The English Defence League should contribute to the cost of policing its demonstrations, a committee heard.
Lancashire Police have applied to the Home Office for a reimbursement of the money spent on keeping the peace and preventing disorder at the Blackburn protest and counter-demo on April 2. The operation was described as Lancashire’s biggest ever and cost £500,000 on officers’ pay alone. Other estimates have put the bill closer to £1million with other factors such as loss to businesses taken into account.
County councillor and Lancashire Police Authority member Tony Jones said at the recent meeting that the EDL and similar groups should be treated like football clubs who pay the local force to oversee their games. He said: “If this is going to continue, why should the people of Lancashire have to foot the bill? Why should we lose policing in areas we want to spend money on when we’re having to abstract officers to police these organisations?”
Chief Constable Steve Finnigan confirmed he had since written to the Home Office to ask for a contribution. He said: “It has cost us an awful lot of money. I’ve raised it with Sir Hugh Orde [president of the Association of Chief Police officers] and the Home Office who are looking at the impact on forces around the country.
“There is the argument that this is the price of democracy. But it is getting very expensive and abstracting operational staff who could otherwise be doing important work. It is a big demand on the constabulary.”
Blackburn Citizen
May 29, 2011
Stoke BNP Member Claims His Party Is Finished
I recently asked a senior figure in Stoke BNP if he thought his party was finished for good in our city. He looked me straight in the eye and replied: “I think we are Tone yes”.
He went on to explain that his party had self destructed and imploded in the past two years and he laid the blame firmly and squarely at the doorstep of BNP Leader Nick Griffin.
The story did not get better for the far right party as this activist said that the recent election campaign received no party funding what so ever.
I was told that the BNP would never come back from this low point and that all the fight had gone out of the membership. The party insider revealed that they had really struggled to attract any candidate of quality.
It had cost some candidates in the region of £750 to fund and fight the campaign.
Griffin is holding on the all the available funds and party activists are left high and dry and are having to fund party expenses themselves. Many BNP members believe that Griffin his hanging onto the purse strings to fund his, and Andrew Brons’s next European Election campaign.
The Stoke BNP member believes that if Griffin is successful in getting re-elected to the European Parliament then, and only then will he relinquish the chairmanship of the party.
The insider said:
He is yet to answer just how much of his income he has donated to the British National Party.
It has been a spectacular fall from grace both in this city and nationally for the BNP. At the height of their popularity in 2008 they had 55 councillors nationwide and 9 in here in Stoke-on-Trent.
Now in 2011 they have just 12 councillors across the country and here in this city they have been wiped out of the chamber. The far right party defended 12 council seats across the country but held on to just 2.
With things as bad as the senior Stoke BNP member paints it, you really do wonder if this is the end for the BNP.
Nationalist parties seem to have been rejected unilaterally by the electorate locally and across the country.
In 2010 the England First Party fielded candidates against the BNP in Stoke. In 2011 they had an agreement not to stand against each other. Out of 16 far right candidates fighting the City Council elections, none were successful.
Of 74,321 votes cast in the Stoke-on-Trent local elections, just 3,690 went to ‘nationalist’ candidates.
Politics is often like music and fashion trends, something is fashionable and popular only to fade away and then without warning it is back again. The same could be said about the politics of the far right.
Opponents of the far right, organisations like Searchlight, Unite Against Fascism, Hope Not Hate and NorSCARF will not drop their guard.
They know better than most that just because the BNP, England First Party, EDL and the English Democrats have been forced into being dormant, it does not mean that they have gone away altogether.
The problem for far right parties and in particular the BNP, is when their own supporters believe that they are finished it is very difficult for their party leaders to convince them otherwise.
Thanks to Tony Walley of Pits n Pots (click for website)
He went on to explain that his party had self destructed and imploded in the past two years and he laid the blame firmly and squarely at the doorstep of BNP Leader Nick Griffin.
The story did not get better for the far right party as this activist said that the recent election campaign received no party funding what so ever.
I was told that the BNP would never come back from this low point and that all the fight had gone out of the membership. The party insider revealed that they had really struggled to attract any candidate of quality.
It had cost some candidates in the region of £750 to fund and fight the campaign.
"We just could not compete with the Labour Party and they just smashed us!This dejected BNP member told of his anger at the way Griffin his running the party. It appears that if you question the BNP leadership you get an black mark against your name and before you know it you are out of the party.
"They were really organised this time especially in the centre of the city – colour leaflets and telephone campaigning, they knocked the doors en masse and they got their voters out on polling day.
"I don’t know where the BNP go from here, there is no enthusiasm, and we haven’t met since election night.
"Activists aren’t to blame that’s for sure, we have seen a drop in members, some activist have gone off to join other nationalist parties. It’s all down to Nick Griffin.”
Griffin is holding on the all the available funds and party activists are left high and dry and are having to fund party expenses themselves. Many BNP members believe that Griffin his hanging onto the purse strings to fund his, and Andrew Brons’s next European Election campaign.
The Stoke BNP member believes that if Griffin is successful in getting re-elected to the European Parliament then, and only then will he relinquish the chairmanship of the party.
The insider said:
"It’s all down to money with Griffin Tone, He has his entourage to pay for and we believe he employs his wife and his daughter out of his European expenses.BNP Leader Nick Griffin claimed nearly £300,000 for his first year as a MEP. This has led to accusations about him jumping aboard the gravy train that he and his party were so outspoken about.
"He is doing all right and we are struggling to fight a campaign against the might of the Labour Party machine.
"I just want to serve as I always have, but everything you do is futile without any party funding to help get leaflets delivered.
"I just wonder where all the money has gone, but it’s no good questioning anything either, only the chosen few know the true picture.
"In four years time we will have a general election to fight alongside the local elections. With people getting fed up and moving on you wonder if we will be able to fight either election.
"The morale is at rock bottom in the party. People are asking if there is any point meeting and if there is anything that we as a group can do anyway.
"This city has four years of Labour to contend with and I’m not sure if the BNP has enough to scrutinise from outside the chamber".
He is yet to answer just how much of his income he has donated to the British National Party.
It has been a spectacular fall from grace both in this city and nationally for the BNP. At the height of their popularity in 2008 they had 55 councillors nationwide and 9 in here in Stoke-on-Trent.
Now in 2011 they have just 12 councillors across the country and here in this city they have been wiped out of the chamber. The far right party defended 12 council seats across the country but held on to just 2.
With things as bad as the senior Stoke BNP member paints it, you really do wonder if this is the end for the BNP.
Nationalist parties seem to have been rejected unilaterally by the electorate locally and across the country.
In 2010 the England First Party fielded candidates against the BNP in Stoke. In 2011 they had an agreement not to stand against each other. Out of 16 far right candidates fighting the City Council elections, none were successful.
Of 74,321 votes cast in the Stoke-on-Trent local elections, just 3,690 went to ‘nationalist’ candidates.
Politics is often like music and fashion trends, something is fashionable and popular only to fade away and then without warning it is back again. The same could be said about the politics of the far right.
Opponents of the far right, organisations like Searchlight, Unite Against Fascism, Hope Not Hate and NorSCARF will not drop their guard.
They know better than most that just because the BNP, England First Party, EDL and the English Democrats have been forced into being dormant, it does not mean that they have gone away altogether.
The problem for far right parties and in particular the BNP, is when their own supporters believe that they are finished it is very difficult for their party leaders to convince them otherwise.
Thanks to Tony Walley of Pits n Pots (click for website)
Jackie Griffin offers Insight into a Strange Marriage
'Well, I'm so proud of him, I mean, I'm not even sure what he does over there, even he doesn't seem sure, but I'm very proud, I watch his videos sometimes, so charismatic, this is the reason I married this man, one day soon, he'll be running the EU!Turkey Breath
The other day he got home, he had been away a good few days, he came in and made some joke about the gravy train, and then ran into the toilet. He called me over, I love talking to him through a door, he was saying that there are some very important delegates coming over soon and that we must put on a banquet for them. I asked him who was coming and he said it wasn't important, but that they were important and that we would have to impress them.
I went out to the shops, it took me a good few hours and two journeys to buy everything Nick wanted. I was so nervous as well, we're always having important people call round, Simon Darby came in the other day to charge his iPhone, and Clive Jefferson came in for a cheese sandwich, but this was the big one. Important delegates from the European Parliament, I had to impress them! Again I asked who was coming, he told me Jacques Pierre de Gaulle and Heinrich Schmidt amongst others. I had no idea who they were, for all I know, he could have been making them up, but this is why I'm the wife of the leader of Britains fourth largest political party and not the leader of Britains fourth largest political party, or its most popular and hard working MEP!
Anyway, hours later, the banquet was ready, I went into Nicks office, he was sat there sleeping, he is so cute when he snores, he works so hard you know! I gently woke him up, he jumped up and shouted for the Green Arrow to put down weapons. Nightmares again, it's all the pressure the state put him under. He couldn't even remember what banquet I was talking about. I told him, the one with the very important delegates, all twenty of them coming over hungry to talk about important political things, this seemed to jog his memory, he ordered me to leave and said that he would be through shortly to greet them. I heard him pick up the phone as I left, but my mind was distracted by the house phone suddenly going off. I answered it 'The Griffeeeen residence, lady of the house speaking..' as we do here, and was told by a French man, I'm assuming Jacques Pierre de Gaulle, that the important delegates wouldn't be able to make it any more. Oh how devasted I was, not because I had been up for six hours preparing the food, the table, the house and the pets, but for Nick. He was in his office waiting for them to arrive and was so very excited!
He came out and looked at me, he had this weird look in his eyes, he said, who is it? I told him it was Jacques Pierre de Gaulle and that the important delegates wouldn't be able to come over. He said to me, what, the twenty important delegates won't be able to come round and talk about important political stuff any more? I told him no. I went to hug him, but he walked into the dining room and sat down. He said, 'well no point letting good food go to waste', and started eating. I asked him if he wanted me to ring Simon up so he could come round and talk about important political stuff, but he said he'd rather just eat on his own. I went back into the kitchen and started to tidy up, I had a lot to do, it's amazing how much mess you can make preparing a meal for twenty important European delegates.
These important European delegates you know, they do this at least three times a week, I'm always preparing massive banquets for them, and they're always letting him down. It's just as well he is a kind and patient man, if I was him I wouldn't even invite them round any more but he doesn't learn, still, at least the food doesn't go to waste, Nick can eat most of it, and what he doesn't he puts in a doggie bag for Jefferson along with the scrapings.'
May 28, 2011
Blackpool EDL and anti-fascist demos 'pass peacefully'
An EDL member showing his intelligence and styleAbout 1,500 people attended the EDL rally at South Pier while a further 50 people attended the UAF event at Central Pier, police estimated. Officers from three other forces were brought in to bolster police numbers after trouble at past protests. Ten men were arrested for a variety of offences, including public order.
The demonstrations were held at lunchtime and police said crowds had begun dispersing at about 1330 BST. Day-to-day policing carried on as normal in the resort while specially-trained officers - including some from Merseyside, Cumbria and West Yorkshire - monitored the protests.
Among the 10 arrested were three men from Merseyside - aged 27, 35 and 37 - who were detained on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in a public place, along with a 26-year-old man from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. A 29-year-old man, from Blackburn, and a 36-year-old man, from Darwen, were arrested by British Transport Police for public order offences. A 21-year-old man from Gateshead was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.
Divisional Commander Richard Debicki said: "We are pleased that the protest has passed off peacefully and we are satisfied that we were able to give both sides the right to demonstrate and to ensure that it was business as usual for the resort.
"We would like to pass on our thanks to businesses and members of the public for their support and co-operation. Many officers will now remain in the resort over the bank holiday weekend to help reassure local businesses and communities."
BBC
May 26, 2011
Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp to get UK funding
The Auschwirz-Birkenau concentration camp is an enduring symbol of the HolocaustThe joint contribution will mainly be provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Foreign Office. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation will be funded over the next three years.
More than a million people were murdered by the Nazis at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. The concentration camp was the largest site for the mass murder of Jews. In recent years a number of countries have contributed to the fund to maintain the main concentration camp, Auschwitz, and its nearby satellite camp of Birkenau.
Auschwitz and Birkenau were operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II, and opened as a museum in 1947.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the camp, which stands as an enduring symbol of the Holocaust, was an importance place of remembrance which served to educate people about the horrors of the Holocaust. Speaking at the Jewish Museum in London, he said: "It is our collective responsibility to ensure that Auschwitz-Birkenau stands as a perpetual reminder of the pain and destructive force of hate. We must ensure that the lessons from the Holocaust are taught today and to future generations."
And Foreign Secretary William Hague said Auschwitz-Birkenau underlined "the horrific consequences of intolerance".
Mr Hague said he was "proud that the UK is able to play a part in commemorating the millions of victims who died there" and was helping to ensure the camp's preservation to educate future generations on "the evils of that period in history".
And Lord Greville Janner of Braunstone, who chairs the Holocaust Educational Trust, said the financial support sends a clear message that the camp should be maintained for future generations. He said: "Through our Lessons from Auschwitz Project, the Holocaust Educational Trust gives over 3,000 British students each year the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. This announcement will ensure that when young people visit Auschwitz, they will see for themselves what can happen when racism and prejudice is allowed to go unchecked."
BBC
May 25, 2011
Democracy in action, Griffin style.
Whilst having a quick glance at twitter I noticed that Griffin has announced his plans for the future BNP leadership campaigns. The tweets were published over a period of 20 mins and were jumbled up but I think I've sorted it so it makes some sort of sense.
