intolerant to me but is absurd. I am not the greatest fan of certain types of Emo music, but why should other alternative people slag them off consistently and even threaten them? This whole hate crime legislation plan is not going to work if it has to be used to stop metalers hating Emos.

The real problem is that the idea of emo bashing has become popular amongst those who are the real threats to alternative people. Certainly if you talk to UK teenage metalers, skaters and goths they generally see emos as allies locally against the townie/chav threat. To add to the problem is the fact that that media when looking for info on Emos often find some of the vast number of anti-emo satire sites, take them for the real thing and believe all emos spend all their time indulging in self harm, suicide and being depressed (which exactly what they said about goth from 1982-2002).

If people from alternative subcultures cannot tolerate each other because of musical differences then they really are in trouble.

Iraqi Metal band forced into exile

"Starting a band anywhere isn't easy. Along with everything that can go wrong before the first song is even written, logistical concerns like rehearsal space, gear, transportation, venues and audience are always troublesome. Even the heartiest and most talented of hipsters can find their rock 'n' roll dreams shattered by bad luck. Now imagine starting a band in Iraq during the dictatorship of Sadaam Hussein and continuing it through the increasingly dangerous years following the U.S. invasion and occupation. This is the reality for Acrassicauda, Iraq's only known heavy-metal band, a reality brought to light in the documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad.

The Vice magazine-produced doc follows Canadian filmmakers Suroosh Alvi (one of the founders of Vice) and Eddy Morretti as they journey to the war-ravaged nation to try and help the band put on a show and cut a record in the worsening conditions - to mixed and frustrating results.

"Hope decreases day by day," Alvi says of Baghdad. "The band are fighters, their conviction is so strong. It's amazing they haven't given up during all of what is happening to them."

Inspired by Western metal legends like Metallica and Slayer, Acrassicauda (Latin for "black scorpion") formed during Hussein's oppressive regime. Honing their skills in a Baghdad rehearsal space, practicing sometimes 18 to 21 hours a day, the band was only able to play three shows before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

During the ensuing occupation, increasing security and the violence of the growing insurgency made it almost impossible for the band to practice or play shows. As things grew worse, members of the band began to receive death threats and were labeled Satan-worshipers by insurgents and fundamentalists.

Eventually the situation became unbearable and the band - like an estimated two million other people - became refugees, living in Damascus, Syria.

"Then it became a new problem," Alvi says. "As refugees, Iraqis are unwanted in Syria. As a band, the guys aren't even welcome in the ghettoized Iraqi parts of the city - they're seen as Satan worshipers or whatever. There's no audience for them. And there's nowhere for them to go because anyone with an Iraqi passport can't leave the country."
Heavy Metal, Hard Times: Thursday, October 25, 2007

The band have made into Turkey. Find out more about the band and the successful documentary here:

Heavy Metal in Baghdad

Russian Neo Nazis declare war on ska/punk/hardcore

I CARE - News - Internet Centre Anti Racism Europe

15/10/2007- On October 13, 2007, in St. Petersburg, a ska/punk/hardcore festival “Music of the Streets” became a target of several neo-nazi attacks. The first incident happened at the beginning of the concert. A group of 15-20 neo-nazi skinheads attacked five young people. A young man had his arm broken and a girl was hospitalized with her head injured by a metal stick. The second incident happened when a Swedish group “Blisterhead” was on stage. A small bag which smelled like smoke was found in the hall and passed over to a guard who was standing near the stage. At that moment there were at least 300 hundred people in the hall. The tragedy didn’t occur only because of the swift response by the guards. The smoke was seen coming from the bag and one of the guards doused it with water and removed it from the building without attracting any attention from the crowd. The police found a homemade explosive device in the bag and the city prosecutor’s office initiated charges of illegal possession of explosives (Article 222 of the Criminal Code). The case was given over to the jurisdiction of the newly formed Investigation Committee. There has been no information about any charges of an attempted terrorist attack. The festival did not have any political overtones; however, a St. Petersburg group “Spitfire”, one of the headliners, is known as being antifascist. The festival had been widely discussed on the web by neo-nazis. Later all the discussions were deleted from the websites. Reportedly, there were more attacks on individuals before and during the concert. On October 15, St. Petersburg national socialists on their website implicitly took responsibility for these events, publishing a statement which approves the assaults and the attempted explosion and threatening antifascists and all the non-political supporters of the ska/punk/hardcore music with new attacks.

