Anti-fascists claim victory as BNP festival cancelled

The BNP have announced that their annual Red, White & Blue festival (RWB) will not be taking place this year. Anti-fascists, who have protested the festival over the past 2 years, are claiming this as a victory.

According to Amber Valley BNP organiser, Lewis Allsebrook, the BNP will be trying to hold a number of smaller events across the region instead of holding one big festival. Dissidents within the BNP are claiming that the this is because few members are interested in buying tickets for this year's event.

The festival has taken place on farmland near Codnor, Derbyshire since 2007. Last year over 1,000 anti-fascists and locals marched against the festival and in 2009 militant anti-fascists attempted to block roads leading to the site. In addition, the farmer who hosts the RWB, the festival organisers and even toilets companies have been targeted for direct action. RWB host Alan Warner has cited the attacks on his property as a reason to give up hosting the event.

The RWB was the BNP's annual "family festival", usually held in August. Before coming to Derbyshire, the event was already notorious for playing Nazi marching music, hosting racist comedians and inspiring drunken violence between party members. Its image has not improved since then.

In 2007 the event passed largely unnoticed by anti-fascists, with only one lone protester turning up to express his views. By 2008 local anti-fascists Notts Stop the BNP were more organised and launched a concerted campaign against the festival. The licensing hearing was picketed and, as a result of mounting pressure, Derbyshire police imposed more serious security conditions on the event. BNP representatives withdrew their application in a huff and stormed out of the hearing.

Meanwhile, Alan Warner received a number of late night visits from activists who stole his flag, locked his gate and painted anti-fascist graffiti on his walls. STS, the company supplying the festival with toilets, also had their depot targeted.

On the weekend of the festival, a rally was held by several hundred anti-fascists responding to callouts from Notts Stop the BNP and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) who had had jumped on the bandwagon at the last minute. This was, unfortunately, marred by squabbling between the two groups. Meanwhile, a group of 100 masked anti-fascists emerged from the fields in an attempt to blockade access roads to the festival site. Fighting between riot police and this bloc resulted in over 30 arrests and led a local paper to plead for the BNP to "Never again" come to the area.

The direct action continued after the event with Warner being targeted two more times as well as RWB organiser, David Shapcott, being visited at his Burnley home.

Last year's festival was marred for the BNP by over 1,000 protesters turning up to march on the farm and the fact that an American white supremacist, who was booked to be one of the event's main speakers, was banned from entering the country. A number of festival goers were later convicted of racially abusing the protesters. Photos from inside the festival showed a pathetic turnout for what was supposed to be a flagship event.

At a meeting of East Midlands BNP organisers last weekend, whose minutes were leaked to Indymedia, the decision to cancel this year's RWB was announced. The local Amber Valley branch of the BNP have made the preposterous claim that the reason for the cancellation was worry about diverting police funds from anti-terrorism to policing the RWB. More cynical commentators have suggested that the campaign against Warner and the plummeting popularity of the festival are more likely reasons.

imc-notts-features

Police hoping BNP will move festival away from village

Derbyshire police say they hope the British National Party will confirm an alternative venue for its annual Red, White and Blue festival.

Speaking after a meeting last night, Superintendent Howard Veigas said the event, held for the past three years in Denby, led to "the same community suffering year after year" from the upheaval it brings to local residents.

Supt Veigas said: "The police do not feel it is a suitable location for the festival. We have great concerns that it is such an imposition and a huge disruption to the local community. But if it has to come back we will have to take on the organisation."

His comments came after BNP councillor Lewis Allsebrook told the meeting at Denby Church of England School, in Church Street, that the party was looking at "two or three alternative locations" for the event. Mr Allsebrook, who represents Heanor West on Amber Valley Borough Council, reiterated that the party may move its festival away from Derbyshire.

He said: "The BNP is looking at alternative sites. The decision would be made at a central level. We came here to listen to what everyone has had to say and we are going to take on board their views."

Around 20 villagers turned up at last night's meeting. Almost all praised the police for the way they handled this year's event, which saw 18 people arrested – four supporters of the BNP and 14 protesters. One man, who did not wish to be named, said: "It was a fantastic job by the police. I felt very secure knowing they were there."

Another resident told the meeting: "I think the police response was absolutely excellent in the way they handled the different interest groups."

