Alberta III%

Yep, I'm still away and hopefully stretched out on a beach enjoying a Cuba Libre, though given my constitution more than likely laid up in a hotel room regretting not getting that Dukoral booster with a sunburn so bad you could roast a marshmallow using the heat radiating off my body. Either way, here is another now likely out-of-date article scheduled to publish while I'm away.

In a week from today, the Canadian Combat Coalition is planning on holding an event in Edmonton with the Worldwide Coalition Against Islam in attendance as well:

You were never fooling anyone with that name, Ryan.

I'm sure everyone is waiting with bated breath to hear the oratory of one Joey DeLuca

Given the disaster that the June 24 June 25 MEGA Patriot Rally turned out to be, this might be perceived as an effort to save the CCC and WCAI reputation as actual significant players on the far-right anti-Muslim/refugee/immigrant scene. Certainly Ryan Dean and Joey DeLuca would like to return to the numbers that participated in the June 3 rally which was in large part bolstered by the presence of III% Alberta members who provided security.... and were carrying weapons, btw. The III% members didn't participate in the MEGA rally ostensibly because of "security concerns" when the mayor of Calgary and Muslim student groups were invited by Garvey, however the head of the Alberta III% militia suggests another possible reason:

First, Beau Welling seems just a wee bit full of himself and the capabilities of the III% militia.

Second, even he seems to recognize that the CCC and WCAI are in fact hate groups. In this reply he does seem to be at pains to separate the III% Alberta militia from other groups. He also posted a message claiming to have spoken to the RCMP whom he claims doesn't regard the III% militia as a hate group:

Oh, not a "pure hate group."

Well that is certainly reassuring.

If such a conversation did take place, I'm guessing that Beau is either gilding the lily or really didn't understand the nature of the discussion because given the rhetoric of the membership, the III% would absolutely be on the radar of the RCMP.

At the beginning of July ARC published an article discussing the decline of the Soldiers of Odin and how the membership is drifting into other, perhaps even more extreme, movements. This fella who was (and may still be) in an SoO leadership position is a case in point:

Also, last month Mack Lamoureux wrote an article for "Vice" detailing a months long investigation into the III% movement, focusing specifically on the Alberta chapter which appears to be the most active as well as a sit down interview with Beau Welling. The article indicates the III% militia is a deeply paranoid, anti-Muslim group that readily accepts any conspiracy theory that confirms their biases. This may be somewhat of a concern under normal circumstances, but add the stockpiling of weapons for a future civil war and the "monitoring" of those citizens they consider to be un-Canadian, well, the danger meter is sort of dialed to 11.

First, let's take a look at the claim that they aren't racists. As of the writing of this article, the New Democratic Party is in the midst of a leadership campaign. One of the candidates is Jagmeet Singh, a Canadian-born Sikh (and a much better dresser than I am). The presence of Singh, who again I stress was born in Canada, was commented on by at least some III% supporters:

Well, maybe their antipathy was directed more towards the NDP, though I somehow doubt that is the whole reason.

One thing that is crystal clear though is the III% Alberta hatred of Muslims. Here are but a few of the posts that illustrate that:

There's also the anti-Muslim conspiracy theories that get trotted out with frequency:

They also seem to attract a few people who are.... shall we say questionable?

Well Evert, Thomas Trenerry certainly didn't stand alone when the Aryan Guard was a going concern:

Trenerry's involvement in the III% militia actually brings me to the other reason why the RCMP would be keeping an eye on the III% militia. Even if the racism and Islamophobia was not present, the III% militia would be a concern due to their anti-government position that is often (hell, usually) violent in nature, at least rhetorically speaking:

Again, the following is merely a Whitman's Sampler of anti-government rhetoric from III% supporters on the Alberta Facebook, national, and other provincial Facebook groups, much of which is directed at the current Prime Minister and would probably constitute a crime:

And then there is there is how they monitor people. Not just the Muslims, as was evident in the Vice article, but also their ideological opponents:

Not Jason, or Bonnie, or Andy,  or Shane,  or Marcell, or Syed, or Leah,  or Julian, or Richard, or Charles, or Grace, or Martin, or Alan, or "two brothers in Calgary," or any of the other people that have been erroneously listed as writers of the blog.  Some of the names aren't even ones I recognize as activists. It has been almost a decade and you still have yet to get it right. Then again why listen to me now when you haven't so far?

