No, but he'll be buying some soap in Wormwood Scrubs, heh heh heh!

"Nick Griffin’s planned contest of David Blunkett’s constituency of Sheffield Brightside at the next general Election played any part in the Home Secretary’s decision to arrest Mr. Griffin."

That is the most cynical thing i've read all day.

And yet i can't quite bring myself to dimiss the idea, since it's over 6 months since the show was on TV, and his bail runs untill march when he has to go back.

And really, can you put anything past that loony Big Blunkett?

i doubt he will buy anything here in sheffield.. however as the left in this city are as disorganised as they are the implications of this are serious and we need to give real considerations as to our actions etc.. a few people have been talking with all respectable canadidates on standing against blunkett and this possibilty.. need it be said there is very serious risk to lots of people as it has be proven time again where this scum stand incidents of racism, violence etc increase.. sheffield police showing their willing to be blunketts puppet ie blair visit last week.. and the events at the purple bar last friday.. we can not expect their support and neither should we.. i know for one if this does happen i would have to consider very strongly moving out of sheffield for a while because i have very indeed no faith in any politcal groups here in sheffield.. time again they have proven their sectarianism places people like myself at very serious risk.. i have no doubt this will be on the agenda at the next social forum meeting.. if you are intrested in doing something to ensure one this does not happen.. two if it does, ensure we start to organise and organise now..

mark mozaz wallis (in a persanall capicity)

PLEASE remember - if you've seen an article on a fascist website, and think it's useful to share, post the text of it on Indymedia. By posting just the link, people have to visit it, and end up giving the fascists their IP addresses (in other words, which computer where they used to view the page). Most people probably won't be aware of how secure they need to be with the fash, and how easily traceable web browsing is. Anyone who posts such links is therefore endangering many active people! Below the below is the more informative BBC News article.
=======================================================================
The text from the BNP website:

BNP Chairman Nick Griffin arrested.

14th December 2004

Updated: 1215hrs GMT

At 0700 hrs four non uniformed police officers awoke the Griffin household from their sleep at their family farmhouse in mid Wales.

Mr. Griffin was arrested and is currently being held and questioned at a police station in West Yorkshire. He is believed to have been arrested on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred. The arrest is apparently related to the BBC “Secret Agent” programme broadcast in July this year.

In the wake of disaffection by the Islamic community in Britain over Blair’s personal war in Iraq this action against three BNP members in the past 36hrs is nothing less than a crude attempt to buy back the Islamic vote back from the Lib-Dems in anticipation of the next General Election.

Fascist monster

By these appalling actions, which are intended to disrupt the party’s operations and to intimidate both active members and supporters, Blunkett has revealed himself to be the fascist monster that we have long suspected.

Now his mask has slipped and in desperation the Labour regime is trying to silence political opponents about the very perilous situation that Britain now faces. The BNP repeats the feelings of the substantial majority of Britons who recognise the very real threat due to the growing influence of militant Islam in our green and pleasant land.

Arresting political opponents is a dangerous provocation. This along with the blatant fraud and fiddling that accompanied the European elections, denying the BNP a bank account by forcing Barclays and HSBC to close our accounts and now arrests of BNP members is a dangerous route for the Blairite regime.

We cannot confirm that Nick Griffin’s planned contest of David Blunkett’s constituency of Sheffield Brightside at the next general Election played any part in the Home Secretary’s decision to arrest Mr. Griffin.

Personal intrusion

While this is a disgraceful attempt by the fascist regime of Blair and Blunkett to silence political opponents let us not forget that Mr. Griffin and his family are real people in a real home. Less than 10 days before Christmas, with the family home decorated in preparation for the festive season four stormtroopers of the Blairite regime are now busy ransacking the home looking for material in relation to the alleged offence.

One of Mr. Griffin’s daughters saw the men in the study and asked her mother

“Where is daddy, is he still in bed?”
“No dear, he has been taken away”

How do you explain to a ten year old that her father has been arrested and taken away to the police cells for making a political statement? This is not the Britain that many viewers will recognise, this is a scene more akin to something from Eastern Europe at the height of the Cold War, something akin to an everyday scene in a banana republic.

Another daughter has suffered a violent asthma attack, brought on by the stress resulting from the sight of these bullyboys working their way through her bedroom, opening wardrobe doors, violating her own personal and private space.

Anger understandable

We conclude by making an appeal for calm, all supporters are asked to remember that this is a deliberate attempt to disrupt the operation of the only political party in the UK that is a genuine opposition to the Blairite regime. We are all very very angry about these actions to silence our spokesmen and to disrupt our day to day activities but our organisation will grow in strength and capability if we show restraint and a typically British stiff upper lip.

