The British National Party (BNP) has cancelled an event in Liverpool which police said forced them to postpone Everton's match against Stoke.
The Premier League fixture was due to take place at Goodison on Saturday, 14 March, but was switched to Sunday. The Merseyside force feared it did not have enough officers to police the match and a city centre election leafleting event by the party. But the BNP told the BBC its event was being cancelled for the sake of fans.
Deputy leader Simon Darby said: "It's the right thing to do. It's an unholy political row and football is going to be the loser here, so I don't see why Everton and Stoke fans should be inconvenienced. And if the police can cancel these fixtures as they seem to do at the drop of a hat, then they can rearrange it now."
Merseyside Police and Everton Football Club are yet to comment on the latest development.
The match is still scheduled to take place at 1500 GMT on Sunday, 15 March, following a police request to the Premier League. The force apologised to fans for the rearrangement, but said "public safety was paramount".
BBC
So after claiming that the fans wouldn't care and would still be on the BNP's side, even thougfh their match had been cancelled, the party has obviously realised that this isn't the case at all and that the fans are furious with the BNP and NOT the police, so they've cancelled. Great, now the match has been re-scheduled for the Sunday with no good reason.
ReplyDeleteMerseyside is going to fucking HATE the BNP for this!
Two own goals by the BNP!!!
ReplyDeleteDoes Simon Darby ever engage his brain before he speaks? If he doesn't see why the fans should be inconvenienced, he should have made sure that the party agreed when the police asked to change the date of the rally rather than refusing point-blank. Now having put the fans to the inconvenience if having the match rearranged, he seems to feel it's okay to just change it all back? Moron.
ReplyDeleteSome shit called National Freedom on Stormfront is urging readers to go and spread some face-saving lies around on the fan forums. If there's any readers here on the forums I'd suggest a few posts to put people right.
ReplyDelete"BNP Puts Everton Supporters before Communists: Announces Cancellation of Liverpool City Centre Activity
The British National Party has put the interests of Everton and Stoke football fans first and will refuse to let extremist Communists cause a disruption to their match on March 14. As a result, the BNP activity in Liverpool city centre for that date has been called off, allowing the police to reschedule the match as originally planned.
Instead, Liverpool BNP will organise a leaflet and recruiting drive elsewhere in preparation of two upcoming local elections. This activity will not include a public rally.
The announcement was made by BNP press officer, Simon Darby, this morning after consultations with Liverpool activists. “The media have tried to allege that the BNP is somehow responsible for the intended public disruption, although the reality is that it is the anti-BNP thugs who have threatened the public disorder,” Mr Darby said.
“The end result is that the BNP has been caught up in a web of deceit being spun by the pro-Labour Party Communist thugs, the Liverpool police and the Liverpool Echo, all of whom have worked together to cause disruption to Everton and Stoke FC supporters by putting their planned match back twenty four hours.
“Mindful that this inconveniences thousands of football fans, who might have already made their travel and accommodation arrangements, BNP Liverpool have decided to cancel their city centre activity and instead have a conventional leafleting drive elsewhere, without a public rally.
“This will allow the football match to go ahead as planned. If the police can cancel events at such short notice, they can reschedule them again, especially as they had known about the BNP’s city centre activity weeks ago,” Mr Darby said.
The party has attracted increasing support from this former Labour stronghold, and BNP activity in Liverpool is at an all time high.
Supporters are encouraged to advise Everton fans of this news by copying this story on the Everton FC fan forums:
http://www.toffeeweb.com/fans/online/webboards.asp
http://www.evertonfc.com/forum"
Does Simon Darby seriosly believe the fans will be impressed by this. They are going to be livid.
ReplyDeleteJust like Stoke then, on off on off on off.
ReplyDeleteBNP and dates dont go. BNP and fruitcakes yes they match well
Yes, people had the sense to listen to me. This was a state set - up from the beginning.
ReplyDeleteJoe Owens
Typical of the BNP - blame someone else for their cock up! Phantom "communists" blamed for draining police resources. Ha ha, pull the other one. More BNP lies and smears.