Really, you people are very bad at this.

Don't think that being a bystander gets you off the hook. Not showing the requisite amount of patriotism for a III% supporter might be enough to put you or, as in this case, your neighborhood on the list:

When reading posts such as these, I can't help thinking of the line from Alan Moore's groundbreaking comic series:

Who watches the watchmen?

Racists and Antisemites Attending June 3 Event in Calgary

Tomorrow the protests planned for Ottawa, Calgary, and other Canadian cities should all be under way by noon. Though billed as "million Canadian" marches (thereby attempting to co-opt past progressive events), this writer suspects the numbers will fall far, far, short of one million people. In Ottawa, I suspect there will be between 300 and 500 people, though that is perhaps a generous estimate. In Calgary, perhaps 50 to 100.

Then again, I've never been good at these kinds of estimates, so I may be surprised either way.

In Calgary, WCAI and the Canadian Combat Coalition have been whiny because their event has been referred to by ARC and others as racist and bigoted, a charge WCAI clumsily refutes:

Yeah.... you probably shouldn't do live videos while drunk because this alone undermines everything you just wrote:

Wow.

Rape jokes too.

Just.... wow.

Well, the WCAI videos MAY have been directed towards Trudeau (and based on the above video, homosexuals, the mentally challenged, and of course, Muslims), but the rhetoric coming from the participants and the possible guests tells another story.

For example, Karyn Draper, someone ARC has discussed in the past, will be attending the June 3 protest. In one post she says there will be another individual who will be attending but that she would like someone to accompany her to the event.

Let's see if you can spot the name I and others working with ARC noticed?

Actually, Merle is a name familiar to many, but let's let that slide for a bit.

It looks like Kyle McKee, founder of the Aryan Guard and current leader of the Calgary chapter of Blood & Honour may be attending the event. Kyle McKee, convicted of such crimes as possession of bomb making materials, possession of prohibited weapons, uttering threats, fleeing police, and assault. Kyle McKee, a man charged with attempted murder and other crimes. Kyle McKee, suspected of being involved in a violent home invasion, vandalism, and the firebombing (directly or having provided orders) of an anti-racist's residence.

Naw! It couldn't be THAT Kyle McKee, could it?

Yes, THAT Kyle McKee.

Red Deer Anti-Muslim Protest Update: A Look At Two Parents

If you haven't read the first article on the story concerning the Islamophobic protest that took place today outside a Red Deer high school, we invite our readers to first click on this link.

Also, for people who claim not to be racist, the Islamophobe protesters' supporters don't seem to like brown folk at their rallies:

But I digress....

Upon watching one of De Luca's videos in which he and others question school officials, I couldn't help noticing one figure (the original video has been edited, shortening it to the section readers should pay attention to):

Yes Joey, let's see how that looks on the news hour.

Since Ms. Lyle has provided her name to the media, she is now a public figure and as such her claims warrant some scrutiny.

Not too long after the protest, WCAI and CCC members started to comment on the media coverage:

There are three figures of interest here, including an old friend:

You all remember Thomas Trenerry right? Formerly a member of the Calgary-based Aryan Guard and later Blood & Honour?

However these two posts are perhaps more interesting for reasons that I hope will soon become apparent:

The readers may have noticed in the last article that I mentioned while I and others don't believe there is a mass of parents who fear their sons and daughters are being subjected to assaults and sexual abuse by Syrian students, we do know that WCAI and CCC have been in contact with at least one parent:

Ron Briggs is someone associated with the III% movement. He suggests that "Chad" is the father of one of the boys involved and was unjustly punished for trying to be a peacemaker while the "Syrian instigators" got off with no punishment.