This stuff is all reminiscent of the eighties in the UK. Many UK neo-nazis prefer to wear suits now rather than being Boneheads but same feelings apply. They combine racist politics with a general tendency to violence.

2 Suspects Linked to Train Bomb
The Moscow Times, Russia - 5 Nov 2007

Two men suspected of trying to bomb a St. Petersburg club last month may have also been involved in the August bombing of a Moscow-St. Petersburg train, Fontanka.ru reported.

Vladimir Murzalev, former head of the St. Petersburg police's Primorsky district branch, told local organized crime and terrorism police units that his son -- Taras Murzalev -- and some of his friends might have been involved in the train bombing, the web site, which is run by the Agency of Journalistic Investigations, reported Friday.

It was unclear whether the former police official provided evidence for his claim, but his testimony was reported to Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev, who ordered St. Petersburg detectives to follow up, Fontanka.ru reported.

Unknown assailants bombed the Nevsky Express train in the Novgorod region on Aug. 13, injuring 60. Investigators pursued different leads, including the possibility that the bomb might have been detonated by Russian nationalists.

Investigators detained two anarchists and a native of Chechnya on suspicion of having bombed the train but had to drop the case against all the three. Police detectives then arrested two Ingush brothers in late October on suspicion of bombing the train. Their fate remains unclear.

Taras Murzalev, 23, and two other suspects were detained in late October on suspicion of having tried to bomb the Rox Club in St. Petersburg.

In the Oct. 13 incident, unidentified assailants threw a bag on stage while Swedish punk band Blisterhead was finishing its set. Smoke was emanating from the bag, and the club's employees poured water on it before taking it outside.

A homemade bomb that did not detonate was subsequently discovered in the bag, consisting of 200 grams of TNT and about 800 grams of bolts, Fontanka.ru reported. If it had detonated, the bomb would have caused considerable carnage in the crowded club.

Detectives believe Taras Murzalev is a member of the Schultz-88 skinhead group, which has been implicated in numerous violent crimes, Fontanka.ru cited a police source as saying.

Chernov’s choice
St.Petersburg Times.ru, Russia -1 Nov 2007

An attempted bombing at a rock concert at the ROKS music club last month is still in the media spotlight as the police confirmed that three detained suspects belong to a neo-Nazi youth group on Wednesday, when top local police officers held a press briefing on the case.

A man aged 21 was detained last Thursday and two other men aged 20 and 21 were detained on Saturday, according to Fontanka.ru.

A diagram of the explosive device and bomb-making manuals were found when their apartments were searched.

A bag with an explosive device containing 200 grams of TNT and 700 grams of screw-bolts was found on stage by a guard during the performance of Swedish punk band Blisterhead.

The bomb did not go off because its makers made a mistake assembling it, the police were reported as saying.

The concert, which drew an estimated 400 fans, was stopped by the police as headlining local ska-band Spitfire was performing.

Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code (terrorism), under which the detained men are being charged, can lead to 20-year prison term.

Local Nazis’ most infamous attack on a rock musician dates to Nov. 11, 2005, when 20-year-old Timur Kacharava, a punk musician and a philosophy student, was stabbed to death by a group of eight or 10 attackers in the city center, outside a Bukvoyed bookstore. An annual vigil has been held on the site on that date since then.

“I would get crazy if I were in Spitfire’s shoes,” said Alexei Nikonov of the politically-conscious local punk band PTVP that will perform a major concert at Orlandina on Friday.

“The concert is called ‘Against All,’ after the position in voting ballots that they [the Russian authorities] canceled and denied us an opportunity to vote ‘against all,’” said Nikonov by phone of Thursday.