Villagers at the meeting, which was organised by the police to seek residents' views on the way the force handled the event, were shown video footage taken from a police helicopter. It showed demonstrators, marshalled by officers and police on horseback, as they marched down Heanor Road to a designated protest point on Codnor-Denby Lane. Police formed a cordon but were pushed back twice as the protesters shoved their way through.

Chief Superintendent Garry Sherwood, Commander for the Constabulary's A Division, which covers Amber Valley, told the meeting: "It reminded me of when I started policing more than 20 years ago – a thin blue line with arms linked."

Derby Telegraph

Council distances itself from BNP's blog

A right-wing blog has been criticised by the borough council, which has warned people not to be misled about the regeneration of Heanor town centre.

Amber Valley Borough Council has issued an official statement distancing itself from the British National Party's Amber Valley Matters blog, which it says is falsly claiming credit for regeneration in the town. Lewis Allsebrook, BNP member for Heanor West, laughed off the council's suggestion and said the authority was worried about being challenged by his party.

Writing on the blog on October 11, Cllr Allsebrook had said he was delighted to hear a new floral display would be installed on the Tesco roundabout and hoped his online 'Heanor in bloom' campaign had had something to do with it.

A spokesman for the council said: "Amber Valley Borough Council would like to make it clear that an internet blog by the local BNP group has nothing whatsoever to do with the council and has issued a warning to local residents and businesses, not to be misled by the story on the blog. The council believes the story could give the wrong impression about who is responsible for the positive developments, and says anyone interested in this project should refer to official council news sources.

"In particular the BNP, and its councillors, do not have any authority or permission from the council to seek sponsorship for council initiatives such as the improvements to the 'Tesco roundabout' in Heanor. Local businesses that are interested in supporting such initiatives should contact the council directly."

In response, Cllr Allsebrook said: "Initially when I saw the statement it did make me laugh. On the website we ran a campaign when the council was struggling to get corporate sponsors and all we were doing was claiming credit for that. It is quite clear on the blog, the operative word is 'if' our campaign helped in any way then we are delighted. We are delighted to see improvements being made to Heanor regardless. I think the council may be a little uncomfortable with the BNP doing a blog that challenges them. None of the other political parties do that."

Ripley and Heanor News

Church's anger over BNP claims

A row has broken out between the church and the British National Party in Heanor after a councillor branded the teachings of the Bible "twisted and evil" in his internet blog.

Cllr Lewis Allsebrook, BNP member for Heanor West on Amber Valley Borough Council, was responding in his 'Amber Valley Does Matter' blog to comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, who said that the church must watch verycarefully for any potential BNP gains during the financial crisis.

In reply, Rev Dan Pattimore, of St Lawrence's Church, in Heanor, accused Cllr Allsebrook of lacking even the most basic knowledge of Christian beliefs. Speaking to the Ripley and Heanor News, Cllr Allsebrook said: "The church doesn't welcome us. We still believe in the teachings of the Bible, but we don't believe in their interpretation of it at the moment so we are not welcome. I stand by what I said in my blog and think it's fair comment."

The blog said: "The Archbishop's rants come only weeks after the Church of England decided to specifically exclude the BNP from its flock. Personally I'm not bothered, the CoE teachings of the Bible are normally twisted and evil. For a long time I've thought the way the church has turned it's back on wholesome family values in favour of sick, perverted, PC appeasement is immoral. As far as I'm concerned every BNP member I've met has far higher morals than any Church of England Minister."

He also expressed support for Rev Robert West who has in the past stated that 'God divided nations for their own good and every race needed its space'. Rev West plans to stand in the European elections for the BNP in the East Midlands.

In a letter to the Ripley and Heanor News, Rev Pattimore said: "I for one am very pleased that the true colours of our BNP representatives are at last being shown. Why does he issue this tirade of abuse against the many thousands of ministers in the Church of England and all of those church members who tirelessly give sacrificially to the communities in which they live? I certainly don't remember him attending a service I have conducted.

"Unfortunately for both Mr Allsebrook and his new guru, Rev Robert West, even the most basic knowledge of the message of Jesus Christ shows that Christianity is about inclusivity and service of all, not the segregation of people into different ethnic groups."

Ripley and Heanor News