BNP rally in Stoke-on-Trent to attract 400 party members

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Friday, September 05, 2008
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This is Staffordshire

A BRITISH National Party rally in the Potteries could be the biggest the organisation has ever held.

Organisers are expecting hundreds of members from across the UK to travel to Stoke-on-Trent later this month. Local councillors are planning to spend the morning targeting 10 areas as volunteers hand out up to 50,000 leaflets.

In the afternoon the party's Truth Truck – a lorry doubling up as a mobile stage – will be parked in a central location for speeches by a number of party figures.

They will include national leader Nick Griffin, deputy party chairman Simon Darby and local councillors Alby Walker and Michael Coleman.

Mr Walker, leader of the party's city council group, said: "People are getting a bus up from the London areas. It is going to be the biggest type of this activity that the BNP has held anywhere."

The event will be filmed by organisers to appear on the party's website, while BBC crews are also expected to film preparations for a future programme.

Local party leaders have held three meetings with Staffordshire Police to discuss how the September 20 rally should proceed.

Mr Walker said organisers had listened to police requirements and arranged an event which would be peaceful.

The focal point will be a protest over the recent sentencing of Normacot resident Habib Khan, who received an eight-year prison term for the manslaughter of his neighbour, BNP activist Keith Brown.

Mr Walker said leaflets condemning the court case would be distributed on 10 estates. He said: "They outline the injustice that was done to Keith Brown when the system let him down, the disparity in the treatment of Keith Brown and Habib Khan by local police and the discrepancy in how, if it had been the other way around, Keith Brown would be facing a 25-year sentence, whereas Habib Khan will be out in two years."

After the rally closes, members will move on to a social event at a nearby venue.

Mr Walker said a lot of details were currently being kept under wraps to avoid potential confrontation with protesters.

Up to 400 BNP supporters are expected to come from as far afield as Newcastle Upon Tyne and London.

Fifteen local marshals will be in operation and Mr Griffin is expected to bring his own security team.

Mr Walker added: "The people who have indicated they will come are family-type people and are BNP members, and our intention is to fully co-operate with police for a peaceful political process."

Staffordshire Police Superintendent Bernie O'Reilly confirmed the force had outlined the legal obligations of the rally to organisers and would continue to meet with them in the run-up to the event.

A spokesman for Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: "We are working together with the police to plan what is required for the event."

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  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Warren, Stoke on Trent

    Wednesday, September 10 2008, 8:59AM

    “I think right minded folk won that one. James, do you thing you and I sould get together and interview old Grffo when he roles into town.”

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    by James, Penkhull

    Sunday, September 07 2008, 5:51PM

    “Warren, another question you could ask Nick Griffin and the party leadership is why they think national service is OK but none of them have ever been in the forces. Better still, do they think its right to reduce people who have served and been decorated, like Johnson Beharry, to the status of "permanent guests" thereby removing citizenship.”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Warren, Stoke on Trent

    Sunday, September 07 2008, 4:13PM

    “Only me again, spent some time today haveing a good old nose in the BNP menifesto, and it makes pritty horiffic reading. now I will give them there do, it was only the short virsion of it, but my god, if they ever got a foot hold, the country would be bankrupped, we would be alone on the world stage, and justace would be deliverd by a gun.

    Two questions I would like to ask Nick Griffen if I ever had the chance 1. How would you ever expect to work with the EU when you have pulled the country out of that very constertution. 2.On the subject of being a British citezen,how would you define a citezen when you first came to power, being that to spend time in the armed forcies difined this. Meny of the voteing public would be to old to spend time in there, and what would happen to the ill who could not spend time doing it.

