Extremism exists in Dorset, says Weymouth councillor
Louie O'Leary claims there have been cases of right wing extremists operating in Littlemoor and Preston
Extremism exists – even in Dorset, according to Weymouth councillor Louie O’Leary.
He claims there have been examples, including in his own Littlemoor and Preston ward where there had been trouble in the past from right wing extremists.
He also showed fellow councillors images and words which he said were designed to stir up hatred against local Conservatives.
Cllr O’Leary said that that the national Prevent programme, which he said focused on right-wing extremism, also ought to focus on other extremes and needed to be kept up to date to deal with the latest threats.
“I have had issues with that in my own ward in the past with people coming in from outside and stirring up trouble, and that was dealt with,” he told a Dorset Council people and health scrutiny committee.
The Weymouth councillor said that recent examples of extremism included protestors bringing traffic to a halt, smashing petrol stations and trespassing on private property.
“Locally we have had disruption of meetings, vandalism, smoke bombs and highly charged language. The one thing which doesn’t seem to be addressed by Prevent, or this (Council) report is left-wing extremism. I believe we need to look at that as a serious threat, whether it be communist or Green extremism.
“Extremism is a cross-spectrum problem…extremism can come in many forms,” he said.
Cllr O’Leary showed the committee examples of locally produced images calling for “Tories to be burnt instead of trash” and a photo of a guillotine with the words “the only cuts I support are Tory cuts.”
“There are issues on both ends of the spectrum which really need addressing,” he said.
The committee was told that each year the council worked with the police to keep their local knowledge of potential extremism updated which included threats from any direction – the information, in turn, being used to develop Prevent action plans and local responses.
Council officer Ian Grant said the Prevent training was now mandatory for all council staff with anyone able to report concerns on the council internet.
He said that a new training package from the national Prevent programme was soon be made available to both council staff, councillors and others.
Committee chair Cllr Gill Taylor said she had stopped looking at social media because of the comments it often contained about councillors – questioning how serious those threats ought to be treated.