Social media clips of men asking for ID condemned as racial harassment
Allison Morris
The leader of a gang of vigilantes who film themselves confronting people perceived to be migrants is known to police for his alleged involvement in animal cruelty.
Sources say there is no organised paramilitary involvement in the vigilante group, and instead it is being led by a man from east Belfast known to police after numerous reports of animal cruelty dating back over a decade.
Neil Pinkerton has had dogs removed from his care and has twice been charged with causing unnecessary suffering to animals, although on both occasions he was acquitted. In a separate incident last year, he was handed a suspended sentence after a dog in his care attacked an 11-year-old child. In 2022, Pinkerton featured in the BBC Spotlight investigation, Exposed: Hunting with Dogs.Following a year-long investigation by the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA), the PSNI raided his home and seized 12 dogs that were being kept in cages in his garden and his kitchen. But the dogs were returned after Belfast City Council failed to pursue criminal charges.He was found not guilty of cruelty charges at Belfast Crown Court in 2018 after one of his terriers suffered injuries during a fox hunt.Northern Ireland remains the only region where hunting with dogs is still legal, having been outlawed in other parts of the UK in 2004.
Calling themselves the East Belfast First Division (EBFD) the gang of around a dozen men have posted multiple videos online of them approaching foreign nationals, claiming they are on ‘nightwatch’. In one video, a man is heard telling a foreign national that “anyone that is on these streets at night time, they will be asked what the f*** they’re doing”.Others show the vigilantes demanding to see the passports and “papers” of foreign nationals.In several of the videos Pinkerton is clearly visible.In some he is seen walking with bull terrier-type dogs ‘on patrol’ in and around parts of east Belfast.The Belfast Telegraph has contacted Mr Pinkerton for comment.Police urged to tackle vigilante-style groups patrolling Belfast streets after assault probe launched
The Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime in Northern Ireland, Geraldine Hanna, said she has been “sickened and deeply troubled” by the videos posted on social media showing people being harassed on the street by vigilante groups.“My first thoughts are with those who have been accosted simply because they are in a public space and not white,” she said. “I can only imagine their terror at being confronted and demonised by these gangs.“Gangs, with no right or legal reason, stopping people who are of a different race to them and demanding to see their papers is something from an Orwellian nightmare.“These chilling incidents are also potentially racially motivated hate crimes, creating more victims, and I trust the police will do everything in their power to curb these groups and investigate where a hate crime may have been committed,” Ms Hanna said.“
There are many things that need to be done to better protect and support victims of crime — this is not one of them.“The gangs who are carrying out this harassment have no right to claim authority over our streets.“They create victims, breed fear, and there is no justification for them taking it upon themselves to go about harassing and intimidating people.“We have a criminal justice system for a reason and if anyone has concerns about suspicious activity or law breaking, they should contact the police.”In the most recent video posted online a large crowd of people — including one person dressed in a Batman costume — were filmed outside a home in the Ravenhill area, with a large police presence at the property.Police said they received a report of a protest outside the property on the Ravenhill Road area of east Belfast on Sunday.
Chief Inspector Dunne said: “At approximately 11pm, it was reported that a large crowd had gathered outside the house and had become hostile towards the residents.“Officers attended and spoke to the crowd, which dispersed without incident. No arrests were made.“The Police Service of Northern Ireland does not tolerate any type of vigilante activity and would caution any individual or group against taking the law into their own hands.“It is the responsibility of the police service to enforce the law in Northern Ireland and we are committed to supporting the needs of all of our diverse communities.“We will robustly review and deal with any offences reported to us.”
by askmac
28 comments
Well I’m stunned. Stunned I tells ye.
Absolute scum. Going after the defenceless to make himself seem more of a bigmawwwn. Wee scrote.
no way I was on the jury for his case, he was acquitted after it turned out what he was doing wasn’t actually illegal in NI but he was using a poor little jack Russel and putting it down into fox’s holes then when the foxes ran out him and a mate beat the foxes to death with spades and filmed it. I still remember the photos of the poor little dog all bitten to pieces when the rspca went around to his hovel it was cowering on a arm chair and the gimp had just put ointment on her.
Its mad they just expect people to carry identity papers 24/7 it’s totally unrealistic to even ask for to begin with? What is the logic or brain power behind this stuff?
So many of these sort of vigilante people are found to be the biggest scumbags there are. I’ve heard of a fair few of these guys that sting peado’s turning out to be child molesters themselves. Surely if you have such a dark past you’d keep a low profile yourself
So they’ve got an animal abuser and Stephen Baker who has convictions for domestic abuse and stalking.
A real fuckin’ Dirlewanger Brigade of violent scum.
Shocking
Violent scrote is a violent scrote, say it ain’t so!
But seriously, didn’t a report come out saying that a substantial amount of the people arrested for the recent riots had a history of domestic violence? Not to also mention the many “pedo hunters” who’ve turned out to be doing the same thing they were hunting others for.
Starting to think it’s not about protecting wimmen and weans, and more about exerting control over the rest of the community, especially ones they deem as “inferior”.
Least surprising thing ever. Anyone who is at least a semi-productive member of society doesn’t have the time to be acting like the Beersbridge Batman
Surely this is paramilitary activity?
Shocked that these vagrants aren’t upstanding members of society.
Animal abuse is a special kind of evil
Sick bastard
I for one, am genuinely shocked lol. Who’d have thought the racist mobs, who around 50% have domestic abuse allegations against them, would be led by an animal abuser. So shocked.
“…a dog in his care”
When is enough going to be enough? Constant protection for paramilitaries, abusers and rapists. These scumbags need to put in cages. You have to be a different kind of person to abuse animals.
How much better the country would be if we could replace people like this with immigrants entirely.
Have they found the missing fella they were intimidating on a live stream yet?
Right, if I’m going around harassing people surely I’d see a prison cell even for a small amount of time?
Imagine thinking your job is this, paying 0 tax and then going on to talk about immigrants.
British nationalists are the UKs biggest parasite class by a fucking mile.
Colour me shocked….
These are the same people that protested at Holywood Arches library about the Drag Queen Storytime event.
They got the minister for communities to back them on that, so they are being completely emboldened by the support of our politicians.
So the guy at the park that will harm your kids with his dog is now remorseful lol??? Cooked cunts
Hopefully the beginning of the end for this mob.
This is bizarre. One of the ringleaders of the racist mob in Dublin is also an animal abuser. He has multiple convictions for kicking dogs. When he’s not harassing refugees.
I think behaviour science would have a lot to say about this.
I mentioned sex offences, pedophilia and domestic abuse yesterday with these people but animal abusing is no surprise either (and scummy as fuck).
This needs a bigger spotlight and a hell of a lot more outrage!
Only Rotters kill Otters
>Calling themselves the East Belfast First Division (EBFD)
Was ‘The Pinkerton Defective Agency’ already taken?
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