Latest news with #CraftUnionPubs
The Independent
08-05-2025
- The Independent
Nine arrested after group celebrated Adolf Hitler's birthday at Oldham pub
Nine people have been arrested after a group tricked staff at an Oldham pub and held a celebration of Adolf Hitler 's birthday last month. Members of the north west branch of the far-right British Movement gathered at the Duke of Edinburgh pub on Saturday 23 April and posted pictures online of themselves eating a cake with swastika icing. Images shared on their website showed three men, with their faces pixelated, holding a Swastika flag, SS bolts and the Iron Cross, with the caption that they had met up to 'celebrate the 136th birthday of Uncle A'. The venue was reportedly unaware of the party and contacted the police the following day. The pub's operator, Craft Union Pubs, said it was 'absolutely appalled' by the event. In a series of morning raids, nine men have been arrested by Greater Manchester Police at various locations across Rochdale, Bolton, Trafford, Stockport, and Southport. Weapons seized included swords, imitation firearms, a crossbow and a suspected grenade, which has been declared safe after an investigation by the explosive ordnance disposal unit. The force said it had been in contact with counter terrorism policing who have 'offered advice' on some of the seized materials, with scenes remaining in place while officers continue to search addresses. Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker of Greater Manchester Police said: 'Due to the nature of the materials we recovered at the warrants today, we have liaised with colleagues at CTPNW. This is a matter of course, and it very much remains a GMP led investigation. She added: 'We must take action when concerns are raised, and where weapons are suspected, to ensure people are free to live without fear of intimidation or harm. 'Public safety is at the forefront of our investigation, and as always, we ask that you remain vigilant, and if you have any information or concerns, then to contact us.'
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Moment Neo-Nazis celebrate Hitler's birthday with swastika cake & ‘Fuhrer' footie shirt after guest stood to be MP
COPS are hunting for Neo-Nazis who celebrated Hitler's birthday with one of the guests previously standing to be an MP. Members of the far-right extremist group, the British Movement, met at the Duke of Edinburgh in Royton, Greater Manchester, on April 19. 3 3 Snaps of the group including a swastika cake and other Nazi-themed celebrations were shared on the organisation's Telegram feed. Now, it has been revealed that one of the men involved put himself forward to be an MP in Bolton last year, reports the MEN. Patrick McGrath stood for the English Democrats in the Bolton West constituency but polled just 202 votes and came last in the contest. Beside his name on the ballot paper was 'English Democrats - Deport All Illegal Immigrants', said the outlet. McGrath was pictured alongside other members with sick photos posted online revealing Nazi flags and a cake decorated with a swastika. One man, who did the Nazi salute, was donning a German national team football shirt with the words Fuhrer 44. In one photograph three men - including McGrath - hold up a flag with a swastika, SS bolts and the Iron Cross. Other snaps uploaded also included a black and white photograph of Hitler. Another picture revealed five men posing behind the British Movement flag before quickly hiding it away. The English Democrats and McGrath have been approached for comment. The venue have said that staff didn't know about the party until the next day -and they reported it to the police. The pub's operator, Craft Union Pubs, said it was 'absolutely appalled' by the shocking nature of the event. NHS manager joins work call with Nazi armband, framed photo of Hitler & Swastika in background The Duke of Edinburgh's incoming landlady Jean Anderson, said: "They said they had a cake, but we didn't know what happened because they covered everything up. "The pub was full. There were about six to eight men and one woman. They sat in the corner and didn't cause any problems. "They were sneaky. We didn't see anything until we saw the pictures. I just can't understand why they picked this pub." A spokesperson for Craft Union Pubs said: "A group entered the Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday under the pretext of celebrating a birthday and gathered in a back area of the venue. "The group actively concealed their clothing and their activities during the visit and as a result, their actions were not visible to staff at the time. "The operator who runs the pub was therefore unaware of what had taken place until after the event. Upon becoming aware, the operator reported the matter to the police immediately. "To be clear, we are absolutely appalled at what took place. We do not and will not tolerate this kind of behaviour, and these people aren't welcome in any of our venues. "We are focused on uniting our local communities, not dividing them. We are supporting our operator to look after their team, who are understandably incredibly distressed by the incident." A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "On Wednesday, April 23 we received a report that several individuals attended a pub on Market Street in Royton on Saturday, April 20, and were in possession of Nazi memorabilia. "Enquiries are underway to establish the full circumstances. "If you have any information, or were affected by this incident, please contact police on 101 quoting log 784 of 24/4/25." Membership of the British Movement is not currently illegal. The British Movement (BM) is a British neo-Nazi organisation founded by Colin Jordan in 1968. It was born from the National Socialist Movement (NSM), founded in 1962. The BM is on the fringe of far-right extremism with a long history and association with violence and extremism.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Neo-Nazis celebrate Adolf Hitler's birthday with racist flags and swastika cake at ‘appalled' pub
Neo-Nazis arrived at a pub in Greater Manchester to celebrate Adolf Hitler's birthday with flags and a cake decorated with a swastika. Members of the north west branch of the far-right British Movement gathered at the Duke of Edinburgh pub in Oldham on Saturday 23 April. The venue was reportedly unaware of the party and contacted the police the following day. The pub's operator, Craft Union Pubs, said it was 'absolutely appalled' by the event. Images shared on British Movement Northern branch's website showed three men with their faces pixelated holding a flag emblazoned with a swastika, SS bolts and the Iron Cross. The picture was digitally altered to include a black and white image of Hitler. In another image, five men could be seen posing behind a flag with a British Movement logo. On the group's Telegram feed, a picture was also reportedly shared of a cake decorated with a swastika. CCTV footage inside the pub showed the men unfurling the flags of pictures before quickly hiding them. In a post on its website, British Movement Northern Region said: 'On a gorgeous sunny afternoon in Greater Manchester, a platoon of Northwest British Movement met up to celebrate the 136th birthday of Uncle A. 'It certainly didn't take long for the dimly lit interior of the Oldham boozer to be filled with the warm laughter of comrades old and new. Tables were filled with a plethora of drinks: frosty pints of beer, fruity cocktails, schooners, and birthday cake!' Greater Manchester Police said it was treating the incident with 'utmost sensitivity and severity'. Officers are investigating whether it constitutes a public order offence involving displaying material intended to stir up racial hatred. A spokesperson added: 'Police in Oldham are investigating reports that a group attended a pub on Market Street in Royton in possession of Nazi memorabilia.' Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton MP Jim McMahon described the celebration as 'a disgraceful insult to the memory of the nearly 100 local men who died fighting Nazism'. He in a post on X: 'This vile display is a stark reminder that the threat of the far right is real. Glorifying an ideology responsible for the deaths of millions has no place in our community. 'These acts of hate and division must always be called out and rooted out.' In a statement to The Independent, Craft Union Pubs said: "A group entered the Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday under the pretext of celebrating a birthday and gathered in a back area of the venue. "The group actively concealed their clothing and their activities during the visit and as a result, their actions were not visible to staff at the time. "The operator who runs the pub was therefore unaware of what had taken place until after the event. Upon becoming aware, the operator reported the matter to the police immediately. "To be clear, we are absolutely appalled at what took place. We do not and will not tolerate this kind of behaviour, and these people aren't welcome in any of our venues. "We are focused on uniting our local communities, not dividing them. We are supporting our operator to look after their team, who are understandably incredibly distressed by the incident."
