Reuters
Angry protesters break up far-right UK party event
British National Party leader Nick Griffin leaving a news conference with egg on his jacket after it was disrupted by protesters, outside of the Houses of Parliament in London, yesterday.
Scores of protesters throwing eggs and shouting "Nazi scum, off our streets" broke up a news conference yesterday by the far-right British National Party which has just won its first seats in the European Parliament.
BNP leader Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons, who both won European Parliament seats in the north of England in last week's vote, had just started giving an open-air news conference outside Parliament when they were charged by protesters.
They threw eggs which broke on Mr Griffin's shoulder and at least one protester hit him with the stick of a placard, a Reuters photographer on the scene said.
Chased by the protesters, Mr Griffin and Mr Brons fled in waiting cars. Demonstrators struck the cars with placards, which bore the slogan "Stop the Fascist BNP", as they accelerated away.
Police guarding Parliament did not intervene in the protest. A police spokesman said two people had been taken to hospital after the protest.
The BNP, which campaigns for a halt to immigration, voluntary repatriation of immigrants and British withdrawal from the European Union, has won local council seats but is not represented in the British Parliament.
It is shunned by mainstream parties which regard its policies as racist. But it has gathered support in urban areas among a working class hurt by the worst recession in decades and competing for jobs and services with immigrants.
It won more than 940,000 votes in last week's European elections, enough to give it its first two deputies under a proportional representation system.
Mr Griffin said the protesters were a "mob for hire" that included supporters of the ruling Labour Party.
"This is a mob of students, lecturers, probably a few civil service parasites... and hardcore activists and supporters primarily of the Labour Party," he told the BBC.
An official of Unite Against Fascism, set up in response to what it sees as the rising threat from the extreme right in Britain and which organised the protest, was unrepentant.
"I say to all those people that voted for them: They voted for the wrong thing. They voted for civil war, destruction and conflict in communities and surely that is a terrible thing to happen," Weyman Bennett, the group's national secretary, told reporters.
The BNP was helped in last week's election by a low turnout and protest voting after the major parties were tarred by a scandal over politicians' perks.
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M. Mercieca
Jun 11th 2009, 15:40
Integration-the bumpy road from Birgu to Europe.
Integration begins at home. First we should integrate family members with different political views.
Let us also integrate a family from Birgu to go and live in Sliema.
The Italians from the north do not like their blood brothers from the south (so it’s not a matter of culture, religion, .color…..etc. It’s a case of pure racism. Shall we ask the northern Italians to quit Italy? The Brits screaming over the Poles that takes their jobs, while Roma are not welcomed anywhere in EU. Shall we disunite the EU?
Racism is cancer.
Economic deteriorate and obviously the most convenient scapegoat to attack are vote-less immigrants, and the illegal of them are best used by anti-immigrants to add fuel and prepare for a NAZI come back mentality. .
Who says our problem is not with immigrants but only with illegal immigrants?
Question:Why the anti-immigrants didn't make it in Malta?
Answer: The Maltese are wise and not RACIST bar these few who could do nothing better adding fuel, attack the government and expand issues out of proportion.
Simon's almost 70,000 votes said it all
Raymond Cachia
Jun 11th 2009, 03:35
The Far-Right/Fascist parties making big gains in elections all over Europe have to thank their fellow comrades in arms, Rightist parties like the Christian Democrats. Thanks to EU policies of multiculturalism and immigration which the main parties all supported, although most European citizens were opposed, people have reacted to the immigration threat by turning to the Far-Right parties, as they see no other choice.
A classic Hegelian Dialectic - the framework for guiding people's thoughts and actions that lead to a predetermined solution. The establishment creates the problem (illegal immigration) and offers the solution (the Far-Right parties) in order to move society in the direction that they would like it to go (which otherwise would not but for the threat, i.e. Immigration).
This way Fascism has reared its ugly head again in Europe and workers and citizens are ultimately voting against their own self-interests.
For the Far-Right/Fascism is not just anti-immigration and anti-multiculturalism. They are also against Workers' Rghts and Unions. Fascism gives the State arbitrary powers over citizens, censorship of the media and curtailment of civil liberties, in short a Police State and of course the classic collusion of the Far-Right with Capitalists and Multi-national Corporations against lowly wage-earners.
Joe Fenech
Jun 11th 2009, 00:27
This is a result of brain-dead Britain!! The British are slaves in their country. They've been brainwashed at the expense of their culture and country.
BNP defends Britain from racism towards the natives and defends the quality of the county! Why do people vote BNP?:
1) English natives wait for 10-15 years for a council flat then someone arriving from Africa gets one immediately because they have 6 or more children and are sick.
2) Africans and Indians have the Black Police Association within the police (imagine what would happen if a White Police Association).
3) There is constant lobbying from communities
4) Gang crime and violence is daily practice between African, West Indian and Indian communities
5) Africans and Indians abuse the system and are constantly suing the government and other bodies for pretended racism. These can't even be taken to court or accused of anything because they immediately take out their racism joker.
6) Many schools and work places are refusing to celebrate Christmas so they don't offend anyone.
7) Councils are building houses with toilets that don't face Mecca.
Those are just a few reasons!
malcolm seychell
Jun 10th 2009, 20:39
The nazis are these sick extreme left wingers.
Enough political correctness. Time for change
J Fenech
Jun 10th 2009, 16:23
"Police guarding Parliament did not intervene in the protest"
what if the protest was directed against a minority group? It all smells of sour grapes. Britain, and indeed the rest of Europe need parties the calibre of the BNP! Well done Mr.Griffin, you'd have got my vote if I'm living in Britain, don't let a bunch of egg-throwing mobsters stop you.
M. Mercieca
Jun 10th 2009, 15:28
FAR RIGHT POLITICAL PARTIES = EUROPE DESTRUCTION
Across Europe and specifically during the MEP's election we have just had in the EU, voters are wise enough to understand keep far-rights in the right place: Drainage
Now, will the miserable bankrupted far-right minorities respect democracy and stop their useless scaremonger’s campaigns? Only time will tell any way!
jcmicalelf
Jun 10th 2009, 15:22
Charles Sammut - in total agreement! Though I wont call those mobsters fascists - it's too elegant a word to be stuck to some left-winger.
So, just as what usually happens in Malta, those that are always oh-so-ready to advocate freedom of speech and thought...well, come out pelting an MEP!
BNP has a right to exist and to express its views as much as any other party in Britain.
Civil war? Destruction and Conflict? Why - these things are already all over UK and Europe. The BNP is just trying to raise conscience about what's happenign around us.
I think they should be invited over to Malta.
Alexander Morana
Jun 10th 2009, 14:16
'NAZI scum' being threatened by leftists thrash! Isn't that democracy now?
Charles Sammut
Jun 10th 2009, 13:01
Who are the fascists? Who is opposing freedom of speech? Who is threatening democracy in Britain? Why did the police not intervene? The UK has gone to the dogs. If these mobsters think that they can stop Nick Griffin with a few eggs they are mistaken.