The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside.
When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.
When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.
Protesters have gathered in Manchester and Birmingham to denounce the visit of Jean-Marie Le Pen.
Waving signs that said "refugees are welcome here," hundreds voiced their displeasure with the French far-right leader's visit.
Anti-racist and anti-fascist groups had questioned the decision to allow Mr Le Pen in the country.
But home secretary David Blunkett said Mr Le Pen was an EU citizen and had the right to travel.
But on Sunday Mr Blunkett told the BBC: "I'd rather Mr Le Pen wasn't here. I'd rather the British National Party didn't exist in our country."
'Not welcome'
The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside.
Asked what he would say to those angry over his presence in the UK, Mr Le Pen said through a translator: "The message is quite simple. We should tell them to cool down. The purpose of the visit is not to incite trouble."
Mr Blunkett said Mr Le Pen was free to come and go as long as he "behaves himself."
"If he incites or causes public disorder the police will act immediately and I will give them any support they need."
When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.
On Sunday evening, Mr Le Pen is to address a black-tie dinner in Shropshire. The location of the event - billed as the "the patriotic dinner of the year" by the BNP - is being kept secret.
More on the BBC website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3654941.stm
Waving signs that said "refugees are welcome here," hundreds voiced their displeasure with the French far-right leader's visit.
Anti-racist and anti-fascist groups had questioned the decision to allow Mr Le Pen in the country.
But home secretary David Blunkett said Mr Le Pen was an EU citizen and had the right to travel.
But on Sunday Mr Blunkett told the BBC: "I'd rather Mr Le Pen wasn't here. I'd rather the British National Party didn't exist in our country."
'Not welcome'
The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside.
Asked what he would say to those angry over his presence in the UK, Mr Le Pen said through a translator: "The message is quite simple. We should tell them to cool down. The purpose of the visit is not to incite trouble."
Mr Blunkett said Mr Le Pen was free to come and go as long as he "behaves himself."
"If he incites or causes public disorder the police will act immediately and I will give them any support they need."
When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.
On Sunday evening, Mr Le Pen is to address a black-tie dinner in Shropshire. The location of the event - billed as the "the patriotic dinner of the year" by the BNP - is being kept secret.
More on the BBC website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3654941.stm
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Comments
Hide the following 46 comments
job well done
25.04.2004 17:32
A
Nazi Scum
25.04.2004 18:17
mick
not only but also
25.04.2004 19:36
as well as pelted by many many eggs, car with Le Pen and Griffin also covered with fucking stinking rotten vegetables. They had to use the windscreen wipers to try to see out, until someone managed to rip one off, and what with the number of people in front of the car, they missed the exit, and had to reverse back from a wall and try again. One of the (literally) fascist security guards escorting the car out was hit with a walking stick till blood flowed from his forehead. Le Pen had spit spatter his face, as did some of the 'security' thugs. Police were violent as per usual, being a bit crap and losing control and so pushing till people fell, got hurt, twisted arms etc, but did not use CS spray or batons or arrest anyone. Fire alarm set off in hotel too, and an alarmed looking Griffin in car spotted in car on road out of Altrincham. Hotel owner alleged that he didn't know beforehand, otherwise he wouldn't have let it go ahead, as booked under the Trafalgar Society (usual front), PO Box in Tameside. And hey, sunny again in Manchester - what a good day out!
fuck fascism (why beat about the bsuh)
just wondering
25.04.2004 19:52
A
Well done
25.04.2004 19:55
Well done all who took part.
Socialist
some mainstream coverage
25.04.2004 20:46
cars stink
oh, and Griffin left in the same car as Le Pen.
J
Chris
25.04.2004 23:15
A
I blame the police for the violence
26.04.2004 07:10
Angry
Free Speech
26.04.2004 07:44
Concerned about democracy
BNP security
26.04.2004 08:29
then a woman went to pick it up and i'm not sure what happened after!
surely he wouldn't have left a phone to be picked up? not sure what else it could have been though...
i was there
Concerned, my arse: you're a BNP-er, admit it
26.04.2004 10:34
There is nothing more absurd/pathetic than the sight of NEO-NAZIS and their sympathisers (yes YOU, "concerned") bleating on about "democratic rights".
Hint: the BNP does not believe in democracy. It wants race war and violence. It thinks the Hitler regime "had the right idea". Remember how that little party turned out?
Its members/leadership are drawn from the worst elements of criminalism and hooliganism. Its all there. Check out the Redwatch website with its exhortations to harrass/intimidate democratic opponents. The Front Nationale are the same. Its all there. Look it up.
Zero tolerance for the intolerant
re: free speech
26.04.2004 10:38
either you are a fash (which I'm afraid you sound like with the same old lines) in which case you know kinda where I'd like you to go, and I hope no-one bothers responding to you and getting sucked into your crap,
or if you're not a fash and believe this, please read up about "No Platform" policies for fascists, & how the Nazis in Germany took totalitarian power using 'democratic tools' - there's a lot of thought gone into this from a lot of people.
To 'Angry',
yes the cops were crap about crowd control, but they aren't always, and didn't use CS spray or batons, or arrest anyone, which felt like a policy decision that with all the world's press there, they didn't want to arrest any anti-fash (it doesn't usually work this way). After the second world war, many cops were helping anti-fa to physically confront fascists in the streets, because they knew a little about what had happened - don't forget, and don't let it happen again!
I don't want to be penned in anyway, I wanted to get Le Pen out!
