The Racial Volunteer Force (RVF) is a violent neo-Nazi splinter group of the British neo-Nazi group Combat 18 (C18) with close ties to the far right paramilitary group, British Freedom Fighters. Although originating as a breakaway group, the RVF has since re-established links to C18 whilst maintaining a distinct identity.
41-496: RVF may refer to: Racial Volunteer Force , a violent British neo-Nazi splinter group Rift Valley fever , a viral disease first reported among livestock in Rift Valley of Kenya in the early 1900s, also affecting humans Right ventricular failure La Revue du vin de France , a monthly French magazine on wine Rylands v Fletcher , English tort law case Topics referred to by
82-475: A crowdfunded appeal for a legal fund to sue Farage over the remarks. Hope Not Hate proceeded to issue a claim against Farage for libel . In November 2017, shortly before the libel case came to court, it was settled as Farage agreed to withdraw his comments. In August 2019, Assistant Editor of the Daily Telegraph Philip Johnston criticised the group for not doing enough to acknowledge that
123-472: A director. HNH is funded by parochial money, charitable trusts, trade union funding and individual donations. HNH receives no government or EU funding. During late 2012 and early 2013, the Searchlight Educational Trust (SET), which later renamed itself to Hope not Hate Educational (HNH Ed: the charitable wing of Hope not Hate), ) received three separate payments totaling £66,000 thanks to
164-702: A funding agreement signed by the Department for Communities and Local Government . Conditions in the funding agreement prohibited the funds to be spent on anything other than "educational work", which also included a prohibition on political campaigning. The focus of the allocated funds was to establish community partnerships in four key areas which were prone to EDL activity, including sharing positive local stories and strengthening community bonds. The organisation encourages voters to support alternatives to far-right extremist movements; it also publishes allegations of violent activities by anti-Muslim organisations such as
205-574: A further seventy individuals to terrorism offences or suicide bombings, plus proof of what it said was links to the Westgate shopping mall attack in Kenya, connections to al-Shabaab and a plot by French security services to kill Abu Hamza in the late 1990s. On 16 October 2014, the organisation launched a new blog, Generation Jihad, which it said would "be a forum to monitor, expose and understand militant jihadism and extreme Islamism". Once Anjem Choudary
246-466: A hard enough line in rejecting narratives that portray Muslim men as disproportionately responsible for child sexual grooming . The organisation updated its research in February 2016, noting that: "Respondents to the new Fear and HOPE 2016 survey were much more positive about personal and national progress, more economically secure, and less anxious about identity change." A further poll , one week after
287-401: A leader of HDF and his connections to Andrew Conru who had funded the foundation with more than $ 1million. In November 2013, the organisation unveiled research into the al-Muhajiroun Islamic extremist network: in a 60-page report, Gateway to Terror , authored by Nick Lowles and Joe Mulhall, it alleged that with its partner networks al-Muhajiroun had sent up to 300 fighters to Syria, linked
328-690: A single tally of hatred. It then compounds the error by focusing on Ms Cox in the report’s headline and the initial press release." A corrected version of the release was subsequently sent to all other media for the report's official launch, and the original article was withdrawn. In December 2016, the British politician Nigel Farage accused the group of being "extremists" who "masquerade as being lovely and peaceful but actually pursue violent and very undemocratic means", after Jo Cox's widower husband Brendan Cox had chosen Hope not Hate as one of three beneficiaries of her memorial fund. The group responded by setting up
369-567: A sixth, November 9th Society leader Kevin Quinn pleaded guilty to possession of the banned booklet The Longest Hatred . According to Peter Davies, the Assistant Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Police (the force making the arrests), "it is difficult to imagine more extreme race hatred than was contained in the material which was seized during this meticulous enquiry. In addition to the guilty pleas last month, we can draw satisfaction from
410-579: Is an advocacy group based in the United Kingdom which campaigns against racism and fascism . It has also mounted campaigns against Islamic extremism and antisemitism . It is self-described as a "non-partisan, non-sectarian organisation." The group was founded in 2004 by Nick Lowles, a former editor of the anti-fascist magazine Searchlight (from which it split in late 2011). It is backed by various politicians and celebrities, and it has also been backed by several trade unions . Hope not Hate
