Protest at BNP 'hate festival'

THE FAR right racist British National Party (BNP) are planning a 'festival of hate' (the Red White and Blue festival) on 16 August in Denby near the Notts/Derbyshire border. Recently they applied to the local licensing panel for a license for live/recorded music and alcohol at this event.

By Nottingham and Derby anti-BNP campaigners

Around 60 anti-BNP protesters outside the town hall, plus those in the licensing panel hearing, had objected to the BNP application. We celebrated when we heard that the BNP had withdrawn their application and walked out before the panel made its decision.

This was after the police, who had not previously objected to the BNP's application, changed their minds based on what they call "late intelligence".

This is good news for the "No BNP Festival" campaign initiated by Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP campaign, which is working with local residents who were unhappy about last year's event and objected again this year.

Last year's 'festival' helped the BNP spread their racist message. In this May's elections the BNP won two seats on Heanor borough council and lost another election by one vote. Residents complained that last year's festival had 1930s Nazi marching songs blaring out, and a nasty intimidatory atmosphere for local residents.

Anti-BNP activists whose objections were not accepted by the council officers were not allowed into the hearing. But one character, acting as 'security' for the farmer allowing the BNP's Festival of Hate on his property, was let in without his name being on the list.

At the protest, there were police from various parts of the country. The police corralled the anti-BNP protesters using Section 14 of the Public Order Act whilst they and the BNP took photographs of us.

This success causes problems for the BNP but it won't stop their festival of hate.