An activist for the UK arm of Generation Identity, the anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim far-right network known for its provocative stunts across Europe, was actually a member of a terror organisation banned by the UK Home Secretary.
National Action is an extreme far-right network which was proscribed under anti-terror laws by Amber Rudd in December 2016, yet has continued to operate using a variety of different names, as exclusively revealed by HOPE not hate.
Sheffield-based Jacob Bewick, 27, was photographed at National Action street marches in November 2016.
His Twitter account, which until recently used the name “English Nationlist.” [sic], contains numerous nazi and pro-National Action posts.
Multiple individuals are currently awaiting trial for alleged membership of National Action, with some facing charges relating to an alleged plot to murder a Labour MP.
In March 2017 he also posted a picture of his membership card for the longstanding British nazi group, the National Front (NF).
Following his exposure by HOPE not hate, Bewick changed his Twitter name to “patriot.”.
Bewick acted as a driver for leading Yorkshire-based NA member, Wayne Bell (AKA Wayne Jarvie), a violent antisemite who was jailed to a 30-month sentence in November 2017 for conspiracy to commit violent disorder.
Bell is notorious for his part in celebrating the murder of Jo Cox MP by white supremacist terrorist Thomas Mair in June 2016.
Bewick frequently uses base racist slurs, and has appeared to advocate violence against minorities. He has also advocated “ethnic cleansing” in Bradford.
Bewick has recently resurfaced as an activist for Generation Identity (GI), a pan-European far-right movement known for its provocative stunts against Muslims and immigrants (such as the failed Defend Europe mission).
Despite GI’s rejection of accusations of white supremacy and antisemitism, it appears to have no problem with Bewick, who was photographed with GI’s Scottish branch in February 2018 following a banner drop over Edinburgh’s North Bridge.
GI suffered a disastrous rally in London this weekend, after its spokesperson Martin Sellner, his partner Brittany Pettibone and their alt-right collaborator Lauren Southern were all detained by the UK Border Force and denied entry to the UK.
Bewick has voiced his hatred of Jews and support for Hitler on multiple occasions.
In a post from January 2017 on Twitter, he wrote: “Hitler Speaks About the Jews. The truth the world would be so much better if he world of won. It’s coming now tho.” [sic]
Bewick has also been active in the Football Lads Alliance (FLA), a football hooligan-led street movement that emerged in the wake of last year’s terror attacks and which was able to mobilise up to 50,000 people onto the streets of London last October.
While the two groups share a predilection for headline-grabbing stunts, GI – unlike NA – attempts to present a more palatable image, eschewing open white supremacy and banning Nazi symbolism.
The group uses veiled terms to hide its racism, advocating “ethnopluralism” (the idea that different ethnic groups are equal but ought to live in separation) which in practice means racial segregation.
GI has experienced difficulties launching in the UK. It suffered acute embarrassment when an ITV documentary – with help from HOPE not hate – infiltrated and secretly filmed the group, catching its de facto spokesperson, Martin Sellner, using racist language and discussing the “Jewish question”.
Despite this, GI’s UK branch has become increasingly active in recent months, and the European-wide group plans to hold a major conference in London in April.
While GI may attempt to whitewash its image, the group is intent on inflaming tensions in the communities it targets.
Perhaps it is therefore unsurprising that nazis such as Bewick would be attracted to such a group, as you can see from his tweets below.
UPDATE – 8th November 2023: Tommy Robinson has confirmed that the Attorney General will be commencing legal proceedings against him. UPDATE – 15th June 2023:…
