by Anindya Bhattacharyya

Nick Griffin, leader of the fascist British National Party (BNP), is set to appear in court in Leeds on Wednesday 2 November to face charges of incitement to racial hatred.

The charges against Griffin stem from the screening of a BBC documentary, The Secret Agent, in July last year. Undercover reporter Jason Gwynne infiltrated the BNP and filmed leading Nazis boasting about organising and taking part in racist attacks.

He also recorded Griffin speaking at a BNP meeting in Keighley attacking Islam as a “wicked, vicious faith” and claiming that Muslims were threatening to rape white women.

Griffin will appear in court alongside his sidekick Mark Collett, former youth organiser of the BNP, who faces eight race hate charges.

John Tyndall, founder of the BNP, was also charged with inciting racial hatred following the BBC documentary. But he was found dead at his home in Hove, Sussex, on 19 July.

Anti-fascist campaigners in Leeds are organising a demonstration against the BNP on 2 November The protest, called by Yorkshire and Humber TUC and Unite Against Fascism, will start at 9am outside Leeds Crown Court.

It will be followed by a lunchtime rally outside Leeds Art Gallery starting at 12 noon with speakers representing trade unions, religious groups and community organisations.

Campaigners will be coming from Liverpool. One activist said, “We want to show that we’re enraged at the BNP, especially after the racist murder of black teenager Anthony Walker — a murder that the BNP tried to capitalise on and which was a result of the sort of racist filth the BNP pumps out.”

Griffin has been convicted of inciting race hatred once before. In 1998 he received a nine month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and a fine of £2,300 for publishing racist and anti-Semitic material in a magazine called The Rune.

In a 1996 article he said, “I am well aware that the orthodox opinion is that six million Jews were gassed and cremated or turned into lampshades. Orthodox opinion also once held that the earth is flat…

“I have reached the conclusion that the ‘extermination’ tale is a mixture of Allied wartime propaganda, extremely profitable lie, and latter-day witch-hysteria.”

Following the bombing of a gay pub in Soho, in which three people died, Griffin wrote, “The TV footage of dozens of ‘gay’ demonstrators flaunting their perversion in front of the world’s journalists showed just why so many ordinary people find these creatures so repulsive.”

The Nazis are threatening to turn up on 2 November to demonstrate in support of Griffin. The BNP wants to whip up hatred against Muslims in Leeds following the 7 July London bombings.

The Nazis are also planning to hold a national rally on Saturday 5 November in nearby Keighley, West Yorkshire, where Griffin stood as a candidate in the general election.

To build their demonstration in Keighley the BNP is promoting the racist myth that Muslim “paedophile gangs” are preying on white girls in the town.

The police have applied to the home office for a banning order against the BNP’s Keighley event, following pressure from local politicians and the town’s MP, Ann Cryer.

Unite will be organising a counter-demonstration if the Nazi protest goes ahead.

The BNP wants to boost its presence on the streets in the run up to council elections in England and Wales next May, where the Nazis hope to make gains in target areas such as Yorkshire and Barking, east London.

This return to the streets follows several years where the Nazis have avoided marches or rallies, concentrating instead on electoral campaigning and cultivating a “respectable” image.

Unite is organising a national conference titled Stop the BNP in 2006 to counter this threat. It will be held at the TUC centre in central London on Saturday 5 November.

Love Music Hate Racism plans to tour the country with a series of anti-fascist gigs and film screenings of Who Shot the Sheriff?, a new film charting the history of the Rock Against Racism movement of the 1970s.

For more information on Unite Against Fascism go to www.uaf.org.uk and for details of the Love Music Hate Racism gigs go to www.lmhr.org.uk

rumours are now facts then?

"Saturday's rioting involved youths from the black and Asian communities and was said to have been sparked by a claim that a girl of 14 had been raped.

Police say "rumour, myth and speculation" had fuelled the violence.

Detectives stressed that forensic experts had been to the location of the alleged attack on the girl in the Lozells area but no formal complaint had been received.

A number of meetings had taken place in recent days in Lozells in protest at a lack of action over the rape, including one outside the alleged location.

The rape claim was also said to have been broadcast on a pirate radio station and put out on a community-based website.

But police have stressed nobody has come forward claiming to be the victim, leading them to say "rumour, myth and speculation" had fuelled the violence. "

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4370288.stm

The Saturday night violence broke out on after a public meeting to address community concerns over an alleged sex attack on a teenage girl.