================================================================
================================================================
From news.bbc.co.uk:

Last Updated: Tuesday, 14 December, 2004, 18:59 GMT


BNP head Griffin bailed by police

Mr Griffin said his arrest was "politically motivated"
The leader of the British National Party has been released on police bail after being arrested following the screening of a BBC documentary.
A party spokesman said that Nick Griffin, 45, had been held on Tuesday morning on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred.

Mr Griffin said he believed his arrest was "politically motivated".

Three men have been charged with racially aggravated harassment as part of the police inquiry into the BNP.

The party's founding chairman, John Tyndall, was also arrested on Sunday.


Twelfth arrest

The police investigations started after the BBC's July screening of the Secret Agent documentary featuring covertly-filmed footage of BNP activists.

Mr Griffin was the 12th man to be arrested following the documentary.

He was held at his family home in Wales before being taken to Halifax police station for questioning.


On his release Mr Griffin claimed the party was being "demonised" by the Government which he said saw the BNP as a threat.

He said: "The police have nothing to do with this. The CPS, David Blunkett, John Prescott, Tony Blair are having a go at a dangerous political rival."


'Electoral chances'

Mr Griffin added: "The idea is I'm going to be back here in March and bailed until then. At that point (it) is coming up to a general election.

"It's to demonise us in our electoral chances. After that the CPS know the charges against me won't stick. They're going to be dropped quietly after the election."



A statement from West Yorkshire Police said enquiries into the activities of BNP members were ongoing.


Released on bail


Six men from West Yorkshire and another man from Leicester have been arrested and freed on bail.

Two men, both from Keighley, were arrested in September on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

A 24-year-old man from Leicester was detained on Monday on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred.

West Yorkshire Police said the three men charged, from Bradford, were due to appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

This is BNP rumour mongering. There is no way they'd put the BNP leader up to lose a safe labour seat.

Sheffield Brightside
LABOUR HOLD - David Blunkett

2001 General Election
Votes Share
% Change
%
David Blunkett, Labour 19,650 76.9 3.4
Matthew Wilson, Conservative 2,601 10.2 n/a
Alison Firth, Liberal Democrat 2,238 8.8 n/a
Brian Wilson, Socialist Alliance 361 1.4 n/a
Robert Morris, Socialist Labour Party 354 1.4 n/a
Mark Suter, UK Independence Party 348 1.4 n/a

Labour majority: 17,049
Time of declaration: June 8 2001

what are we sposed to not worry about? the BNP standing for election or Blunkett being the MP? A fascist pretender who dreams of preventing immigration and locking up his enemies, or a recently retired contender who has until yesterday been at the helm of doing the real thing? hmmmm

In the last general election labour did win by a land slide in brightside, fair enough, however compare 1997 to 2001 and the turnout did drop as did labour's majority. What is far more important is the more recent local elections where the bnp parachuted into quite a few wards in sheffield and did suprisingly well. With working class dissolutionment with labour this may lead to people staying away and many muslims may be voting elsewhere because of the war and guantanamo bay/belmarsh. I am not saying that nick griffin will win but if he keeps his deposit then he will see that as a success and a reason to hang around - and it could happen if we let it.

you wanna try persuading the Muslim voters to put aside their 'disillusion' and vote Blunkett to save them from the spectre of Griffin? Bollox to that. They are damn right to be discontented with a party that wages war on innocents abroad and internes them without trial here.

The brightside constituency is a complex place, with alot of people from alot of differing backgrounds and areas within it differ emensely. David blunket is not hugely popular but loyalty to labour dies hard and lets face it no other party puts up a fight in such a rotten borough. I am perfectly content with people capitalising on the apathy and anger toward blunket but if a campaign to get rid of blunket (or at least damage his majority) is created it needs to be designed in such away that it deals with blunket's crimes against his own community and at the same time does not lead to the bnp to gain support. I will remind people that in the european elections the bnp scored more votes in yorkshire (and the humber) than the greens and respect put together.

 http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/facts-figures/election-results/election-results-2004/shiregreen-brightside

Name of Candidate Description Votes Cast
Jane BIRD The Labour Party Candidate 2596
Michael Frederick DAVIS Liberal Democrat 592
Bridget Louise Ann EVANS Green Party 449
Christopher Neil HARTIGAN British National Party 1296
Sheila Dorothy HUGHES Liberal Democrat 584
Eric KIRBY The Conservative Party Candidate 463
Patrick Joseph MALONEY The Conservative Party Candidate 490
Peter PRICE The Labour Party Candidate 2482
Peter RIPPON The Labour Party Candidate 2250
Mohammed TARIQ The Conservative Party Candidate 349
John Kenneth TOMLINSON Liberal Democrat 721
Turnout: 33.41%

'Mud_slinger' - I do understand your point, and your fears. But at the same time, this is what Labour bank on, that despite invading Iraq, passing vile immigration laws, destroying working class communities, perpetuating inequality, privatising everything in sight, they will still be seen as a 'less worse' option.

