Terror supporting Britain First activist jailed

Terror supporting man from Solihull in possession of unlicensed shotgun took part in anti-migrant activism with Britain First.

Richard Osborne was jailed for 3 years and 10 months yesterday after admitting to stirring up racial and anti-LGBT+ hatred. The 53-year-old posted images in support of banned nazi terror group National Action and shared his membership card for the National Front. Over 130 posts on his VKontakte (VK) profile contained Holocaust denial and calls for violence against Muslims, Jews and LGBT+ people.

HOPE not hate can reveal that Osborne also engaged in anti-migrant activism with Britain First, the anti-Muslim political party. In August 2020, pictures show Osborne behind a Britain First banner reading “Close Down Migrant Hotels”. The action targeted the Coventry Hill Hotel and involved prominent Britain First activists Tom Richardson, Midlands Regional Organiser Tim Burton and the then-South West Regional Organiser Sharon Workman.

Osborne also admitted to the possession of two weapons. A baton fashioned out of a metal bar was found in his car and a shotgun, which he was not licensed for, was found under his bed after a search of his home.

The case of Osborne is part of a worrying trend of escalation in anti-migrant activism in recent years. In October, Andy Leak firebombed a migrant processing centre in Dover and Osborne is not the first case within Britain First. In 2022, Mason Yates from Widnes, who had also taken part in Britain First’s activism, was jailed on terror related offences.