BNP leaders could face charges
A number of leading members of the British National Party (BNP) could be facing charges for indicting racial hatred after secret filming by an undercover journalist.
Prior to June’s local and European elections it was feared that the BNP could be on the verge of an electoral breakthrough after attempting to re-brand themselves as a non-racist party.
It aired a national party political broadcast and hosted a high profile visit from French extremist Jean Marie Le Pen.
The party polled around 800,000 votes but failed to make and significant political headway. It failed to win any European or London Assembly seats and gained only one council seat overall.
Despite public protestations of moderation in a BBC documentary, due to be aired tonight, BNP leader Nick Griffin is filmed making a speech in which he branded Islam a “vicious, wicked faith”.
He said that it is important to work for the BNP because “they (Muslims) will do for someone in your family”.
Adding, “For saying that, I tell you, I will get seven years if I said that outside.”
But Mr Griffin accused the BBC of selective editing and said that the allegations would be dealt with internally.
Jason Gwynne, of the BBC, spent six months with the BNP while making the documentary. He was helped in his investigation by former local BNP organiser by Andy Sykes who, disillusioned with the party, decided to aid the anti-fascist group Searchlight.
As part of the investigation he records one of the group’s members admitting to kicking an Asian man in the head during the 2001 Bradford riots.
Another party member explains to the reporter how he would like to “blow up” mosques in Bradford and fire “about a million bullets” at worshipers.
The BBC has said that they will be passing all relevant information onto the Crown Prosecution Service.
West Yorkshire Police have said they will be investigating the claims to identify if any offences have taken place, but haven’t yet seen the programme.
