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Original poster

Racist vigilantes on local FB page

236 replies

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 15:42

I live in a small town with a military history. As such, we have had quite a few Afghan refugees settled here.

A few days ago, a woman posted to say that an Afghan refugee had been in the park and walking around watching her toddler. She turned away to feed her other child, and when she turned back, he was holding her toddler and walking off. She asked her sister who was with her to go and get the toddler back. Then, apparently, he said no to the sister several times and said he was taking the toddler home with him. Eventually, the toddler was returned.

Cue extensive outrage all over the Facebook page. Comments calling for riots and violence, comments locating the man involved, comments getting a few men together for a game of "human football"... Obviously people asked why she hadn't called the police and she said she had but they weren't interested.

Anyway, then there are posts of the man in different locations and people threatening to go after him.

Then, it turns out, the woman has partly lied and partly told half-truths about the whole things. Firstly, not a local Afghan refugee at all. Not local, on holiday. Not Afghan, police confirmed he's not Afghan but didn't say what he is. Not a refugee, here on holiday (we live in a touristy place). Police also confirmed it wasn't reported to them until the evening - and also that the report was made by a man. So, she didn't report to the police - just to Facebook.

It also turns out, the man was in the park with his own children (she made it sound like he was there alone) and that the toddler approached him, while the mum wasn't paying any attention, and asked to be picked up. And, of course, very strange that if a man were walking off with your toddler, you'd just ask him nicely to put them down...

Frankly, I feel really uncomfortable by this. This woman has blatantly lied and misled people to try and rile up a riot. I'm also scared by how many people were commenting incredibly racist things and calling for violence against (what turned out to be) an entirely innocent man. I'm really shocked, and I like where I live less now.

OP posts:
WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 17:37

NotAMessiahJustAVeryNaughtyBoy · 08/08/2025 17:32

I’m always very sceptical of social media posts about “a foreigner/someone who looks foreign spying on and/or attempting to steal someone’s child. I would be very Hmm if I read a post that the parent calmly asked the would be kidnapper to put their child down as I’m fairly sure in the same situation I would be anything but calm.

And it’s always, always someone who is perceived as basically an outsider- not white British. I’ve seen those kind of posts saying the dodgy looking man looked Polish. What does a Polish man look like compared to a white bloke from Kent (for example)?

I don’t know, but I’ve been told I look English so I must’ve assimilated well . 😬

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:36

NotAMessiahJustAVeryNaughtyBoy · 08/08/2025 17:32

I’m always very sceptical of social media posts about “a foreigner/someone who looks foreign spying on and/or attempting to steal someone’s child. I would be very Hmm if I read a post that the parent calmly asked the would be kidnapper to put their child down as I’m fairly sure in the same situation I would be anything but calm.

And it’s always, always someone who is perceived as basically an outsider- not white British. I’ve seen those kind of posts saying the dodgy looking man looked Polish. What does a Polish man look like compared to a white bloke from Kent (for example)?

Yeah, that was my first initial eyebrow raise moment. I would have my hands back on my child immediately. The mum didn't even go over herself - she asked her sister to go over and get her toddler back! Rabid wolves wouldn't have stopped me getting to my child in that circumstance!

OP posts:
Serpentstooth · 08/08/2025 17:34

Sickening. I rarely come across hate threads but try to avoid topics likely to provoke, mostly because you can't argue with stupid. Look at the lack of logic on this thread, it's enough to make you weep.

NotAMessiahJustAVeryNaughtyBoy · 08/08/2025 17:32

I’m always very sceptical of social media posts about “a foreigner/someone who looks foreign spying on and/or attempting to steal someone’s child. I would be very Hmm if I read a post that the parent calmly asked the would be kidnapper to put their child down as I’m fairly sure in the same situation I would be anything but calm.

And it’s always, always someone who is perceived as basically an outsider- not white British. I’ve seen those kind of posts saying the dodgy looking man looked Polish. What does a Polish man look like compared to a white bloke from Kent (for example)?

PandoraSocks · 08/08/2025 17:28

Serpentstooth · 08/08/2025 17:22

It's completely obvious to anyone capable of thought that far right trolls have been set loose to provoke the hard of thinking into joining civil disorder planned for later in the year and to do so by signing up to local FB groups, all with similar 'local' stories to thrill you with, appealing to some of your most base instincts. You're just being warmed up suckers. You should be embarassed for being treated like fools-, but no, you want to brag about it.

Not just on Facebook. It is here too, on this very site. IMHO.

Eta: different method, but same aims.

PandoraSocks · 08/08/2025 17:25

This is not the case OP is talking about, obviously. But here is another example of on line vigilantism.

This is what happens when endless online hate is being posted about refugees.

Afghan refugee attacked in Limerick after being wrongly accused by far-right group of approaches to children – The Irish Times share.google/4Dw8pUtBRwGFIsTVB

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 17:25

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:20

If he was determined to have not committed a crime why did the police say “We've now spoken to the parent and their child as well as the man involved, who was given strong words of advice around the incident.” Why would the man need strong words of advice around the incident if he was innocent?

Show quote history

The advice could’ve simply been “do not interact with children while brown, these people are nuts”.

PhilippaGeorgiou · 08/08/2025 17:24

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:20

If he was determined to have not committed a crime why did the police say “We've now spoken to the parent and their child as well as the man involved, who was given strong words of advice around the incident.” Why would the man need strong words of advice around the incident if he was innocent?

