Trans direct action group BASH BACK has published a leaked list of donors who fund the Free Speech Union (FSU). This is a group founded by far-right activist and eugenicist Toby Young. Young recently commissioned a “security briefing” which called BASH BACK a “militant group”.

Fundraising for transphobes

The leaked records – published on BASH BACK’s website – expose the individuals who donated £50 or more to various FSU crowdfunding campaigns. The list includes those who raised funds to defend transphobe Graham Linehan, racist ex-cop Rick Prior and transphobic ex-prison officer David Toshack. Some individuals donated upwards of £10,000 each to various campaigns.

A spokesperson for BASH BACK said:

The Free Speech Union has always been an organisation for defending bigots. Instead of fighting for the free speech of pro-Palestine activists, such as the prisoners currently on hunger strike, they move heaven and earth to defend every sexist, racist, and transphobe that crosses their path.

The FSU has said nothing about the police banning the use of common Arabic phrases, the abuse of activists in prison, or the censorship imposed on the public around Britain’s involvement in genocide. Instead, their focus is on defending those who preach hatred. The public deserves to know who is funding the FSU’s activities, and we are glad to be able to reveal it.

The leaked data reveals that far from being a grassroots group of ordinary citizens, the FSU is in fact funded by ultra-wealthy individuals with deep pockets. Individuals who donated the most include:

Paul Cook: £25,000 (for the Hamit Coskun Fundraiser)

David Franks: £11,000 (to the FSU)

Craig Turner: £10,000 (for the Graham Linehan Fundraiser)

Alexander Gerko: £9,500 (for the Jamie Michael Crowdfunder)

Philip Chesterfield: £5,000 (to the FSU)

Other notable donors included Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn (£500 to the FSU), Conservative baroness Jacqueline Foster (£200 for Graham Linehan and PC Prior), hereditary peer David Verney (£4,750 for a variety of campaigns), radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer (£1,000 to the FSU) and anti-trans campaigner Sarah Phillimore (£150 for Graham Linehan and PC Prior).

The BASH BACK spokesperson added:

The FSU purports to be an advocacy group for freedom of expression, but, as this leaked information shows, they represent a security fund for attention-seeking reactionaries backed by the ultra-wealthy.

They use their funders’ deep pockets to repress ordinary people and impose a two-tier justice system where wealthy transphobes and racists can preach hate whilst those who oppose genocide are imprisoned and abused, or otherwise subject to police violence.

In a time where free speech is under attack, not by “wokism” or minorities, but by an increasingly authoritarian state, the so-called ‘Free Speech Union’ sets its sights instead on protecting powerful bigots from the consequences of their public tantrums.

Free Speech Union supporters’ vile views

In addition to such criticisms of the FSU itself, certain donation messages also raise concern. According to records seen by BASH BACK, those funding the FSU have shown support for conspiracy theories, such as:

“Islamic infiltration” (in a £10 donation to the FSU)

A “[governmental] racist march on white British citizens” (£20 for PC Prior)

“[Discrimination] against the indigenous population in our country” (£25 for PC Prior)

“Immigrants […]  ever demanding to have Sharia Laws” (£10 for PC Prior)

Donors have also expressed violent ideals, including:

Calling for “No prisoners” (£25 for Julian Foulkes)

Supporting Charlie Kirk (£50 to the FSU), Tommy Robinson (£100 to the FSU), and JD Vance (£20 for PC Prior)

Calling for “the Government to eradicate these awful people [Muslims]” (£25 to the FSU)

Finally, one funder was very explicit with their racism, stating “I hate [n-word]s“ in a £250 subscription renewal.

Featured image via the Canary

By The Canary

This post was originally published on Canary.