Anti-Polish Web Group Shut Down By Police

A Hate-peddling internet group targeting Llanelli’s Polish population has been shut down by police.

An anti-Polish web page was set up on social networking site Facebook in May.

The group, which had 140 members, described its raison d’etre as: “Llanelli has a population of 60,000 people, and nearly 10,000 are Polish. They take our jobs, and have no respect for us or our town. Get the Polish out.”

The page featured anti-Polish pictures and comments, and was quickly taken over by angry protesters determined to shut it down.

But, despite the outcry, Facebook refused to interfere with the group at first or take down the page, to support the “free flow of information”.

A spokesman said: “Many Facebook groups relate to controversial topics – this alone is not a reason to disable a group. In cases where content is reported and found to violate the site’s terms of use, Facebook will remove it.”

Meanwhile, the director of Llanelli’s Credit Union, solicitor Annette Bell, reported the group to Dyfed-Powys Police.

She said: “I was shocked to see this on the internet – it’s sad that a group of this sort appears on a social website such as Facebook.”

Llanelli MP Nia Griffith said she was relieved the page had been removed.

“I am pleased to hear Dyfed-Powys Police have closed down this Facebook page,” she said.

“We need to take a firm stand against racism in all its forms, whether it is verbal abuse, graffiti or internet-based.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokeswoman said: “I understand that after police spoke to Facebook, the page was removed.

“The complainant was happy with this, and no further police action was then taken.”

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