451-470: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Racial Volunteer Force The RVF emerged in 2002 after a split in C18. The long-established extreme right group had entered a period of severe inactivity under the leadership of Will Browning, leading to a sense of frustration amongst activists keen to reignite activity. As a consequence a group of militants under
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#1732858862774492-671: The Brexit vote, revealed that nearly two-thirds (63%) of those polled believed Britain was "more divided as a result of the Referendum vote and more people think there are more tensions between communities than when asked the same question in February". Following a 26,000 signature petition which Hope not Hate handed to the UK Home Secretary, on 26 June 2013, the US-based anti-Muslim bloggers Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller were banned from entering
533-701: The English Defence League . It presented a 90,000-person petition to the European Parliament protesting against the election of Nick Griffin as an MEP . Following the murder of Jo Cox , Hope not Hate launched a nationwide #MoreInCommon campaign, with the blessing of the MP's family, hosting meetings across the UK which focused on healing divisions which were caused by the EU Referendum , culminating in 85+ events on
574-732: The Fear and Hope survey. In 2012 it issued a report on the counterjihad movement, the Counter-Jihad Report ; and in the same year produced a 75th anniversary guide to the Battle of Cable Street . In 2011 Matthew Collins , a former National Front and British National Party member and part of the group's investigative team, published Hate: My Life in the British Far Right ( ISBN 978-1-84954-327-9 ). In June 2014 Collins and Hope not Hate published original research into what they termed
615-565: The Jewish Labour Movement and bringing forward substantial organisational and cultural change." In November 2019, Lowles was reported to have written to every member of Labour's National Executive Committee , urging them to bar suspended MP Chris Williamson from defending his seat at the following month's general election and to expel him from the party. Hope not Hate has provided analysis of anti-LGBTQ+ hate movements, and has described Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull as "a leading voice in
656-538: The UK Independence Party (UKIP). The move attracted considerable criticism from some on the right. It went on to campaign vociferously against UKIP during the run-up to the 2014 European elections . On 20 March 2019, Catherine Blaiklock , founder of the Brexit Party , resigned from the party after The Guardian enquired about deleted anti-Muslim messages from her Twitter account from before she took on
697-689: The United Kingdom was "among the least racist, least extreme and most inclusive [countries] in the world". During the 2024 United Kingdom riots , Nick Lowles falsely claimed that acid was being thrown at Muslim women in the streets of Middlesbrough . Lowles later apologised for this error, after Cleveland Police confirmed no such incident had been recorded. Conservative MP Neil O'Brien called Lowles' behaviour "incredibly irresponsible". The campaign publishes an eponymous bi-monthly magazine; in 2011 it commissioned an opinion poll on electoral attitudes towards English identity , faith and race, published as
738-458: The murder of Jo Cox MP by a right-wing extremist. According to an investigation by The Economist , "The report itself gave a confusing impression of the number of tweets that celebrated Ms Cox’s murder" and that "Hope Not Hate’s mistake is to take xenophobic Brexit-related tweets (which are plentiful, though a tiny fraction of the whole) and add them to tweets celebrating the murder of an MP (which as far as we can establish were very rare) to make
779-715: The Israeli embassy to which they had invited an American rabbi, with Lowles writing "While many in the Jewish community have understandable concerns about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, it is important to remember that the EDL are not our friends". In 2013, Hope not Hate was one of the founding organisations of an anti-child sexual exploitation initiative called CAASE (Community Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation), featuring many Muslim and Christian organisations, victim support groups, survivors organisations, and local community networks. The network