In fact Blunkett has been explicit in claiming that one reason Labour is so vicious is in order to try and prevent support for the BNP. In The Guardian of 27 November 2003 he appeale to the paper’s liberal readership on the basis that tightening up immigration controls was ‘good news for the left’, as it reduces the ‘ammunition…for the extreme right to fire’. ‘If Labour ducks the challenges of security, migration and criminality, it hands power to the right-wingers who promise more authoritarian certainties.’ I

n other words, his way to fight racism was by being a better-organised and cleverer racist.

Campaigns like Unite Against Fascism start off from the fine premise of 'stop the BNP' but immediately become cheerleading for votes for Labour. You are correct - a campaign needs to be built that can take on both sorts of racists at once. We shouldn't be taken in by this nonsense about preventing support for the BNP either by voting Labour as a least worst option or, worse, by supporting their draconian measures on the basis they are put by a 'social democratic' not overtly fascist party.

BNP leader held by police over racist remarks

Steven Morris and Martin Wainwright
Wednesday December 15, 2004
The Guardian

 http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,11375,1373974,00.html

The leader of the British National party was arrested yesterday over remarks he made about Islam in an undercover documentary which exposed racism in his party.

Nick Griffin was seized at dawn at his farmhouse in mid-Wales on suspicion of incitement to racial hatred and was questioned for several hours at Halifax police station, West Yorkshire, before being freed on police bail.

After his release he claimed that the arrest was "an electoral scam to get the Muslim block vote back to the Labour party". He said the order to arrest him had come from the "top" and alleged the government was trying to demonise the BNP ahead of next year's election.

A spokesman also suggested Mr Griffin had been targeted because he planned to stand in the constituency of the home secretary, David Blunkett, at the general election.

Mr Griffin's arrest came two days after the founding chairman of the BNP, John Tyndall, 70, was arrested over a speech he was allegedly caught making in an undercover BBC film, Secret Agent.

Three other people arrested after the programme was broadcast were charged with racially aggravated intentional harassment. The three will appear before magistrates tomorrow, while Mr Griffin and Mr Tyndall were bailed to return in March.

In Secret Agent, reporter Jason Gwynne infiltrated the party with the help of a renegade former organiser in Bradford. Mr Griffin, 45, was allegedly caught making derogatory comments about Islam and in the film seemed to admit that his remarks, if made in public, could lead to his jailing. Advertiser links

At the time Mr Griffin accused the BBC of selectively editing what he said and challenged the authorities to prosecute him, saying: "If Mr Blunkett wants to put me on a show trial about whether we're entitled to warn about the dangers of Islam, I will be absolutely delighted."

The BNP is confident a prosecution of Mr Griffin will founder because the offence of incitement to racial hatred does not cover multi-ethnic faith groups. The government is proposing a bill which will close this loophole.

When he emerged, Mr Griffin said he had known he was going to be arrested because the BNP had a "mole" in the crown prosecution service.

He added: "The idea is I'm going to be back here in March and bailed until then. At that point the idea is coming up to a general election. It's to de monise us in our electoral chances."

Nick Lowles, of the anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, said he thought the authorities had no choice but to prosecute. He said: "In the programme Nick Griffin said what he was doing was illegal and he threw down the gauntlet to them to prosecute him."

Why is it that the politically correct leftist multicult crowd is so angry that there are white people who demand indigenous rights to their ancestral homelands? Do these rights only apply to the remote tribes of Africa or Indonesia? Isn't THAT racist?

Why resort to name-calling when faced with something you don't like? "Nazi" is one of the first loaded catchwords that come out of the hat. Who are you arrogant pigs to tell anyone of ANY race that they are not allowed to love and look after their own? Who's the hater here?

You self-loating mindless sheep are sickening. You literally make me puke. You're so stupid you think mass immigration will HELP the third world. How on earth does a nation get back on its feet when its brains and workers are shipped across the planet to scrub a white man's toilet? IT WON'T!! You want to help those poor people?? Have them STAY HOME AND NATION BUILD. Flocking to our countries where they can pollute our DNA, raid our social programs and feast like a swarm of locusts does ALL of us no good!