Didn't Griffin spend most of last year saying he was going to step down in a couple of years?
Do any other political parties charge candidates for the privilege of standing for office?
Do any other political parties have fixed term leadership elections over the 4 or 5 year General Election cycle?
What on earth is a meritocratic democratic element?
Great spirit in meeting. Over 40 there despite all hassle. Announced we're having an EGM asap to vote on adopting two key constitutional changes: the creation of a meritocratic democratic element to choosing the Advisory Council, and changing the leadership election system that we adopted in great haste when under attack by Cehr to one that mirrors standard British elections - no signatures hurdle, a £5OO deposit returnable at 5%, a fixed 4 or 5 year term with safeguards in hands of A.C.So after a quick read through and ponder a number of questions come to mind.
First election this summer with a hustings meeting for all members and candidates in each region.
Short, sharp campaign then back to work & progress.
Meeting hugely enthusiastic esp with last announcement: Among those standing for mandate for a full term, will be me.
Didn't Griffin spend most of last year saying he was going to step down in a couple of years?
Do any other political parties charge candidates for the privilege of standing for office?
Do any other political parties have fixed term leadership elections over the 4 or 5 year General Election cycle?
What on earth is a meritocratic democratic element?
Pub landlady warned by police
Barking and Dagenham police have visited the landlady of an east London pub where Nick Griffin is due to speak tonight and told her that she risks losing her licence if the meeting goes ahead, according to the British National Party spokesman Simon Darby. Darby claims an alternative venue has been arranged for the party leader’s visit.
HOPE not hate does not know exactly what the police told Leigh Friend but Redbridge and Epping Forest Together, a local HOPE not hate supporting group, has long campaigned for an end to a variety of fascist and nazi activities at the Cherry Tree pub in Wood Lane, Dagenham, and has been in contact with Barking and Dagenham police about tonight’s event.
REFT, Searchlight and members of the public have made several complaints to Barking and Dagenham council’s licensing and regulatory board, so far to no avail.
Unusually for the BNP the meeting venue was advertised openly, probably because the pub is already so well known as a nazi haunt. Mrs Friend herself supports the BNP to the extent that she was one of the BNP’s 34 candidates for Barking and Dagenham council last year. All of them failed to get elected.
Earlier this year Blood and Honour, the nazi skinhead music organisation, held an international gig at the pub which was attended by nazis from a number of European countries.
Tonight’s meeting is due to start at 7.30pm. This is Griffin’s second visit to the south east in under a fortnight. Last week he spoke to party officers and activists at the second in a series of “Way Forward” meetings aimed at boosting Griffin’s flagging support in the party and countering growing dissent.
Thanks to Searchlight/HOPE not Hate
HOPE not hate does not know exactly what the police told Leigh Friend but Redbridge and Epping Forest Together, a local HOPE not hate supporting group, has long campaigned for an end to a variety of fascist and nazi activities at the Cherry Tree pub in Wood Lane, Dagenham, and has been in contact with Barking and Dagenham police about tonight’s event.
REFT, Searchlight and members of the public have made several complaints to Barking and Dagenham council’s licensing and regulatory board, so far to no avail.
Unusually for the BNP the meeting venue was advertised openly, probably because the pub is already so well known as a nazi haunt. Mrs Friend herself supports the BNP to the extent that she was one of the BNP’s 34 candidates for Barking and Dagenham council last year. All of them failed to get elected.
Earlier this year Blood and Honour, the nazi skinhead music organisation, held an international gig at the pub which was attended by nazis from a number of European countries.
Tonight’s meeting is due to start at 7.30pm. This is Griffin’s second visit to the south east in under a fortnight. Last week he spoke to party officers and activists at the second in a series of “Way Forward” meetings aimed at boosting Griffin’s flagging support in the party and countering growing dissent.
Thanks to Searchlight/HOPE not Hate
Spineless Brons lets Griffin off hook
BNP MEP Andrew Brons has refused to make public a video showing embattled party leader Nick Griffin gatecrashing and abusing BNP members at a meeting addressed by Brons in Brussels on Sunday.
Griffin, variously described by witnesses as "aggressive", "in a real temper" and "abusive", stormed into the meeting to confront Brons, Eddy Butler, leadership challenger Richard Edmonds and others, apparently as Brons addressed the gathering, which had been on a weekend jolly to the European parliament organised by Griffin's enemy-in-chief Butler.
According to Michael Barnbrook, Griffin was "deliberately confrontational", calling Andrew Brons a liar and ordering Richard Edmonds to shut up before attacking Eddy Butler as the meeting broke up prematurely and attendees booed and shouted at Griffin - of whom Butler remarked: "It seems likely that he is having some sort of breakdown."
The meeting was videoed and Griffin's angry outbursts were recorded for posterity. Supporters of Butler and Edmonds had expected it to be released as damning evidence against the BNP leader, but according to Barnbrook Brons is refusing to make the video public because of the "embarrassment that it would cause the British National Party".
The majority opinion of those who witnessed Griffin's extraordinary behaviour is that the video's release would have been a decisive blow in the campaign to oust Griffin and should have been used.
Brons's decision to sit on the video could prove an expensive one for Richard Edmond's leadership hopes, since it is a golden opportunity lost - and not for the first time by the ineffectual Brons, whose record of dither and vacillation is legion in far right circles.
However, let's not jump to hasty conclusions. The BNP is something of a hall of mirrors at the moment, with both sides in the politically deadly dispute generating large amounts of spin and bluff. While Brons may be spineless, neither he nor his allies are stupid.
Brons still has to work with Griffin, though we must assume their relationship is ice cold, and has attempted (or at least attempted to appear) to remain above the worst of the vicious faction fighting, despite coming out in favour of Richard Edmond's challenge. It isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that his allies have every intention of making the video public while allowing Brons the time to publicly distance himself from the decision.
As we and our friends have been repeating for years, Griffin will never be beaten by those who think that playing fair will win the day. Griffin does not operate like that. He will only be beaten by opponents as cunning as he is and as ready as he is to land low blows.
Have the anti-Griffin forces within the BNP finally learned that truth?
Griffin, variously described by witnesses as "aggressive", "in a real temper" and "abusive", stormed into the meeting to confront Brons, Eddy Butler, leadership challenger Richard Edmonds and others, apparently as Brons addressed the gathering, which had been on a weekend jolly to the European parliament organised by Griffin's enemy-in-chief Butler.
According to Michael Barnbrook, Griffin was "deliberately confrontational", calling Andrew Brons a liar and ordering Richard Edmonds to shut up before attacking Eddy Butler as the meeting broke up prematurely and attendees booed and shouted at Griffin - of whom Butler remarked: "It seems likely that he is having some sort of breakdown."
The meeting was videoed and Griffin's angry outbursts were recorded for posterity. Supporters of Butler and Edmonds had expected it to be released as damning evidence against the BNP leader, but according to Barnbrook Brons is refusing to make the video public because of the "embarrassment that it would cause the British National Party".
The majority opinion of those who witnessed Griffin's extraordinary behaviour is that the video's release would have been a decisive blow in the campaign to oust Griffin and should have been used.
Brons's decision to sit on the video could prove an expensive one for Richard Edmond's leadership hopes, since it is a golden opportunity lost - and not for the first time by the ineffectual Brons, whose record of dither and vacillation is legion in far right circles.
However, let's not jump to hasty conclusions. The BNP is something of a hall of mirrors at the moment, with both sides in the politically deadly dispute generating large amounts of spin and bluff. While Brons may be spineless, neither he nor his allies are stupid.
Brons still has to work with Griffin, though we must assume their relationship is ice cold, and has attempted (or at least attempted to appear) to remain above the worst of the vicious faction fighting, despite coming out in favour of Richard Edmond's challenge. It isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that his allies have every intention of making the video public while allowing Brons the time to publicly distance himself from the decision.
As we and our friends have been repeating for years, Griffin will never be beaten by those who think that playing fair will win the day. Griffin does not operate like that. He will only be beaten by opponents as cunning as he is and as ready as he is to land low blows.
Have the anti-Griffin forces within the BNP finally learned that truth?
May 23, 2011
Swindon sponsor pulls out after Paolo Di Canio appointment
• Trade union cancels deal over manager's political views
• Di Canio has 'openly voiced his support for Mussolini'
Paolo Di Canio demonstrates his support for Benito Mussolini during his Lazio days.
Photograph: Paolo Cocco/AFP/Getty Images
A leading trade union has decided to end its sponsorship of Swindon Town in protest at the appointment of Paolo Di Canio as manager.
The GMB said the former Italy international, who was named manager yesterday, had previously voiced right-wing views of which it strongly disapproved. The union's local branch is believed to have paid up to £4,000 to the club this season as part of its sponsorship deal.
"Our local branch has decided to end its association with Swindon following the appointment of Paolo Di Canio," said a GMB spokesman. "He has openly voiced support for [Benito] Mussolini so it beggars belief that Swindon could have appointed him, especially given the multi-ethnic nature of the team and the town."
Di Canio is due to fly to England on Monday to complete the paperwork and be formally introduced as the new manager. The club have been relegated after finishing bottom of League One.
A statement from Swindon said the club are confident he would build a team with the "passion, pride and professionalism" to ensure it could return to League One "at the earliest opportunity".
Di Canio has spoken freely about being a fascist and an admirer of Mussolini. He has faced bans and fines for making the fascist straight-arm salute while playing for the Italian club Lazio. In his autobiography he praised Mussolini as "basically a very principled, ethical individual".
Guardian
• Di Canio has 'openly voiced his support for Mussolini'
Paolo Di Canio demonstrates his support for Benito Mussolini during his Lazio days.Photograph: Paolo Cocco/AFP/Getty Images
The GMB said the former Italy international, who was named manager yesterday, had previously voiced right-wing views of which it strongly disapproved. The union's local branch is believed to have paid up to £4,000 to the club this season as part of its sponsorship deal.
"Our local branch has decided to end its association with Swindon following the appointment of Paolo Di Canio," said a GMB spokesman. "He has openly voiced support for [Benito] Mussolini so it beggars belief that Swindon could have appointed him, especially given the multi-ethnic nature of the team and the town."
Di Canio is due to fly to England on Monday to complete the paperwork and be formally introduced as the new manager. The club have been relegated after finishing bottom of League One.
A statement from Swindon said the club are confident he would build a team with the "passion, pride and professionalism" to ensure it could return to League One "at the earliest opportunity".
Di Canio has spoken freely about being a fascist and an admirer of Mussolini. He has faced bans and fines for making the fascist straight-arm salute while playing for the Italian club Lazio. In his autobiography he praised Mussolini as "basically a very principled, ethical individual".
Guardian
Teens caged for EDL demo affray
Teenagers from Amblecote and Brierley Hill have been caged for their part in violence during a demonstration in Dudley.
A protest by the English Defence League (EDL) on July 17 last year turned ugly when objects including crowd control barriers were thrown at police officers who were being abused and spat on.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court, James Everard, aged 19, of Armstrong Close, Amblecote and Jake Hill, 18, of Alexander Hill, Brierley Hill, admitted affray and were both sent to a young offenders institution - Everard for nine months and Hill for six months.
The pair, along with two other defendants were told by Judge Patrick Thomas QC: “This was not an afternoon's fun, it was a dangerous and unpleasant incident involving a mob attack on police officers doing their duty."
He said it was clear the offending was not linked to the march but towards officers who were present to protect citizens from threats and violence.
The judge added: "I do not think you were particularly concerned with the EDL, you took it upon yourselves to attack the police in a number of ways.
"You were involved in a significant and highly unpleasant and unnecessary public disorder and you tested the patience, self control and discipline of police officers under a hail of abuse and threats."
Mr Hugh O'Brien-quinn, prosecuting, said Everard had been aggressive while stamping on the barriers and he swore at police while Hill, who was carrying a St George's flag, spat at officers.
The Judge told the men: "Most of you claim not to have any involvement in the activities of the EDL. Most of you claim you were part of this gathering simply by chance or by curiosity."
But he stressed it was clear the affray was directed solely towards police officers who were on duty and concluded: "A drink fuelled mob is more dangerous than a sober one."
The court was told five other men have already been dealt with by courts for their part in the trouble with two more on the brink of being committed to crown court.
Halesowen News
A protest by the English Defence League (EDL) on July 17 last year turned ugly when objects including crowd control barriers were thrown at police officers who were being abused and spat on.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court, James Everard, aged 19, of Armstrong Close, Amblecote and Jake Hill, 18, of Alexander Hill, Brierley Hill, admitted affray and were both sent to a young offenders institution - Everard for nine months and Hill for six months.
The pair, along with two other defendants were told by Judge Patrick Thomas QC: “This was not an afternoon's fun, it was a dangerous and unpleasant incident involving a mob attack on police officers doing their duty."
He said it was clear the offending was not linked to the march but towards officers who were present to protect citizens from threats and violence.
The judge added: "I do not think you were particularly concerned with the EDL, you took it upon yourselves to attack the police in a number of ways.
"You were involved in a significant and highly unpleasant and unnecessary public disorder and you tested the patience, self control and discipline of police officers under a hail of abuse and threats."
Mr Hugh O'Brien-quinn, prosecuting, said Everard had been aggressive while stamping on the barriers and he swore at police while Hill, who was carrying a St George's flag, spat at officers.
