Barnsley Man Held Over Internet ‘Racism'

19 April 2012, 16:31 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A Barnsley man and four others have been arrested after race-hate material appeared online.

They are being held after raids by the North-East Counter Terrorism Unit in North Tyneside, County Durham, Merseyside, Barnsley and London.

A spokeswoman for the unit said: "All five men have been arrested on suspicion of offences under the Public Order Act, publishing or distributing written material which may stir up racial hatred."

The arrests are being linked with a splinter group of the English Defence League known as the North West Infidels.

A 21-year-old from Barnsley, a 43-year-old from North Tyneside, a 46-year-old from County Durham, an 18-year-old from Birkenhead, Merseyside, and a 56-year-old from Holloway, north London, are being held.

A spokeswoman said: “They have been taken to local police stations for interviewing.

"Searches have now begun at the addresses, together with searches at an address in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, and Leeds, West Yorkshire."