May 16, 2008

Police called to Burnley council meeting - BNP candidate sets off fire alarm

John Rowe - yet another BNP criminal and idiot
A British National Party council candidate has been fined for setting off a fire alarm which caused a Burnley town hall to be evacuated.

Political campaigner John Rowe, 52, had been barred from attending a meeting of Burnley's full council when the drama unfolded. Moments later the fire alarm sounded and new Mayor Coun Ida Carmichael, who was taking her inaugural meeting, and fellow councillors were asked to clear the building.

Council insiders said that Mr Rowe had tried to escape via a fire exit but had found himself trapped in a courtyard inside the town hall complex, where he was later found by council officers. Mr Rowe, of Cowper Street, Rosegrove, was later issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice for criminal damage. But he remained defiant about his stance following the incident, amid criticism from police and political rivals.

Mr Rowe said: "I think it is completely improper and there is no justification from barring me from council meetings, and prevent me from council buildings."

He says that he will be seeking legal and political advice over the situation but that the matter "might just die a death".

Mr Rowe has accused council chief executive Steve Rumbelow from excluding him for "political reasons". He says that if the chief executive or council wanted to bar him from their premises then they would need a county court injunction.

"The did not do that because they know perfectly well that it would not have been granted," added Mr Rowe.

Following the town hall incident, Mr Rumbelow said: "It is not the disruption to our meeting that concerns me so much as the fact that this mindless act risked lives in other parts of Burnley; our emergency services could have been needed elsewhere. This completely irresponsible act wastes taxpayers money and has put lives of Burnley folk at risk."

Sgt Martin Selway, of Burnley police, added: "The police will take false alarms extremely seriously. Not only does it disrupt police and the fire service but it cause unnecessary disruption for member of the public and potentially puts lives at risk."

A spokesman for Burnley council's ruling Liberal Democrats said: ""People were shocked by Rowe's behaviour. We now know that he did not intend to endanger life directly, but he must realise that his hoax has put lives at risk by distracting the fire service and police from essential duties. In addition to the risk, there is also the cost. Around six police officers and a fire crew attended the building. Forty councillors, the mayor, at least seven council staff plus members of the public all had their democratic business suspended and were forced to wait outside for the all-clear. How such a man is considered by the BNP as a suitable candidate for a public election is beyond us."

Burnley Citizen

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

'How such a man is considered by the BNP as a suitable candidate for a public election is beyond us.'

It's beyond everyone except idiots like Nick Griffin. Bloody irresponsible bastard.

Anonymous said...

Well he's a clever boy isn't he. I wonder what he would have said if hed arrived home after this event to find his house on fire with no tender able to come because they were off responding to hoax calls.

Is he still in the BNP or have they done the decent thing and booted him out?

Anonymous said...

They should have takenb him along to the next real fire and thrown the fucker on it

Anonymous said...

"They should have takenb him along to the next real fire and thrown the fucker on it"

LOL That's a bit feirce for me but I think he should have been fined a LOT more than £80.

Okay maybe a kick in the goolies too.

Anonymous said...

John Rowe is a disgrace to his community.

"Is he still in the BNP or have they done the decent thing and booted him out?"

Have they hell. He'll probably get promotion for this.

Anonymous said...

He looks happy with himself in that picture. Maybe he's one of the lads now.

Anonymous said...

This is a disgrace - this man was exercising his right to free expression, and was stamped on by the Commie-Nazi thugs of the LibLabCon conspiracy.

Or that's what leejohnbarnes told me.

Anonymous said...

It sounds to me like the idiot set the fire alarm off by accident trying to get out of the building. It is stupid, but it's hardly a hoax alarm.

Anonymous said...

Bastard's grinning like a cheshire cat, as he knows that Nick Griffin supports brainless twats like him whatever the fuck they do.

And electoral law isn't tough enough to strip him of his council duties, the feckless dickhead!