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Protesters target BBC after BNP election broadcast
27 Apr 2010The airing of a election broadcast by the British National Party has been met by angry protests outside the BBC's headquarters.
Around 40 demonstrators turned up outside Broadcasting House in London last night to register their opposition to Nick Griffin's televised message to voters.
The five-minute party election broadcast was shown on the broadcaster's flagship channel shortly before 7pm, while protesters chanted anti-BNP slogans.
The demonstration, organised by the campaign group Unite Against Fascism, was supported by the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (Bectu) as well as the Muslim Council of Britain and Jewish Council for Racial Equality.
Earlier, a BBC spokesman said the corporation was "obliged to treat political parties contesting the election with due impartiality", as set out in its charter.
He added: "Over the course of the election, we will ensure appropriate scrutiny as we would with any party."
Reader views (29)
@ Peter
Sigh…..another one that does not think for themselves and just follows the herd.
The UAF were protesting against the CONTENT of the BNP’s televised MESSAGE (i.e. their policies) and objecting to the BBC for providing a vehicle to the publicizing of these policies.
This is not a protest against free speech, banning the BNP would constitute one.
If the left wing idiots would let the right wing morons have their say, most people wouldn’t even have known that there was a party election broadcast by the BNP last night.
NON STORY.
- Decency, London, UK, 27/04/2010 16:16
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UAF = Useful idiots.I wonder if these people actually realise just what the real agenda is?
- Stephen, London, 27/04/2010 16:14
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'Decency, London, UK, 27/04/2010 13:04'
The essence of any democracy is free speech and these numb-skulls were clearly being anti-democratic in their attempts to stifle it.
See the light mate and stop using twisted logic in order to justify your own twisted logic.
This is an interesting article which in my opinion highlights the futility of the UAF and it is not, as you have said, a Non-Story.
So get real, meathead.
- Peter Holt, Leeds, England., 27/04/2010 14:22
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I just watched the BNP's Party Political Broadcast and it's possibly the most unintentionally funny thing I've ever seen!
The sad thing is, they're serious!
Pure comedy gold. The best satirists in the world couldn't have come up with something so cliched and ridiculous!
The irony is that if anybody actually votes for the BNP off the back of that broadcast then THAT really shows that this country has gone to the dogs!
If any of the white "indigenous" populace (of which I am one) are actually convinced to vote BNP after watching that broadcast then that is far more indicative of how low this country has sunk than ANY of the reasons the BNP could come up with!
- Dan, Essex, 27/04/2010 14:14
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Whether you agree or disagree with BNP's principals or statements they have as much right as anyone to air them. Is it OK for Muslim groups many of whom support fatwa's against authors, cartoonists and the likes to be able to state their views in what is a traditional Christian country but not for the BNP. This is PC gone overboard.
Let the BNP have the freedom to express thrir views isn't that what we allow in the UK.
- John V White, Weston-super-Mare, 27/04/2010 14:12
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We use to have a free country and have free speech,now watch what you say and what you do.I now feel that i am the foreigner in my own country, i wonder if i am allowed to say it?
- stan white, leeds uk, 27/04/2010 13:34
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The BNP is UAE United Against Europe, which none of the political parties have mentioned in their election manifestos on the amount of dosh that this is costing Britain - or perhaps I should say the 12 Regional Assembly's for membership.
- Bill, Hove sussex, 27/04/2010 13:06
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Were these the so called "40 Thieves?"
- peter, Vienna, Austria, 27/04/2010 13:05
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@ Peter Holt
Uhmmmm, democracy means you CAN protest against or support any issue you like, unless it's illegal.
Now I know this country has dumbed down in the past 10 years, but Peter, you really take the biscuit.....
- Decency, London, UK, 27/04/2010 13:04
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As a result of this article I watched the BNP broadcast on the iPlayer. It's actually quite good. I think that's the problem these protesters have!
- Tower Hamlets resident, London, 27/04/2010 12:57
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' Don't close it, always keep an open mind... a man who fails to listen is blind... we only got one right in the world today... let me have it or throw the constitution away...'
The BNP should be allowed to speak. Protesting is giving them free publicity and dare I say it some sympathy.
What a joke the BNP 'Party Political Broadcast' was! 5m in duration and 5m to put together! Love the fake Sikh representative! Griffin is a nasty bully with a sense of humour it seems 
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK, 27/04/2010 12:29
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To quote ages past , " I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it" We haven't advanced much, have we?
