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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:
Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:52

Simonjt · 08/08/2025 16:50

Ah yeah, local facebook groups are something else aren’t they.

I was once the suspicious brown man hanging around the primary school at 15:20pm everyday, loads of comments including some saying they had definitely seen me at other primary schools in the area, which would be quite a feat as I was at my sons school everyday to collect him. The person who posted it didn’t even bother doing it annonymously, it made a change from her usual posts telling people to stop accusing her precious older son of stealing from shops, smashing car windows and attempting to break in to houses.

I'm sorry that happened to you.

OP posts:
Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 16:51

Locutus2000 · 08/08/2025 16:42

I still think it's weird and stalky.

Show quote history

So, once again, take that up with MNHQ.

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:51

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.

Yes! I had actually seen this on an advert on Facebook and was shocked a while ago. It was a National Rail advert where a black couple were going to (I think) Basingstoke or something - all the comments were racist comments about going back home or things like that. I couldn't believe what I was reading but just thought it was bots or fake accounts. When I saw that it was the same type of comments on this post from people that I know are genuine, it's really thrown me. I genuinely (naively and ignorantly I guess) just didn't think people were actually so racist in 2025.

OP posts:
Simonjt · 08/08/2025 16:50

Ah yeah, local facebook groups are something else aren’t they.

I was once the suspicious brown man hanging around the primary school at 15:20pm everyday, loads of comments including some saying they had definitely seen me at other primary schools in the area, which would be quite a feat as I was at my sons school everyday to collect him. The person who posted it didn’t even bother doing it annonymously, it made a change from her usual posts telling people to stop accusing her precious older son of stealing from shops, smashing car windows and attempting to break in to houses.

ilovesooty · 08/08/2025 16:49

SloppyThePoodle · 08/08/2025 16:15

Facebook is the absolute worst, I honestly think it needs to be deleted. I'm not one for conspiracy theories but if it came out that the Russians were using FB to destabilise western democracy I wouldn't be surprised!! (I'll get my tinfoil hat)

My local Next Door page is riddled with stuff like this. ETA I mean stuff as described in the OP.

tinytemper66 · 08/08/2025 16:49

There is one all over Twitter that a woman put up showing her black husband and his twin playing with her grandchildren in a park. They are white. Cue all the racists saying it is shocking. The grandmother posted the video as she said it was funny the way they were all falling over. Some nasty people about.

Muffsies · 08/08/2025 16:48

Locutus2000 · 08/08/2025 16:42

I still think it's weird and stalky.

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It's not just you op

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.

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:47

PhilippaGeorgiou · 08/08/2025 16:45

I get you on that. I have Facebook - I use it to see what is happening locally and for a small number of businesses that use no other online presence. I have no personal information on it, I post nothing except the odd banal comment (like "what time is the opening"). But yes, we have had the "brown faced male" in the public space posts too. Oddly there is a white guy regularly fiddling with himself in that area, but it has never once been mentioned on the facebook page.

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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.

OP posts:
PhilippaGeorgiou · 08/08/2025 16:45

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.

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I get you on that. I have Facebook - I use it to see what is happening locally and for a small number of businesses that use no other online presence. I have no personal information on it, I post nothing except the odd banal comment (like "what time is the opening"). But yes, we have had the "brown faced male" in the public space posts too. Oddly there is a white guy regularly fiddling with himself in that area, but it has never once been mentioned on the facebook page.

Toastandbutterand · 08/08/2025 16:43

My towns Facebook group asks for crime reference numbers for posts like this now. No reference and the post is deleted.

Might be worth suggesting this to the pages moderators.

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:42

2dogsandabudgie · 08/08/2025 16:36

Sounds like no one on the Facebook page knew really what happened and that it's all based on rumour? How would they know that the toddler approached a man asking to be picked up. That's the trouble with these kinds of Facebook posts. Best to stay off them.

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It started with the mum's post. It was eventually removed, after hundreds of comments.

The police posted on their page, the local councillor did a post too, a few people did posts with pictures of the man saying "he's in [x place] now". But then the dad (of the toddler) also commented on one post saying how he's angry at the police because they said that, because the toddler asked to be picked up, it's not a crime to pick him up... The dad also said he was the one to call the police that evening even though the mum said earlier that she'd called straight away.

