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Perth man charged over YouTube ‘race-hate’ video

Paul Lampathakis and Nicole Cox

A RACIST video posted on US-based internet site YouTube is yet to be removed, despite a Perth man being charged for allegedly uploading the anti-Semitic film.

Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan today said his officers had so far been unsuccessful in their negotiations with YouTube to have the controversial video pulled from the site, but inquiries were continuing.

Maylands man Brendon O’Connell, 38, was yesterday charged under racial vilification laws for allegedly posting anti-Semitic video on the internet site.

Mr O’Connell is seen on film in front of Perth’s Bell Tower and at a South Perth supermarket while allegedly making anti-Semitic comments.

He was yesterday charged by the police State Security Investigation Group with conduct with intent to incite racial animosity or racist harassment.

The maximum penalty for the offence is 14 years’ jail, or fines of up to $24,000.

“Our officers have been dealing with youtube,” Mr O’Callaghan told reporters this morning.

“They are a US based company. We don’t have any jurisdiction over them, but we have been working with them to pull the video down and they have been fairly co-operative in the past.

“Now I can’t forecast what the outcome will be here, but we are continuing to work with youtube on the issue.”

Opposition Multicultural Interests spokesman John Hyde - who alerted police, Jewish community leaders and the Ethnic Communities Council of WA about the videos - praised WA Police for using the anti-vilification laws to lay the charges.

“Members of the multicultural community can take comfort in the knowledge that this alleged race hate crime will now go before the courts,” Mr Hyde said.

It is believed to be the second time a person has been charged under the racial vilification laws, which were introduced by the previous Labor government and were designed to outlaw the publication, distribution or display in oral, written or pictorial form of material that was threatening or abusive and intended to cause hatred or contempt or ridicule.

Update

Friends of Palestine note in a press release that the individual in question was never a member of their organisation and had crashed their protest, presumably for his own ends. FightDemBack! would like to remind commentators that the Friends of Palestine are an innocent party to this incident and have publically condemned Anti-Semitism as unwelcome to their cause.

News brief · 14 May 2009

Mediawatch: “Trolling” the airwaves

Transcript from Mediawatch

When it comes to jokes about swarthy foreigners, Etwell can’t hold a candle to David Oldfield, former political adviser to Pauline Hanson, and now midnight to dawn presenter on Sydney’s 2GB.

On the night after Barack Obama became President-elect, he enjoyed this merry little exchange with a listener called Alex:

Caller Alex: I’m just concerned they’re going to rename the White House ‘the Black House’

David Oldfield: No, let’s just paint half of it black, he’s half white, he’s half white, his wife will have to be in the Black House cause she’s all black.

Caller Alex: But which half is the black half? That’s what I’d like to know David.

— Radio 2GB, Overnight with David Oldfield, 6th November, 2008

He likes a joke, does our David, and he’s not too fussy about the subject.

The night before, he’d had a listener called Michael on the air, apparently very distressed at the prospect of an Obama presidency:

Caller Michael: …the white man is going to be the slave of black man. Now I’m feeling very emotional. What’s happening to America? This is the land of…

David Oldfield: Now don’t cry Michael ’cause we want to clearly hear what you’re saying. It’s important what you’re saying Michael.

Caller Michael: This country, this America was land of the free, home of the brave and a slave man is going to take, take over the White House, White, White House, a black man…

David Oldfield: Well, look at it this way, he’s half white. Let’s think of it as the white half in control and the black half doing the work. As long as they don’t make the Americans force feed them watermelon it could be a lot worse you know…

Caller Michael: …I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.

— Radio 2GB, Overnight with David Oldfield, 5th November, 2008

Listen to the full exchange between David Oldfield and caller Michael [3.54MB].

Do you get the feeling that David Oldfield is having fun? Not taking this bizarre conversation seriously?

Well, you’d be right.

Read the rest of this entry… »

The call was a prank, one of a series that took up a big chunk of the program. And Oldfield was onto it.