- ALAN,, ENGLAND., 27/04/2010 12:17
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Cut there benefits.
- Mr S.Port, London, 27/04/2010 12:03
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The BNP broadcast was far more civilised than the one the Tories are about to show which features a hangmans noose.
In fact after this broadcast Cameron will be seen as leader of the British Noose Party!! - (ps brown and Clegg can have this one for tomorrow night!!"
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 27/04/2010 11:43
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I note with interest that there is no mention of UAF members being arrested for public order offences.
How strange.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 27/04/2010 11:43
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Decency, London, UK, 27/04/2010 10:53
Democracy does not include protesting against free speech, which is what these idiots were doing.
Quite the opposite, you cannot have true Democracy without free speech.
So GROW UP yourself,NON ENTITY.
- Peter Holt, Leeds, England., 27/04/2010 11:42
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Why does the Standard give so much publicity to the fascist UAF yet portray BNP as the Nazis reborn? The BNP are all about freedom for British people in Britain yet a group of hippies, certain students (trying to be cool and jump on any bandwagon going) and immigrants (fearing their easy ride is is coming to an end) can try and stifle free speech and democracy. Exactly who is the fascists? Good luck Nick and all other BNP candidates in the election.
- David, North London, 27/04/2010 11:10
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"The demonstration, organised by the campaign group Unite Against Fascism..."
Unite against Fascism? The prohibition of free speech IS fascism.
- TV, Hounslow, 27/04/2010 10:57
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Yes, we should give all political parties a right to an election broadcast, that's what democracy is all about.
The UAF have a right to protest against this broadcast beacuse this is also what democracy is about.
All the left and right wing meat heads, GROW UP, this is a NON STORY!
- Decency, London, UK, 27/04/2010 10:53
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Well, they don't have democracy or freedom of speech in their home countries so why don't they return to to fascist dictatorships if that's what they like so much? I'm no BNP fan but the BBC has always gone out of their way to allow a voice to political activists.
- Real, London, 27/04/2010 10:19
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The Muslim Council of Britain and Jewish Council for Racial Equality protesting together!
Good job the BNP turned up as otherwise they would have had to fight each other.
- BJ, East London, 27/04/2010 09:48
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Many of these people come from countries with no free speech (ok, let's not argue about the real situation here). Perhaps they wish to impose that in the UK? I don't agree with the BNP though this is a free country. If a proportion of the country are so angered by the government's open door policy that they are prepared to vote for a single issue party, so be it. That's democracy. Threatening protests are not the way we do things, particularly when the BNP have diddlysquat chance of affecting anything.
- da, london, 27/04/2010 09:48
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I watched this programme. It was the only election broadcast where the speaker did not spend the entire time slagging off the rest of the candidates. I might not agree with most of the BNP but this cannot be such a bad country to come to - no one ever returns to these woderful Muslim enclaves do they?
I thought this was what England was about - democracy.
- Amber in Mitcham, mitcham, 27/04/2010 09:31
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"Around 40 demonstrators turned up outside Broadcasting House in London last night to register their opposition to Nick Griffin's televised message to voters."
I'd like to register MY opposition to this motley bunch's attempted interference with free speech, and disruption of the democratic process. Also:
1/ Who designed and printed their posters?
2/ How many members does Unite Against Fascism have?
3/ Where does their financing come from?
4/ As this demo was supported by a broadcasting union, what implications might
THAT have for our democracy?
5/ Shouldn't this be officially investigated?
- Croyboy, Croydon, UK, 27/04/2010 09:26
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What a crowd of numpties.
They wouldn't know the meaning of free speech even if it was stamped on their foreheads.
Pathetic!
- Peter Holt, Leeds, England., 27/04/2010 09:22
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just look at the protesters, it says it all
- Peter Woods, Romford, 27/04/2010 09:18
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What a crowd of numpties.
They wouldn't know the meaning of free speech even if it was stamped on their foreheads.
Pathetic!
- Peter Holt, Leeds, England., 27/04/2010 09:18
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Many Trades Unions have lost their way and boy does it show.
- Anglo, Sussex England, 27/04/2010 09:00
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Democracy is such a fickle thing ,get with it !!!
- Davey_bouy, Chertsey, 27/04/2010 08:51
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