Reform UK backs vigilante group reported to police over calls to expose addresses of migrants

Emily Price 

A Reform UK branch has thrown its support behind a vigilante group that was reported to police after it called for members of the public to disclose the addresses of refugees and asylum seekers living in Caerphilly.

All male anti-immigration group “Welsh Valley Child Protectors” began operating in August and quickly organised a poorly attended demonstration in Bedwas over unfounded fears that a local Premier Inn would be used to house asylum seekers.

Whitbread, the firm that owns Premier Inn, said these rumours were “categorically” false.

Images of the demonstration showed protesters carrying Welsh flags and drinking from cans of beer while walking through the streets of Caerphilly.

Organiser Joshua Edwards said he had become one of driving forces behind the group because he was concerned that “illegal immigrants” were being housed “in droves” in the county.

In a post published to his group’s public Facebook page, he said his aim was to “protect women and children” by addressing the “invasion of our lands with an iron fist”.

In a video posted online, in which Edwards appeared to be driving while speaking to the camera, he called on members of his group to send him the addresses of properties where migrants could be living.

Later in the video, Edwards asked members to reveal the addresses of suspected white British paedophiles too, however he added that his “main concern” was the “masses of unvetted people” being “dumped” in Caerphilly.

In another video, Edwards criticised the number of Ukrainian refugees living in Caerphilly, saying he would place those who returned to Ukraine to visit family in the “same category” as people arriving on small boats, adding that Ukrainians that chose to visit relatives should be “deported”.

“If you have claimed asylum to leave a war torn country and you go back, in my opinion, you should stay there,” he said.

Following Edwards’ call for the addresses of migrants, a commenter using the name “Barry J” published a post revealing the location a block of flats in the county where he claimed he had seen 15 people who “definitely weren’t British”.

Another commentator responded saying residents at the property “don’t come out till [sic] it’s dark” adding that this behaviour was “embedded in them” because it’s so hot during the day in the Middle East.

Edwards commented on the post promising he would “have a look into” the location over the next couple of days.

He tagged another of the group’s organisers, Ross Perkins, who responded saying “on it” adding an emergency light emoji.

Edwards responded to this saying: “I’ll go up tomorrow.”

Other posts on the page showed that Edwards and another of the group’s organisers Mark Passmore were visited by police officers last week ahead the Bedwas protest.

Edwards acknowledged that the demonstration had faced “pushback” from some members of the public who had branded Welsh Valley Child Protectors “racist”. 

Although the group claims it is not affiliated with Reform UK, it’s Facebook page was created on August 26, the day after Reform’s official Blaenau Gwent Caerphilly Rhymney branch published an AI image of a queue of Black people with a caption claiming they were receiving social housing ahead of local people in Caerphilly.

The branch claimed that it had found out via Freedom of Information requests that 18 refugees had been placed in social housing by Caerphilly Council in the last three years.

Although the information appeared to relate to people who had been granted official refugee status, the page published a synthetic image of 24 “asylum seekers” queuing on a housing estate, with a Black man at the front of the line holding out his hand.

Many commentators assumed the image was real.

Asylum seekers still waiting for a decision on their asylum claim cannot access social housing or join social housing waiting lists.

The post quickly went viral, and Reform’s Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Rhymney branch blocked and deleted comments from users who raised concerns that it could inflame community tensions and put refugees at risk.

Last week, the branch appeared to claim credit for the creation of the Welsh Valley Child Protectors group.

Sharing an image of the Bedwas protest on Facebook, the branch said the group had been established after it had publicised the number of refugees living in Caerphilly.

Calls have now been made for Caerphilly Council to issue displaced people with clear guidance on what to do if they are approached, followed, identified online, or if their home address is discussed or shared on social media.

It is understood that the local authority is aware of these calls and the concerns for the safety of refugees and asylum seekers in the area and are taking “necessary steps”.

Gwent Police confirmed they had received a call about the groups actions from a member of the public, adding: “We will be reviewing the information they have passed on”.

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