The Judge told the men: "Most of you claim not to have any involvement in the activities of the EDL. Most of you claim you were part of this gathering simply by chance or by curiosity."
But he stressed it was clear the affray was directed solely towards police officers who were on duty and concluded: "A drink fuelled mob is more dangerous than a sober one."
The court was told five other men have already been dealt with by courts for their part in the trouble with two more on the brink of being committed to crown court.
Halesowen News
May 20, 2011
BNP leader Nick Griffin isolated after election disasters
Key figures threaten to form breakaway group as party chairman faces second leadership challenge in less than 12 months
The British National party's dominance of far-right politics in the UK is under threat for the first time in a decade after a string of poor election results and a growing rebellion against its leader, Nick Griffin.
The BNP chairman, who has led the party since 1999, is facing a second leadership challenge in less than 12 months, a mass defection of key organisers and the prospect of a new "popular front" made up of other far-right groups and former BNP activists.
Nick Lowles from the antifacist organisation Searchlight, said: "There is a serious split within the leadership of the BNP. After another humiliation at the polls and massive debts, Griffin is isolated and his position is weak. We are likely to see a rival party formed, a BNP mark two, and Griffin will be left with little more than a rump of a party."
This week Richard Barnbrook, who was the BNP's sole representative on the London assembly until he was expelled from the party last year, said it was time for a realignment in "nationalist politics" in the UK..
"The chairman, Nick Griffin, who has been a long-standing friend in the past, has to go," Barnbrook said. "There is no question about it. He is creating more harm than anything else."
Barnbrook, who now sits as an independent on the London assembly, has written to leaders of four other far-right or nationalist organisations – including the English Defence League and the English Democrats – calling for the creation of "one strong, united, cohesive force".
Griffin is also facing an increasingly emboldened rebellion inside the party. Richard Edmonds, seen as a "BNP hardliner", has launched a formal leadership challenge and although it is unlikely he will win, his defeat is expected to trigger another wave of defections.
Andrew Brons, the BNP's second MEP and an increasingly significant figure, has distanced himself from Griffin and this week appeared to back the leadership challenge, prompting speculation that he is preparing to lead a breakaway group.
Griffin has been under growing pressure since the BNP's poor showing in last year's general and council elections, when it lost all but two of the 28 councillors up for re-election and was wiped out in its east London stronghold of Barking and Dagenham. And the rebellion has gathered pace since this month's local elections, when it again performed poorly, losing all but two of the seats it was contesting.
The growing rebellion has seen a growing number of BNP organisers either leave the party or defect to join other rightwing groups. Searchlight says dozens of BNP members – including several key figures – have left and joined the English Democrats recently. Lowles said there appeared to be a "concerted and orchestrated attempt by many of the BNP's most effective and competent former organisers" to establish a foothold in the English Democrats.
Matthew Goodwin, from Nottingham University, who has written a book on the BNP, said: "There are two key questions here. First, can the rebels depose Griffin, which in my view is unlikely given the BNP constitution.
Second, can they then form a credible alliance with other groups which appeals to the large number of voters who are anxious over immigration, insecure about their economic position and dissatisfied with the main parties. Whatever the outcome, it is clear that Griffin's leadership is under sustained fire."
The Guardian
The British National party's dominance of far-right politics in the UK is under threat for the first time in a decade after a string of poor election results and a growing rebellion against its leader, Nick Griffin.
The BNP chairman, who has led the party since 1999, is facing a second leadership challenge in less than 12 months, a mass defection of key organisers and the prospect of a new "popular front" made up of other far-right groups and former BNP activists.
Nick Lowles from the antifacist organisation Searchlight, said: "There is a serious split within the leadership of the BNP. After another humiliation at the polls and massive debts, Griffin is isolated and his position is weak. We are likely to see a rival party formed, a BNP mark two, and Griffin will be left with little more than a rump of a party."
This week Richard Barnbrook, who was the BNP's sole representative on the London assembly until he was expelled from the party last year, said it was time for a realignment in "nationalist politics" in the UK..
"The chairman, Nick Griffin, who has been a long-standing friend in the past, has to go," Barnbrook said. "There is no question about it. He is creating more harm than anything else."
Barnbrook, who now sits as an independent on the London assembly, has written to leaders of four other far-right or nationalist organisations – including the English Defence League and the English Democrats – calling for the creation of "one strong, united, cohesive force".
Griffin is also facing an increasingly emboldened rebellion inside the party. Richard Edmonds, seen as a "BNP hardliner", has launched a formal leadership challenge and although it is unlikely he will win, his defeat is expected to trigger another wave of defections.
Andrew Brons, the BNP's second MEP and an increasingly significant figure, has distanced himself from Griffin and this week appeared to back the leadership challenge, prompting speculation that he is preparing to lead a breakaway group.
Griffin has been under growing pressure since the BNP's poor showing in last year's general and council elections, when it lost all but two of the 28 councillors up for re-election and was wiped out in its east London stronghold of Barking and Dagenham. And the rebellion has gathered pace since this month's local elections, when it again performed poorly, losing all but two of the seats it was contesting.
The growing rebellion has seen a growing number of BNP organisers either leave the party or defect to join other rightwing groups. Searchlight says dozens of BNP members – including several key figures – have left and joined the English Democrats recently. Lowles said there appeared to be a "concerted and orchestrated attempt by many of the BNP's most effective and competent former organisers" to establish a foothold in the English Democrats.
Matthew Goodwin, from Nottingham University, who has written a book on the BNP, said: "There are two key questions here. First, can the rebels depose Griffin, which in my view is unlikely given the BNP constitution.
Second, can they then form a credible alliance with other groups which appeals to the large number of voters who are anxious over immigration, insecure about their economic position and dissatisfied with the main parties. Whatever the outcome, it is clear that Griffin's leadership is under sustained fire."
The Guardian
May 19, 2011
Councillors upset as BNP takes seat
The parish of Seascale is in turmoil now that a member of the British National Party is one of its representatives.
Malcolm Southward has formally taken a seat on the parish council, against the wishes of the 11 other members. They claim the Sellafield process worker fell foul of electoral protocol by saying on his nomination form that he works in the parish of Seascale. But the BNP member is staying put with the apparent blessing of both Copeland Council and the Electoral Commission. The rest of the members are considering whether to contest the issue in the High Court or to dissolve the council and ask the borough council to take it over.
“The right thing to do would be for us to go to law but the cost could not be funded by the parish, it would have to be individuals so we will have to wait and see whether a benefactor comes along,” said Coun David Moore.
“The other option is for us to stand down and invite Copeland Council to run the parish and see what that brings. We feel the borough council should have stood shoulder to shoulder with us on this. It’s an unbelievable fiasco. We are in the right because clearly the BNP member does not meet the criteria. We were prepared to make a stand and go to law if necessary because we are convinced Mr Southward’s nomination was invalid, then shortly before the meeting our clerk got a call from the borough council instructing us to accept. Mr Southward may work at Sellafield but it’s in the parish of Ponsonby and Beckermet, not Seascale, so he doesn’t tick the electoral box.”
There was no election at Seascale because there were 12 nominations for 12 seats. Copeland council chief executive Paul Walker said: “We have fully complied with the nomination process for the local and parish council elections in Copeland as advised by the Electoral Commission.”
Whitehaven News
Malcolm Southward has formally taken a seat on the parish council, against the wishes of the 11 other members. They claim the Sellafield process worker fell foul of electoral protocol by saying on his nomination form that he works in the parish of Seascale. But the BNP member is staying put with the apparent blessing of both Copeland Council and the Electoral Commission. The rest of the members are considering whether to contest the issue in the High Court or to dissolve the council and ask the borough council to take it over.
“The right thing to do would be for us to go to law but the cost could not be funded by the parish, it would have to be individuals so we will have to wait and see whether a benefactor comes along,” said Coun David Moore.
“The other option is for us to stand down and invite Copeland Council to run the parish and see what that brings. We feel the borough council should have stood shoulder to shoulder with us on this. It’s an unbelievable fiasco. We are in the right because clearly the BNP member does not meet the criteria. We were prepared to make a stand and go to law if necessary because we are convinced Mr Southward’s nomination was invalid, then shortly before the meeting our clerk got a call from the borough council instructing us to accept. Mr Southward may work at Sellafield but it’s in the parish of Ponsonby and Beckermet, not Seascale, so he doesn’t tick the electoral box.”
There was no election at Seascale because there were 12 nominations for 12 seats. Copeland council chief executive Paul Walker said: “We have fully complied with the nomination process for the local and parish council elections in Copeland as advised by the Electoral Commission.”
Whitehaven News
Nick Griffin Wins Yet Another Award!
Well Gobble Gobble! Breaking news just reaching Turkey HQ...
Nick Griffin has been voted the 'Hardest working MEP' by the Voice of Freedom Newspaper, The BNP's in house newsletter, the quality of which has been compared to that produced by a year five pupil doing a media project (but only one he rushed so he could get to play on Call of Duty before bedtime).
Andrew Brons, knowing that nobody wastes their money on the sheet of A4 propaganda, was proud to break the news on his own blog:
Whether or not the VoF actually considered the many other MEP's in the European Parliament, or just the two rather unproductive ones in the BNP, or even just Nick, is unknown, but we're fairly sure it came down to being between Andrew and Nick, and of course, with Nick being the boss of the gang, he got to win it!
He wins this regardless of the fact he's spent much of his time sunning himself in Cyprus (allegedly looking for a 'bolt hole' for when the paper dragon collapses), regardless of the fact the BNP is in turmoil and most importantly; regardless of the fact he hasn't achieved anything over there in Europe in over a year!
Another thing Griffo should consider, is given the BNP's poor showing in the election, maybe he should have taken that holiday after all and left them to it?
And yet, there is one more clanger hidden from the membership of the BNP: the editor of the Voice of Freedom, is one Nicholas John Griffin! Well, even we didn't see that one coming.Who does he think he is kidding?
The award up in the next issue is for 'Most hard working Chairman of the BNP who's name begins with N'.
Turkey Breath
Nick Griffin has been voted the 'Hardest working MEP' by the Voice of Freedom Newspaper, The BNP's in house newsletter, the quality of which has been compared to that produced by a year five pupil doing a media project (but only one he rushed so he could get to play on Call of Duty before bedtime).
Andrew Brons, knowing that nobody wastes their money on the sheet of A4 propaganda, was proud to break the news on his own blog:
"We must congratulate our Chairman for having been chosen as ‘the hardest working MEP’ by the Editor of the Voice of Freedom. A crucial factor, in the Editor’s decision, seems to have been that our Chairman had not, on this occasion, used his constituency week for a family holiday. He had been working to support the Party’s candidates in the elections – something that the rest of us could do only poorly by comparison.Even Brons must be cringing at writing that one!
His award will provide his colleagues and his fellow MEPs from all parties and all countries with the inspiration to follow in his footsteps, in the hope that we might achieve even a pale shadow of his success. I am reluctant to mention my own puny efforts in the same paragraph."
Whether or not the VoF actually considered the many other MEP's in the European Parliament, or just the two rather unproductive ones in the BNP, or even just Nick, is unknown, but we're fairly sure it came down to being between Andrew and Nick, and of course, with Nick being the boss of the gang, he got to win it!
He wins this regardless of the fact he's spent much of his time sunning himself in Cyprus (allegedly looking for a 'bolt hole' for when the paper dragon collapses), regardless of the fact the BNP is in turmoil and most importantly; regardless of the fact he hasn't achieved anything over there in Europe in over a year!
Another thing Griffo should consider, is given the BNP's poor showing in the election, maybe he should have taken that holiday after all and left them to it?
And yet, there is one more clanger hidden from the membership of the BNP: the editor of the Voice of Freedom, is one Nicholas John Griffin! Well, even we didn't see that one coming.Who does he think he is kidding?
The award up in the next issue is for 'Most hard working Chairman of the BNP who's name begins with N'.
Turkey Breath
May 18, 2011
It's still the accounts, stupid
Getting on for three weeks ago all links from the BNP main website to Andrew Brons's blog were removed, an overt signal that in the eyes of Nick Griffin and Patrick Harrington the Yorkshire BNP MEP had become far too dangerous for comfort and was uttering heresies good BNP members and their wallets should not witness.
In late March, ostensibly preserving his alleged neutrality in the BNP's civil war by taking swipes at both sides in an article lumpily entitled "The Unacknowledged Complementarity That Is Destroying The British National Party", Brons decried the litany of expulsions, suspensions, demotions and sackings of the last year and scathingly rounded on old enemy Harrington:
Brons has never liked serial failure, fake trade union boss and renowned fantasist Harrington, never respected his pretensions, despises his vanity and has never trusted him. In that much he is a member of a very large club.
Coincidental with the removal of Brons's links on the BNP website was the appearance, in the "Resources" section, of the single option "Opposition". This contains several articles that are claimed to be a "dossier" (a favourite Griffin/Harrington word) on the external and - more importantly - the internal opposition faced by the BNP. Dubbed by some "Attempted Murder 2" in memory of that gloriously insane Griffin/Harrington original of yore, "Attempted Murder: the State/Reactionary Plot Against the National Front", AM2 bears more the stamp of Harrington than of Griffin.
A melange of fiction and derangement from the borderlands of nuttiness, the "dossier" is mostly an attack on the English Democrats and Eddy Butler, written largely in the groaning but comically quasi-Stalinist style of Harrington, who - despite the decades long evidence that he just isn't very good at it - has always rather fancied himself as a propagandist. Happily smearing the memory of the recently deceased former NF leader Ian Anderson, AM2 accuses Anderson of "incompetence, petty theft and habitual lying" while neglecting to mention the numerous occasions on which the same charges have been made against the living bodies of Griffin and Harrington.
