Latest news with #homelessveterans
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Councillor ‘reported to police' for asking questions about migrants in hotel
A councillor was 'reported to the police' for asking questions about migrants in a hotel. John Edwards, of Sandhurst Town Council, questioned in April why 300 Afghans had been housed at a hotel in Bracknell, Berkshire, when 'many of our own veterans remain homeless'. It has since emerged that they were brought to Britain after a list of names of Afghans who had applied to come to the UK was leaked. A borough councillor said they had reported Cllr Edwards to the police for 'stirring up hate' with 'far-Right propaganda' about the hotel. Cllr Edwards, who also queried if the arrivals would affect locals on council housing waiting lists, is now also under investigation by Bracknell Forest council, the local borough council, for his comments. 'Stirring racial hatred' 'The council has fuelled a narrative that I'm spreading hate and misinformation – despite my claims being true,' he told the Daily Mail. 'Another councillor has said publicly they have reported me to the police for 'stirring racial hatred'. This would be a serious criminal offence. 'It's stressful, it's potentially very harmful to my reputation. It's a way to smear and silence me, and it has a chilling effect which amounts to, 'disagree with the council and you will be call a racist'. 'This was never about how I scrutinised a policy, but which policy I scrutinised. They've never corrected their own misleading claims on the impact of the policy on residents, or defended my right to scrutinise a policy as a councillor. 'Instead, they've escalated baseless complaints because they are either too timid to uphold democracy and free speech – or they're wilfully enabling the suppression of those rights by weaponising the complaints process.' 'Case to answer' Sanjay Prashar, Bracknell Forest Council's monitoring officer, said in a letter to Cllr Edwards that he had a 'case to answer'. A spokesman for the authority confirmed to the newspaper that it was investigating him. 'As the matter raised is under investigation, it would not be appropriate for the council to comment further at this time,' the spokesman said. But Thames Valley Police said it had no record of Cllr Edwards being reported to the force, and he said he has not heard from its officers about the matter. 'Undeniably in the public interest' The independent councillor, who is being supported by the Free Speech Union (FSU), was also accused of endangering the migrants by posting blurred pictures of the hotel's interior, which critics said would allow it to be identified. 'I included images of the accommodation because it is undeniably in the public interest for residents to understand whether the level of publicly funded support is proportionate and fair,' he said. Samuel Armstrong, of the FSU, said: 'Far from inciting racial hatred, his Facebook posts are genuinely some of the most anodyne messages I have ever seen. 'We now know there was an official cover-up over this scheme, yet when this elected councillor did his job and asked some basic questions about whether local people were going to be pushed down the housing list, he was placed under formal investigation. It is chilling.'
CBS News
09-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Bikers take to the roads for 18th annual Poker Run to support homeless veterans
Bikers take to the roads for 18th annual Poker Run to support homeless veterans Bikers take to the roads for 18th annual Poker Run to support homeless veterans Bikers take to the roads for 18th annual Poker Run to support homeless veterans They served our country, and now far too many are left to struggle alone. But this weekend, a group of bikers hit the road to make sure our homeless veterans are not forgotten. It's a number no one truly knows: how many veterans are experiencing homelessness, all while many are already fighting a war within. "Not only homelessness, they suffer from PTSD, [and] there's drug issues," said Dr. Therone Wade-White, Director of Veteran Services at Shepherd's Heart Veteran Home. For 20 years, the Natrona Heights VFW Post 894 has made it a mission to help. On Sunday, bikers roared to life for their 18th annual Poker Run. "When they get back from the war, their houses will be gone. They'll have PTSD, unable to keep a job, so they end up on the streets," said Tom Grates, co-president of Ride for Homeless Veterans. The ride stretches 100 miles, but it's more than just a road. It raises money for Shepherd's Heart and raises awareness. There was food, a silent auction, and music, all for a purpose. "I've seen the transition since I was a kid, and it has grown and grown," said Alexis Kwalick, co-president of Ride for Homeless Veterans. "I can remember from the first couple of years when we were putting just socks, underwear, and that in a bucket for them. To now, we're getting stuff signed by Ted Nugent," said Grates. For those who ride, the mission is clear. "I think every bit helps, every bit helps," said Randall Kaczor. "We need to help them out." For many veterans, this ride means more than money: it means they're not forgotten. "The veterans sometimes feel as if they're unloved or unwanted, and then they see their brothers and sisters riding bikes with them to raise funds for them," said Therone Wade-White.
