The leader of the far-right Britain First group will plead not guilty to charges of inciting hatred during a speech, his lawyer said today.
Paul Golding, 35, is accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words at a Northern Ireland Against Terrorism rally outside Belfast City Hall last August.
His barrister Richard McConkey confirmed Golding, of Anerley, South East London, denied the charges during a brief appearance at Belfast Magistrates’ Court.
Britain First leader Paul Golding (right) arrives with the far-right party’s deputy Jayda Fransen (left) for an appearance at Belfast Magistrates’ Court this morning
Golding arrives with Fransen and a group of supporters at Belfast Magistrates’ Court today
Britain First posts anti-Islamic videos on social media. Its deputy leader Jayda Fransen, 31, faces separate charges relating to the same demonstration.
The organisation has enjoyed added prominence after US President Donald Trump retweeted three unrelated anti-Muslim videos posted by Fransen.
It has since boasted that it received hundreds of new membership applications and its Facebook posts were reaching hundreds of thousands more users.
Fransen and Golding’s Twitter accounts have been suspended. Prime Minister Theresa May has said Mr Trump was wrong to retweet the videos.
Golding spoke only to confirm he understood the charges during his brief court appearance. He wore a dark jacket as he stood in the dock in the city centre court.
Golding will plead not guilty to charges of inciting hatred during a speech, his lawyer said
Golding is pictured at the Northern Ireland Against Terrorism rally in Belfast last August
Britain First has enjoyed added prominence after US President Donald Trump (pictured at the White House yesterday) retweeted three unrelated anti-Muslim videos posted by Fransen
He faces two charges of using words which were threatening, abusive or insulting and likely to stir up hatred or arouse fear or which were intended to do so.
He addressed a rally organised on the day Irish republican protesters paraded in Belfast to mark the anniversary of internment – detention without trial – being introduced during the Northern Ireland conflict.
A number of police officers provided extra security outside the court.
The case will be reviewed on January 26 and Golding’s trial is due on April 6, the same date Fransen will be tried, district judge Fiona Bagnall said.
Britain First is planning to hold a ‘Rally for Trump’ outside the US Embassy in London when the president holds a working visit to the UK next month.
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