Man Accused of Assault at Migrant Charity Event
A man has been accused of assaulting Northern Ireland's first black mayor during the opening of a café operated by a migrant charity.
Stephen Nigel Thompson, 28, from Spencer Road in Londonderry, faces charges of assaulting Lilian Seenoi-Barr, a former Mayor of Derry, along with two other individuals, including a 15-year-old girl, at the North West Migrant's Forum event held on Saturday.
In addition to assault, Thompson has been charged with possessing material likely to cause fear and distress, publishing such material, and engaging in behaviour likely to stir up hatred.
Court Appearance and Details of Incident
Thompson appeared at Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Monday and was remanded in custody, with a further court appearance scheduled for 20 July.
The court heard that Seenoi-Barr was addressing an audience of approximately 60 people at around 11:00 BST on Saturday inside the Embassy Building in Derry when Thompson entered the venue.
He reportedly refused to sign in and "barged" past a 15-year-old attendee.
Once inside, Thompson allegedly began shouting about grooming gangs and Pakistanis while distributing leaflets.
When Seenoi-Barr, who is currently an SDLP councillor in the city, asked him to leave, he is said to have moved towards her in a manner that caused her to feel intimidated.
The court was informed that attendees were "distressed and terrified" before Thompson was escorted from the premises.
Police Involvement and Defendant's Statement
Police were contacted and, after reviewing video footage recorded on a phone, proceeded to Thompson's residence.
During an interview, Thompson stated that he was legally protesting against illegal immigrants and denied that the content of the leaflets was offensive.
Defence Representation and Court Remarks
A defence solicitor explained that the leaflets distributed by Thompson contained material from a report by Restore Britain MP Rupert Lowe concerning grooming gangs.
The solicitor added that Thompson was "highly critical" of nearly every institution in the country, including the judiciary and the NHS, and believed that First Minister Michelle O'Neill would be present at the event.
Furthermore, Thompson held the view that Stormont had failed in addressing immigrant-related issues.
Deputy District Judge Sean O'Hare refused bail, noting that Thompson did not accept that his leaflets were "offensive and provocative" or that attendees at the gathering would be "shocked and horrified."
"If the defendant did not accept he did anything wrong there was a chance he would do it again."