George (a saint)
more pish from the mainstream torrent
26.04.2004 10:45
bleedin fash guards
egg head (oeuf)
arrogant fuckheads
If you've got the connection speed/power to be able to watch the 38MB video (hopefully someone'll get the time to make smaller/shorter), the woman who gets manhandled then scores brownie points introducing her walking stick to a fash security's bonce!
Most links below repeat same newswire words, some different, but from all over the globe! From last night, so maybe more already today?
Independent & Guardian links most interesting/entertaining articles.
Some of above links now to new stories, focussing more on just Blunkett, or adding dinner in Wales on Griffin's dad's farm info.
Some of above links are to 'submit your views sections' (with some fash, and some 'freedom of speech/democracy' & some 'but how about the evil Muslim terrorists' comments..., so get writing!)
anarcho
Well Said
26.04.2004 10:57
The important thing is we judge what the people of Britain are allowed to hear, we know better than them and our opinions and views are the only ones that matter.
I say let's keep information away from the ordinary voter or that might make their own mind up
Concerned about democracy
Nonsense
26.04.2004 10:59
the post about protecting free speech and democracy by protecting facsist leaders
wins todays Tom Conte Institute Award for most irrational nonsense. You are a true comic genius whoever you are.
Tom Conte Institute
How to make a video CD -- for those that may not know
26.04.2004 11:12
Try using Nero disk burning software.
After installing Nero, download the Le Pen Mpeg clip. Launch Nero, select "CD", then "Photo and Video" and finally select "video CD". This will bring up the interface where you can select the Le Pen clip and burn it to a CD.
The following is also a very useful site for advice about burning DVDs and CDs:
Video man
re: more mainstream pish
26.04.2004 11:35
Tried to post up 7 images, so here's the remaining three which somehow didn't get to the page..!
anarcho (French for anarco ya know)
guide to public order situations
26.04.2004 11:36
or download from
antifa
re: mainstream pish
26.04.2004 11:41
anarcho (rapidly goin' Luddite)
I wonder ?
26.04.2004 13:00
Rick
Vote "none of the above"
26.04.2004 13:28
But I don't suppose Castro will be turning up here anytime soon: the UK has an open-door policy for right-wing thugs like Le Pen and Haider to visit, but not the left-wing sort.
I wonder why?
spanner
re: Castro
26.04.2004 13:37
Fuck the Fascists.
Tom
Cuba
26.04.2004 13:57
Cuba has abundant food, with the glorious revolution producing a fair life for all.
When the workers revolution comes to Britain you too will be able to live in a Socialist Paradise.
John
'concerned about democracy'
26.04.2004 14:03
Not that I've anything against the ACLU but you see the point. Most of the violence and aggression came from the BNP thugs anyway.
And yes I would demonstrate against Castro.
A
Well done everybody
26.04.2004 15:46
Funny story though....we were stopped at a traffic light in the mini bus we'd used. Who should pull up next to us by pure coincidence? A car covered in rubbish and eggs with the scumbags inside! Griffin had his window down and when he saw us the look on his face will never leave me...the fear in his eyes! he shouted to the driver (that nazi thug joey owens if i recall) to speed away, and they did, jumping the red light.
Classic.
L
Well done veryone
26.04.2004 15:48
The ridiculous comparison made on this site between Le Pen and Castro is too contemptible to pass comment on. A far more relevant one would be, say, Ariel Sharon. Check the two men's biogs and you'll find one major thing in common: a hysterical hatred of Arabs, and a series of committing war crimes against them (Le Pen in Algeria, Sharon in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and the Sinai). Probably to Sharon's embarrassment, Le Pen is a great admirer. So come on Arik you butcher, we're waiting with the eggs you fascist toad. Now that would be a party!
Dave Guevara
3 people (NOT PROTESTERS) arrested
26.04.2004 17:18
A
Freedom of speach....
26.04.2004 20:27
Oi!
Excellent but..
26.04.2004 21:18
Someone
more press drivel
26.04.2004 22:20
details of his 'minders':
and
and
In French:
our protests are as global as our press coverage....erm
re: excellent but
26.04.2004 22:33
The fash were meeting the press in a car park, and then redirecting them to wherever it was. No-one knew the hotel till they handed the press leaflets - the BNP were trying to stop our protests, so we couldn't know where it was. I just trusted whoever it was who got it all together, and hoped there'd be enough space in cars, and there was for all.
So it's not to do with sharing or guarding in this case. I could see in another instance that people did know but wouldn't share it either, otherwise the fash would just move to somewhere else as soon as they knew we knew, never mind the police would normally stop us & protect the fash - so sometimes it has to be done on a 'need to know' basis, and the rest of us just have to give some trust, and come along anyway in large numbers. It felt a lot more together/stronger anyway that we'd all met up in advance in Manchester, rather than made our own ways to Altrincham.
bobalob
more photos I hope
26.04.2004 22:55
trawler
more photos I hope
27.04.2004 15:30
webtrawler
more pics
27.04.2004 15:32
trawler
more photos
27.04.2004 15:33
trawler
more photos maybe
27.04.2004 15:36
trawler
some
27.04.2004 15:41
trawl
more?
27.04.2004 15:42
trawl
some
27.04.2004 15:44
trawl
hope gets across connection - pics
27.04.2004 16:19
trawler (of media sites)
hope gets over connection
27.04.2004 16:23
pic trawler
try again
27.04.2004 16:28
pictrawler
pics
27.04.2004 16:29
trawler
pics
27.04.2004 16:29
trawl
last pics (if works)
27.04.2004 19:17
trawl
(if works) last pics
27.04.2004 19:22
trawl