Over the past couple of days, Lee Jasper has reposted two e-mails which were sent to him by Terry Fitzpatrick. The e-mails contain racist epithets, directed at Lee Jasper. We had previously blocked Terry Fitzpatrick from posting on this website, pending the clarification of his authorship of the emails in question.
In a comment on Socialist Unity, Terry Fitzpatrick has now confirmed that he has used these terms of abuse. It is now proper that we make that ban public.
Terry Fitzpatrick is awaiting trial in relation to communications which he allegedly sent to Simon Woolley. We have been advised that a discussion of this matter, and of the emails sent to Lee Jasper, will potentially prejudice the outcome of the trial. We are therefore not opening comments on this post. Any discussion will have to wait until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
I don’t know Terry. However, those who have been active in the struggle against racism testify to his long and distinguished record as a community activist and anti-fascist campaigner. He has been a contributor to the anti fascist journal “Searchlight” and has campaigned for years for justice for Blair Peach. As Andy Newman puts it:
I was just speaking on the phone to a mutual friend who knows Fitz, and we were agreeing what a tragegy all this is.
We can only echo those sentiments.