Reaching into the dim and distant National Front past to attack Butler, AM2 is in part a justification and apologia for the terminal ructions Griffin and Harrington visited upon that party in the 1980s, and in that much it demonstrates that the mindsets of its authors have changed little in the twenty five years since the original "Attempted Murder" shrieked its way into far-right history. Indeed, in his March article Andrew Brons charged that "the movements and language of one side seem to come from a script that was written in 1986".
Brons has emphatically stated that he has no ambition to lead the BNP or even to fight for a second term as an MEP, the fact of which leaves him three clear years to continue as a thorn in the side of Griffin and Harrington, neutral on the surface but knowing that every time he kicks the ball Griffin and Harrington reach for their codpieces.
For the majority of what remains of the BNP membership, including many who continue to support Nick Griffin more out of antipathy towards Butler and his reformers than out of love for Griffin, Andrew Brons would be the dream leadership candidate, perhaps the only person of stature remaining in the BNP who retains sufficient goodwill and enough cross-party support to end Griffin's reign.
Ignoring Brons's stated lack of ambition (as we are quite sure Griffin and Harrington do not and can not), Brons, more than anybody else, knows what he would be up against if he ever were to launch a challenge. He knows that Griffin would destroy the BNP much as he did the old National Front rather than step aside; and he must know, in his heart, that Griffin will never allow the access to the BNP's historical accounts that a handover of power would entail.
That, as always, is the bottom line. The accounts.
And that is why BNP founder member Richard Edmond's leadership bid is doomed.
Whereas Richard Edmonds, a close friend of founding leader John Tyndall, could once be looked upon as a fairly typical Nazi-leaning, anti-Semitic Holocaust-denying BNP member, the large intake of unideological "Nu Nats" in recent years has rendered Edmonds and his kind an increasingly rare species. Even so, the fact that he is a founder member, can lay claim to near 40 years of far-right activity, is the keeper of the keys of hardline Tyndallism and is fairly well known makes him the next best prospect as a leadership candidate capable of toppling Griffin.
The problem is that Edmonds's past does not endear him to all Nu Nats and he is eminently smearable. The most unlikely thing about Edmonds's prospective challenge is the fulsome support given him by self-proclaimed "sleazebuster" Michael Barnbrook, who has mixed-race grandchildren and who holds views that a Richard Edmonds must consider well beyond the nationalist pale. I have read Barnbrook's writings and listened to his outpourings at length, and even I cannot think of him as anything other than the same kind of animal I used to meet on the dottier fringes of the Tory Party, the kind you would quietly stifle when sane people came too close.
Regardless of that, assuming this strange alliance of hardliners and Nu Nats does hold togther for the next two months, what are its prospects of success - and by "success" I mean the minimum position of forcing a leadership ballot?
Well, things have moved on a bit since last year's abortive leadership challenge. There has been almost unremitting bad news for Nick Griffin, a continuing exodus of members, the abject failure of the recent elections, former Griffinites defecting to the Butler and non-Butler reform camps or leaving altogether, Andrew Brons's increasingly belligerent disaffection and contempt... all these things are making Griffin and Harrington jittery, knowing that support has ebbed away substantially. They suspect that the jiggery-pokery that worked last summer won't work this, and that even if it did, this time threats of legal action may not be as hollow as those uttered by Butler. They are also nagged about Brons and the slight possibility that he may step in at the last moment while Edmonds pulls out - the very worst of the possibilities running through their minds.
It is no coincidence that this week Griffin is holding a series of "Way Forward" meetings, allegedly for activists but effectively for a chosen few. Dressed up as being to "discuss ways of moving the party forward", the real motive appears to be to guage support for Griffin and to win approval for an early EGM to discuss (if that is the word for something that will be pre-planned down to the last detail) new constitutional arrangements.
Under current arrangements, the period for leadership nominations opens on July 20th, but - crucially - Griffin plans to hold the all-important EGM six days earlier, on July 14th. Any variation in the BNP's constitution would apply from that date.
Exactly what changes Griffin plans are unclear. What we may be certain of is that they will be geared solely to saving his skin. To that end he may risk the continuance of the current nominations process but increase the percentage required to trigger a leadership contest to something he believes cannot be obtained. He may do this in conjunction with a proposal to extend a chairman's term of office to four years.
Another possibility is that he will press for his current term be extended to four or five years, perhaps in return for the "concession" that the existing Byzantine challenge process be ditched or modified.
Whatever, Griffin and Harrington and their inner circle will strive mightily to ensure that no challenge can be mounted on July 20th. Their control of the BNP and their ability to (shall we say?) "influence" vital meetings is the last weapon they have, all that stands between them and defeat.
And all that stands between Griffin and an open analysis of those mysterious BNP accounts - the core and locus of it all.
In late March, ostensibly preserving his alleged neutrality in the BNP's civil war by taking swipes at both sides in an article lumpily entitled "The Unacknowledged Complementarity That Is Destroying The British National Party", Brons decried the litany of expulsions, suspensions, demotions and sackings of the last year and scathingly rounded on old enemy Harrington:
The person who was the architect of using the disciplinary machinery as a weapon of mass destruction in 1986 re-emerged in the middle of 2010 to become a favoured adviser of our Chairman. He is rightly admired as a no-nonsense man who does not waste valuable time learning from his own mistakes. [Our emphasis]Shortly before the recent round of local and assembly elections Brons again underscored his antipathy to Griffin's continued leadership, claiming that the BNP was "quite deliberately" being dismantled. Brons, all too well acquainted with the machinations of Griffin and Harrington from his 1980s days as sometime chairman and directorate member of the National Front, alluded to a number of points of deep concern, but particularly to
** the constitution;all of which were matters of pressing concern a quarter of a century ago, when Griffin and Harrington were trialling their destructive methods in the National Front.
** the finances of the Party;
** the leadership and/or advisers to the leadership;
Brons has never liked serial failure, fake trade union boss and renowned fantasist Harrington, never respected his pretensions, despises his vanity and has never trusted him. In that much he is a member of a very large club.
Coincidental with the removal of Brons's links on the BNP website was the appearance, in the "Resources" section, of the single option "Opposition". This contains several articles that are claimed to be a "dossier" (a favourite Griffin/Harrington word) on the external and - more importantly - the internal opposition faced by the BNP. Dubbed by some "Attempted Murder 2" in memory of that gloriously insane Griffin/Harrington original of yore, "Attempted Murder: the State/Reactionary Plot Against the National Front", AM2 bears more the stamp of Harrington than of Griffin.
A melange of fiction and derangement from the borderlands of nuttiness, the "dossier" is mostly an attack on the English Democrats and Eddy Butler, written largely in the groaning but comically quasi-Stalinist style of Harrington, who - despite the decades long evidence that he just isn't very good at it - has always rather fancied himself as a propagandist. Happily smearing the memory of the recently deceased former NF leader Ian Anderson, AM2 accuses Anderson of "incompetence, petty theft and habitual lying" while neglecting to mention the numerous occasions on which the same charges have been made against the living bodies of Griffin and Harrington.
Reaching into the dim and distant National Front past to attack Butler, AM2 is in part a justification and apologia for the terminal ructions Griffin and Harrington visited upon that party in the 1980s, and in that much it demonstrates that the mindsets of its authors have changed little in the twenty five years since the original "Attempted Murder" shrieked its way into far-right history. Indeed, in his March article Andrew Brons charged that "the movements and language of one side seem to come from a script that was written in 1986".
Brons has emphatically stated that he has no ambition to lead the BNP or even to fight for a second term as an MEP, the fact of which leaves him three clear years to continue as a thorn in the side of Griffin and Harrington, neutral on the surface but knowing that every time he kicks the ball Griffin and Harrington reach for their codpieces.
For the majority of what remains of the BNP membership, including many who continue to support Nick Griffin more out of antipathy towards Butler and his reformers than out of love for Griffin, Andrew Brons would be the dream leadership candidate, perhaps the only person of stature remaining in the BNP who retains sufficient goodwill and enough cross-party support to end Griffin's reign.
Ignoring Brons's stated lack of ambition (as we are quite sure Griffin and Harrington do not and can not), Brons, more than anybody else, knows what he would be up against if he ever were to launch a challenge. He knows that Griffin would destroy the BNP much as he did the old National Front rather than step aside; and he must know, in his heart, that Griffin will never allow the access to the BNP's historical accounts that a handover of power would entail.
That, as always, is the bottom line. The accounts.
And that is why BNP founder member Richard Edmond's leadership bid is doomed.
Whereas Richard Edmonds, a close friend of founding leader John Tyndall, could once be looked upon as a fairly typical Nazi-leaning, anti-Semitic Holocaust-denying BNP member, the large intake of unideological "Nu Nats" in recent years has rendered Edmonds and his kind an increasingly rare species. Even so, the fact that he is a founder member, can lay claim to near 40 years of far-right activity, is the keeper of the keys of hardline Tyndallism and is fairly well known makes him the next best prospect as a leadership candidate capable of toppling Griffin.
The problem is that Edmonds's past does not endear him to all Nu Nats and he is eminently smearable. The most unlikely thing about Edmonds's prospective challenge is the fulsome support given him by self-proclaimed "sleazebuster" Michael Barnbrook, who has mixed-race grandchildren and who holds views that a Richard Edmonds must consider well beyond the nationalist pale. I have read Barnbrook's writings and listened to his outpourings at length, and even I cannot think of him as anything other than the same kind of animal I used to meet on the dottier fringes of the Tory Party, the kind you would quietly stifle when sane people came too close.
Regardless of that, assuming this strange alliance of hardliners and Nu Nats does hold togther for the next two months, what are its prospects of success - and by "success" I mean the minimum position of forcing a leadership ballot?
Well, things have moved on a bit since last year's abortive leadership challenge. There has been almost unremitting bad news for Nick Griffin, a continuing exodus of members, the abject failure of the recent elections, former Griffinites defecting to the Butler and non-Butler reform camps or leaving altogether, Andrew Brons's increasingly belligerent disaffection and contempt... all these things are making Griffin and Harrington jittery, knowing that support has ebbed away substantially. They suspect that the jiggery-pokery that worked last summer won't work this, and that even if it did, this time threats of legal action may not be as hollow as those uttered by Butler. They are also nagged about Brons and the slight possibility that he may step in at the last moment while Edmonds pulls out - the very worst of the possibilities running through their minds.
It is no coincidence that this week Griffin is holding a series of "Way Forward" meetings, allegedly for activists but effectively for a chosen few. Dressed up as being to "discuss ways of moving the party forward", the real motive appears to be to guage support for Griffin and to win approval for an early EGM to discuss (if that is the word for something that will be pre-planned down to the last detail) new constitutional arrangements.
Under current arrangements, the period for leadership nominations opens on July 20th, but - crucially - Griffin plans to hold the all-important EGM six days earlier, on July 14th. Any variation in the BNP's constitution would apply from that date.
Exactly what changes Griffin plans are unclear. What we may be certain of is that they will be geared solely to saving his skin. To that end he may risk the continuance of the current nominations process but increase the percentage required to trigger a leadership contest to something he believes cannot be obtained. He may do this in conjunction with a proposal to extend a chairman's term of office to four years.
Another possibility is that he will press for his current term be extended to four or five years, perhaps in return for the "concession" that the existing Byzantine challenge process be ditched or modified.
Whatever, Griffin and Harrington and their inner circle will strive mightily to ensure that no challenge can be mounted on July 20th. Their control of the BNP and their ability to (shall we say?) "influence" vital meetings is the last weapon they have, all that stands between them and defeat.
And all that stands between Griffin and an open analysis of those mysterious BNP accounts - the core and locus of it all.
May 17, 2011
Lancashire ‘soldiers posed with EDL flags’ probe
Army chiefs are investigating allegations that soldiers posed with English Defence League flags after Blackburn's ‘homecoming’ parade.
The Ministry of Defence has been handed a dossier of pictures purporting to be of soldiers with material from the organisation. One of the Blackburn photos is being studied to see whether one, or more, soldiers are posing with, or endorsing, a flag representing the right-wing EDL. Other pictures taken elsewhere show a serviceman, with his face covered and holding a gun, standing in front of an EDL flag.
Troops are banned by the MoD from taking an ‘active role in political campaigning’.
A spokeswoman said: “Instances of unacceptable behaviour in the armed forces are investigated, and appropriate action taken, up to, and including, dismissal. An investigation is already under way into allegations that individuals have breached army regulations through their involvement with the EDL.”
Last December’s march by Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment soldiers through Blackburn attracted thousands of well-wishers and followed a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. The event also attracted scores of EDL protesters who carried banners and flags. Some of the photos taken are now being investigated by army chiefs.
An MoD source said: “There’s a group of soldiers and an EDL flag and it is hard to tell whether a civilian, or a soldier, is holding it.”
Blackburn with Darwen EDL spokesman Ned Kelly said: “Some soldiers are involved with the EDL for their own reasons, but they should be free to be able to do so.”
Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: “These are serious allegations and it is correct that the MoD should investigate them.”
Lancashire Telegraph
The Ministry of Defence has been handed a dossier of pictures purporting to be of soldiers with material from the organisation. One of the Blackburn photos is being studied to see whether one, or more, soldiers are posing with, or endorsing, a flag representing the right-wing EDL. Other pictures taken elsewhere show a serviceman, with his face covered and holding a gun, standing in front of an EDL flag.
