Kirklees the lost jewel

Rachel Firth

Kirklees BNP Organiser Rachel Firth blamed the dissident Eddy Butler’s influence on her party colleagues for her failure to find any candidates to stand in North Kirklees.

Kirklees, once described as the BNP’s jewel in the crown, has in the past fielded a full slate of 23 candidates. However it was announced today that the BNP will only be standing four candidates there.

Traditionally the BNP have always been far stronger in North Kirklees than in the more rural South. At its peak North Kirklees was a branch in its own right and had three BNP councillors.

Yet when nominations closed today it was revealed there wasn’t a single BNP candidate in North Kirklees, which is rather strange as a Kirklees resident can stand for election anywhere in the district.

When questioned by disconsolate BNP members on the Kirklees BNP Facebook page, Firth replied: “North Kirklees appears to have fallen under the spell of Edward Butler”.

Hope not Hate

'£1million bill' for Blackburn protests policing operation

Lancashire's biggest-ever policing operation has been hailed a huge success after a mass demonstration by the English Defence League passed without major incident.

Around 2,000 EDL supporters descended on Blackburn from around the country on Saturday while an estimated 500 opposition protesters also gathered. Many town leaders had feared the eruption of widespread violence but only 12 people were arrested across the day.

It is understood that around 1,900 officers from across the North West took part in the operation and MP Jack Straw said the security clampdown would end up costing taxpayers around £1 million.

Mr Straw praised the skill of the police but said many people would be angry that the ‘self-indulgence’ of the EDL would result in such a high cost. Town centre shops also lost trade and Phil Ainsworth, of Blackburn’s Town Centre Partnership, said it had been a ‘disastrous’ retail day.

Eight-foot high steel barriers fenced in the 2,000 EDL demonstrators inside the King George’s Hall section of Northgate.

The only violence during the day was two large brawls, lasting up to 10 minutes, among the EDL protest. Those arrested - the majority of whom were from the EDL side - were questioned for alleged offences including assault, drunk and disorderly, affray and public order. Six of those were from Blackburn and rest from Yorkshire, the Midlands, North East and Bolton.

The counter-demonstration, said to be celebrating Blackburn’s diversity, in Sudell Cross passed without incident, except for concern over groups of youths throwing firecrackers on the floor.

Blackburn’s Mall Shopping Centre remained open from 9am until 5.30pm, with four shops deciding to close and another four closing earlier. While numbers of shoppers were a lot lower than a normal Saturday, there were no incidents inside the centre. Extra security guards and police were deployed throughout the Mall. Blackburn Market opened, but bosses decided to close the facility at 1.50pm amid fears of protesters descending on the area.

Around ninety officers remained on duty in the town centre until 5am, and there was no trouble reported in the evening or through the night.

Successful police tactics included:

• A lead-in operation which saw EDL coaches escorted from the M65.
• ‘Fencing in’ all the access points around the EDL in the Mincing Lane, and Northgate area which kept groups separate.
• Not using any officers in riot gear in a more non-confrontational approach.
• Deciding not to split up the EDL brawls, instead letting the group’s own stewards sort it out.
• Escorting the EDL out of town and holding back counter-demonstrators until they had left.

Chief Superintendent Bob Eastwood said: “Lancashire Constabulary and Blackburn with Darwen Council pulled off a successful operation that passed off relatively peacefully. People were continuing their shopping and we identified a strategy to cause minimum disruption. We had sufficient resources in place because of the obvious threat to community cohesion, and we were able to pull everybody together very well.”

Police said the decision to keep pubs closed until 4pm meant that, when the premises re-opened in time for the Arsenal versus Blackburn Rovers match live on television, the EDL protesters had left town.

Harry Catherall, deputy chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said he was pleased with the way the event had been managed. He said: “On the whole, it passed off peacefully. But I do apologise for the inconvenience that has been caused to businesses and residents on this unusual and difficult day.”

Lancashire Telegraph

Newsflash – Chris Beverley defects to the English Democrats

Chris Beverley, a Leeds BNP stalwart and personal assistant to Andrew Brons, the BNP MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber has defected to the English Democrats Party (EDP) and is standing for them as a candidate in the forthcoming local elections in Leeds.

Beverley, who is also Brons Constituency Officer manager and the BNP’s long term link-man with the openly neo-Nazi National Democratic Party (NPD) in Germany is standing for the EDP in Morley South on 5 May. Beverley was also responsible for posting photographs of anti-BNP campaigners to Redwatch together with his then sidekick Mark Collett whose pronouncements on the virtues of the Hitler and the Third Reich became widely known as a result of the undercover television documentary Young, Nazi and Proud.

The move comes after Beverley, who is well liked and respected within the BNP, was recently suspended by the party chairman Nick Griffin as part of his on-going war on internal dissent within the party which has become increasingly vocal in its criticism of his lacklustre leadership.

Beverely who describes his decision to defect to the EDP as “huge” has promised to reveal his reasons to for defecting from the BNP tomorrow morning. “I am very excited about the coming campaign,” said Beverley, “and am proud to have been selected as a candidate for the English Democrats”.

Quite how EDP members themselves will react when news filters down that the party leadership have allowed a hard line fascist to join their ranks will be of interest.

Hope not hate

BNP member to be Padiham’s deputy mayor?

