Nigel Farage has again rejected allegations of racism as a schoolboy and repeated his claim that some were fabricated because people didn’t like his politics.
During a press conference, he taunted a reporter asking about the issue, saying: “I think we’ve gone a long way toward answering all of this, right?”
Faraz, who takes pride in answering many questions at press conferences, took 10 this time, but did not include any from the Guardian.
So what did they say – and is it true?
Claim: Faraz said that director Peter Ettedegui was “a man who said I directly abused him”.
He added: “A person says they’re hurt, and if they feel they are hurt, I’m really sorry. But I would never, ever say or do anything like that directly to a human being. Absolutely not.”
Analysis: Ettedgui is in fact one of several contemporaries from minority ethnic backgrounds who have claimed that Farage abused them when they were at school.
Ettedgui, a Jewish student, is reported to have said: “(Faraj) would come up to me and growl, ‘Hitler was right’ or ‘Gasing them’, sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of gas splashes.”
Cyrus Oshider has said that Farage has repeatedly called him a “Paki”.
Another former student told the Guardian that he had also been directly targeted by Farage.
“(Faraz) went up to a disciple, who had two equally tall companions next to him, and spoke to anyone who looked ‘different’. This included me on three occasions; asked me where I was from, and pointing away said, ‘That’s the way’ where you replied where you were from.”
Claim: Farage suggested that the allegation of mistreatment of Ettedgui came only from Ettedgui.
Analysis: This is wrong.
Seven other contemporaries have come forward to say that they saw Farage abuse Ettedegui in anti-Semitic language.
Stephan Benarroch said: “(Ettedgui) was a very gentle man and Faraz – Faraz made his life a nightmare… They could only recognize us, because we had to go to this stupid Jewish service at the science laboratory school. I mean, none of us were remotely religious. They used to hang out there. Faraz used to hang out with his henchmen. And then when we would leave they would Used to taunt.”
Rickard Berg said: “He definitely attacked Peter and there were a few other people he wanted to go after… He was bad, no question about it. (The song) Gas ‘Em All, I heard him singing it in Étadgui. I didn’t understand it at the time, because Peter didn’t react. In the old days, you thought it was his job to react.”
Anthony Butler said: “I clearly remember him constantly harassing and bullying Ettedegui on the playground by shouting ‘Stupid YID’.” Butler apologized to Ettedgui.
Jean-Pierre Lihou said: “(Farage) used to call Peter things like ‘Jude’, which is German for Jew, the way it was said in the 1930s, a dangerously long ‘u’, you know? It’s terrible.”
Bob Jope, a former teacher, said: “I think he (Farage) told Peter Ettedgui to ‘Shut up Jew’.”
Martin Rowsell said: “(Farage) certainly made comments to the Jewish boy in that class, Peter Ettedegui… under his breath, comments like ‘Jew’… and comments about how he ‘missed you’, things like that.”
quick guide
Contact Henry Dyer about this story
show
Secure messaging in the Guardian app
The Guardian app has a tool for sending suggestions about stories. Messages are end-to-end encrypted and hidden in the routine activity performed by each Guardian mobile app. This prevents the observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.
If you don’t already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select ‘Secure Messaging’.
Please select ‘UK Investigation’ team to send a message to Henry Dyer.
Email (not secure)
If you do not require a higher level of security or privacy you can email henry.dyer@theguardian.com.
SecureDrop and other secure methods
If you can safely use the Tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian through our SecureDrop platform.
Finally, our guide on theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Claim: Faraz has suggested that some of the more than 20 people who have made claims about his behavior at the school have done so for political reasons.
Faraz said, “Look what they say. None of them say, I directly attack them or abuse them.” “What they say, they say very clearly, is that they have different political views than I do.”
Analysis: Most of the contemporaries the Guardian spoke to are not active in party politics.
Some people disagree with him, and dislike Reform, but he says they came forward because of his denials about his past behavior – and their expectation that he should show some remorse.
One of the speakers, Martin Rowsell, is chairman of the Liberal Democrats in Salisbury. Faraz was told this by the Guardian before publication. Their account is supported by other people.
Farage cited the example of Roger Gough, the former Conservative leader of Kent County Council.
But Gough was not among the individuals who claimed they were either victims of, or witnesses to, Farage’s racist and anti-Semitic behaviour.
<a href