Maybe, but as someone who was involved in the Alberta school system as recently as six years ago, I know how hard it is for a student to receive a five day school suspension for a first offense. That said, if the offense is serious enough, then perhaps five days could be warranted?

Both Briggs and Dean provided their direct messages with Chad in an effort to coordinate the protest:

I was able to find Chad Lyle on Facebook and while he is now using his own photo for his profile picture, he had been using this one as early as this weekend:

December 2016 Bits and Bites

We begin with a very brief update on Paulie who is so tickled pink (well, more pink than he usually is) about Trump's election that he isn't bothering to try to conceal his views in more "respectable" terms anymore:

We're sure that Paulie will be leading the charge.... so long as others foot the bill so that he can maintain the lifestyle that he has become accustomed to.

And as long as others actually take on any potential risks. That of course goes without saying.

Out in British Columbia, some members of the Soldiers of Odin tried to crash an anti-racism rally in Richmond. Suffice it to say that it didn't go especially well for them:

However, it was marred slightly by the appearance of a small group from the Soldiers of Odin, a citizen-based “street patrol” organization, closely connected to anti-immigration movements in Finland.
....
On Sunday, although claiming not to be racist, pledging support for everyone, irrespective of race and carrying signs stating “Stand And Fight Against Hate,” — the three men representing the Soldiers of Odin were told their presence wasn’t welcome and, after a few words were exchanged, moved further down No. 3 Road. 

Despite repeated attempts to contact the Soldiers of Odin’s B.C. chapter through its Facebook page, the News was not able to reach the group or its local leaders for comment.  

At the event, Soldiers of Odin representative Kris Erickson told the News’ photographer that everyone had got their message wrong and claimed that they were there to express solidarity with the protestors.
....
SOO, which has chapters across Canada, denies, on its public Facebook page, any accusations of being racist or anti-immigrant and claims to exist to primarily protect women and children by keeping the streets safe. 

However, it’s been alleged the group’s private Facebook page is filled with racist and xenophobic comments, mainly directed towards Muslims.

In other interesting news, we found the following rather enigmatic post on Quebec SoO chapter president David Tregget's Facebook page:

Topham Launches Charter Challenge

As expected after his conviction on one count of promoting hatred, Arthur Topham has launched his expected Charter challenge:

B.C. man convicted of promoting hate on web to challenge law in court today
Canada's Criminal Code provisions out of step with internet reality, Arthur Topham's supporters say
By Betsy Trumpener, CBC News      Posted: Sep 30, 2016 6:53 PM PT      Last Updated: Sep 30, 2016 6:53 PM PT 

Some relevant points:

Topham was convicted in November of one Criminal Code count of communicating statements that wilfully promoted hatred against Jewish people through his website, RadicalPress.com. 

The defence is expected to challenge that conviction based on the charter right to free expression and the contention that Canada's hate crime law didn't anticipate the nature of the internet. 

Although a Quesnel jury convicted Topham, the judge delayed a decision about shutting down his website until ​sentencing. If the charter challenge fails, Topham may be sentenced as early as later this week.

As the website wasn't taken down, Topham has spent much of the past year since his conviction ratcheting up the antisemitic screeds as well as promoting fellow antisemites such as Brian Ruh and Monika Schaefer:

• Former Green Party Candidate and 9/11 "Truther" Also Denies Holocaust
• Green Party of Canada Releases Statement on Monika Schaefer
• July 2016 Bits and Bites

"This is not a matter of Arthur Topham passing out pamphlets," said Paul Fromm, an avowed "white nationalist" who helped fund Topham's defence. 

"You have to want to read what he has on his website. You have to seek it out and sift through and read it." 

Fromm, director of the Canadian Association for Free Expression, is a controversial anti-immigration and free speech activist who has been linked to neo-Nazi groups in the past. He sat through Topham's two-week trial last winter and said he would travel from Ontario to be in court today for the charter challenge.

