Middlesbrough Council - News Forum - Setting a light to the News

Cars torched in hate campaign against Middlesbrough councillors
by Sandy McKenzie, Evening Gazette Jun 14 2012

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ARSON attacks against two senior Middlesbrough councillors have been branded "a cowardly assault on democracy".
Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade are investigating after two cars owned by the unnamed Labour councillors were torched.
The police are linking the attacks and Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon is urging anyone with information on those responsible to come forward and help bring them to justice.
Mr Mallon, who is also believed to have received threats, said the two recent arson attacks were an outrageous attack on
democracy by people who preferred “the petrol bomb to the ballot box”.
Middlesbrough councillors have been advised by the authority to be vigilant.
The two attacks happened over the weekend of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

In the first, a car was set alight outside a house in The Pastures, Coulby Newham, at 1.50am on Saturday, June 2.
The blaze caused severe damage to the vehicle and to guttering on the house.
A second car was set alight outside a house in Thornfield Road, Linthorpe, just after 2.30am on Tuesday, June 5, damaging the vehicle.
Police attended both incidents and have said an investigation is under way.
Mr Mallon said: “I am satisfied that these attacks are linked and that the victims were deliberately targeted because they are councillors.
“There is a tiny minority of political obsessives in this town who believe they can intimidate and bully councillors out of office, but in this instance it seems their obsession has spilled over into criminality.
“This is an outrageous attack on democracy by people who prefer the petrol bomb to the ballot box.
“Attacks involving fire carry long jail sentences of several years which reflect the seriousness of such criminal acts, so it is imperative that the people who committed these offences – and those behind them – are brought to justice.”

Mr Mallon said he appealed to anyone who had any information about the attacks to contact the police immediately.”
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Cleveland Police has received a total of three reports of arson of councillors’ property in recent months.
In February the Evening Gazette reported how cars owned by long serving councillor John McPartland had been set on fire in two incidents.
In the two recent incidents a councillor living in the Coulby Newham area and a councillor living in the Linthorpe area both reported their vehicles set on fire overnight on their driveways between June 2 and June 5.
Because of the similarity of the circumstances in the two incidents, the proximity in time and the fact that both are serving elected councillors, Cleveland police are treating the two incidents as linked.
Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Simpson, of Middlesbrough Police, said: “Any attack of this nature is clearly shocking for the victim and their family.
“If these crimes are motivated as attacks against elected officials, it is also of concern for the wider community and democracy in the town.

He said: “Whilst we have to retain an open mind about the motives for these attacks, we are actively pursuing this theory and will explore all lines of inquiry to bring to justice the person or people involved in these offences.
“We are liaising with the local authority as part of this investigation.
“We would like to appeal for witnesses to the two incidents to anyone who can
offer information about the reason for the attacks or those involved.”
Police said they particularly wanted to speak to a male who was in the area at the time the first offence was committed.
He is described as being young, five feet ten inches tall and wearing a grey shirt. They appealed for anyone with information to contact Middlesbrough CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Cleveland Fire Brigade station manager Andy With said: “Acts of arson have a massive impact on our community.
"These unnecessary fires not only cause damage to property and the environment but also put lives at risk. They also cause a drain on our resources.
“All incidents are fully investigated in partnership with Cleveland Police which includes the monitoring of CCTV footage and where arsonists are identified, they will be prosecuted.”

Middlesbrough councillors given protection after attacks
by Sandy McKenzie, Evening Gazette Jun 21 2012 THERE has been - for some time - a concentrated effort to challenge democracy in Middlesbrough - "and replace it with something much more sinister".

So says Mayor Ray Mallon, who last night spoke out at a special meeting of Middlesbrough Council prompted by a series of attacks on elected members.
Former detective Mr Mallon said he had also arrived at a judgement as to who is likely to become the target of future criminal action.

These individuals had been made aware of measures being put in place for their protection and that of their property.
Mr Mallon’s words came as councillors met in the wake of the recent arson attacks on cars at the homes of two Labour councillors.
And the Mayor said the pair - as well as other councillors - had fallen victim to criminal attacks because they had undertaken their responsibilities in an outstanding manner.
“They have refused to give way to adversity,” he added last night.

“I believe the motivation for these attacks are to drive councillors out of office.”
“That will not - it must not - happen,” said the Mayor.
Former detective Mr Mallon told the council he believed in democracy and the rule of law. All right-minded people who hoped to have a stake in society had to share those principles, he added.
“I believe there is a small number of people who are connected to this town who wish to challenge the concept of democracy,” said the Mayor.
“They wish to replace that with something much more sinister.
“Make no mistake - there has been a concentrated effort for some time to destroy the democratic fabric of this town. It must not succeed.”