Troops are banned by the MoD from taking an ‘active role in political campaigning’.
A spokeswoman said: “Instances of unacceptable behaviour in the armed forces are investigated, and appropriate action taken, up to, and including, dismissal. An investigation is already under way into allegations that individuals have breached army regulations through their involvement with the EDL.”
Last December’s march by Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment soldiers through Blackburn attracted thousands of well-wishers and followed a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. The event also attracted scores of EDL protesters who carried banners and flags. Some of the photos taken are now being investigated by army chiefs.
An MoD source said: “There’s a group of soldiers and an EDL flag and it is hard to tell whether a civilian, or a soldier, is holding it.”
Blackburn with Darwen EDL spokesman Ned Kelly said: “Some soldiers are involved with the EDL for their own reasons, but they should be free to be able to do so.”
Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: “These are serious allegations and it is correct that the MoD should investigate them.”
Lancashire Telegraph
Community praised following racist demonstration
A multi-cultural community has been praised for the way it reacted to a racist demonstration. Police have also been applauded for the way in which they dealt with the flash demo outside a Darlington mosque by members of the English Defence League (EDL).
Three people were arrested after about 30 members of the EDL gathered outside the Jamia Mosque on North Lodge Terrace on Saturday at 4.20pm. It is believed they had attempted a similar demonstration in Middlesbrough earlier in the day before moving on to Darlington. The group chanted nationalistic slogans and, according to witnesses, intimidated local residents. However, the group was dispersed by police who arrived in large numbers to control the demonstration and then remained in the area for the rest of the night to prevent any reoccurrence.
Local councillor Eleanor Lister said: "It was obviously very frightening for the community. However, I thought the police handled it brilliantly. The community did the best thing possible by not reacting. I was speaking to some young men in the mosque who were telling them that Islam means peace. Darlington is a peaceful town and we don't want this sort of thing."
One local shop worker said: "They were racists, shouting things like England for the English and go back to your country. These weren't people from Darlington."
Superintendent Paul Unsworth said: "These people (the demonstrators) were acting in a rowdy, abusive and offensive manner and we believe their actions were racially motivated. Officers attended to ensure the crowd dispersed without causing further disruption or disorder."
A 49-year-old man from Redcar was arrested on suspicion of theft and a 40-year-old man from Spennymoor and a 17-year-old from Middlesbrough were arrested on suspicion of causing a public order offence. All three were taken to Darlington police station for questioning.
Last night, Darlington MP Jenny Chapman condemned the demonstration. She said: "This kind of activity is not welcome. I would encourage the police to take the toughest possible line in dealing with people who come to Darlington to cause trouble."
A statement on the North-East EDLs Facebook page posted on Saturday evening read: "Some EDL were walking to a mosque for a flash demo & singing EDL songs, as they got close to the mosque the police issued them with 'section 27' notices & told to leave the area. They are now enjoying the nightlife in Newcastle."
The Advertiser
Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up
Three people were arrested after about 30 members of the EDL gathered outside the Jamia Mosque on North Lodge Terrace on Saturday at 4.20pm. It is believed they had attempted a similar demonstration in Middlesbrough earlier in the day before moving on to Darlington. The group chanted nationalistic slogans and, according to witnesses, intimidated local residents. However, the group was dispersed by police who arrived in large numbers to control the demonstration and then remained in the area for the rest of the night to prevent any reoccurrence.
Local councillor Eleanor Lister said: "It was obviously very frightening for the community. However, I thought the police handled it brilliantly. The community did the best thing possible by not reacting. I was speaking to some young men in the mosque who were telling them that Islam means peace. Darlington is a peaceful town and we don't want this sort of thing."
One local shop worker said: "They were racists, shouting things like England for the English and go back to your country. These weren't people from Darlington."
Superintendent Paul Unsworth said: "These people (the demonstrators) were acting in a rowdy, abusive and offensive manner and we believe their actions were racially motivated. Officers attended to ensure the crowd dispersed without causing further disruption or disorder."
A 49-year-old man from Redcar was arrested on suspicion of theft and a 40-year-old man from Spennymoor and a 17-year-old from Middlesbrough were arrested on suspicion of causing a public order offence. All three were taken to Darlington police station for questioning.
Last night, Darlington MP Jenny Chapman condemned the demonstration. She said: "This kind of activity is not welcome. I would encourage the police to take the toughest possible line in dealing with people who come to Darlington to cause trouble."
A statement on the North-East EDLs Facebook page posted on Saturday evening read: "Some EDL were walking to a mosque for a flash demo & singing EDL songs, as they got close to the mosque the police issued them with 'section 27' notices & told to leave the area. They are now enjoying the nightlife in Newcastle."
The Advertiser
Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up
May 16, 2011
Five in court after Blackburn EDL rally
EDL thugs David Monks, Lisa Swales and Patrick DoyleRobert Gavin Tromans was one of five people to appear at the town’s magistrate court on Friday in connection with disorder during the rally. Tromans, 29, of Beverley Road, West Bromwich, attacked the horse as police formed a mounted cordon to control a crowd on Northgate. He pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report with a warning a custodial sentence could not be ruled out.
Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said Tromans, a former soldier, was a supporter of the EDL but not a member and had attended the rally with an organised coach party.
“His intention was to get back to his coach and not to cause any trouble,” said Mr Church-Taylor.
Also appearing in court was David Monks, 34, of Haydock Street, Bolton, who pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour. He was made subject to an electronically monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am for 91 days. The court heard a man attending the rally in Blackburn was punched unconscious by fellow supporters after heckling one of the speakers. Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said CCTV of the incident showed Monks throwing a punch but it did not show whether it connected.
“The other man was in fact punched unconscious but not necessarily by this defendant,” said Miss Allan.
Lisa Swales, 27, of Eastfield Gardens, Bradford, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer during the rally. She suddenly lunged forward and grabbed his testicles, the court heard. She was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, made subject to community supervision for 12 months with a condition she attends the stop binge drinking programme.
Susan Bowden, defending, said Swales had attended the demonstration with a group of friends but wasn’t involved with the EDL.
Thomas James Ferguson pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour after being ordered to leave the rally. He was drunk, became abusive and swung a punch at an officer before he was arrested. Ferguson, 22, of Cherry Tree Guest House, Islington, Blackburn, also pleaded guilty to theft from a shop and two offences of failing to answer bail. He was jailed for 28 days.
Patrick Joseph Doyle, 48, of Cobourg Close, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty. He had caught the officer on the temple and knocked his helmet off, the magistrates were told.
Lancashire Telegraph
Thanks to Abu for the heads-up
EDL man convicted of abusive behaviour
A Gainsborough man charged with racially aggravated behaviour was found guilty following a two-day trial.Daniel Odling denied committing racially aggravated harassment against a group of muslims in Lincoln in July last year where an off-duty police officer was assaulted.
The 26-year-old father from High Street, Blyton near Gainsborough, was on trial with a 17-year-old man from Market Rasen who cannot be named for legal reasons. Both were accused of religiously aggravated behaviour at the Grandstand on Carholme Road, Lincoln, where 30 to 40 Muslims gathered to discuss the building of a mosque, on the evening of 9th July 2010.
Odling told the court that he was under great stress and pressure at the time of the incident because of his son’s medical condition – Congenital Melanocytic Neavi (CMN) – and due to having split up with his partner at the time.
The court heard that while Odling denied harbouring any anti-Muslim sentiments or being a member of the English Defence League, the 17-year-old also on trial was a former member of the EDL. The 17-year-old was accused of assaulting off-duty police officer PC Chothia when the policeman asked him to leave after the meeting when a dispute erupted. He claimed he was only there to voice his concerns of traffic problems that the mosque may cause.
Witness Ahmed Basheer, MBE, told Lincoln Magistrates Court about how the group became ‘agressive’ and started saying the F word and anti-Muslim slurs when they were asked to leave the private meeting.
“There was some disturbance,” he said. “They left the hall and that’s when I got quite upset and scared because of all of the noise and commotion. One of them said ‘we support the EDL’. I feel sad because I have been living here since 1974 and I’ve never had that feeling of looking over your shoulder but now sometimes I do.”
Odling said that he drove a group to the Grandstand under the belief that they were going to pick up drugs for a party and claims that he was unaware of the meeting about the mosque. The court heard about how when driving away from the scene, abuse was shouted from the window of Odling’s car before he stepped out to square up to a muslim from the meeting.
“We went to drive off when someone shouted something into the car,” Odling told the court. “I didn’t like what he said and I was pretty wound up and aggressive towards him. I remember saying ‘come on then’ when the man said ‘you think you’re big behind the steering wheel. He was being held back.”
However, Deborah Carwright prosecuting said: “What you’re saying is palpable rubbish and you knew what you were getting into on that day.”
She called it a ‘pre-meditated and calculated attempt to cause harassment and distress.’
Mrs Cartwright from the Crown Prosecution Service condemned the actions of the two men.
“This type of offending is very serious,” she said, following the trial. “It can have real and lasting effects on individuals, communities and indeed, the whole of society. Religious crime is particularly hurtful to victims as they are being targeted solely because of their personal belief or faith.”
She continued: “The confusion, fear and lack of safety felt by individuals can have a ripple effect in the wider community. Communities can feel victimised and vulnerable to further attack. It is for these reasons that we do and will robustly prosecute cases such as this.”
When finding him guilty, the magistrates said that Odling’s evidence was ‘vague, inconsistent and not credible’ and believed he was ‘generally threatening and abusive throughout the incident.’ Odling was fined £450, ordered to pay £500 costs and the £15 victims’ surcharge while the youth was released on bail until he must appear before the Youth Court for sentencing on 26th May.
Gainsborough Standard
Curfew for EDL man who threw punch
A man from Bolton was given a curfew order by magistrates after he threw a punch while attending an English Defence League rally in Blackburn.
A court was told how a man was being escorted out by stewards for heckling one the speakers when he was punched by a number of fellow supporters.
David Monks, aged 34, of Haydock Street, Bolton, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour before Blackburn magistrates and was made subject to an electronically monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am for 91 days.
Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said CCTV of the incident showed Monks throwing a punch but it did not show whether it connected.
“The other man was in fact punched unconscious but not necessarily by this defendant,” said Miss Allan.
Mr Michael Blacklidge, defending, said: “The irony is that this happened between EDL supporters who fell out amongst themselves.
Bolton News
A court was told how a man was being escorted out by stewards for heckling one the speakers when he was punched by a number of fellow supporters.
David Monks, aged 34, of Haydock Street, Bolton, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour before Blackburn magistrates and was made subject to an electronically monitored curfew between 8pm and 6am for 91 days.
Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said CCTV of the incident showed Monks throwing a punch but it did not show whether it connected.
“The other man was in fact punched unconscious but not necessarily by this defendant,” said Miss Allan.
Mr Michael Blacklidge, defending, said: “The irony is that this happened between EDL supporters who fell out amongst themselves.
Bolton News
May 14, 2011
Landlord’s pledge over EDL protest rally
A controversial protest group will not disrupt our town – that was the message ahead of a massive march threatening to take over Blackpool.The English Defence League (EDL) are staging a protest on Saturday, May 28, with a major police operation planned for the protest route along the Promenade to South Pier. Demonstrators are set to arrive in town from 10am, with businessman Robert Wynne’s pub The Sun Inn on Bolton Street, South Shore, one of those they’re expected to head to.
The former Blackpool mayor said: “We had a meeting with the police yesterday morning and they’re very keen to minimise disruption to the town, keep everybody safe and hopefully this will pass off without trouble and incident. They’ve asked us if we will be open and co-operate with their security measures. The pub is not associated with the EDL or its views and we’re just co-operating with police.”
The rally is calling for justice for missing Blackpool schoolgirl Charlene Downes, and the South Shore branch of Yates’s – where EDL protesters gathered before a smaller demonstration in March – is also expected to be affected. The demonstration is scheduled to take place at the public headland close to South Pier between 12.45 and 2pm, following a short march along the Promenade from Britannia Place.
Police have stressed they are confident of a peaceful rally and Chief Supt Richard Debicki, Commander of Western Division, said: “Our top priority is the safety of the community, people visiting Blackpool on the day and the demonstrators themselves.
“This is a busy Bank Holiday for Blackpool and we want to make sure the resort remains open for business as usual on the day and that there is no disruption to daily life, although obviously there will be a highly visible police presence throughout the day.”
Blackpool Gazette
Jail vow to tackle religious hate
Mr MacAskill said recent events had "scarred and shamed Scotland"Mr MacAskill said prison sentences of up to five years would be possible under legislation planned by the new Scottish government. The SNP minister said recent events had "scarred and shamed Scotland".
He said he would work to bring in the changes "as soon as possible". Mr MacAskill's comments came after weeks of turmoil in Scottish football. Celtic manager Neil Lennon has been the target of parcel bombs and an assault inside a football ground. These high-profile cases have been accompanied by online hate campaigns against Lennon, a prominent Roman Catholic, and other figures in Scottish football.
Currently people who cause disruption at matches can be charged with breach of the peace, with a maximum one-year sentence. However the new laws would include behaviour that is threatening, abusive, disorderly or offensive, with a maximum jail term of five years.
Mr MacAskill said: "It is unacceptable to carry out sectarian disorder at a football ground or indeed to peddle sectarian hate over the internet or by tweeting. Strong action will be taken. It will be enforced because we cannot go on as we are."
