Facebook's Northern Ireland hate group
A new group on the social networking site Facebook is providing a platform for hatred and racism. The group has some 300 members already and its "fans" are celebrating the racist abuse of Romanians, and other ethnic minority groups, in Belfast. It's one of the worst examples I have seen of racism online.
One contributor says he stole the coat of a Belfast rose seller, another says his friend distracted one Romanian lady while others urinated on her. The group administrator even encourages "ambitious types" to post videos on the website.
Most of the the fans registered on this hate site are fully identified, with names, photographs, addresses, and in some cases work or school affiliations.
Some well-known schools are mentioned in fan profile information, and both of Northern Ireland's universities. I suspect all those institutions will wish to be publicly disassociated from those individuals engaging in racist abuse on this site.
Some opponents of the site have also joined in order to post anti-racist comments challenging the group's content. Facebook has been contacted by others seeking to have the hate group removed, and some Facebook users have been in touch with the police to report a hate crime incident in relation to the site.
Update: The hate page has now been removed by Facebook. The Police Service of Northern Ireland have begun an investigation after receiving a number of complaints about a hate crime incident in relation to the site. And I understand that the principal of one of Northern Ireland's best-known schools has begun an investigation into the involvement of his pupils in this group.



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