March 07, 2011

Protesters outnumber supporters as BNP leader speaks at a Swansea pub

BNP leader Nick Griffin has warned of a "hideous, unholy alliance" of big business, left wing supporters and European bureaucrats who are intent on destroying Britain. Addressing the party faithful in a Swansea pub, he said that a revolution was coming, and that it was the party's role to "lead our people to the light".

The presence of the controversial politician in Swansea led to a noisy demonstration in the street outside the Landore inn, with protesters outnumbering supporters.

The Evening Post was the only media organisation to attend Saturday night's meeting at The Globe, which attracted around 65 activists from as far afield as London and Liverpool. In a room above the bar, the party leader began by saying that mass immigration was destroying Britain and was "grotesquely unfair" to working people.

He said that unless migrants spoke English or Welsh they should not get access to benefits or schooling, and he called for a ban on building mosques — adding that the Koran was a fundamentalist book "about conquering other people".

But most of the MEP's speech was about the state of the economy, and how "they" — the political elites in charge — were intent on destroying the country. He said: "The bankers crash has scarcely started — it is going to be truly horrible, and the Tory party cuts are not going to help, they are going to make it worse." He warned of a coming 1930s-style depression. He went on to say that institutions such as the family, schools, the health service, council housing, and the Post Office were being deliberately undermined and privatised by a combination of hard-left activists and multinational business. He also said Britain had been deliberately "de- industrialised".

He concluded by telling supporters that the party was on the "hard road" that would eventually lead to revolution and power. He said: "The night is always darkest just before the dawn, but the dawn will come, and we will lead our people to the light."

He urged members to work to become community leaders ahead of the revolution.

While the leader talked, a group of around 80 anti- fascist protestors gathered near the pub. Police blocked both ends of Mysydd Road and kept the protestors — some of whom wore masks — at one end of the street. Among the crowd was David Phillips, leader of the Labour group on Swansea Council. He said: "Nick Griffin and the BNP are not welcome here — the people of Swansea do not support them and do want them here."

Chief superintendent Mark Mathias said he was happy with the policing arrangements. He said: "Everybody has the right to express themselves peacefully, and the police presence was purely to ensure that the peace was kept."

He also thanked the people of Mysydd Road for their patience during the operation.

This is South Wales

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Globe is the new 'Ace of Diamonds', methinks...as the Swansea BNP refuse to let go of their nazi past as other units within the ailing party have tried (and failed) to do!

I wonder, has anybody got any Welsh swearwords especially for the BNP fuhrer? Ynfytyn Naziaidd? Tomen o gachu di-ymenydd?? Troseddwr ffasgaidd? Hilgi?? I understand the old ratbag can speak Welsh..

Well-Meaning Anti-Labour Leftie said...

The left need to make themselves known in Swansea/South Wales. They're lucky in the sense that Plaid Cymru opposed any cuts to public services as far back as the 2010 general election. But no greedy right-wing extremist criminal with a following of dysfunctional oddballs (and an appetite for the extravagant lifestyle paid for by donations) can truly represent a downtrodden peasantry abandoned by New Labour and centrist post-New Labour.

We have to remind ourselves just how the labour movement started, with real working-class politics that the Whigs in Westminster just weren't interested in. There is a huge space for this in British politics in 2011, the issues intensify, but all we seem to be doing is allowing the BNP/EDL to racialise them.

If I was living in Mysydd Road, or indeed any street that the BNP were allowed to lay a siege into, I would be forming my own party by now.

anarchist said...

"The Koran is a fundamentalist text"

Every religious text is fundamentalist. Fundamentalism means taking a religious text literally.

Major Charge said...

Griffin's talking bollocks as usual. Since when did the 'hard-left' seek to privatise social housing , the Post Office or anything else. Or is he thinking of Labour as hard-left? If that's the case, he's even more stupid than I ever believed possible.

Anonymous said...

"Protesters outnumber supporters"

They probably outnumbered the entire BNP membership.

Anonymous said...

This is why the EDL are hoping to worm their way into politics to steal BNP votes, now that there is no sucessful anti-immigrant far right party in the UK.

Campaigning on an anti-immigrant platform, promising to end immigration, scapagoating anf blaming foreigners for te lack of jobs, the EDL are hoping to win across football-loving working class communities.

They must not be underestimated!

Anonymous said...

EDL will appeal to a younger set of voters than the dead and buried BNP.

This is the worry.

Anonymous said...

The Globe is the new 'Ace of Diamonds'

Griffo is the joker in their pack.

An absolute joke. And so is his stupid bitchy daughter!

Anonymous said...

The EDL are seeing their big chance.

That's why they are becoming a political party.

The football hooligans will be made redundant while ex-BNP bods work at winning seats.

Anonymous said...

Liverpool?

The old firm of Tierney Tierney and Whitby(Wrexham) you mean??

Anonymous said...

Welsh insults?

'Cocoen' works very well for Griffo -- lamb's dick

'llwdwn' also rolls around the mouth nicely - castrated male lamb

B31 Antifascist said...

Cwd!

Pidlan bach

neu...(or)

tin y diawl (my favourite, devils arse)

Used to live and work in Gwynedd in my 20s, and picked up the native language from my Welsh landlady, who 'took me in'. Even now, the Cymraeg refuses to leave me!!!