BNP go to police over 'racist' link

The British National Party has lodged a complaint with the police on race grounds after students were directed to a list of names and postcodes of members on the internet.

Staffordshire University's student union president Assed Baig posted an article on the union website, which contained a link to a site identifying 30 BNP members living within two miles of the university's Stoke campus in College Road.

It was removed from the website on Wednesday hours after The Sentinel contacted the union, which stressed the article expressed the views of an individual and not necessarily its other members. Some students posted comments on the union website in response to the article before it was removed, the majority of which were against the publication of the link.

BNP Councillor Michael Coleman yesterday made a formal complaint to Staffordshire Police. He told The Sentinel: "This is clearly a criminal act. Members are now afraid that people, predominantly students, are going to go round to their homes and smash their windows. There is an unwritten rule that in politics you do not involve people's homes or families. This kind of thing will set a precedent for the future that we do not want to see in Stoke-on-Trent.

"The complaint has been lodged on the grounds that the president of the student union has broken data protection laws, as well as the race relations act and the public order act, because he has incited people to cause violence. His actions have led us to believe that he is pursuing radicalism within the student union body.

"We are a political party and it looks like he is trying to use the student body to serve his own aims. If you want to oppose us then you should stand on the street and distribute leaflets. What Mr Assed has done is totally unacceptable. He needs to be told in no uncertain terms that this is not a road we want to go down. We are pursuing this matter with the police because members are quite rightly furious and very concerned about it."

Stoke-on-Trent City Council BNP group leader Councillor Alby Walker, pictured, said: "We believe Mr Assed has broken data protection act laws and that the posting of the link to BNP members details was racially motivated."

Chief Inspector Peter Hall, of Stoke-on-Trent division, said: "We are making arrangements to discuss Mr Coleman's concerns and investigate any potential offences."

Mr Baig was unavailable for comment.

The Sentinel

BNP opposition groups stage pre-election meeting

Anti-racism groups have organised a conference ahead of forthcoming elections.

The North Staffordshire Campaign against Racism and Fascism (NorSCARF) and Unite against Fascism have arranged a meeting at Staffordshire University tomorrow. They aim to raise the profile of groups who are challenging the BNP ahead of forthcoming elections for Staffordshire County Council and the European Parliament.

The conference follows an October meeting at which the agenda of the BNP was discussed and efforts made to rally opposition against the party.

Staffordshire MPs Mark Fisher and David Kidney will both be attending as members of a panel. Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Mr Fisher said: "Everyone in North Staffordshire wants to avoid the European elections in May being dominated by the negative agenda of racist prejudice. We must make sure that the election is fought on the issues that are most important to people – jobs, the economy and housing."

Olwen Hamer, NorSCARF chairman, said: "There can be no place for BNP policies in a civilised society. I hope the electorate in the June elections will make that very clear."

The conference will start with a performance of Night of the Broken Glass, sponsored by the New Vic Theatre, before workshops. There will then be a feedback session and panel discussion.

The conference, in the Ashley Building, Leek Road, Stoke, will take place between 1pm and 6pm. To register, call 07778 913 528.

The Sentinel