It all started well before midnight on an internet message board for students wittily called BoredofStudies.org - that’s spelt b-o-r-e-d - with this post from someone called Ben Civiletti:

David Oldfield… can’t believe a black man winning the election. I dare (mainly cos im not brave enough to) any left wing boser to talk about the US election with him

— boredofstudies.org messageboard, 4th November, 2008

Ben’s mates took up the challenge.

Soon after midnight Miles called, then Big Boy James, and at around half past twelve, Sam04U - whose posts to the website are decorated with a hammer and sickle.

But discussing Barack Obama on Oldfield’s radio show, Sam’s politics were very different:

Caller Sam: I mean aside from his documented links with domestic terrorists, radical Muslims and other such, the man is a socialist.

David Oldfield: Yeah the socialism thing’s the most obvious and prominent one for me, all of the other matters may not be entirely correct…

Caller Sam: The links are actually pretty well defined. Actually I called him a man, I don’t want to insult mankind. He’s a subhuman, He’s not really a man. I mean can you imagine that…

— Radio 2GB, Overnight with David Oldfield, 5th November, 2008

David Oldfield could. At least, he didn’t react at all to Sam calling Senator Obama subhuman on air. So Sam obviously decided to see how much further he could push this sick game.

Caller Sam: I say lynch ‘em all. Lynch Obama too.

David Oldfield: Well I don’t know about lynching anybody for it.

Caller Sam: Mate you know, we should all, you know, we should hang ‘em up like they did years ago. Wrap rope round their neck…

David Oldfield: You’re not a member of the KKK or something are you Sam?

Caller Sam: No.
— Radio 2GB, Overnight with David Oldfield, 5th November, 2008

Listen to the full exchange between David Oldfield and caller Sam [2.15MB].

Even then, Oldfield didn’t pull the plug on Sam. As for the lads and ladettes on the BoS website, they were beside themselves.

this man is better tham I would ever be
SUB HUMAN

Lynch Obama Too! Ahahah

Go forth! TROLL!
— boredofstudies.org messageboard

According to Wikipedia, a troll, in internet parlance, is..

… someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community… with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response…

— Wikipedia

And Sam was trolling the Oldfield show with a vengeance.

That same night he called back in, this time pretending to be an African- American called ‘Jamal’ from Chicago.

By now, Oldfield was onto him. And happy to play the game.

Caller Jamal: And you let the people come on here, talking about lynching Obama. That’s crazy man, that’s messed up that’s no good.

David Oldfield: What do you think? Do you think they wanted to lynch the white half of him or the black half of him?

Caller Jamal: The black half of him

David Oldfield: Well they’d only half lynch him then…

Caller Jamal: Why you ain’t defending us, cracker?

David Oldfield: Well it’s not for me. What actually is a cracker? I thought it was something you put some cheese on.

Caller Jamal: You is a cracker.

David Oldfield: I is a cracker.

Caller Jamal: You is a cracker.

David Oldfield: Oh, okay, all right. Um, are you having grits today at all?

Caller Jamal: What you talking about?

David Oldfield: Well isn’t that what you people eat? Grits and watermelon?

Caller Jamal: Why are you being a racist on the radio?

David Oldfield: I’m just playing along with you, Jamal.

— Radio 2GB, Overnight with David Oldfield, 5th November, 2008

Listen to the full exchange between David Oldfield and caller Jamal [1.41MB].

“Playing along” is right. In fact later that night, Oldfield told his listeners:

David Oldfield: I mean there is a chance that Jamal was extraordinarily serious. Not a big chance, we don’t think, not a big chance, but it was all a bit of fun, all a bit of fun really I thought.

— Radio 2GB, Overnight with David Oldfield, 5th November, 2008

A bit of fun? When we asked 2GB programme director Peter Brennan about these exchanges, he took the same view:

David ameliorates the otherwise sensitive subject matter of the call through the use of comic tone…

— Email from Peter Brennan (Programme Director, 2GB) to Media Watch, 10th November, 2008

Read Peter Brennan’s response to Media Watch’s questions.