“We decided to play political songs in this concert, but political in a broad sense — there will also be songs against philistines and against the clericalism that they push on us now.”

Despite the bomb incident and occasional visits by investigators, ROKS club is operating as usual, hosting British grindcore band Napalm Death on Friday (800 rubles, or $32, on the door.)

The headliners were:

Spitfire (Russian band) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Blisterhead have played the UK quite a bit.

Official Website:
www.blisterhead.nu

Neo Nazis attempt to bomb Rock club in Russia

It looks like the expanding far right in Russia are targeting alternative concerts as part of their battle against on the left wing youth and ethnic minorities:

"Music of the streets" festival under the bomb

"Yesterday 13th of October a bomb of 200 grams in trotyle equivalent failed to detonate in "Music of the streets" festival, organised in Roks club of St. Petersburg. Groups to perform in this festival were Spitfire (St. Petersburg), Blisterhead (Gothenburg, Sweden), Rejected (Lappeenranta, Finland), Turbo Lax (Tolyatti), Mister X (Grodno, Belarus), Engage At Will (St. Petersburg) and Mass Murder (St. Petersburg).

During concert, while Blisterhead was performing, audience noted a strange bag smoking in the hall, which was passed to the scene. Security quickly moved it to the yard, where it was covered with water. Anti-bomb squad found a bomb, 200 grams in trotyle equivalent, covered with 800 grams of bolts and other ripping objects. Concert was halted and people were evicted heavy-handedly from the premise, OMON riot police beat some people who were "on their way".

It is little doubt, that this bomb was set up by nazis, who have a long history of attempted attacks against Spitfire. 5 concert goers were also ambushed by 15-20 nazis armed with iron bars and bottles, one girl was hospitalized after being beaten to head with an iron bar, but she is already released from the hospital."

The St. Petersburg Times - News - Three Men Arrested Over Failed Bomb Attack on City Rock Club: 30/10

"Three Men Arrested Over Failed Bomb Attack on City Rock Club The St. Petersburg Times Three men have been detained by the local police in connection with an attempted bombing at a rock concert at the ROKS music club earlier this month, the local news service Fontanka.ru reported Monday. A man aged 21 was detained on Thursday and two other men aged 21 and 22 were detained on Saturday, according to Fontanka.ru. The diagram of the explosive device and bomb-making manuals were found when their apartments were searched. One of the three, who the police think was the leader, was a Muscovite.

A bag with an explosive device containing 200 grams of TNT and an amount of screw-bolts was thrown on stage during the performance of Swedish punk band Blisterhead. The bag, which started to smoke when it landed, was promptly extinguished and taken away by a guard.

The concert, which drew an estimated 400 fans, was stopped by the police as headlining local ska-band Spitfire was performing. “They checked the bomb and said that it didn’t explode because it was clumsily made,” said Spitfire drummer Denis Kuptsov on Monday.

“They stopped our performance after the eighth song and told everybody to leave.”

A case has been opened according to Article 222 of Russia’s Criminal Code (illegal possession of weapons and ammunition), which was later changed into Article 205 (terrorism), according to the agency. Although Fontanka.ru claims that police have not defined that the detainees were connected to any nationalist group, the agency earlier reported skinhead attacks near the club on the night of the concert.

It also interviewed musician Pavel Menshikov who was hospitalized with serious wounds after being attacked with knives and metal rods on his way to the concert. The police was not available for comment when contacted on Monday."