ReplyDeleteAnd weren't they all in a hissy fit over being associated with fellow right wing extremists in the Indie newspaper yesterday. Claiming they had never heard of a group they have proscribed. Lying wankers, all of them.
I am white English working class - the BNP do not speak for me!
Might be worth while pointing out that the Stoke fans were being b******d about with dates and times.
ReplyDeleteOld Sailor
'Yes, people had the sense to listen to me. This was a state set - up from the beginning.'
ReplyDeleteWhatever.
This is on Team Talk
ReplyDelete"The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport warned the scenario could set a "dangerous precedent" after the BNP initially insisted on holding a march ahead of the European parliamentary elections in Liverpool city centre on Saturday, March 14.
The rally clashed with the match, which was due to kick-off at Goodison Park at 3pm and Merseyside Police were unable to staff both events, so the Premier League encounter was pushed back by 24 hours.
However, the BNP have now yielded to media pressure and postponed their march, allowing the clubs, the Premier League and Merseyside Police to choose when the match will take place. The Premier League are set to discuss the matter on Monday.
"This sorry saga exposes the BNP for what they are," said Burnham, a lifelong Toffees fan.
"They've no regard whatsoever to the cost and inconvenience to football supporters when they refuse to change the date of their march and have now been forced to cave into media pressure.
"This must not set a dangerous precedent allowing the BNP to rock up to any given town and change a Premier League football fixture and ride roughshod of football supporters' plans.
"They've caused a complete mess and it's now up to both clubs and Merseyside Police to decide the best date for the fixture."
Meanwhile, consideration is being given as to whether fresh guidance should be issued to the Association of Chief Police Officers over the staging of political rallies when there is a pre-existing football fixture in the calendar."
Sorry saga? Bloody right it was. The BNP dont give a fuck for the fans and have shown themselves up for the contemptous bastards they are over this issue.
"Two own goals by the BNP!!!"
ReplyDeleteYay, another public relations disaster by the BNP. Nice one guys. LOL
"This was a state set - up from the beginning."
ReplyDeleteYou're wrong. Don't you get it - every time the BNP gets some positive press, it immediately does something so outrageously stupid that it's instantly negated. Any set-up that might exist comes from inside the BNP itself.
Look on any footie forum or site and you'll see the nazis being slagged off for this mainly for refusing to change the planned date in the first place. If they hadn't refused none of this would have happened.
ReplyDeleteSome Evertonians are getting miffed:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.evertonfc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73138
And also some noob called 'Chez' who thinks that the BNP are 'nice'
http://www.evertonfc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73094&start=15&sid=070872f61f2169c7f86b3a951e7b2f79
Some Evertonians are getting miffed:
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised.
Ketlan , your just a bald headed homo.
ReplyDelete"Another propaganda disaster for the BNP"
ReplyDeleteIt so is. LOL
'Ketlan , your just a bald headed homo.'
ReplyDeleteI love it when the BNP argues with intelligence. :-)
Not sure about this. They have certainly upset some football fans, but more those of the blue persuasion than those of the red. Also remember that the Police tend to prefer Sunday games because of fewer shoppers being around in City Centres.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it has again bought them more widespread publicity and I fear with the problems at Vauxhall this could play into their hands, as they may view inconvenience caused to 40,000 Everton supporters as a price worth paying for the publicity. In addition it will have amused the Liverpool supporters to see the enemy messed about, so one thing may counter balance the other, plus some people do not care about football but do care about voting. Also with Sky coverage it does not matter so much to many people.
Another great PR fuck-up from the BNP!
ReplyDeletewe should have taken the everton fans to help us smash the BNP scum of the streets.
ReplyDelete'Ketlan , your just a bald headed homo.'
ReplyDeleteSuch clever folk Is it any wonder they fail dismally every year??
Stormfront has been remarkably quiet about this.
ReplyDeleteThe BNP might have said it's cancelled but I just read ythis on Click Liverpool.
ReplyDelete"Merseyside Police say they are "awaiting formal notification from the BNP" on the decision to cancel the leafleting event in Liverpool city centre on March 14."