Well Peter, a radio station in the United States that allowed that sort of comedy would be lucky to stay on air.

Race, and slavery, and lynching, just aren’t considered funny over there.

They’re not actually funny here either. The silly kids who called in ought to feel ashamed of themselves.

But it’s Oldfield who happily gave them airtime over three nights, and 2GB doesn’t pay him to feel shame. Come to think of it, 2GB, why do you pay him? Maybe you should stop.

« Hide it

News brief · 11 November 2008

And now for something completely different.

Ahem.

Ben Weerheym’s latest bit of detective work.

Despite Ben’s claims, disputed by certain folks in the perth scene, that he is not on the wacky weed anymore, his latest tale of communist deals ,secret agents, “Zionists”, and trotskyites has given some of us a few doubts.

We really couldn’t make this stuff up if we tried. It’s a hoot.

Please note this is also filed under “Jim Saleam” as well.

Update: The Saleam angle was correct.
The original article on Jim’s site. The question arises. Is Jim collaborating with Mr Weerheym, and if so would Mr Saleam be kind enough to tell us if he still denies Neo-Nazi links?
.

Fight dem back · 11 January 2006 · Discussion

We want the Thermos and we want it alive!

Fight dem back received a bewildering phone call this afternoon from members of the Wellington press saying that a random group of neo-Nazis were planning to stage a demonstration at the Cenotaph tomorrow morning at 11am.

Considering that the last few NF demo’s have been cancelled at the last minute and that their most recent demo that did go ahead constituted two men, two flags and a thermos - Fight dem back and associated groups have decided NOT to organise a counter-demo.

We repeat, FDB will not be organising a counter-demo to the five people expected to rock up to tomorrow’s NF demo at the Wellington cenotaph.

Granted, if people want to go down there at 11am to try and catch a glimpse of the thermos, they’re obviously entitled to do so.

FDB will pay a five dollar bounty to anyone who can present us with photos of the thermos. If you’re really good and manage to get a photo of yourself with the thermos, you will score an autographed copy of No Retreat by Dave Hann and Steve Tilzey.

Fight dem back · 21 October 2005 · Discussion

Anti-Diversity Rally Foiled By ZOG Conspiracy!

Neo-nazis gathering in Auckland today to stage an anti-diversity rally were foiled, after world leaders meeting in an underground bunker deep beneath the dead sea conspired to fill up all available parking places.

Although there were still a few spaces free, one National Fronter explained their dilemma to Fight dem back: “You see, we just can’t parallel park.”

Fight dem back respects the right of all people to hold peaceful protests, and would happily have helped the National Front if asked politely, either by physically parking the cars for them, or standing to the side and saying, “A little more… a little more… okay, now pull the steering wheel down to the right… a bit more… you’ve still got THIS MUCH space.”

Appropriate hand gestures would have accompanied these verbal directions.

Cam Smith · 24 July 2005 · Discussion

Anti-diversity rally cancelled. Chai to blame.

A rally against diversity planned by National Front members to counter the pro-tolerance rally organised by the Council of Christians & Muslims, in the aftermath of the Auckland mosque attacks, has been cancelled.

Read the rest of this entry… »

Cam Smith · 21 July 2005 · Discussion

Two men, two flags and a thermos

The New Zealand Herald reports on that the latest National Front protest falls flat:

When the National Front raised a voice of protest yesterday, it managed a chorus of two.

That was the showing after the organisation announced a protest outside the Chinese Consulate to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Sid Wilson, spokesman of the two, also said the National Front wanted to hammer home its message that Chinese people should stay in China - even with its human rights problems.

With one flag each and a hot thermos of coffee, the pair seemed hopeful others would join them. One other apparent supporter did appear, but would only watch from the other side of the road.

Mr Wilson, who described himself as the political adviser to the National Front Patriot Party, said the group also claimed responsibility for a coloured flour-bomb strike on the consulate.

He said the flour-and-paint bombs would become a signature attack by the National Front.

News brief · 13 June 2005