Teen Brutally Attacked At Skate Park (from Harrow Times)

Teen Brutally Attacked At Skate Park (from Harrow Times):
Monday 22nd October 2007

"A 17-YEAR-OLD is still in hospital with serious injuries after he was attacked at a Harrow skate park on Thursday, October 18, police revealed today. The boy was assaulted by a group of between eight and ten youths in their late teens and early twenties, at the facility in Byron Park, off Christchurch Avenue. He was pushed to the ground and knocked unconscious during the attack. advertisement The injuries he sustained were so bad, he may need facial surgery. Police are now searching for witnesses to the assault. Detective Sergeant Andrew Kilpatrick said: 'We would like to appeal to the public for any witnesses, and we would also like to appeal to those concerned to come forward. 'We will do everything we can that is reasonable. This is a serious matter.' The attack happened between 5.15pm and 6pm and the boy was subsequently taken to Northwick Park Hospital, in Watford Road, Harrow, where he was put in intensive care. He is now in a stable condition. Anyone with information can contact Harrow Police on 0208 733 3441, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 4:45pm "

Skaters fearful after brutal attack
Thursday 25th October 2007

By Jack Royston

TEENAGERS have spoken of their ongoing fear following a brutal assault at a local skate park.

The attack, at the facility, in Byron Park, off Christchurch Avenue, on Thursday, October 18, left a 17-year-old boy so badly injured, he may need facial surgery.

Terry Willard, 19, a biker from Hemel Hempstead, uses the park regularly.

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He tod the Harrow Times yesterday: "It is pretty sad that stuff like this is still happening. There are young children who want to come here and feel safe.

"If there were lights and a CCTV camera I think we would probably stay here quite late, but after the attack we know not to come here after dark.

"There were five policemen hanging around here earlier. It made us feel a bit safer to have them around because the sort of people who cause trouble, would probably go away."

Jonathon Moreno, 14, a skaterboarder, said he has used the park with friends, Curt Valencia, 14, and Ritchie Marques, also 14, since the assault.

He said: "After hearing about the attack I think I should get home earlier.

"Sometimes, if there is a large group of people that look intimidating, it starts to scare us, but I think we will keep using it."

Detective Sergeant Andrew Kilpatrick said: "This is a serious assault in which a 17-year-old boy sustained serious injuries that will require lengthy medical treatment.

"This is not going to go away until we have had the opportunity to investigate the incident. We will be placing a witness appeal board at the site of the assault this week."

The victim was assaulted by a group of between eight and ten youths in their late teens and early 20s.

The attack happened between 5.15pm and 6pm and the victim was taken to Northwick Park Hospital, in Watford Road, Harrow, where he is now in a stable condition.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Andrew Gosden 14 year old metal fan still missing

Please repost:

Andrew Gosden, 14, disappeared seven weeks ago after withdrawing £200 from his bank account. A high achiever at school, who likes metal style clothing, he is thought to have been in London without a mobile phone and has had no contact with friends or family. Andrew's parents have travelled to London each weekend to distribute posters of him.
Andrew is 5ft 4ins tall, of slim build with collar length, light brown hair and brown eyes. It is thought Andrew will be wearing black jeans, a black T-shirt and black trainers. Andrew may be carrying with him a black canvas satchel with patches of rock/metal bands on it. He likes Evanescence, Slipknot, Iron Maiden, Marilyn Manson etc.



He was last seen in London at Kings Cross after getting off a train from Doncaster.

See full details with photo here with youtube footage link and facebook link :

Andrew Gosden

"There have been reported sightings of him in London — at a Pizza Hut in Oxford Street, in a park in Streatham, leaving a local train at Waterloo — and farther afield, from South Wales to Birkenhead. " Times article:
A perfect son, a model family – so what made him run away?

Andrew was bullied at school according to comments at the Kerrang site.

Hiyer

I know andrew.
He goes to my school and is in all my classes
Its true wot people are saying-he did get singled out a lot and only had a couple of friends!

People bullied him- they wonder why he ran away.

I really wish he comes home soon

And for u lot that live near london-
please keep ur eyes open!

Thnx!
=)

Bex

Xxx

Concert In Memory Of Sophie Lancaster (from Lancashire Telegraph)

Concert In Memory Of Sophie Lancaster (from Lancashire Telegraph): "Police have said they believed Sophie and Robert may have been targeted because they were wearing gothic clothing. Ren Robinson, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn organised the concert after a relative, who dressed like a goth, removed her piercings and changed her clothes when she heard about the attack. The 31-year-old computer engineer, who is the drummer for one of the main bands of the night, The Ambivalent Complex, said he wanted to raise awareness about her death. He said: 'A relative got so scared, and she is a full on goth, that she took out her piercings and changed her clothes. 'People seem to think with goths are obsessed with death and Marilyn Manson but they aren't.' Rebecca-Lianne Harvey, 18, of Slaidburn Drive, Accrington, who classes herself as a goth and knew Sophie on a casual basis, said: 'We are here because we want to help her family because they need a lot of support now.'"