"Police have said they were aware of the rape allegations, but that no victim had come forward making any investigation difficult."

 http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-10-24T070435Z_01_KNE425338_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BRITAIN-ATTACK.xml

"I am a West Indian from Leeds, and i find it appalling that you are supporting the Asians in keighley after what they have done with local girls. This happened in Birmingham over the weekend with a 14yr old black girl being gang raped by Asians.
Why support paedophiles whatever the colour?"

i didn't see anything saying that the keighley demo was in support of paedophiles, simply that it is a bnp counter-demo.
must remember in future that, by your logic, *all* asians in keighley are paedophiles, and thank the bnp for pointing that out too...


x

I am seriously worried that an anti BNP demo in Keighley could end up in a full scale riot. We have seen riots before in Bradford. Did this stop the BNP in their quest for power? The answer is no, it helped them. They got four seats a year later.

Please consider the electoral implications when we consider an anti demo.

Unite aren't plannig riots.

It is the neo-Nazis who are bringing fireworks with them.

They are the scumbags whose aim it is to riot, NOT the anti-racist protestors, who are calling a PEACEFUL counterprotest to the racist BNP marchers.

Careless policing (many policemen draughted in from other areas), who drove fighting protestors into the Inner City, allowed the Bradford riots to happen, however, there is no getting away from the truth that there were many Nazis that day, spotted loitering around the seating near Kirkgate, and around towards Ivegate, not moved on by the police, who had arrived in bradford to get drunk, and forment a riot. I saw these people with my own eyes, and they included "lone wolves" of the BNP's terrorist C18 wing.

Most enquiries fail to spot the involvement of known racists in bradford that day, including several known nazis from Scarborough. Officially, the far right didn't turn up, but they did, but they "went undercover" to forment violence, and there were many independent witnesses who will verify this fact.

The worst "lone wolf" of them all, was the mass murderer David Copeland, who was given secret instructions to kill gay people and other minority communities, and then, disowned by the BNP afterwards.

Nick Griffin, however, let the truth slip when he made utterly sickening remarks about gay people, afterwards.

However shrewd and clever neo-Nazis are, they must NEVER be taken for granted...

Oh, and Indymedia people should know this.

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/781755.stm

Presumably rumbling the BNP's fairly blatant intent to spark a riot, West Yorks Police are now seeking a ban on their planned 5 Nov Keighley bonfire/rally.

Of course the BNP being a 'lawful democratic party' are abiding by this? No, they're looking to find some other unsuspecting town nearby and kick off there instead. Bunch of thugs.

Latest news:  http://www.uaf.org.uk

Please note the 2 Nov UAF/TUC Rally in Leeds is still on.

Unnaceptable answer. I mentioned the electoral implications of a riot. The BNP did not start the riot in Bradford, but they did benefit electorally.

As for the remark about the BNP bringing fireworks, i have not read that on their site. It says they are to have a 'family bonfire' afterwards.

Please be more honest if you are to win the majority over.

Right - the BNP are refusing to co-operate with the Police, instead asking all their members to go to Keighley anyway and kick off some kind of trouble 'the Police can't stop'.

(Which incidentally show their claim to be 'legal and democratic' is a big fat lie!)

So UAF are asking supporters to continue to mobilise for a mass peaceful demo in Keighley on Sat 5 Nov. Latest news and new leaflet on UAF website:  http://www.uaf.org.uk

Also the UAF/TUC Rally for Peace & Justice in Leeds on Wed 2 Nov is still on.

(And to the above concerned poster - let's be clear here, UAF are calling for mass, legal, peaceful protest, it's the Nazi BNP who blatantly want to spark a riot.)

I have searched high and low on the BNP site, and read all their reasons for the demo. I dont agree with them but it is clear that they have not mentioned rioting or that they wouldnt cancel the demo if the police told them to.

Where do you get the info from if it is not on th internet.

If there is a chance of a riot why would UAF want to be there?

Honesty please!

Saucy seems to be concerned that we don't believe the BNP when they say they are just planning a family bonfire. Come on saucy these guys are fascist they lie about the holocaust, asylum seekers, terrorism and their plans if elected. It is vital that we confront the fascists ideologically and on the streets. Those who worry about the rights of the BNP they aren't concerned about your rights especially if you are black, asian, gay, a trade unionist, Jewish, a traveller, a drug user etc.

Sorry, i know they are fascists. But if you think that all of them are thugs out for trouble you are not being very honest. Look at the crowds outside the courts, they are mostly pensioners not skin heads.

Again why would the UAF want to be in town if there is a potential riot - it doesnt make sense. Just because they are fascists doesnt mean they cant have a bonfire with their families.