    In fact the more I time I spend thinking about it, the more asamed I feel that this city is sutch a hot bed for the BNP. There views and ill thought out ideals realy do make me feel sick. I would advise anone who thinks that this lot is a way forword to read this paper, it is freely given on the BNP website, and think again what the party stands for, becouse it sure an't any kind of freedom.”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by bertie bert, stoke

    Sunday, September 07 2008, 2:52PM

    “Taylor, you could join the BNP they have many jewish, gay, polish, hungarian members, you should stop reading the media lies, and look for yourself.
    The BNP have a jewish councillor and leader Pat Richardson, she was re-elected with 40% of the votes in last Mays local elections.”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Warren, Stok on Trent

    Sunday, September 07 2008, 10:44AM

    “The BNP say they will give full surport aganst the closer of Longton High School. The school get closed and the BNP say nowt. They say that they surport council home tennents, council homes are falling into disrepair and they do nowt. They say they are for help for the OAPs, council run eldderly care houmes are closed, they say nowt. Now we hear that OAPs in at least one area are fearfull of getting housebound as footpaths to there homes are to small to take there wheecheirs and mobilaty scooters, the BNP make no comment agine. They are intent only on one thing, the spreed of there very own brand of nastyness, they must begin to force change for the better on the city council, they have the seats to do it but they wil not, they dont care. All they care about is to get lots of there mates to come to Stoke on Trent and party with the Taffy windbag who leads there silly little party, puting fear in to meny good folk who make this city there home. Trying to force a reaction, no one sould give it to them, giveing them a chance to run to the morol high ground. They count for nowt, not one thing, ignore them, no matter what they do. Natise heaters,please stay at home, we dont need you. Like I say, they have not forced change, and never intended to, local folk are not daft and will get rid of all of them next time round.”

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    by concerned Stokie breed bird, Stoke

    Sunday, September 07 2008, 9:02AM

    “I was born in N.Ireland does that mean i am not a true Stokie? The asians,carribean,chinese,etc etc that were born here are british arent they? I have been living in Stoke since i was 2years old.My father is a true blood Stokie,my mother british irish.I support Stoke City,Its my home town and tell it with pride.does it really matter what colour we are or what accent we have? Bet the geezers that talk about the asians nasty go out at the weekend and after getting tanked up with ale,go straight to their local Greek kebab shop or fall in the asian restaurants for a good curry! i personally would love BNP to have more seats than they have at the moment and when they are on the paper where i vote my vote will be with them.WHY? Because we have the freedom of chose and speech! Its all getting out of hand.......The BNP are NOT the KKK!!! Now that would stir things up!!! And everyone again would have their right of opionion. Come on Stokies and Asians we are English,Not Americans!!!”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by anon, stoke

    Saturday, September 06 2008, 4:59PM

    “The fact of the matter is that, in not too many years from now, the white British people are going to be the minority. Thats what the BNP are trying to avoid. We should act now before its too late!!”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by Taylor, Longton

    Saturday, September 06 2008, 1:48PM

    “I am a young Jewish person who has lived in Stoke all my life. My grandparents moved to England from Germany after the second world war. They left a country that had been taken over by facists. My Grandmother felt that those particular circumstances arose because people did not immediately recognise the danger that the Nazi party poised. It is my fear that we are seeing history repeat itself with the BNP. Intelligent, educated people are not recognising how dangerous the BNP party are becoming. The Nazi party did not just attack Jewish people they attacked people of all ethnic minorities, and i fear that if the BNP gained more power in this country they would do the same. I know the BNP is a political party so i would like to hear there views on the many issues that affect our country and indeed our world without them feeling the need to turn every debate into a "brits versus everyone else" scenario. I am British but I am also a Jew which makes me an ethnic minority, and i wonder how long it will be before the BNP turn their attention to me.”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by TruthTeller, SouthStoke

    Saturday, September 06 2008, 11:40AM

    “Amy, I love all cultures! I travel,eat loads of different foods and totally endorse multiculturalism. I don't earn minimum wage ( you wouldn't want my tax bill!) i respect people of all faiths and defend their right to practice their religions. The point i am making is that i would like to see all people who have chosen to make this country their home, respect me and all my fellow countrymen and women. A simple pledge to live in harmony and with respect for others would be a great place to start. Simply, because of the very very small minority of extremists who want to kill and Mame British people for just being British. This would help us start repairing the trust that some of our countrymen/woman have lost. Society has much to gain from multiculturism but the ethos has been damaged and needs to be repaired! This would stop the rising popularity of the BNP because it would dispel some of their more popular myths! Zahid, great post!”

  • Profile image for This is Staffordshire

    by ry, hanley

    Saturday, September 06 2008, 10:37AM

    “Ruth Rosenau, Longton please tell me one of these jobs that these immigrents do that us BRITISH folk wont?????”

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