The police and councillor were very diplomatic in their posts but the subtext was kind of "this isn't true".

OP posts:
Locutus2000 · 08/08/2025 16:42

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.

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I still think it's weird and stalky.

nearlylovemyusername · 08/08/2025 16:41

SloppyThePoodle · 08/08/2025 16:15

Facebook is the absolute worst, I honestly think it needs to be deleted. I'm not one for conspiracy theories but if it came out that the Russians were using FB to destabilise western democracy I wouldn't be surprised!! (I'll get my tinfoil hat)

They do!!! there are plenty of reports about Russian using SM, not only FB, but all of them, to destabilise western democracies.
And seeing changes here on MN and strongly suspect they started here as well.

Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 16:39

Locutus2000 · 08/08/2025 16:36

It's weird and stalky.

Show quote history

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

Locutus2000 · 08/08/2025 16:36

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:30

How would you know if someone's name-changed unless you search for every OP? You're being ridiculous.

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It's weird and stalky.

2dogsandabudgie · 08/08/2025 16:36

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:29

Yes, they posted on their own Facebook page about a "report update", and that was shared to the local Facebook page.

Show quote history

Sounds like no one on the Facebook page knew really what happened and that it's all based on rumour? How would they know that the toddler approached a man asking to be picked up. That's the trouble with these kinds of Facebook posts. Best to stay off them.

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 16:35

FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:28

We get those but they've not be racist or race-related (that I've noticed). Always just "teens walking down the road - look out!" or "suspicious van... driving... on a road..."

Show quote history

All the other stuff is ignored. Not happening. And if someone does dare complain they quickly get shut down which is probably why no one bothers anymore, but the other stuff is like I said, weekly. Be vigilant people! Protect your kids!

PrincessOfPreschool · 08/08/2025 16:34

OP, I understand. Today I was driving through my local town which is quite a 'naice' little town and someone/some people have put LARGE England and GB flags on all the lampposts through the centre and out the other side. It's a long road. It's the site of anti immigrant demos so I know these are not in celebration but a declaration of 'We are English, foreigners are not welcome!' I am married to an 'immigrant' and my children are brown. It made me uncomfortable - and sad to think I can't walk around this town, even this local area, with my family anymore without feeling like an outsider. It's so horrible. I know not everyone is racist but it's enough people that those flags have been kept up and it's enough people to make me feel very uncomfortable.

Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:30

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

How would you know if someone's name-changed unless you search for every OP? You're being ridiculous.

OP posts:
Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:29

2dogsandabudgie · 08/08/2025 16:28

Were the police commenting on the Facebook page? Seems very unlikely.

Yes, they posted on their own Facebook page about a "report update", and that was shared to the local Facebook page.

OP posts:
Original poster
FromanEmpire · 08/08/2025 16:28

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 16:24

We have one of these every week on my local FB group, either man in the park or man in a van. They’re always either Asian or Eastern European. Somehow they’re never successful or any realistic resolution/action happens. Meanwhile, county lines are running rampant, drug deals on the corner of the street in the middle of the day, the whole estate reeks of weed and there’s gangs of balaclava clad teens on escooters running about dealing and transporting. Confused

We get those but they've not be racist or race-related (that I've noticed). Always just "teens walking down the road - look out!" or "suspicious van... driving... on a road..."

OP posts:
2dogsandabudgie · 08/08/2025 16:28

Were the police commenting on the Facebook page? Seems very unlikely.

Dangermoo · 08/08/2025 16:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Muffsies · 08/08/2025 16:28

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 08/08/2025 16:24

We have one of these every week on my local FB group, either man in the park or man in a van. They’re always either Asian or Eastern European. Somehow they’re never successful or any realistic resolution/action happens. Meanwhile, county lines are running rampant, drug deals on the corner of the street in the middle of the day, the whole estate reeks of weed and there’s gangs of balaclava clad teens on escooters running about dealing and transporting. Confused

I think it's important for people to be aware of how sm is being used to manipulate. FB is a cesspit for this sort of thing, I'd encourage anyone who has it to get rid.