Humanist service for 'murdered' Sophie
This Is Lancashire, UK - Nov 2, 2007
By Helen Korn A HUMANIST service will be held for alleged murder victim Sophie Lancaster - three months after her death...

Now Sophie's mum Sylvia and dad John, from Bacup, have extended an invitation for all of her friends to attend the funeral at the Riverside Civic Centre on Monday, November 12.

Arrangements have been made by Frank Duffy from Whitworth Funeral Directors.

Sylivia said: "Amazing grace will be one of the songs because she liked that. I would ask that people bring a single flower as part of the service."

Policing Whitby

There are already concerns with policing in Whitby and this weekend saw a large increase in police presence but still a goth was assaulted as mrntioned here:

Goth's ears ripped off by thugs - Have YOUR say on this story - Whitby Today

The police were watching large groups of goths who were gathered harmlessly rather than doing anything useful like patrolling more widely where lone goths might be attacked.

Concerns on goth policing
# 02 November 2007
# Source: Whitby Gazette Friday
By Staff Copy
http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/goth/Concerns-on-goth-policing.3424708.jp

FEARS have been raised the goths could be "driven out of town" due to a heightened police presence and restrictions over capacity over the weekend, despite no arrests being made.
During the weekend the police were called to just two incidents – the first for a minor dispute at Whitby Pavilion on Saturday afternoon and another at the same venue later that evening when a reveller was ejected for being drunk and disorderly.

And the Resolution Hotel had to stop serving alcohol for half an hour because of the number of people in there. But The Met manager, Karen Turnbull, said on Sunday night three police vans, one with CCTV equipment, were waiting outside at kicking out time despite there being no trouble.

She said: “I think it was totally unnecessary. Obviously we need the police but we keep to our capacity of one in and one out and we have door staff on. I wish I could have the goths every weekend. I think the presence of the police was ridiculous – we have more problems at weddings. They bring so much money going to drive them away if they are not careful.

“I think it’s such a shame. The Goths are such lovely people.

In all the time I’ve been here and that’s five years we’ve never had a bit of bother.”

And Kate Sutton a member of a film crew covering Goth Weekend for www.penkat.com also criticised the policing of the event when on Saturday night the Resolution Hotel - one of the main venues which hosts Goth bands and events - was told to stop serving alcohol at around 10.30pm on the grounds that it was overcrowded.

But she said it was no busier than any pub on a Friday or Saturday night and the Goths cannot do right for wrong with them being told to keep inside, due to problems with people spilling into Flowergate. She said Scarborough Council are trying to drive the Goths out and do not appear to want to keep the event, which brings in hundreds of thousands of pounds to the local economy, in Whitby.

Whitby Goth Weekend promoter, Sam Hoyle said the police presence is purely a numbers game and said he hopes to work more closely with them in the future. He said there was definitely a stronger police presence than in previous years which probably wasn’t necessary but he understood they have to do things “by the book.”

“It’s quite intimidating to the type of customer we attract, although not to me personally,” said Mr Hoyle. I’ve certainly not seen extra police drafted in for a Goth weekend in the past. If they feel they need more police that’s completely down to them.”

Andy Skelton, Scarborough Council's head of environmental health services said during their visit to the Res by police, firefighters and council officers it was noted that the premises were overcrowded, possibly to a dangerous extent.

“The licensee, Mr Dale, sought advice from the senior fire officer attending and voluntarily determined that he would cease to serve alcohol and
that was an end to the matter,” he said.