"This is not a victimless crime," Mr MacAskill added. "It does affect people and action has to be taken to protect, not just people, but to protect whole communities and to protect the good name of Scotland in the 21st century."
The justice secretary said the policy was being pursued by Scotland's Solicitor General Frank Mulholland. He said the Scottish Parliament would need to pass new legislation to enforce some of the new proposals, such as dealing with people who posted comments on Twitter or Facebook.
Mr MacAskill said some might consider the new laws "draconian" but action was required to "stamp out" the small minority who carried out this "reprehensible" behaviour. He added: "Within my lifetime we have seen changes where racial epithets have been seen as entirely unacceptable and there are tough laws to enforce it. We have got to make it clear in Scotland in the 21st century that religious epithets and slurs are equally unacceptable."
BBC Scotland
May 13, 2011
EDL trio accused of racist graffiti
Three members of the English Defence League, including one from Buckinghamshire, have appeared in court charged with conspiring to commit racially aggravated criminal damage.
Charlotte Davies, 19, of Aylesbury, Anthony Smith, 24, of Easington, Peterlee, County Durham, and Steven Vasey, 31, of High Pittington, County Durham, are alleged to have plotted to daub graffiti on a mosque and buildings linked to a family business. Each spoke only to answer their name during a short hearing before Peterlee Magistrates on Wednesday.
Davies, wearing a pale crocheted top, giggled as the charge was read out. None entered a plea to the indictable only offence.
Chairman of the bench Gary Walker committed the case to Durham Crown Court, where the defendants are due to appear before a judge next Wednesday. They were released on unconditional bail.
A Durham Police spokesman said: "The charges relate to spray- painting incidents at the Nasir mosque in Hartlepool, the Albert Guest House in Shotton Colliery and the Milko store in Shotton Colliery, all on November 16 last year. At the time of the alleged offences, all three people claimed membership of the English Defence League."
Littlehampton Gazette
Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up
Charlotte Davies, 19, of Aylesbury, Anthony Smith, 24, of Easington, Peterlee, County Durham, and Steven Vasey, 31, of High Pittington, County Durham, are alleged to have plotted to daub graffiti on a mosque and buildings linked to a family business. Each spoke only to answer their name during a short hearing before Peterlee Magistrates on Wednesday.
Davies, wearing a pale crocheted top, giggled as the charge was read out. None entered a plea to the indictable only offence.
Chairman of the bench Gary Walker committed the case to Durham Crown Court, where the defendants are due to appear before a judge next Wednesday. They were released on unconditional bail.
A Durham Police spokesman said: "The charges relate to spray- painting incidents at the Nasir mosque in Hartlepool, the Albert Guest House in Shotton Colliery and the Milko store in Shotton Colliery, all on November 16 last year. At the time of the alleged offences, all three people claimed membership of the English Defence League."
Littlehampton Gazette
Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up
May 12, 2011
German court convicts John Demjanjuk of Nazi war crimes
A German court sentenced John Demjanjuk to five years in prison today The Munich court found the 91-year-old guilty of being an accessory to mass murder as a guard at Sobibor camp in Poland during World War Two.
Demjanjuk had been exonerated in a separate Holocaust trial two decades ago in Israel, where he was initially sentenced to death for being the notorious "Ivan the Terrible" camp guard at Treblinka in Poland. The ruling was overturned by Israel's supreme court after new evidence exonerated him.
Ukraine-born Demjanjuk, who was once top of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's list of most wanted Nazi war criminals, said he was drafted into the Soviet army in 1941 then taken prisoner of war by the Germans.
Demjanjuk attended the 18-month court proceedings in Munich - birthplace of Adolf Hitler's Nazi movement - in a wheelchair and sometimes lying down, with his family trying to argue that he was too frail to stand trial.
His son, John Demjanjuk Jr., said in an e-mail ahead of the verdict that his father was a victim of the Nazis and of post-war Germany.
"While those who refuse to accept that reality may take satisfaction from this event, nothing the Munich court can do will atone for the suffering Germany has perpetrated upon him to this day," he said.
Prosecutors had faced several hurdles in proving Demjanjuk's guilt, with no surviving witnesses to his crimes and heavy reliance on wartime documents, namely a Nazi ID card that defence attorneys said was a fake made by the Soviets. Guards at Nazi death camps like Sobibor were essential to the mass killing of Jews because extermination was the focus of such camps, prosecutors said. Some 250,000 Jews were killed at Sobibor, according to the Wiesenthal Center.
Defence attorney Ulrich Busch told the Munich court on Wednesday that even if Demjanjuk did become a prison guard, he did so only because as a prisoner of war he would have either been shot by the Nazis or died of starvation.
Demjanjuk emigrated to the United States in the early 1950s and became a naturalised citizen in 1958, working as an engine mechanic in Ohio.
Independent
May 11, 2011
Neo-Nazi's 10-year-old son charged with his murder
Jeff Hall, who led National Socialist Movement in south-west US, may have involved son in supremacist activities.
A 10-year-old boy charged with murdering his father at their home in California was being exposed to his father's extreme neo-Nazi ideology of racism and violence at the time he allegedly turned a gun against him.
Evidence is mounting that Jeff Hall, 32, a white supremacist who led the National Socialist Movement in the south-west of the US, was involving his son in neo-Nazi activities before his death on 1 May.
A possible link between the group's violent messages and the shooting – an act exceptionally rare for a child as young as 10 – could be an important factor in the boy's trial.
Police were called to the Halls' home in Riverside, California, outside Los Angeles, shortly after 4am last Sunday, where they found Hall dead on a sofa. He had been shot with the family handgun.
Hall used his home as the headquarters of the NSM, one of America's largest and most influential neo-Nazi groups. A reporter for the New York Times witnessed Hall preaching race hatred at a meeting in front of the boy, his eldest of five children, a day before the shooting. Hall told the newspaper he was teaching the boy how to use a gun as well as night-vision gear and had given him a belt bearing Nazi SS insignia.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Centre, which monitors extreme right-wing groups, the NSM has a track record of recruiting very young children into its activities that surpasses that of any other organisation in the US. The party has created a children's wing called Viking Youth Corps, which is open to boys and girls with the proviso that they must be of European descent and the offspring of NSM members, or have their parents' consent.
The boy, unnamed by authorities due to his age, will be tried in a juvenile court. The local paper, the Press-Enterprise, described him as a "shaggy blond-haired, small, skinny, baby-faced boy". His defence lawyer indicated that he might pursue a plea of not guilty for reasons of insanity.
The boy's parents had been through a bitter divorce, and Hall and his former wife, Leticia Neal, had accused each other of abusing the child. The family has been monitored by social services since 2003.
The NSM was founded in 1994 and has grown in prominence over seven years. It now has about 400 members in 32 states. It advocates open race hatred, calling for the expatriation of all non-whites in America, and preaching antisemitism. Until 2007 its members wore Nazi uniforms with swastika armbands, but now wear black battle dress.
Hall, a plumber, was a prominent party member, involved in vigilantism along the Mexican border, organising patrols hunting illegal migrants. His house regularly attracted anti-racist protesters and he had put surveillance cameras on the property's exterior walls to keep guard on them. Hall's ashes are expected to be scattered along the Mexican border as a final political statement.
Jeff Schoep, NSM leader, described the dead man on the movement's website as a "dedicated father, his children were his life". He added: "See you in Valhalla!"
The Guardian
A 10-year-old boy charged with murdering his father at their home in California was being exposed to his father's extreme neo-Nazi ideology of racism and violence at the time he allegedly turned a gun against him.
Evidence is mounting that Jeff Hall, 32, a white supremacist who led the National Socialist Movement in the south-west of the US, was involving his son in neo-Nazi activities before his death on 1 May.
A possible link between the group's violent messages and the shooting – an act exceptionally rare for a child as young as 10 – could be an important factor in the boy's trial.
Police were called to the Halls' home in Riverside, California, outside Los Angeles, shortly after 4am last Sunday, where they found Hall dead on a sofa. He had been shot with the family handgun.
Hall used his home as the headquarters of the NSM, one of America's largest and most influential neo-Nazi groups. A reporter for the New York Times witnessed Hall preaching race hatred at a meeting in front of the boy, his eldest of five children, a day before the shooting. Hall told the newspaper he was teaching the boy how to use a gun as well as night-vision gear and had given him a belt bearing Nazi SS insignia.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Centre, which monitors extreme right-wing groups, the NSM has a track record of recruiting very young children into its activities that surpasses that of any other organisation in the US. The party has created a children's wing called Viking Youth Corps, which is open to boys and girls with the proviso that they must be of European descent and the offspring of NSM members, or have their parents' consent.
The boy, unnamed by authorities due to his age, will be tried in a juvenile court. The local paper, the Press-Enterprise, described him as a "shaggy blond-haired, small, skinny, baby-faced boy". His defence lawyer indicated that he might pursue a plea of not guilty for reasons of insanity.
The boy's parents had been through a bitter divorce, and Hall and his former wife, Leticia Neal, had accused each other of abusing the child. The family has been monitored by social services since 2003.
The NSM was founded in 1994 and has grown in prominence over seven years. It now has about 400 members in 32 states. It advocates open race hatred, calling for the expatriation of all non-whites in America, and preaching antisemitism. Until 2007 its members wore Nazi uniforms with swastika armbands, but now wear black battle dress.
Hall, a plumber, was a prominent party member, involved in vigilantism along the Mexican border, organising patrols hunting illegal migrants. His house regularly attracted anti-racist protesters and he had put surveillance cameras on the property's exterior walls to keep guard on them. Hall's ashes are expected to be scattered along the Mexican border as a final political statement.
Jeff Schoep, NSM leader, described the dead man on the movement's website as a "dedicated father, his children were his life". He added: "See you in Valhalla!"
The Guardian
May 09, 2011
Eastcote teen Joel Titus banned from protests by far right EDL
An Eastcote teenager has been banned from attending protests by far-right group the English Defence League.
Joel Titus, 19, of North View, who has been violent at EDL protests, was slapped with an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Friday. The court heard about the teenager's involvement in a string of incidents between 2009 and 2010, which police say were overwhelmingly related to EDL protests.
Titus was barred from entering or loitering outside mosques or Islamic prayer rooms, attending any EDL demonstration, or visiting an area of Whitechapel for three years. He is not allowed to be part of a group of ten or more people, whose actions could cause alarm or distress, display a sign or placard, or use defamatory or insulting language which could cause alarm or distress.
Detective Constable Andy Haworth, from the national domestic extremism unit, said: "We hope this anti-social behaviour order will show people we will not tolerate violence being used at legitimate lawful protests."
Edmund Hall, London ASBO specialist at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "Mr Titus' activities were not simple political protest when he became involved in public disorder and violence. Where that sort of activity is present, police and the CPS will seek to control the freedom of that individual through prosecution and antisocial behaviour orders.”
The hearing was brought after Titus was convicted for a public order offence and resisted arrest at a pub in Hillingdon, in December 2010.
Harrow Times
Thanks to Zaahid for the heads-up
Joel Titus, 19, of North View, who has been violent at EDL protests, was slapped with an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Friday. The court heard about the teenager's involvement in a string of incidents between 2009 and 2010, which police say were overwhelmingly related to EDL protests.
Titus was barred from entering or loitering outside mosques or Islamic prayer rooms, attending any EDL demonstration, or visiting an area of Whitechapel for three years. He is not allowed to be part of a group of ten or more people, whose actions could cause alarm or distress, display a sign or placard, or use defamatory or insulting language which could cause alarm or distress.
Detective Constable Andy Haworth, from the national domestic extremism unit, said: "We hope this anti-social behaviour order will show people we will not tolerate violence being used at legitimate lawful protests."
Edmund Hall, London ASBO specialist at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "Mr Titus' activities were not simple political protest when he became involved in public disorder and violence. Where that sort of activity is present, police and the CPS will seek to control the freedom of that individual through prosecution and antisocial behaviour orders.”
The hearing was brought after Titus was convicted for a public order offence and resisted arrest at a pub in Hillingdon, in December 2010.
Harrow Times
Thanks to Zaahid for the heads-up
Liverpool EDL target community bookstore
English Defence League members at a recent flash demo outside Lime Street stationBy the time anti-fascists arrived at the shop, the fascists had gone. Shop workers reported that some of the first ones to come in had asked odd questions at the counter, including whether they carried information on the BNP, before joining the mob by the doors and shouting “why do you support terrorists.” They accused those in the shop of supporting the Islamist group Hamas and of being “anti-British.”
On their Facebook page, members said that “The Liverpool EDL are to be applauded for their bravery” in “keeping left-wing lies off the streets and out of the hands of our children.” An admin added that “Several of bits of l[i]terature in the shop in question promote communism and are anti-royals. A[s] a[n] Englishman i find this unacceptable.”
A spokesperson for Liverpool Antifascists said, “the English Defence League are only the latest fascist group to try and intimidate workers at News From Nowhere for its links to left-wing and radical politics. In the 1980s, it was on the receiving end of a lot of attacks from the National Front and BNP. More recently, neo-Nazis like the British Freedom Fighters had made regular visits to the shop until deterred by anti-fascists.
“The EDL might like to boast of how brave they were, but they are following in the footsteps of people like Liam Pinkham – the Nazi hooligan who was arrested for threatening to burn the shop down. They are cowards and bullies and this is exactly why we stand opposed to them.”
