Prominent journalists and anti-Brexit campaigners are circulating a misleadingly edited interview featuring UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage – implying he supports violence – following the murder of Jo Cox.
The short clip – cut from qualifying statements and lifted out of context – has been uploaded onto an anti-Brexit Facebook page, receiving more than 150,000 views.
“Terrifying video of Nigel Farage talking about violence being the ‘next step’ if we don’t vote to leave the EU”, reads the caption.
The clip has also been tweeted by the anti-white racist blogger Sunny Hundal, whose blog partner Laurence Durnan is now running a fringe ‘Remain’ campaign group, and the editor of Politics.co.uk Adam Bienkov.
The UKIP leader gave the interview on May 17th; the misleading clip was uploaded to Facebook on the same day; and former Labour party leadership contender Liz Kendall shared it on May 21st.
When the full interview is watched, it is clear Mr. Farage is making a point about how the lack of democratic consultation around the policies of mass migration could lead to an increase in extremism and even violence – rather than advocating violence, itself.
In the full interview, given to the BBC, Mr. Farage begins to denounce violence before being interrupted by the BBC interviewer, but concludes: “I feel it difficult to contemplate it happening here, but nothing is impossible”.
The Facebook clip includes only the words: “It’s legitimate to say that if people feel they’ve lost control completely, and we have lost control of our borders completely as members of the EU, and if people feel voting doesn’t change anything, then violence is the next step”.
“Piece of sh*t. There’s blood on your hands too”, commented one Bev Pearce. “This to me is almost incitement to hatred! What a scare mongering [sic] bit of scum”, wrote Michael Dobbin.
Darren John Kerr added: “This image sums up why I voted #Remain: Not every Leave voter is a racist, but every racist will vote Leave.”
Others disagreed. Robert Brown commented: “Don’t like the bloke but this is taken out of context. What he is saying that people will revolt if they don’t feel they are listened to or valued. Remember the riots in the 80s. It’s all spin from both sides.”
Cliff Woodworth wrote: “So many comments suggesting racism, bigotry and incitement. This clips [sic] contains none of that but instead demonstrates how effective crafty cutting of clips can lead to misunderstanding”.
Since the tragic murder of Jo Cox MP on Thursday, the video has been shared and viewed many thousands of times more.
Mrs. Cox was a prominent campaigner for mass-migration and remaining in the EU. Immediately after her death, some ‘Remain’ campaigners, newspapers and even European Commissioners sought to link her stance on migration and the EU to her killing.
Overnight it became apparent that Mr. Mair – the alleged killer – had been a subscriber to the Springbok magazine. This was the first time any political links had been made with the man, whose neighbours had previously said had expressed no views on the subject.
Springbok magazine is a South African, anti-ANC, pro-“civilised-rule of Africa” outlet which has long been based out of London. Mr. Mair’s subscription was cancelled ten years ago.
There is still no indication that Mr. Mair had any links or sympathies to Britain First or the Brexit campaign, though police are understood to be still questioning the man and attempting to establish his motive.
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