Sergeant Steve Pearse of Whitby police said: “"There was in increased police presence and a lot of officers on patrol, simply because of the increase in the number of people in the town over the weekend. But I would again like to emphasise the exemplary conduct of all the visitors to Whitby. The Goth weekend passed by peacefully and, as is often the case, everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. I would like to thank the Goths again for their responsible and respectful attitude and their general good behaviour. I look forward to welcoming them back next time."

Whitby Goth Weekend organisers are introducing a new wristband system this April after the building reached its full capacity, despite tickets not selling out.

People on the guest list were accomodated in a separate function room downstairs so everyone could be allowed entry.

If those Police were in Whitby they were off the streets in Scarborough/Middlesborough or somewhere else where they were actually needed or they were being paid overtime. Particularly ironic as North Yorkshire police are facing a massive budget cut:

MP to fight £10 million police 'cut' - Scarborough Today

Bobbies lose perk of their free boots - Scarborough Today

In fact they are so strapped for cash they can’t afford to provide boots for their officers. Perhaps a goth boot fund for the police should be organized to donate used DMs/New Rocks… at least then the three van loads of police will fit in a bit better.. of course there are other things they could be doing see recent crimes in Scarborough like this:

Lead theft: organised gang fear - COMMENT ON THIS STORY

Whitby Jo had some very interesting comments on this issue:

It was a bit of a strange one though

We had our first ever Gothic Shoplifters (say it in the manner of Peter Kay a la Garlic Bread) which Whitby police sent TWO transit vans to the Spa for (must have been a quiet afternoon)

We had TWO episodes of Goth violence at the Spa on Saturday night
The first involving someone who couldn:t get in (he had hoped to be on a bands guest list but wasnt) and threw a bottle through the window by the cloakroom
The second being a very intoxicated person (in a throwing up inside the venue kind of way) getting very upset on being asked to leave who consequently assaulted three bouncers and got himself arrested

And not forgetting what i can only describe as slightly heavy handed tactics by the licencing dept of Scarborough Council on Flowergate with Uncle Len at the Elsinore and at the Little A I appreciate there are laws to be adhered to and even why those laws are in place but it seems a little strange after thirteen years that they are enforcing capacity limits on the two pubs where it all started

I do hope that the same treatment will be given to the pubs and venues in town during the summer season

We asked for a meeting between the council and police about this matter and the meeting and subsequent decisions were all made without the input of either ourselves or the landlords concerned apparentely it would have been a "waste of time" to invite us!!!!!

This article from the Gazette seems to indicate it will hopefully be better by next year:

And a meeting is planned in the next couple of weeks with licensing officers, police and the fire service, licensees, highways and the borough council to work towards a solution for the problems in Flowergate where in the past people have gathered
outside the pubs to drink in the streets.

Last weekend doorstaff were on hand at the Resolution Hotel, the Elsinore and Little Angel who restricted the number of people allowed into premises to prevent them exceeding their capacity. Mr Hoyle said they had tried to seek a road closure for the latest event but he said the council had dragged its feet.

"Next April will see big changes and there willl be no repeat of the situation in Flowergate.

"Although it doesn't actually affect us the Elsinore and the Little Angel are the original home of Whitby Gothic Weekend and we feel we owe them for helping us get to where we are today. If it wasn't for them it would have fallen away a long time ago.

"We are doing our best to work towards a solution for April."

This increasing policing and admin hassle for the event has been discussed before see the post :

Whitby policing and street blockage April onwards

Hardcore Singer Alleges Police Brutality Over 2005 Incident sues

BLABBERMOUTH.NET - Hardcore Singer Alleges Police Brutality Over 2005 Incident:

"According to the Sun Post, the Manteca, California police department has been sued by two men — including a singer with the Northern California hardcore band THE SLUMLORD CREW — who claim they were beaten up by police officers responding to a rowdy concert at a Manteca bar two years ago. THE SLUMLORD CREW's David Martinez and a concert-goer, Jeremy Brouwer, allege in a lawsuit filed Sept. 17 at a federal courthouse in Fresno that several Manteca police officers beat them and used excessive force. The lawsuit also accuses the city of Manteca, the police department and the police chief of failing to supervise or discipline any of the officers involved in the fight Sept. 17, 2005 — exactly two years before the lawsuit was filed."