Liverpool Antifascists
May 07, 2011
EDL to demo at comedy gig
Right-wing extremists have threatened to demonstrate outside the Lancashire show of comedian Russell Howard after the comic poked fun at the organisation on TV.
The funnyman screened news coverage of a recent English Defence League (EDL) demonstration in Blackburn on his show, Russell Howard’s Good News, and criticised those involved.
A Facebook group posted by people claiming to represent the EDL Chorley Division appeared, promising to demonstrate outside when the comic performs a sold out tour warm up date at Chorley Little Theatre on May 17, and urging others to join them. Set up by someone calling himself Steve-o NoSurrender Young, the info page says: “Without mention of what we actually stand against, he went into a three minute rant on how ‘thick’ we all are.
“For every action, there is a reaction. We’re going to be loud and he’s going to know we’re there. Hopefully next time he’ll think twice before opening his middle class mouth about things he knows nothing about.”
But he stressed: “Russell is not our enemy, he is our adversary. We are not going there with the intention to cause him, any of his fans or property damage. It will be a peaceful demonstration.”
Other supporters used racist terms for Muslims and made threats. However, the page was overrun by locals opposing the demo. One Chorley resident, Louie Knowles, said: “Look at you wanting to shout and rant out side the theatre while he’s performing. You’re just going to make Chorley (the town I live in) look ‘trampy’ and ‘scummy’. If you all want to go and make your home town look like it’s run by a load of thugs and fighters, go straight ahead.”
And another, Mathilde M. Reinbold, said: “You guys do realise that you’ve basically gone and proved Russell right with this page, don’t you?”
Ian Robinson, president of Chorley Little Theatre, said: “This is a big night for Chorley Little Theatre and the town itself with a show we could have sold out 100 times over. It would be a shame if a fun comedy show was ruined by a few people taking offence at one joke. It would spoil it for the audience, the hard-working theatre volunteers, and may mean Chorley never gets a show like this again. I hope the EDL stay away.”
Lancashire Evening Post
Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up
The funnyman screened news coverage of a recent English Defence League (EDL) demonstration in Blackburn on his show, Russell Howard’s Good News, and criticised those involved.
A Facebook group posted by people claiming to represent the EDL Chorley Division appeared, promising to demonstrate outside when the comic performs a sold out tour warm up date at Chorley Little Theatre on May 17, and urging others to join them. Set up by someone calling himself Steve-o NoSurrender Young, the info page says: “Without mention of what we actually stand against, he went into a three minute rant on how ‘thick’ we all are.
“For every action, there is a reaction. We’re going to be loud and he’s going to know we’re there. Hopefully next time he’ll think twice before opening his middle class mouth about things he knows nothing about.”
But he stressed: “Russell is not our enemy, he is our adversary. We are not going there with the intention to cause him, any of his fans or property damage. It will be a peaceful demonstration.”
Other supporters used racist terms for Muslims and made threats. However, the page was overrun by locals opposing the demo. One Chorley resident, Louie Knowles, said: “Look at you wanting to shout and rant out side the theatre while he’s performing. You’re just going to make Chorley (the town I live in) look ‘trampy’ and ‘scummy’. If you all want to go and make your home town look like it’s run by a load of thugs and fighters, go straight ahead.”
And another, Mathilde M. Reinbold, said: “You guys do realise that you’ve basically gone and proved Russell right with this page, don’t you?”
Ian Robinson, president of Chorley Little Theatre, said: “This is a big night for Chorley Little Theatre and the town itself with a show we could have sold out 100 times over. It would be a shame if a fun comedy show was ruined by a few people taking offence at one joke. It would spoil it for the audience, the hard-working theatre volunteers, and may mean Chorley never gets a show like this again. I hope the EDL stay away.”
Lancashire Evening Post
Thanks to NewsHound for the heads-up
May 05, 2011
Local Elections 2011 Live Blog
The election counts around the country are taking place over the next 24 hours and as usual Lancaster Unity will be live blogging the results until t
he early hours of the morning and during the day tomorrow.
10.20 PM - HnH are reporting that BNP members stormed a Polling Station in Thurrock, egged Labour Party members including somebody in a wheelchair and stopped people from voting.
11.30 PM - It looks like the count in Stoke is going badly wrong for the BNP in the Meir Wards. Possibility of Coleman losing his seat.
12.25 AM from HnH - First result of the evening. The BNP vote has collapsed in the Nuneaton and Bedworth by-election of Barpool, a ward where the BNP already has one councillor. Labour has won the ward with 50% of the vote.
Lab 1034 Cons 519 BNP 204 Lib Dem 142 UKIP 65 SP 38
12.55 AM - Steve Baktin has lost in Bentilee and Ubberley, Stoke-on-Trent.
One down plenty more to go.
1.10 AM BNP lose ALL 4 councillors they had in Stoke.
Well done to this lot who have worked tirelessly in Stoke over the last few weeks and months and have managed to rid the place of the BNP Councillors. This was described as the BNP's jewel in the crown this time last year when they launched their manifesto. After consulting an A&E Triage nurse, they recommend a few pints and a curry as a relief to aching feet.
2.00 AM - From Griffins Twitter feed "Combination of swing to Labour and their superb machine has wiped us out in Stoke. We'll be back."
Ha.
2.30 AM - From HnH It seems that Peter Tierney has achieved the lowest ever BNP vote on Merseyside, polling a fantastic 44 votes. One for promotion I think.
3.10 AM - Sheffield remains BNP free with Jordan Pont coming 4th and John Beatson coming 6th.
he early hours of the morning and during the day tomorrow.
10.20 PM - HnH are reporting that BNP members stormed a Polling Station in Thurrock, egged Labour Party members including somebody in a wheelchair and stopped people from voting.
11.30 PM - It looks like the count in Stoke is going badly wrong for the BNP in the Meir Wards. Possibility of Coleman losing his seat.
12.25 AM from HnH - First result of the evening. The BNP vote has collapsed in the Nuneaton and Bedworth by-election of Barpool, a ward where the BNP already has one councillor. Labour has won the ward with 50% of the vote.
Lab 1034 Cons 519 BNP 204 Lib Dem 142 UKIP 65 SP 38
12.55 AM - Steve Baktin has lost in Bentilee and Ubberley, Stoke-on-Trent.
One down plenty more to go.
1.10 AM BNP lose ALL 4 councillors they had in Stoke.
Well done to this lot who have worked tirelessly in Stoke over the last few weeks and months and have managed to rid the place of the BNP Councillors. This was described as the BNP's jewel in the crown this time last year when they launched their manifesto. After consulting an A&E Triage nurse, they recommend a few pints and a curry as a relief to aching feet.
2.00 AM - From Griffins Twitter feed "Combination of swing to Labour and their superb machine has wiped us out in Stoke. We'll be back."
Ha.
2.30 AM - From HnH It seems that Peter Tierney has achieved the lowest ever BNP vote on Merseyside, polling a fantastic 44 votes. One for promotion I think.
3.10 AM - Sheffield remains BNP free with Jordan Pont coming 4th and John Beatson coming 6th.
May 04, 2011
Keep fascists out of Wales
This article was submitted by one of our readers, Daniel P. We welcome any contributions from our supporters (as long as those contributions conform to the law and are in reasonably good taste). Please send your articles to us via email.
Elections to the National Assembly for Wales are due to take place on Thursday May 5th and the far-right British National Party will be seeking once again to gain a foothold in mainstream Welsh politics, as they have already done in English local councils and in the European Parliament. The party will attempt to exploit public anxieties in regards to the economic crisis caused by the failure of capitalism and the Coalition's cuts and privatisation agenda, to irrationally blame scapegoats such as asylum-seekers, migrants and Muslims for our problems.
The BNP's efforts to present a more respectable face in the search for electoral credibility have begun to pay off in Wales in recent years; the party aims to capitalise on the decline of industrial areas, as well as growing disenchantment with corrupt mainstream political parties. Whilst the BNP did not put up candidates in Wales in the 1997 elections, only one stood in 2001 and two in 2005, last year they stood nineteen candidates - averaging 1,215 votes per seat. This is not enough to win a seat in Parliament or in the National Assembly, but the Assembly has 20 regional 'top-up' seats, which aggregates votes over a large area and increases the chances of the BNP winning a seat.
At the previous Assembly elections in 2007, the BNP won 9,986 votes in the North Wales region, (5.1%) putting it within 2,580 votes (0.6%) of winning a seat. A fascist voice in Cardiff Bay would be a massively divisive blow to our multicultural society. There is an urgent need for everyone who is concerned about this threat, to join anti-fascist campaigns such as Hope Not Hate & Unite Against Fascism all-out to expose the rotten BNP for what they are, and stop them in our Assembly.
It is amazing that within three years of the end of the Second World War a fascist stood in London's East End although he was soundly defeated. But for a quarter of a century after the war a long economic boom, rising living standards and little unemployment gave no ground for any far-right revival.
The return of economic crises and higher unemployment in the 1970s encouraged several fascist splinter groups to unite to form the now notorious National Front; their racism was mainly aimed at immigrants from the West Indies and their children, but they also terrorised gay & lesbian people, the disabled & Jews. Some of these immigrants were ex-servicemen who stayed in Britain after the war - others had been encouraged to come and settle by ministers such as Enoch Powell in order to fill jobs in the 1950s. The NF had some initial success with 17,500 members at its peak but were defeated by the growth of a huge anti-fascist movement able to attract over 100,000 people to Rock against Racism gigs and counter-demonstrations organised by the Anti Nazi League, the precursor of today's UAF. The ANL exposed the violence of the NF skinheads and the Nazi past of the NF leadership; eventually due to public internal rifts & strong opposition, they were effectively disbanded.
One of the splinter groups that emerged out of the NF was the British National Party, founded in 1982 by John Tyndall, a well-known anti-semite and Holocaust denier. It made little headway until 1993 when a leading BNP member Derek Beacon won a council seat on the Isle Of Dogs in London's East End. This was the same year young student Stephen Lawrence was brutally murdered by cowardly racists in south-east London, the third such murder following the establishment of the BNP head office in the area.
A united campaign swept Beacon out of office in 1994 - the BNP continued to stagnate during the remainder of the decade. The party's next success was in May 2002, winning three council seats, and in May 2003 a further thirteen; Griffin claims that it was due to his taking over the BNP, but there is much more to it than this arrogant overblown claim. Griffin and other BNP leaders had realised that they could not escape from the extremist ghetto as long as their Nazi image persisted. He learned from the success of Front National in France to present a respectable image by distancing his party from the boot boys and Nazi paraphernalia. Cosmetic changes in policy were made - for example forced repatriation of non-whites were replaced by so-called 'voluntary' repatriation. Not that this means Griffin had changed his views from when he was a young NF organiser, of course. After all it was only in 1998 that he was convicted of inciting racial hatred and received a two-year suspended sentence for publishing anti-semitic & Holocaust denial literature.
In 1998 the media began whipping up anti-immigrant hysteria about asylum seekers being given luxury accommodation at public expense, and Britain being 'flooded' by migrants. This was of course all nonsense - in reality asylum seekers were not permitted to work & claimed minimal benefits. This racist media campaign won some 100,000 votes in the 1999 Euro elections regardless. Another set of events were to benefit the BNP even more. In January 2001 the Oldham Chronicle reported police claims that there had been a significant rise in race attacks on white men by Asians. The beating of a white pensioner was highlighted as a racist attack, although his son profusely denied that it was a race issue.False claims were made that white areas received less government money than Asian areas. As the racial tensions were whipped up, the BNP and NF began attempting marches - one of which was to spark the Oldham riots as Asian youths defended their communities.
In the June general election Griffin had 16% of the vote in Oldham - the highest ever for a fascist party. In the 2002 May council elections this series of events enabled the BNP to win three seats in Burnley and over a fifth of the vote in nineteen other council seats. Over the next few years the BNP continued to pick up councillors in England, at one point reaching over 50. In Barking, east London, and in Stoke they reached double figures and had hopes of taking control; but the icing on the cake was winning two seats in the 2009 European Parliament elections, which coincided with the expenses scandal which disgraced all three mainstream parties. Griffin won in North West England and Andrew Brons, the one-time chair of the defunct NF, in Yorkshire and Humberside. Both scraped in on a low poll but nevertheless it gave them a great boost. It allowed sections of the media including the BBC to treat them as mainstream politicians. It also brought considerable financial prosperity in terms of salaries and expenses. Unfortunately for them though, it also brought them to their peak.
They did not stay long at the top. Wild claims were made that Griffin would win the Barking seat at the general election, that the BNP would take over Barking and Stoke councils. They put up a record 339 candidates spending £170,000 on deposits, nearly all of which were subsequently lost The election results were a disaster; there had been a brilliant campaign by anti-fascists to oppose them wherever they went, which contributed to this downfall. Thousands of Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism attended the constituency every week. Griffin was humiliated in Barking and they lost every councillor up for election. At the same time he squandered tens of thousands of pounds more fighting the Equality and Human Rights Commission desperately attempting to maintain what amounted to a virulent 'whites-only' policy.
Unsurprisingly, much of the membership was upset - calls were made for Griffin's resignation but he only promised to step down in 2013. In theory the BNP constitution allows a challenge to the leader this year but fascists are hardly big on democracy. Ordinary BNP members do not automatically have a vote in internal elections - you have to become an activist then pass certain tests. Then if you want to stand, hundreds of signatures are needed from voting members. Not surprisingly, none of those who tried to stand against Griffin succeeded and all have now either been expelled or left. A series of BNP councillors have resigned recently in protest at Griffin's poor leadership.