Show quote history

Well the actual person who "did it" who was not the person accused of doing it, was probably advised not to pick up a child even when they asked. You appear to have got stuck in the fact that the person "given advice" was the person falsely accused - they are two seperate people.

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:24

Serpentstooth · 08/08/2025 17:22

It's completely obvious to anyone capable of thought that far right trolls have been set loose to provoke the hard of thinking into joining civil disorder planned for later in the year and to do so by signing up to local FB groups, all with similar 'local' stories to thrill you with, appealing to some of your most base instincts. You're just being warmed up suckers. You should be embarassed for being treated like fools-, but no, you want to brag about it.

Uh huh. Except I know these people are real...

OP posts:
Muffsies · 08/08/2025 17:23

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:07

Also I can’t stop laughing that you said Bordon is a touristy place 🤣🤯🙈🙌🏼

I just googled it and the first thing that came up were adverts for holiday cottages and hotels. Seems pretty popular to me?

Beanzy78 · 08/08/2025 17:23

Was this incident in Crick?

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:23

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:20

If he was determined to have not committed a crime why did the police say “We've now spoken to the parent and their child as well as the man involved, who was given strong words of advice around the incident.” Why would the man need strong words of advice around the incident if he was innocent?

Show quote history

Strong words of advice could include "people are racist around here, stay away from everyone" or "stay safe buddy" or "even if a child asks you to pick them up, just say no".

It's said by police to make people with little critical thinking ability believe that he's been "told off" so they don't riot when the police take no action against the man who did nothing wrong.

OP posts:
Serpentstooth · 08/08/2025 17:22

It's completely obvious to anyone capable of thought that far right trolls have been set loose to provoke the hard of thinking into joining civil disorder planned for later in the year and to do so by signing up to local FB groups, all with similar 'local' stories to thrill you with, appealing to some of your most base instincts. You're just being warmed up suckers. You should be embarassed for being treated like fools-, but no, you want to brag about it.

FridayintheCity · 08/08/2025 17:21

There any number of ignorant shit stirrers out there. Drama queens and pearl clutchers. It's sad that people have a go at others who can't defend themselves.

MNHQ
PipMumsnet · 08/08/2025 17:20

Hello everyone,
We are getting a lot of reports about this thread, specifically about the troll hunting which we take a very dim view of. So could we ask that you please stop. Those who persist may have their accounts suspended which we would rather avoid.
MNHQ

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:20

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:14

This thread is proving my point - even after he was determined not to have committed any crime and even after it was proven that the mum lied, people from the page still believe it.

If he was determined to have not committed a crime why did the police say “We've now spoken to the parent and their child as well as the man involved, who was given strong words of advice around the incident.” Why would the man need strong words of advice around the incident if he was innocent?

Thepeopleversuswork · 08/08/2025 17:18

Facebook is an absolute cesspit these days. I used it a lot in the past and still find it very useful to keep up with what international friends are doing and as a local noticeboard. But you have to wade through a sea of crap, algorithmically generated ads, AI content and polarising, bigoted local handwringing to see anything from anyone you know.

Getting very close to deleting it.

PandoraSocks · 08/08/2025 17:18

There are lots and lots of posters all over social media now, whipping things up. Where are they coming from? Who is organising them?

Isxmasoveryet · 08/08/2025 17:17

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:14

This thread is proving my point - even after he was determined not to have committed any crime and even after it was proven that the mum lied, people from the page still believe it.

Look at that we idiot from bury st Edmunds used Facebook to make serious false accusations for go find me money people still believe that poor excuse of a human

watchingplanesicantafford · 08/08/2025 17:16

Two weeks ago we had two occasions of a man jumping out on and following teenage girls. He was described as Eastern European and speaking broken English. A protest march was quickly arranged at the town hall and police station by a vigilante group. The morning of the march the police released a name and picture of the offender (who is in custody), English name and born and bred in the town. Still had a protest march - the council had to close early as they were threatening some staff and no one seemed to have informed the protesters that he was English. There was plenty of "stop the boats" protesting going on. Idiots.

FatefulTriangle · 08/08/2025 17:15

@FromanEmpire don't get into it. The truth or reasoning isn't going to work here.

Social Media is a place where it is actually worse to imply or suggest racism than it is to be an actual racist. Mumsnet looks like it is going the same way sadly.

PandoraSocks · 08/08/2025 17:14

PhilippaGeorgiou · 08/08/2025 16:53

it’s a barometer of the public mood sadly.

I think it's more a barometer of keyboard cowards who feel that they are untouchable online.

Show quote history

You're absolutely spot on.

Look at this lot, being wound up by an actual MP who can't tell the difference between charity rowers and migrant vessels.

https://bsky.app/profile/bickerrecord.bsky.social/post/3lvv7cbukg22w

Paul Cotterill (@bickerrecord.bsky.social)

Pretty well at random, but of the 3.6k comments, those favouring shooting prob number hundreds I've blanked names of a) one explaining it might have been kids in trouble (turned out not to be but was happening same time) & another not advocating viole...

https://bsky.app/profile/bickerrecord.bsky.social/post/3lvv7cbukg22w

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:14

This thread is proving my point - even after he was determined not to have committed any crime and even after it was proven that the mum lied, people from the page still believe it.

OP posts:
girlfriend44 · 08/08/2025 17:14

Wrong thread sorry.

Isxmasoveryet · 08/08/2025 17:13

Muffsies · 08/08/2025 17:11

"The ones who bought all the loo roll" 🤣

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I rem some girl got offended because we were joking that we were buying loo roll before it was trendy and we didn't need social media to tell us to do this lol