We are pleased that the msm is now consistently referring to Paulie as a "white nationalist," however we are still somewhat troubled that they suggest that he, "has been linked to neo-Nazi groups in the past."

The past???

Still, baby steps we suppose.

Topham attended his court hearing today supported by Paulie, Schaefer, and Terry Tremaine whom we haven't seen in some time:

Frank Frost is also an interesting character and someone whom we might look into in further detail.

Not long ago, Topham posted his take on the court appearance. He takes exception to how the CBC characterized Paulie and referred to the state broadcaster as, "Zionist controlled." He alsomntions who he plans on calling as an expert witness which could also provide a window on the nature of his Charter challenge:

The Dr. Timothy Jay that Topham might be referring to, based on our best guess, is an MCLA professor of Psychology, Human Communication and Perception who in an NPR piece is credited with being an, "expert on swearing." According to his CV:

Dr. Jay is frequently sought for his expertise on psycholinguistics. He has served as a consultant to a number of school systems, and has been an expert witness in legal cases pertaining to obscenity and censorship. Furthermore, Dr. Jay has been interviewed or featured in dozens of radio shows, televisions programs, and documentary films.

We'll be keeping an eye on this case and will try to keep our readers up to date on any new updates.

Turd Polishing During Topham Trial: Paulie Interviews David Lindsay

During the Topham hate crimes trial the ended in Arthur Topham's conviction, Paulie provided nearly daily updates, both written and video, though it should also be noted that these same updates also carried a wee bit of spin. In one of the write-ups and video, he suggested the ceiling lights were proof of a vast Jewish conspiracy controlling the court system because... reasons.

He had planned on taking a photo of the ceiling as proof, but when he wasn't permitted to do so he threw a self-entitled temper tantrum in which he also complained about the court security.

Cue detaxer/sovereign citizen/freeman/freeman-on-the-land or whatever he calls himself these days, David Lindsay:

Topham Hate Crime Trial: Week One

This past week saw the long awaited Arthur Topham hate crime trial. For years Topham had posted blood libel screeds against the Jewish people on his website RadicalPress and despite the trial he continues to do so. A few years back a criminal complaint against him was made, he was arrested, and.... well.... here we are today.

A Response to Fromm's Condemnation of the Canadian Flag

Fifty years ago today, the Canadian Parliament adopted this as our nation's national flag:

While there certainly was a significant debate at the time, since the adoption of the current flag most Canadians surveyed have supported it as an appropriate symbol for the country.

Well, not everyone:

This isn't exactly new. Paulie has this particular bug up his ass for the better part of his career as a figure in the Canadian White Nationalist movement in Canada. His followers certainly support his position for, what is to them, the obvious reason.

They don't like da' ethnic folks:

It might come as a surprise to Mary to know that the maple tree is not in fact found all over the place. It might also come as a surprise to Mary that the maple leaf has been a national symbol since before Canada became a country. Paulie in fact used to play "The Maple Leaf Forever" before the beginning of his Stormfront radio program, and that song was at the time of  Confederation.

Things also got a little weird in the comments....

....but that is neither here nor there.

What is important is that Paulie insists on the return of Canada's REAL national flag!

This begs a further question. Which of the post-Confederation flags does Paulie want?

Terry Tremaine Now Serving Contempt Sentence

As one of our readers pointed out, Terry Tremaine isn't serving time because of hate speech posted online. He's serving time for contempt, something our friend and frequent, frustrated, reader Tomasz Winnicki is himself intimately aware of.

That fact hasn't stopped Fromm from engaging in a bit of online histrionics:

Uh, no Andrew Heck. All Canadians don't eventually end up in jail. Thanks for playing though.

One thing we find a little curious though is the date in which Tremaine was locked up:

You mean to tell us that Fromm, he who claims to speak for poor, maligned, boneheads, that he couldn't be bothered to update his followers on Terry Tremaine's status for almost 2 weeks?

Well, Fromm is a busy man. We're sure that he had more important things that he was preoccupied with at the time: