Community organisations have come out in opposition to a BNP rally.
Last week local BNP leaders told The Sentinel that next Saturday’s event in Stoke-on-Trent could be the biggest the party has held. That has drawn a strong response from regional and national groups, who have urged authorities to outlaw the gathering. But Staffordshire Police say the democratically-elected party is acting within the law.
North Staffordshire Pensioners’ Convention said it believed the BNP’s intention was to divide the community in the wake of the recent Habib Khan manslaughter verdict. Khan, of Normacot, was jailed for eight years last month for killing his neighbour, BNP activist Keith Brown.
Chairman Philip Snow, speaking for the executive committee, said: “We call upon the relevant authorities to refuse any licence which would permit such an event.”
Mr Snow said that the equal opportunities convention supports and actively works towards integration and harmony.
National BNP leader Nick Griffin will be one of the speakers on September 20 when the rally arrives at a ‘central location’ after hundreds of activists have spent the morning distributing up to 50,000 leaflets. Other speakers will include Stoke-on-Trent city councillors Alby Walker, who leads the party’s council group, and Michael Coleman.
Mr Walker denied that the BNP was looking to stir up trouble and said that the rally, expected to draw up to 400 activists from across the UK, had been organised in close co-operation with the authorities.
Mr Walker said: “It is not our intention to stir up tensions. It is a perfectly legal protest which is a fundamental right. It really is not aimed against any community and has been mainly organised to point out the discrepancy in different sections of the community by the courts and the failings of the judicial system.”
But national pressure group Love Music Hate Racism has issued a statement condemning the rally. Chairman Weyman Bennett said: “We want peace and harmony in Stoke-on-Trent. We are horrified that an organisation such as the BNP is targeting the city and planning a national rally which the party leader Nick Griffin will attend.”
Mr Bennett said that if the rally goes ahead, his organisation was planning its own demonstration.
Staffordshire Police Superintendent Bernie O’Reilly said: “We have met with members of the BNP on three occasions to discuss their plans.”
The Sentinel
September 10, 2008
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6 comments:
So the BNP is to be allowed to spread its lies about anti-white racism? No surprise there.
'Mr Walker said: “...It is a perfectly legal protest which is a fundamental right."'
Funny how they were so opposed to us protesting at their Red, White and Blue. It wasn't such a 'fundamental right' then.
And why is there a response from LMHR rather than a sensible antifascist group? Even UAF would do.
AFA WILL SET UP ROADBLOCKS TO STOP THE MARCH, JUST LIKE WHEN THE NATIONAL FRONT MARCHED IN THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES!
THE HITLER W0RSHIPPING SCUMBAGS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THE MARCH
"AFA WILL SET UP ROADBLOCKS TO STOP THE MARCH, JUST LIKE WHEN THE NATIONAL FRONT MARCHED IN THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES!"
But first, I'm going to learn where the CAPS LOCK key on my keyboard is.....
'But first, I'm going to learn where the CAPS LOCK key on my keyboard is.....'
LOL Very good and as Antifa is unlikely to post its plans all over the place, we'll take that post with a pinch of salt.
I really wouldnt worry, if they are anything like the demos Dicky organizes they will be lucky to get 6 turn up.
tulip
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