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Unstable Stables: Throw away the key

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It’s comforting to know that there is one less threat to the people of Cumbria this week, following the conviction of white supremacist, Ethan Stables.

The 20 year old from Barrow had planned to attack the town’s New Empire pub in June 2017, in the midst of a gay pride event.

Despite social media posts saying he was “going to war” and planning to “slaughter”, online searches about how to make bombs and chemical poisons, and expressing hatred of Muslims, Jews and gay people, he claimed his online comments were merely to impress far-right friends.

Fortunately, following Facebook posts about his intentions, the police were tipped off and armed officers intercepted him as he headed towards the pub. His aim was to kill anyone he found, with a machete.

In a bizarre slip-up, Stables had erroneously added an innocent woman to his neo-Nazi Facebook group. When he vented his outrage at the Furness LGBT support group’s event, the shocked woman contacted the authorities.

He’ll have plenty of time to reflect on his hatred-fuelled actions after he’s locked up. What’s also needed here is for Facebook to answer some tough questions too.

The woman who tipped off the police had reported him to the social network at least four times. His page had him posing in front of his prized swastika flag. How did his violent intentions and warped view of the world slip by without triggering any alarms? And what are they doing to make sure another Stables isn’t saddling-up to unleash terror on us?

This post first appeared as the third piece in my column/page in The Mail and the News & Star, on the 9th of February 2018, where it was re-titled as "How did hate-filled posts slip by?"

(CD A-Z: Midge Ure - "10")
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