820-475: The Labour Party. In June 2019, the group condemned Lisa Forbes after she was found to have 'liked' a post on Facebook saying that Theresa May had a "Zionist Slave Master's agenda". In July 2019, Lowles said that there had been "an appalling lack of understanding of the hurt and fear felt by Jewish party members and the Jewish community". He also said that "the leadership should start listening to people like
861-532: The NF in late 2011 after RVF members attended an NF event commemorating John Tyndall in Preston . As of 2013 the group was said to be still active, with around 80-100 members. By this time they had become particularly critical of the English Defence League , accusing them of being a Zionist organisation established to gather intelligence on neo-Nazis. Hope not Hate Hope not Hate (stylised as HOPE not hate )
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#1732858862774902-684: The Patriots of the White European Resistance, in holding a march to the Cenotaph, Whitehall . This group took a leading role in criticising Terry Blackham's leadership of the NF. Links between the RVF and the NF were also seen in 2010 when the nomination papers for NF council election candidate Nick Walsh in the council election in Kingston upon Hull were signed by Nigel Piggins. The RVF was again linked to
943-714: The RVF have attended events run by the English Defence League . The RVF has been active in street violence against perceived enemies in the last year or so including attacks on Anti-fascists in Blackpool and Republican Sinn Féin Supporters in Glasgow . Various members have also been seen at street demonstrations in the Netherlands confronting anti-fascists. Early in 2009 alleged RVF activists were raided by counter terrorist police in south west England on suspicion of bomb making. Eventually
984-541: The UK, which concluded that nearly half of those who were polled by a Populus Ltd survey supported the creation of an English nationalist , anti-Muslim political party. Nick Lowles claimed in 2012 that politicians, including the Labour Party , need to address the way they talk about immigration and move away from encouraging "hate speech". Liz Fekete , of the Institute of Race Relations , has said that Lowles has not taken
1025-504: The UK. Geller and Spencer had been due to speak at an English Defence League march in Woolwich, south London, where Drummer Lee Rigby was murdered. Home Secretary Theresa May informed Spencer and Geller that their presence in the UK would "not be conducive to the public good". The decision, which they cannot appeal, may be reviewed in between three and five years. Similarly, Hope Not Hate condemned an EDL solidarity demonstration outside
1066-453: The activities of the anti-Muslim counterjihad movement of Robert Spencer , Pamela Geller , and bloggers such as " Fjordman ". It linked hundreds of EDL and National Front supporters in this network with support for the Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik . In 2012, the group published original research which looked at the attitudes of voters towards far-right political parties in
1107-550: The alleged members were released due to lack of evidence. The RVF has also been associated with a group of hardliners within the National Front (NF) under the leadership of Leeds organiser Tony White and his associates Stuart Hollingdale and Dave Hill. On Remembrance Day 2008 RVF members joined White's supporters, along with members of other extreme right groups such as the British People's Party , British Freedom Fighters and
1148-487: The antitrans movement" who has "increasingly found support from and an overlap in views with the far right." In February 2016, Nick Lowles was not invited to a National Union of Students event due to opposition by the NUS Black Students campaign, which said that he was Islamophobic. In November 2016, Hope not Hate published an incorrect press release about a report on the extent of abusive social media following
1189-604: The documentary "Undercover: Exposing the Far Right" was aired on Channel 4. The documentary features undercover footage obtained from Hope not Hate journalist Harry Shukman and researcher Patrik Hermansson of well-funded far-right activists from the Human Diversity Foundation (HDF). The foundation uses research papers, podcasts and websites to promote discredited "race science". Undercover footage unmasked far-right activist and former private school teacher Matthew Frost,
1230-526: The fact that the Lincolnshire Police investigation team succeeded in discrediting and disrupting the organisation behind the production of this material". Amongst the offending items which came to light at the trial were an RVF magazine that encouraged violence, guides on how to make nail bombs and incendiary devices and copies of the Polish neo-Nazi magazine Stormer . The police had first become aware of