A SelfCritical Sinners Murder wins Sophie award

A SelfCritical Sinners Murder: See it here.

This short film about "An experimental gospel preached by a bizarre female spirit."
Director/composer: Mercy Liao, Chester, won the first Sophie award.
The Sophie Award, was for the most innovative and experimental film, was presented in memory of Stubbylee Park attack victim Sophie Lancaster; her mum Sylvia, from Haslingden, attended on Saturday night.

"Film festival to rival the best" Rossendale Free Press 30/10/2007

‘I can bury my Sophie at last’ - News - Rossendale Free Press

‘I can bury my Sophie at last’ - News - Rossendale Free Press:

Heartbroken Sylvia, from Haslingden, had been warned back in September that it could be next year before she could hold her 20-year-old daughter’s final farewell.

But after finally getting the green light from the coroner, she is now planning for the funeral to be held on Monday, 12 November at 11am at Whitworth Civic Hall, with arrangements by Whitworth funeral director Frank Duffy.

It will be a humanist celebration of her life, led by Mrs Sue Davis, and friends of the former Haslingden High School pupil are invited to speak at the service to share their memories...

A memorial fund has been set up by Sophie’s family; it aims to provide a lasting legacy to raise awareness of other people’s cultures and to work towards a more tolerant, less violent society.

Donations can be made directly into the fund account at the Halifax in Bank Street, Rawtenstall (number 00458724); black memorial ribbons are also on sale from outlets across the Valley.

Black ribbon roses were sold at the Whitby Goth Festival last weekend in memory of Sophie Lancaster to erect a memorial bench and plaque there.

Goth's ears ripped off by thugs - Have YOUR say on this story - Whitby Today

Goth's ears ripped off by thugs - Have YOUR say on this story - Whitby Today:

* Published Date: 02 November 2007
* Source: Whitby Gazette Friday
* Location: Whitby

By Alex Fredman

A GOTH dressed as a vampire who had been raising cash for charity over goth weekend has been assaulted by a mob of up to seven men on the West Cliff.
Stuart Dearing (33) from Leeds had been to the Monster Lab at Whitby's Resolution Hotel and had been made up to look like Nosferatu, a vampire immortalised in a 1920s film.

The event was being held to raise cash for a memorial bench and plaque in memory of goth, Sophie Lancaster (20) from Lancashire who died after being attacked by a gang of yobs in August in Bacup. Her boyfriend Robert Maltby (21) suffered serious injuries.

Stuart had been walking along John Street at 7.45pm on Saturday and was returning to his guest house in Normanby Terrace before heading up to the Pavilion.

Earlier in the day, wearing his prosthetic make-up, Stuart had been collecting money for a charity for deaf and blind people. He said he stepped to the side of the men, who were in their early twenties, to pass them, but the gang started swearing at him. They ripped the bald cap and prosthetic false ears he was wearing which had been glued onto his head, tore them into pieces, stamped on them, pushed him about and swore at him.

"It was like a pack of wolves," said Stuart. "It's just senseless. They were laughing their heads off. It did hurt a little bit but its more my pride that was hurt."

Stuart, who has been coming to Whitby Gothic Weekend
for 10 years, reported the incident to police the next day but was shocked at their response. There was no CCTV and no witnesses. The police said they can't do anything. I've never experienced anything like this but it's not going to ruin it for me."

Promoter of Whitby Goth Weekend Sam Hoyle said he was shocked and saddened at the mindless attack.

To comment on this story, follow the instructions to register as a user and make a comment.
"It's such a shame there's a small minded attitude still. I think it's a one-off."

Sgt Steve Pearse of Whitby Police said: "It is disappointing as a police officer and also as a local resident that, what would appear to be local people, have reacted to a visitor in this way. We will treat the incident with all the seriousness it deserves and I would ask anybody who can shed any light on this matter to contact (0845) 6060247."