A FAR-right group who unfurled a ‘White Lives Matter’ banner at the top of Ben Nevis have been condemned as “utterly abhorrent”.
Patriotic Alternative (PA) wants all non-white people removed from the UK, and was set up in 2019 by Mark Collett, formerly head of publicity for the British National Party (BNP).
A Ferret investigation earlier this year outed members of PA as neo-Nazis, former members of the BNP and Scottish Defence League (SDL).
More than 20 members of the group climbed Scotland’s highest mountain on Sunday (August 1) and unfurled a huge White Lives Matter banner.
Witnesses at the summit said that the group were booed by shocked climbers, and that many who witnessed the shocking moment were families with young children.
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The banner was only unfurled for a few minutes before being hidden away again.
It is not clear for what explicit purpose PA members were at the summit, but the group are gearing up for their "Indigenous people’s day" on August 9 - where they share banners, stickers and posters with the phrase White Lives Matter across the UK.
There is a competition on PA’s website, where members in nine different regions are supposedly competing against each other for the best photograph or picture they can come up with.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford hit out at the group after the images emerged and said “these racists are not welcome here”.
A witness said they were left 'absolute horrified' when the banner was unfurled
Photographs sent exclusively to The National show at least 11 people holding up the huge white banner with the phrase written across in black lettering.
One person can be seen holding a Saltire, while the other waves a flag with the Patriotic Alternative symbol on it. Some of the group are covering their faces, while others are not.
A witness told The National that they reached the summit at 2pm and spotted a Saltire flag waving in the distance, but thought nothing of it as it was their first time climbing the mountain.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford called the group's actions "utterly abhorrent"
They said: “It was really busy and there were maybe a hundred families, lots of groups of people and lots of different nationalities.
“I had actually said on the way up that it was a sign of how inclusive Scotland was and how many different languages we heard.
“I think we heard German, Italian, Spanish and Russian, so what happened next was shocking.
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“They were standing near the ruins of the observatory at first, gathered together, and then they moved over to the other side of the mountain, unfurled a White Lives Matter banner and took some photographs. It was insane.
“There were two guys from England who saw me pointing, thought I was pointing at them and then when they turned round and saw the banner, they were so disgusted that they started booing.
“I was in complete shock. They only unfurled it for a minute or two before they put it away.
The witness said Ben Nevis summit was filled with families and young children
“I was absolutely horrified, usually when it’s the SDL there’s only a few guys shouting, but this was a big group.
“It’s really not something you expect to see at the top of Ben Nevis.”
PA describe themselves on their website as a “community building and activism group” who want to raise awareness of “the demographic decline of native Britons in the United Kingdom, the environmental impact of mass immigration and the indoctrination and political bias taking place in British schools”.
A recent press release from June on their website claims that they have members as far north as Orkney.
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Ian Blackford MP said: "These reports and images are utterly abhorrent and have no place in Ben Nevis or anywhere in Scotland - and I have no doubt that the vast majority of people across this country will roundly reject their vile views and agenda.
"When it comes to racists and racism, we must be unequivocal in calling out this hatred wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head.
"Let me be clear; these racists are not welcome here."
The Ferret previously uncovered hundreds of messages and images from members of PA in a private Telegram group.
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The group of around 60 people included individuals with links to, or who expressed support for, the BNP, SDL, neo-Nazi group Blood and Honour, New British Union, British Union of Fascists and the Scottish Nationalist society.
The investigation found images of Hitler being shared, anti-semitic images and chat logs where members used racial slurs.
Patriotic Alternative have been contacted for comment.
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