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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:
girlfriend44 · 08/08/2025 17:13

There somebody goes round with a van with jimll fix it on it, he's a handyman by the look of it.

I've seen it in various locations.
It struck me as strange that a man would want to call himself and his business after a peaedophile?

AIBU to think.iys a creepy name to give your business.
Also would you comment if he worked for you?

Muffsies · 08/08/2025 17:11

Isxmasoveryet · 08/08/2025 17:10

That Facebook for you these people write the narrative to suit themselves and then people go mental BUT I rEAD IT ON FACEBOOK so it the gospel truth crowd jump in this crowd is usually of low intelligence stay at home yummy mummies bored housewives and other unemployed who are all bored with life and looking some action and excitement in their day you no the ones who brought all the loo roll lol

"The ones who bought all the loo roll" 🤣

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:10

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What have I exaggerated or lied about?

The mum said:

  1. He was a local Afghan refugee
  2. That he had been in the park watching her child
  3. That he had picked up her child and was walking off
  4. That her sister had gone after to get the child
  5. That the sister asked him several times to put the child down
  6. He eventually did
  7. She'd called the police.

The mum didn't mention:

  1. He was in the park with his own children
  2. Her child asked to be picked up

It turns out from the police, the dad and Andy Tree:

  1. She didn't call the police.
  2. He wasn't walking off with the child.
  3. He wasn't local or Afghan or a refugee.

Comments on the original post and the other ones where people identified him and were sharing his location included "who fancies a kick about with a human football" and "what time's kick off?" and "reckon would only be a short game though" and "record it too I need something to watch".

None of that is an exaggeration, is it? That is all fact.

OP posts:
Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 17:10

FatefulTriangle · 08/08/2025 17:02

@Dangermoo Well, I have reported your goady troll-hunting posts AND changed my name (or have I?). Your comments seem to be being moderated now.

OP's concerns are valid and observable all over Facebook and other SM platforms.

People change their names for all sorts of reasons without declaring. It's actually a useful security function for some, not least to protect themselves from people like you.

And looks like from the last posts it's a bloody good thing she did.

As my posts have been deleted, I can live with that.

ConcernedOfClapham · 08/08/2025 17:10

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:27

You're right but I find it useful. Things like the nearby a-road always being closed for a crash or getting advice on local mechanics/dog trainers/etc.

Show quote history

Admittedly, it’s been a long day, but I read your response and thought: “her dog wears trainers???!”

🫢

Elatha · 08/08/2025 17:10

We had something very similar in my home town’s facebook page. A woman claiming that her child was nearly taken by a refugee. Then comments from others about awful things that had happened to them at the hands of refugees.

When a person, who monitors far right accounts, looked into it, it turned out that the original poster and a group of others had joined the Facebook page that day. They were known far right online agitators that had joined multiple community groups posting similar stories.

Scary stuff.

Isxmasoveryet · 08/08/2025 17:10

That Facebook for you these people write the narrative to suit themselves and then people go mental BUT I rEAD IT ON FACEBOOK so it the gospel truth crowd jump in this crowd is usually of low intelligence stay at home yummy mummies bored housewives and other unemployed who are all bored with life and looking some action and excitement in their day you no the ones who brought all the loo roll lol

Muffsies · 08/08/2025 17:09

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PhilippaGeorgiou · 08/08/2025 17:07

JamesMacGill · 08/08/2025 16:54

So the public basically.

Show quote history

Some of them. By no means the majority of them. Decent people don't feel a need to hide behind keyboards or threaten mob violence. Most decent people don't make up lies to promote racial hatred. And beyond affirming my confidence that most of the public are decent and law-abiding I won't be responding to you further, because I see you.

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:07

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

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 17:05

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Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:02

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Giveaway of what?!

OP posts:
FatefulTriangle · 08/08/2025 17:02

@Dangermoo Well, I have reported your goady troll-hunting posts AND changed my name (or have I?). Your comments seem to be being moderated now.

OP's concerns are valid and observable all over Facebook and other SM platforms.

People change their names for all sorts of reasons without declaring. It's actually a useful security function for some, not least to protect themselves from people like you.

And looks like from the last posts it's a bloody good thing she did.

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:02

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 16:59

Ohhh they found you OP!!

Proves that I'm not making it up, eh?

OP posts:
Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 17:02

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Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:01

Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 16:56

Did I miss the part, where the OP said she had changed names? I reported the thread for being goady. As I said, it's over to the mods now.

Show quote history

I don't need to notify you when I NC... No one does. Sometimes people say, sometimes they don't. It's not a rule that you have to.

OP posts:
Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 17:00

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Ok. The police, Andy Tree and the dad are all liars and the mum's post was true, then? Yeah?

Lots of people come on holiday here and nearby. It's why they wanted to convert the building by the Shed into a massive hotel! It's a national park!

Apologising for assuming they were an Afghan refugee after stating they're an Afghan refugee and have a massive go at anyone who asked how she knew is still lying about him being an Afghan refugee. And I haven't seen any apology.

He didn't try to kidnap anyone! That's what the police determined, that's what Andy Tree believes - and the dad admitted the child asked to be picked up!

OP posts:
WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 16:59

Ohhh they found you OP!!

Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 16:56

Spanador · 08/08/2025 16:54

You have no idea if someone is a new poster or has just name changed though. If someone posts using a new name change they will have no visible posting history. I could change name now and start a goady thread and it would look like I’m a new user when I’m not

Show quote history

Did I miss the part, where the OP said she had changed names? I reported the thread for being goady. As I said, it's over to the mods now.

whatsoccuring5 · 08/08/2025 16:56

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Serpentstooth · 08/08/2025 16:55

Like the rest of her ilk, a grain of truth and a bucketful of lies and exaggerations. Vile. And if she is out with a toddler, unnoticing that he/she is approaching strangers asking for attention, then she needs a parenthood class or two at the very least.

Spanador · 08/08/2025 16:54

Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 16:39

No it's not. Advanced search is an MN tool, that includes searching user names. If you think that, take that up with MN.

Show quote history

You have no idea if someone is a new poster or has just name changed though. If someone posts using a new name change they will have no visible posting history. I could change name now and start a goady thread and it would look like I’m a new user when I’m not

JamesMacGill · 08/08/2025 16:54

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.

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So the public basically.

Muffsies · 08/08/2025 16:54

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:47

I've never posted on the page itself. Just observe and sometimes search for things (like window cleaners, most recently). But I was very tempted to post on this one and say something. Bottled it in the end though.

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You made the right decision. Sadly there is no point engaging with people like that, its a waste of your time and energy. They have a particular mind set and agenda.

I used to use Quora a lot, because I liked some of the very interesting subjects people wrote about; I used to actually learn things. This too has turned into an absolute cesspit of politically polarised trash, and shock posts about Ukraine, gaza or migrants. I've had to abandon it, its been utterly ruined.

PhilippaGeorgiou · 08/08/2025 16:53

JamesMacGill · 08/08/2025 16:47

If she’s lying to stir something up (which it sounds like she was) then she’s despicable. Facebook has got worse, every article is absolutely rammed with racist or sexist comments, each with a ton of likes. It’s too useful for me to stop using it but it’s a barometer of the public mood sadly.

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.