Researchers may hold key to dyslexiaPostcode lottery means a high degree of failure
BNP go to police over 'racist' link
THE British National Party has lodged a complaint with the police on race grounds after students were directed to a list of names and postcodes of members on the internet.
Staffordshire University's student union president Assed Baig posted an article on the union website, which contained a link to a site identifying 30 BNP members living within two miles of the university's Stoke campus in College Road.
-
POST: Student union president Assed Baig.
It was removed from the website on Wednesday hours after The Sentinel contacted the union, which stressed the article expressed the views of an individual and not necessarily its other members.
Some students posted comments on the union website in response to the article before it was removed, the majority of which were against the publication of the link.
BNP Councillor Michael Coleman yesterday made a formal complaint to Staffordshire Police.
He told The Sentinel: "This is clearly a criminal act.
"Members are now afraid that people, predominantly students, are going to go round to their homes and smash their windows.
"There is an unwritten rule that in politics you do not involve people's homes or families.
"This kind of thing will set a precedent for the future that we do not want to see in Stoke-on-Trent.
"The complaint has been lodged on the grounds that the president of the student union has broken data protection laws, as well as the race relations act and the public order act, because he has incited people to cause violence. His actions have led us to believe that he is pursuing radicalism within the student union body.
"We are a political party and it looks like he is trying to use the student body to serve his own aims.
"If you want to oppose us then you should stand on the street and distribute leaflets.
"What Mr Assed has done is totally unacceptable.
"He needs to be told in no uncertain terms that this is not a road we want to go down.
"We are pursuing this matter with the police because members are quite rightly furious and very concerned about it."
Stoke-on-Trent City Council BNP group leader Councillor Alby Walker, pictured, said: "We believe Mr Assed has broken data protection act laws and that the posting of the link to BNP members details was racially motivated."
Chief Inspector Peter Hall, of Stoke-on-Trent division, said: "We are making arrangements to discuss Mr Coleman's concerns and investigate any potential offences."
Mr Baig was unavailable for comment.
More stories about Staffordshire University:
20 Comments
View all
by T COPE, TUNSTALL
Wednesday, November 25 2009, 9:24PM
“Who is this man that he can get away with incitement to racial hatred, and he can ban the police from areas of the campus?
Surely no-one has that power,not even some tin pot student union agitator.”
by Lee, Staffs Uni
Monday, November 23 2009, 1:43PM
“I am a student at Staffs Uni and I can categorically say that this bloke does not represent me in any way shape or form, so please don't tar all us students with the same brush. This guy is slowly turning the Staffs Union into a dictatorship. He's banned the police from part of the Student Union and is attempting to ban the sale of certain 'lad's mags' from the Union shop. He claims that he has a responsibility to represent the minority of students, which is fair comment, but they should not be prioritised over the majority. This is a democratic country afterall.
I am not a BNP voter, but they are a legal political party and should not be treated like this by a guy, who is clearly abusing his position to air his bile.”
by Anthony, Mount Pleasant
Saturday, November 21 2009, 2:16AM
“Adrian
People dont need protecting from anything. If students dont like the BNP then thats fine, dont vote for them. What annoys me with you student sorts is that you have to ram your views down everyones throats. What makes you so right and me so wrong? I have a university degree so I am educated.
People need protecting from the liberal left like you rather than from the BNP. This country has lost the plot.”
by Greg, Stoke
Saturday, November 21 2009, 12:50AM
“The information is old. The fact that the BNP are complaining to the police is, quite frankly, laughable. Also, anyone who says Assed is being racist for publishing this material obviously doesn't understand race politics at all.”
by John, Sandbach
Friday, November 20 2009, 11:09PM
“It would seem that people are assuming here that the BNP's views are representing 'white' and Mr Baig's 'black'. I'm sorry but I'm a white man but I categorically disagree with the BNP policies and everything they stand for. However, I equally don't agree with Mr Baig's actions in posting details on a public forum.
My main concern is the the posters on here are trying to attack Mr Baig on behalf of 'whites'. I'm sorry, but BNP supporters you do not represent me!!!
Let's face it, politics is much more complicated than 'black and white' and people need to realise that, in this case, both parties are wrong and only in sensible middle ground is the answer to be found. Giving either view or action publicity is only perpetuating the problem!!”
by al gibson, stoke
Friday, November 20 2009, 10:52PM
“my daughter recieved an email basically saying if she doesnt support Mr Baig she is supporting the bnp..our family as always been pro union no matter what due to coming from a working class background of potters,miners,nurses and other support jobs I find this email an insult to my daughters upbringing and I think that Mr Baig and the bnp should join together because they are both fascist elitist and racist in their stances...free democracy is the right to choose without pressure and only through teaching equality will we achieve it..”
by al gibson, stoke
Friday, November 20 2009, 9:04PM
“I'm reliably informed that the student union is now emailing students that if they dont support Mr Baigs actions they must be supporting the bnp..I think that this is a gross misuse of position and would like the university to investigate this form of emotional peer pressure..”
by Steve, Longton
Friday, November 20 2009, 4:44PM
“adrian, Staffs. If anyone takes any notice of what you have just written then they must be retarded and they are supposed to be university students.
How old are the students at this university in such need of protection? It's obvious that they aren't the brightest lights on the Xmas tree but you're insulting their intelligence even further, if you think they are in danger from BNP members near to their residence. No, I'm not a member and don't support the BNP but you're being ridiculous. Any dangers that could possibly flow from that article must be towards those 50 BNP members and if you try to make out otherwise, then you're being dishonest or naive.”
by Claire, Stone
Friday, November 20 2009, 4:42PM
“Adrian - "People do need to be protected from them! just like the calls for peadophiles details to be made available so people can protect their children! It's the same thing"
Oh please, get a sense of proportion, it is not the same thing at all.”
by al gibson, stoke
Friday, November 20 2009, 4:12PM
“adrian, Staffs I would just like to point out that Mr Baig as actually published work blaming all the worlds problems on white people feel free to google him and check out some of his material. He seems to be on a bit of a power trip blaming everyone for everything and not focussing ont the root of all the worlds problems being competing religions and political systems...”