1271-402: The group whilst monitoring far right and racist websites and their investigations led them to Nigel Piggins, who was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for his part in the affair. The group has been investigated for a series of threats made to journalists. According to Hope not Hate , an anti-fascist campaigning group organised by Searchlight magazine , members former members of
RVF - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-403: The leadership of Mark Atkinson, a long-term activist in C18, and John Hill, an Oldham -based organiser, split to establish the RVF as a separate paramilitary organisation. The RVF claims to be part of an international organisation led by a European Council and states that it aims for unity between all National Socialists and white nationalists (including Combat 18) in an alliance against
1353-500: The organisations split. As a standalone organisation, Hope not Hate took with it two of the three units of Searchlight : Searchlight Educational Trust (SET), a charity; and Searchlight Information Services (SIS), its research and investigative function. The organisation now consists of Hope not Hate Educational Ltd (a charitable wing) and Hope not Hate Ltd (focused on campaigning and investigative work). From 2010 to 2015, Ruth Smeeth worked as Deputy Director; since then, she has been
1394-516: The role. Blaiklock's deleted tweets were recovered by Hope not Hate and passed to The Guardian . In November 2019, Hope not Hate said "An election has just been called for the 12th December 2019 and our priority is clear – we're going to be taking on Nigel Farage and his Brexit party, to make sure they don't win any seats." The organisation funded research, along with Best for Britain , used to encourage pro-Remain tactical voting. Hope not Hate have commented regularly on antisemitism allegations in
1435-402: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title RVF . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RVF&oldid=894851036 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1476-451: The supposed Zionist Occupation Government . The group has garnered a reputation for its highly violent nature to the extent that other groups on the fringes of the British far right have sought to avoid being publicly associated with the RVF. A few of the group's members were arrested in 2003 on suspicions of weapons stockpiling and other charges and five members, including Atkinson and Hill, subsequently pleaded guilty to conspiracy whilst
1517-518: The weekend of 3/4 September 2016. In December 2016 The Guardian newspaper joined a Hope not Hate training workshop, revealing the work which was undertaken by its community workers on the doorsteps in south Wales. The organisation has increasingly focused on community-based campaigning, with a particular focus on building what it calls "community resilience" and focusing more on women voters. It has launched initiatives in support of British foods, Hate Crime Awareness Week, and reported extensively on
1558-563: Was co-editor, and then editor, of Searchlight magazine. He was awarded an MBE in 2016 for his services in tackling extremism. The Deputy Director is Jemma Levene, who previously worked as Head of Campaigns at Jewish cultural education charity SEED, and at the Orthodox Union in New York. The Political Organiser is Liron Velleman, Policy Officer for the Jewish Labour Movement . Hope not Hate functioned as part of Searchlight until 2011, when
1599-550: Was found guilty of inviting support for the Islamic State in August 2016, Hope not Hate updated its research and revealed that Choudary and his extremist groups had motivated at least a hundred people from Britain to pursue terrorism. More recently, it has also focused on Islamist extremists and issues of communal division, such as grooming . In 2013, the organisation initiated a nationwide consultation among its supporters about
1640-518: Was founded in 2004 by Nick Lowles, former editor of the anti-fascist Searchlight magazine. Having experienced street racism as a child, Lowles got involved with the anti-fascist movement as a student volunteer at Sheffield University . Before he became editor, he was an freelance investigative journalist, working in television, including on BBC Panorama , World in Action , Channel Four Dispatches and MacIntyre Undercover. Between 1999 and 2011 Lowles
1681-628: Was founded in response to multiple "grooming" cases which were reported by the British press. In October 2021, the organisation revealed that a Conservative Party borough councillor and activist Tim Wills in Worthing was also a supporter of the far-right and racist organisation Patriotic Alternative . The party announced that "Cllr Tim Wills has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation". In 2023 Hope not Hate uncovered allegedly inflammatory historic social media posts made by Tory London mayoral candidate, Susan Hall . In October 2024,