I dont look at their rights, but i like rational debate, not scaremongering just because they are fascists. The demo has been banned anyway, what did you expect the BNP to have their bonfire in the centre of keighley and put their own kids at risk.

Sometimes people on here come out with such crap.

Wait a second Saucy, I missed the UAF meeting where u were elected SOLE GUARDIAN OF HONESTY AND POLITICAL PURITY.

I think ur soft as fuck on the nazis to be honest. That u genuinely believe that the BNP intend this to be a peaceful event is blissfully nieve. Look at the operations of the BNP whenever its gained a level of influence in a town. Burnley has seen racial attacks soar by 500% and part of Burnley has ethnically cleansed council house lists. Houses for whites!. The BNP are in favour of an all white britain, deny the holocaust and stand firmly in the tradition of Hitler and organised racist violence. To think that this organisation is being honest when it claims to be holding a "family" event is ludicrous. Anyone who have seen the realities of these "Bring Ur granny beat up a pakki" events knows that they dont bring their fucking grannies or kids, its bullshit. Its just smoke-screen so they can try and look respectable. In any case whats any better bout a bunch of Nazi holocoust denier thugs bringing their kids along to their sick racist events, events that are both directly and indirectly linked to organised violence. THese are POLITICAL EVENTS OF ORGANISED IDEOLOGICAL FASCISTS NOT A HAPLESS GET TOGETHER OF CHUMS WHO HAPPEN TO BE NAZIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Given that the BNP live by stirring up racial hatred I cant think of anything scarier than large numbers of BNP thugs (and maybe a few idealogically committed pensioners too) walking around keighley armed with fireworks!!!!!!!!!!!!! The fact you are using the BNP's own site as ur source of information is daft, doesn't really stick to say the BNP aren't really all thugs and nutcases who want to kill asiuns cuz their website sez so.

Dont be soft on Nazi's fewl!

Dan, you didnt answer any of the points i put forward. I have been to several demos against the BNP, and i was at Leeds yesterday. It is embarrasing when i read nonsense you have written which contradicts what i see with my own eyes - do you think people are that thick.

Stop the BNP yes, but not through lies about their actions but by educating the public to their agenda. Eggs and flour and trying to attack the police to get to the BNP 'thugs' like at Leeds yesterday is not going to do us any good.

Saucy,

I bow enthusiatically. People with actual brains in their heads instead of the mindless bullshit everyone else on this site displays shows there is some hope after all...do you people have any idea how fucking stupid it is to deliberately set out to identify the anti-fascist cause with protecting paedophiles? Or to try and pretend that somehow C18 were responsible for Bradford's riots? I suppose DJ Warren G in Brum is also a secret BNP sympathiser as well and spread the gang-rape lie as a way of inciting Black on Asian violence on the BNP's behalf. Or maybe Ligali are actually a front for the BNP as well when they said that Black men arent predisposed to rape kids but that they could believe Asian men are...

Every time you stupid fuckers come out with this crap it gives the BNP MORE AND MORE VOTES . Wise up and step outside of your little fantasy bubble, for all our sakes.

Mark Collett, the BNP loser, up in trial in Leeds, regularly posts on Indymedia, in an assortment of disguises, even at times pretending to be Black or Asian, aiming to divide and conquer. "Max" is one of his thinly-veiled disguises, but he should instead be called "Mini".

Saucy and Carl are actually loser Collett's "divide and conquer" pseudonyms (Mark, you're busted!!!).

Of course, "Saucy", or "Carl (the same person), will deny they are Collett, but neo-Nazis also deny the Holocaust happened.

Mark (I'm So Brave!) Collett, the weirdo who has wet dreams about dear old Adolf Hitler, (and soon to be jailbird) has got the world's smallest p@nis.

If only I could confirm the rumours. He'd be featured in the Guiness Book Of Records, alongside other "freaks of nature" such as the Victorian freakshow act "The Elephant Man", and the world's thinnest woman.

A student, some years back, managed to get a look at Mark's miserable member.

There was this girl at Leeds Uni, who revealed all, a while ago, just after the Hitler fetishist graduated.

I wish I knew her name...

Divide And Conquer, Collett.

Hope you like bars.

Didn't your "sop idol" Adolf, have a single gonad???

Linda, come up with something original you moron. It is more likely to be you who is colletts friend..... and lover by the sound of it. You seem obsessed by his penis, have you had personal experience.

Now fuck off with your daft accusations you troll.