Mr Mallon added said politics was about influencing and persuading one another, a complex interaction of many people across the town from all walks of life.
“There will always be some agreement and disagreement but, when major decisions are taken, the democratic voting rights of elected representatives will prevail,” he added.
He referred to “so-called community-type activists” who had been scathing about many councillors in the Council Chamber.
“Such individuals had personal agendas towards some of you, both individually and collectively,” he added.
“Many of these people could only criticise and could not articulate viable alternatives.
“It appeared to me they did not want change in so far as the town was concerned.”
Mr Mallon said some comments, both verbally and in correspondence by some community activists - as well as by some councillors - were utterly disgraceful and beyond his comprehension.
“Unfortunately some people are obsessive by nature - and others can become progressively obsessed with particular issues and subjects,” he said.
“I do not believe even obsessive behaviour is a particular problem providing such behaviour does not develop into criminal behaviour,” said the Mayor.
Mr Mallon said the vast majority of Middlesbrough councillors should be very proud of what they had achieved collectively and individually.
He went on to say: “I should point out that the community activists whom I have referred to may, in my opinion, be irrational and illogical in their thinking.
“Some are steeped in personality clashes with come councillors.
“I would describe them as obsessives, but what I can say is I do not believe they have committed criminal acts.
“The obsessive who becomes criminal is far more sinister and is consumed by hatred and vengeance.”
Mr Mallon spoke about the two arson attacks and attacks on the property of two other councillors in recent years.
He said people might want to consider what they had done to deserve such criminal acts on their property and their lives. “The answer is very simple - they have done nothing to deserve this,” he added. “Nobody should be subject to such violent and life-threatening crimes.
“The councillors have served this town extremely well for many years. They should take some comfort in the knowledge these criminal acts have occurred because they have undertaken their responsibilities in an outstanding manner.
“They have refused to give way to adversity.
“We cannot allow the petrol bomb to succeed,” said the Mayor.
“My advice to every member of this council is very simple - be vigilant and be aware. Have faith in what you stand for and do not weaken or even show weakness to the criminal acts of a minority of obsessives who have now become criminals.”
He urged any residents with information about the arson attacks to step forward and talk to the police.
“If anyone thinks they can achieve their ends by subverting the system they are wrong. “We will not be driven out,” he added.
“The only people who should be afraid are the perpetrators and supporters of what has happened.
“My message to them is - Be afraid, be very afraid.”

Councillors' homes were targeted within days of each other
THE arson attacks on cars at the homes of two Middlesbrough councillors brought immediate - and fierce - condemnation from Ray Mallon.
The Middlesbrough Mayor said the arson attacks were an outrageous attack on democracy by people who preferred “the petrol bomb to the ballot box”.
His verbal onslaught came in the wake of the two arson attacks over the weekend of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
In the first, a car was set alight outside a house in The Pastures, Coulby Newham, at 1.50am on Saturday, June 2.
The blaze caused severe damage to the vehicle and to guttering on the house.
A second car was set alight outside a house in Thornfield Road, Linthorpe, just after 2.30am the following Tuesday, damaging the vehicle.

The attacks were are the homes of two Labour councillors. The incident at Coulby Newham was at the home of Councillor Geoff Cole, who is chairman of the council’s planning and development committee. The second councillor’s identity has yet to be officially revealed.
They follow arson and criminal attacks on the homes of other councillors in recent years.
Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade, are continuing their investigations into the latest attacks. No arrests have yet been made.
Last week, Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Simpson, of Middlesbrough Police, said: “If these crimes are motivated as attacks against elected officials, it is also of concern for the wider community and democracy in the town.”
And Cleveland Fire Brigade station manager Andy With said arson has a “massive impact” on communities.
Call Middlesbrough CID on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

COUNCILLORS last night came together to roundly condemn the attacks on the cars on colleagues’ homes.
Middlesbrough Council chairman Steve Bloundele said elected members of a democratic institution councillors could not allow mob rule to usurp either the democratic or political process.
“I am deeply concerned the totally unacceptable behaviour of certain individuals, institutions and business interests has led to a culture of concerted personal attacks on elected members in Middlesbrough,” he added.
“I have had examples expressed to me by elected members that included issues such as anonymous letters, election leaflets, letters in local press, vitriolic comments made on anonymous internet forums, and members of the business community following elected members around shouting abuse via a loud hailer.
“These bullyboy tactics cannot be allowed to succeed in a civilised, democratic society.”

Labour Group leader Councillor Charlie Rooney, labelled those responsible for the attacks as “moral imbeciles”.

And he said councillors had a right to respect and not have to worry about families and property.
Conservative Group leader, Councillor Chris Hobson said the attacks had been “absolutely outrageous crimes”.
“This does not just affect the councillor - it is a concern for their whole family and their health and well-being,” she added. “This is a cowardly act and we hope the perpetrators are soon caught and brought to justice.”
Councillor Peter Cox, leader of the Middlesbrough Independent Councillors Association, said: “These as despicable crimes being committed by cowards.”
Independent councillor Joan McTigue detailed attacks she had herself suffered on her car and her home.
But she said: “If we sit crying these people will have won. We must send a message out - to Hell with you.
“We are going to carry on with our jobs.”
Deputy Mayor Councillor Dave Budd said effective opposition was required in the democratic process by not opposition based on personal acrimony and fear.

And Barry Coppinger, executive councillor for social care, said the meeting was the saddest in his 27 years as a councillor - and that it was a tragedy it was having to be held at all.
“I hope this is a turning point and we all stand together and work together to defeat it,” he added.