So is it over for the British National Party? It could be - but let's make sure. In the last elections in Wales, they were able to enter paper candidates who did not work in the constituency but still pick up an average 1,215 votes per candidate. The BNP cannot possibly win any seats using this method, but if they stand on the regional list - which adds seven or eight constituencies together and uses a proportional representation system - they can come a lot closer; that is how the MEP seats were won in 2009.
Let's not allow the Assembly elections to give the BNP and their English/Welsh Defence League street thug allies a lifeline. We need to ensure that voters know what they really stand for and discuss this with anyone who is tempted to vote BNP in protest. Please use your vote to keep the fascists out of Wales; the future of democracy is in your hands.
Elections to the National Assembly for Wales are due to take place on Thursday May 5th and the far-right British National Party will be seeking once again to gain a foothold in mainstream Welsh politics, as they have already done in English local councils and in the European Parliament. The party will attempt to exploit public anxieties in regards to the economic crisis caused by the failure of capitalism and the Coalition's cuts and privatisation agenda, to irrationally blame scapegoats such as asylum-seekers, migrants and Muslims for our problems.
The BNP's efforts to present a more respectable face in the search for electoral credibility have begun to pay off in Wales in recent years; the party aims to capitalise on the decline of industrial areas, as well as growing disenchantment with corrupt mainstream political parties. Whilst the BNP did not put up candidates in Wales in the 1997 elections, only one stood in 2001 and two in 2005, last year they stood nineteen candidates - averaging 1,215 votes per seat. This is not enough to win a seat in Parliament or in the National Assembly, but the Assembly has 20 regional 'top-up' seats, which aggregates votes over a large area and increases the chances of the BNP winning a seat.
At the previous Assembly elections in 2007, the BNP won 9,986 votes in the North Wales region, (5.1%) putting it within 2,580 votes (0.6%) of winning a seat. A fascist voice in Cardiff Bay would be a massively divisive blow to our multicultural society. There is an urgent need for everyone who is concerned about this threat, to join anti-fascist campaigns such as Hope Not Hate & Unite Against Fascism all-out to expose the rotten BNP for what they are, and stop them in our Assembly.
It is amazing that within three years of the end of the Second World War a fascist stood in London's East End although he was soundly defeated. But for a quarter of a century after the war a long economic boom, rising living standards and little unemployment gave no ground for any far-right revival.
The return of economic crises and higher unemployment in the 1970s encouraged several fascist splinter groups to unite to form the now notorious National Front; their racism was mainly aimed at immigrants from the West Indies and their children, but they also terrorised gay & lesbian people, the disabled & Jews. Some of these immigrants were ex-servicemen who stayed in Britain after the war - others had been encouraged to come and settle by ministers such as Enoch Powell in order to fill jobs in the 1950s. The NF had some initial success with 17,500 members at its peak but were defeated by the growth of a huge anti-fascist movement able to attract over 100,000 people to Rock against Racism gigs and counter-demonstrations organised by the Anti Nazi League, the precursor of today's UAF. The ANL exposed the violence of the NF skinheads and the Nazi past of the NF leadership; eventually due to public internal rifts & strong opposition, they were effectively disbanded.
One of the splinter groups that emerged out of the NF was the British National Party, founded in 1982 by John Tyndall, a well-known anti-semite and Holocaust denier. It made little headway until 1993 when a leading BNP member Derek Beacon won a council seat on the Isle Of Dogs in London's East End. This was the same year young student Stephen Lawrence was brutally murdered by cowardly racists in south-east London, the third such murder following the establishment of the BNP head office in the area.
A united campaign swept Beacon out of office in 1994 - the BNP continued to stagnate during the remainder of the decade. The party's next success was in May 2002, winning three council seats, and in May 2003 a further thirteen; Griffin claims that it was due to his taking over the BNP, but there is much more to it than this arrogant overblown claim. Griffin and other BNP leaders had realised that they could not escape from the extremist ghetto as long as their Nazi image persisted. He learned from the success of Front National in France to present a respectable image by distancing his party from the boot boys and Nazi paraphernalia. Cosmetic changes in policy were made - for example forced repatriation of non-whites were replaced by so-called 'voluntary' repatriation. Not that this means Griffin had changed his views from when he was a young NF organiser, of course. After all it was only in 1998 that he was convicted of inciting racial hatred and received a two-year suspended sentence for publishing anti-semitic & Holocaust denial literature.
In 1998 the media began whipping up anti-immigrant hysteria about asylum seekers being given luxury accommodation at public expense, and Britain being 'flooded' by migrants. This was of course all nonsense - in reality asylum seekers were not permitted to work & claimed minimal benefits. This racist media campaign won some 100,000 votes in the 1999 Euro elections regardless. Another set of events were to benefit the BNP even more. In January 2001 the Oldham Chronicle reported police claims that there had been a significant rise in race attacks on white men by Asians. The beating of a white pensioner was highlighted as a racist attack, although his son profusely denied that it was a race issue.False claims were made that white areas received less government money than Asian areas. As the racial tensions were whipped up, the BNP and NF began attempting marches - one of which was to spark the Oldham riots as Asian youths defended their communities.
In the June general election Griffin had 16% of the vote in Oldham - the highest ever for a fascist party. In the 2002 May council elections this series of events enabled the BNP to win three seats in Burnley and over a fifth of the vote in nineteen other council seats. Over the next few years the BNP continued to pick up councillors in England, at one point reaching over 50. In Barking, east London, and in Stoke they reached double figures and had hopes of taking control; but the icing on the cake was winning two seats in the 2009 European Parliament elections, which coincided with the expenses scandal which disgraced all three mainstream parties. Griffin won in North West England and Andrew Brons, the one-time chair of the defunct NF, in Yorkshire and Humberside. Both scraped in on a low poll but nevertheless it gave them a great boost. It allowed sections of the media including the BBC to treat them as mainstream politicians. It also brought considerable financial prosperity in terms of salaries and expenses. Unfortunately for them though, it also brought them to their peak.
They did not stay long at the top. Wild claims were made that Griffin would win the Barking seat at the general election, that the BNP would take over Barking and Stoke councils. They put up a record 339 candidates spending £170,000 on deposits, nearly all of which were subsequently lost The election results were a disaster; there had been a brilliant campaign by anti-fascists to oppose them wherever they went, which contributed to this downfall. Thousands of Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism attended the constituency every week. Griffin was humiliated in Barking and they lost every councillor up for election. At the same time he squandered tens of thousands of pounds more fighting the Equality and Human Rights Commission desperately attempting to maintain what amounted to a virulent 'whites-only' policy.
Unsurprisingly, much of the membership was upset - calls were made for Griffin's resignation but he only promised to step down in 2013. In theory the BNP constitution allows a challenge to the leader this year but fascists are hardly big on democracy. Ordinary BNP members do not automatically have a vote in internal elections - you have to become an activist then pass certain tests. Then if you want to stand, hundreds of signatures are needed from voting members. Not surprisingly, none of those who tried to stand against Griffin succeeded and all have now either been expelled or left. A series of BNP councillors have resigned recently in protest at Griffin's poor leadership.
So is it over for the British National Party? It could be - but let's make sure. In the last elections in Wales, they were able to enter paper candidates who did not work in the constituency but still pick up an average 1,215 votes per candidate. The BNP cannot possibly win any seats using this method, but if they stand on the regional list - which adds seven or eight constituencies together and uses a proportional representation system - they can come a lot closer; that is how the MEP seats were won in 2009.
Let's not allow the Assembly elections to give the BNP and their English/Welsh Defence League street thug allies a lifeline. We need to ensure that voters know what they really stand for and discuss this with anyone who is tempted to vote BNP in protest. Please use your vote to keep the fascists out of Wales; the future of democracy is in your hands.
BNP faces court over bills
The British National Party owes companies in Northern Ireland hundreds of thousands of pounds in unpaid bills, it is claimed.
The Belfast Telegraph can reveal that a number of firms here could take the party to court for monies outstanding.
One former supporter of the party has warned that small family-run firms could go bankrupt because of the shortfall, thought to total over £500,000, UK-wide.
A case has already been heard in the High Court in March involving the non-payment of election expenses relating to the Barking constituency in London, where party leader Nick Griffin was the candidate.
A company called Newton Press has taken legal action over an outstanding bill of more than £10,000 for printing services.
Last week the BNP pledged to pay off all the money it owed by the end of the year, adding that the debts were a result of spending during the last European and general election campaigns.
A former BNP supporter in Northern Ireland, who is also owed money, said he is not confident of being repaid soon.
Jim Dowson is a fundraiser who helped set up BNP offices all over the UK, including in Northern Ireland.
His firm Adlorries, which provides promotional and marketing services, claims he is owed around £160,000.
He said he has already had to dip into his own cash to pay off smaller companies related to his firm who were left out of pocket.
“The BNP claim to be the saviours of British industry and British workers, but I am afraid that around half a dozen small, family-run businesses, including some in Northern Ireland, could go to the wall because the BNP have not paid them,” he said.
“We are in a recession and times are hard enough as it is. People have been treated disgracefully.”
Mr Dowson also expressed anger that party boss Mr Griffin was spotted walking around east Belfast last week, just yards from a firm the BNP allegedly owes more than £40,000.
David Sloan from small family firm, Romac Press in east Belfast, says his company is owed £44,000.
He has defended his firm taking business from the right wing group, saying that the UK is deep in a recession.
“We were not in a position to turn people away but the BNP has basically wiped out a year’s profits,” he said.
”I have contacted police, the electoral commission and I'll take it to the High Court if I have to.”
A spokesperson for the BNP refused to confirm or deny the accusations and said that whether or not the party owes money to creditors is “irrelevant”.
Thanks to Clare Weir at The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph can reveal that a number of firms here could take the party to court for monies outstanding.
One former supporter of the party has warned that small family-run firms could go bankrupt because of the shortfall, thought to total over £500,000, UK-wide.
A case has already been heard in the High Court in March involving the non-payment of election expenses relating to the Barking constituency in London, where party leader Nick Griffin was the candidate.
A company called Newton Press has taken legal action over an outstanding bill of more than £10,000 for printing services.
Last week the BNP pledged to pay off all the money it owed by the end of the year, adding that the debts were a result of spending during the last European and general election campaigns.
A former BNP supporter in Northern Ireland, who is also owed money, said he is not confident of being repaid soon.
Jim Dowson is a fundraiser who helped set up BNP offices all over the UK, including in Northern Ireland.
His firm Adlorries, which provides promotional and marketing services, claims he is owed around £160,000.
He said he has already had to dip into his own cash to pay off smaller companies related to his firm who were left out of pocket.
“The BNP claim to be the saviours of British industry and British workers, but I am afraid that around half a dozen small, family-run businesses, including some in Northern Ireland, could go to the wall because the BNP have not paid them,” he said.
“We are in a recession and times are hard enough as it is. People have been treated disgracefully.”
Mr Dowson also expressed anger that party boss Mr Griffin was spotted walking around east Belfast last week, just yards from a firm the BNP allegedly owes more than £40,000.
David Sloan from small family firm, Romac Press in east Belfast, says his company is owed £44,000.
He has defended his firm taking business from the right wing group, saying that the UK is deep in a recession.
“We were not in a position to turn people away but the BNP has basically wiped out a year’s profits,” he said.
”I have contacted police, the electoral commission and I'll take it to the High Court if I have to.”
A spokesperson for the BNP refused to confirm or deny the accusations and said that whether or not the party owes money to creditors is “irrelevant”.
Thanks to Clare Weir at The Belfast Telegraph
May 03, 2011
Too much Braun, not enough brains
Mick Braun, the BNP candidate for the Tilbury Riverside & Thurrock Park ward in Thurrock, has been described as an “utter racist and a loose cannon”. This description does not come from us (though we do not disagree), but instead comes from the ex Havering BNP councillor Mark Logan in an interview he gave to the Ilford Recorder just last year. Braun isn’t actually from Thurrock but from nearby Romford and is actually the BNP’s Havering organiser
Braun’s Facebook account is overflowing with racist and homophobic sentiment, in fact it is one of the worst accounts we have seen so far.
Not for the first time, much of what Braun has to say for himself is far too disgusting for us to reproduce. One posting that does stand out though is where Mick Braun or Mick Brown as he also likes to be known as on Facebook, advocates spraying Asians and homosexuals with hydrochloric acid.
Braun also suggests posting a Molotov cocktail through the letter box of an Asian family that has just moved next door to one of his Facebook friends. He also suggests setting fire to mosques in response to Islamic extremists burning the Union Jack.
Neither is Braun too bothered as to whether the police are monitoring his activities. In one posting he suggests “let’s set up a ‘where a copper lives’ site so we can alert all nationalists where these treacherous bastards live and let’s give them hell for a change”. So much for the BNP being the party of law and order.
Another Thurrock candidate is Karne McGinn who is standing in the Ockenden ward.
McGinn passes his time on the social networking site posting things like as “Kill the Muslim scum” and compliments one of his Facebook friends for having a Swastika for his profile photo.
McGinn also attempted to start an online campaign of hate directed at a local takeaway in nearby Grays in Essex, because the takeaway sells Halal meat. He printed the phone number of the takeaway encouraging people to withhold their telephone number and ring them up to “give them some grief”.
Thanks to Nick Lowles at HOPE not Hate/Searchlight