The annual community lantern festival in Coalville, Leicestershire was moved from just before christmas to coincide with the Chinese New Year celebrations this year. Members from the far-right British National Party (BNP) think that because of the 'removal of Christian symbolism and tradition from Christmas' it needs them to 'once again save another British tradition'.
Ever since the rescheduling of the event was announced, local members of the BNP have threatened the organisers of the community run event. Verbal abuse from people ringing up the group has become a daily occurance since the BNP posted the contact details on their website. The BNP, who claim to be the 'law and order party' recently published another article on their website inciting criminal damage, calling on people to protest the usage of the words 'white trash' in a recent episode of the TV soap serie Coronation Street. A prominent member of the party in Lincoln recently appeared in court for multiple counts of arson and criminal damage. Read article.
Links: Photos from last years lantern festival | Watch video of last years lanternfestival: [1] [2] | Stop the BNP (website full of facts and research) | Wikipedia on the BNP | Previous articles on Indymedia on the BNP
From the Notts Indymedia newswire: Lincoln BNP member in court ! | Meeting called at uni after BNP article published in student paper
The BNP seems to worry a lot about the 'attacks on christianity' as they call it. Quoting a BNP article named 'Christianity On The Defensive', Clive Potter, a prominent Leicester BNP activist, who was expelled from UNISON a few years ago for bringing the trade union into disrepute through his far-right activities writes; 'In November 2004 a pre-Christmas lantern procession involving 600 children at Coalville in NW Leicestershire was dropped after the National Lottery Awards For All Scheme, which provides funding for the annual procession, terminated the procession, reluctant to provide cash for a religious event.' Now an article calling for action on the BNP website has sparked a wave of abuse towards the staff of Mantle Arts organising the event. Clive Potter is the local BNP man for Leicestershire North West, who managed to gain 772 votes (1.9%) in the last election.
BNP and Christmas
27.01.2006 16:05
Shalom,
From a Christian.
Philip
Facts please, not stories.
06.02.2006 18:34
I am all for freedom of information but let's make sure that the free information is accurate, otherwise the propagators fall into the same category as those such as the BNP who spout pointless myths in the hope of generating support... It seems that the BNP have published another frighteningly childish article here and that somewhere along the line, things have been blown out of proportion, so I have decided to take my own action and persistently annoy them on the telephone during my lunch hour... OK, a bit childish too, but quite satisfying.
Martin Vicker