John Cave

A Padiham town councillor’s bid to become Mayor is being hampered by political prejudice, he has claimed.

Coun. John Cave, who is a member of the British National Party, said party politics is the reason why some other town councillors have objected to him becoming Deputy Mayor of Padiham for the next civic year.

Although he has only served on the council for 12 months, Coun. Cave said under the rules of standing orders, he should be entitled to hold the post. But, according to Coun. Cave, some members of the council said the rules prevent him being nominated as Deputy Mayor because of the short time he has been a town councillor.

Coun. Cave, who is married to Coun. Sharon Wilkinson, leader of the BNP group in Burnley, said the objection, which he said was made by Coun. Andy Tatchell at a closed meeting of the town council, was actually voiced because of his links to the BNP and not due to the interpretation of the rules. To allay any confusion councillors and the town clerk Mrs Elizabeth Bolton are now waiting for clarification of the rules from Burnley Borough Council’s democracy officers.

“It strikes me as though he is keen to stop me being Mayor,” said Coun. Cave. “It is not supposed to be political, Padiham Town Council is apolitical. It’s because I’m BNP. I’m used to it to a certain extent, you expect it. But I’ve done my damnedest to keep politics out of it.”

Coun. Cave said he is more than equipped for the role after years of experience and would relish the chance to be Mayor of Padiham the following year, after Coun. Bob Clark.

Mrs Bolton added: “The matter is still under review and the democracy team at Burnley Borough Council is assisting the town council in its interpretation of the rules. As soon as we know that, the matter will be put before the full town council.”

A borough council spokesman said: “This is a matter for the town council.”

Coun. Tatchell and current Mayor of Padiham Coun. Jean Cunningham said it would be inappropriate to comment until clarification had been received from the borough council. Padiham Town Council’s next meeting is at Padiham Town Hall at 7 p.m. on Monday.

Burnley Express

12 arrests in Blackburn EDL protest and counter-demo

A protest by the English Defence League and a counter-demonstration passed off largely peacefully in Blackburn today after a huge police operation.

Lancashire Police prepared for its biggest ever policing operation around the protests, taking place either end of Northgate separated by steel barriers.

The EDL protest started at 12.45pm around King George's Hall, Northgate, and finished at around 1.45pm. Blackburn with Darwen Against Racism's counter-demonstration in Sudell Cross began at 1pm and finished at 3pm.

Numbers were limited to 3,000 for each protest. However, police estimate 2,000 supporters of the EDL gathered and around 500 people at the Blackburn with Darwen United Against Racism counter-protest.

12 arrests were made for offences such as breach of peace, police assault, assault, drunk and disorderly, threatening behaviour, affray and obstruction.

Roads were closed and shops and pubs shut, with a large area of the town centre a no-go area for much of today. Other areas of central Blackburn were largely deserted. A heavy police presence remains in town in case there are any outbreaks of trouble.

Pubs re-opened at 4pm, ahead of the Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers match which is live on television.

The Lancashire Telegraph provided live updates from the protests.

Lancashire Telegraph

Shaming the St George's Cross

Around 2,000 'protestors' - some dressed in makeshift Burqas
daubed in St George's Cross - took to the streets of Blackburn town centre

A demonstration by far-right group the English Defence League again descended into violence today as extremists began fighting among themselves.

Around 2,000 'protestors' - some wearing makeshift Burqas daubed in St George's Cross - took to the streets of Blackburn town centre, supposedly to demonstrate at the alleged spread of Sharia Law and militant Islamism.

The East Lancashire town, which has a large Asian population, was brought to a standstill by a huge police operation designed to segregate EDL marchers from a rival protest by Unite Against Fascism. But trouble flared as skirmishes broke out among EDL supporters. Thugs threw coins, a pint glass and exchanged punches. Police later confirmed they had made 12 arrests. One man was knocked unconscious in the fighting.

Despite the violence, organisers insisted the demonstration had been 'good'. EDL spokesman Tony Curtis claimed clashes had broken out between the main body of marchers and a more extreme splinter group. He added: 'Once we got rid of the troublemakers it got better. It was a good demonstration.'

This was the first EDL demonstration to take place in East Lancashire, after previous marches in Luton, Stoke and Bradford all ended in skirmishes between EDL supporters, police and UAF protestors. Some marchers concealed their faces with a St George's mask, while others covered their heads with mock Burqas. Others sparked flares and carried banners, some carrying the Star of David.

Roads were closed and shops and pubs shut, with a large area of the town centre, which is the constituency town of former Home Secretary Jack Straw, declared a no-go area. Other areas of central Blackburn were left largely deserted.

The region has a history of racial tension, with nearby Burnley the victim of rioting in June 200. But police thanked the local community for behaving peacefully.

Hundreds of officers - some drafted from Cumbria - were employed to maintain order, along with council staff and community volunteers. Divisional commander Bob Eastwood expressed some satisfaction that police, along with mounted officers and steel barriers, were able to keep the two sides apart. He said: 'We estimate that around 2,000 EDL and about 500 counter demonstrators took part in today's events. Although there were minor scuffles amongst the EDL demonstrators, there was no significant disorder. The events have passed mostly without incident and I would like to thank the local community for their help and tolerance during the events and the lead up to them.'

Daily Mail