Ombudsman's response to Red, White & Blue opposer

BNP Councillor, Mr Cliff Roper

Scouring the internet tonight took me to Councillor Cliff Roper's blog.

Mr Roper was elected as a British National Party councillor for the Heanor East ward of Amber Valley Borough Council in May 2008.

What caught my eye on Mr Roper's blog was his article on a BNP opposers correspondence with the Local Government Ombudsman.

Apparently the BNP opposer gave a whole list of reasons for not wanting the BNP's Red, White and Blue festival to go ahead.

It makes very interesting reading and you can view the ombudsman's response and rebuttal here

Campaign launched to keep BNP festival away from Denby

A CAMPAIGN to stop the BNP holding its annual festival in Amber Valley has been started by a local anti-fascist organisation.

Amber Valley Campaign Against Racism and Fascism has plans to fight the right-wing party with a 'No BNP here, thank you' campaign, which it is hoping will be taken up by other people in the borough and around the county.

The group plans on setting up a huge petition, signed by thousands of people, which it hopes will keep the event out of the area.

The group said it set up the campaign in response to the £500,000 which was spent on policing this year's Red, White and Blue festival, and the protest march of more than 1,000 people which took place in Codnor on the same weekend in August.

John Kimberley, spokesman for the group, said: "We felt most local people did not want the BNP holding its international fascist festival in our community.

"Talking with local people over the past few months it is clear they hate the bad name the BNP gives our area.

"Plus, police money could be better spent on community relations, fighting crime and supporting victims.

"We believe the best solution is that the BNP do not hold its festival here again."

A spokesman for the BNP said the party had discussed moving the three-day event elsewhere in the country following this year's festival, but no decisions had yet been made on the location for next year, which will be the party's 11th rally.

The petition against the Amber Valley rally, which has been held on land off Codnor-Denby Lane for three years, will be set up online within months.

Ripley & Heanor News

Mr Clarke sums it up nicely in the comments section when he says:

A few things people may wish to consider. At the first festival with only one solitary protester, all the usual suspects raised bogus fears about the event. But there were no traffic problems, no major complaints about noise and certainly no trouble.

Enter the protesters and problems occur. Now, those same people have to talk as though the festival and protest are one event so as to try and equate trouble with the BNP and thus perpetuate the myths that surround the party.

The festival and protest are TWO SEPARATE events. Let the protesters stomp around Codnor Rec if they want to march but keep them from blocking roads.

As for Kimberley and chum. Setting up an online petition? Why not just get off your backside and ask LOCAL people to sign on a piece of paper? An online petition will get people from all over the country to sign, maybe even some silly student types from Exeter Uni!

Finally, two quick points. Does the fact that from the whole of Denby, Codnor, Waingroves and Loscoe only nineteen people (of which, four were BNP supporters) bothered to turn up to the recent public meeting arranged by the police, give some indication as to the 'outrage' felt by local residents?

Kimberley should perhaps take a look at the local ambervalleymatters blog to see that the BNP is now the third biggest political party in Amber Valley, and closing fast on the Tories and Labour.

Police hope BNP festival moves away from Denby village

DERBYSHIRE police say they hope the British National Party will confirm an alternative venue for its annual Red, White and Blue festival.

Speaking after a meeting last night, Superintendent Howard Veigas said the event, held for the past three years in Denby, led to "the same community suffering year after year" from the upheaval it brings to local residents.

Supt Veigas said: "The police do not feel it is a suitable location for the festival.

"We have great concerns that it is such an imposition and a huge disruption to the local community.

"But if it has to come back we will have to take on the organisation."

His comments came after BNP councillor Lewis Allsebrook told the meeting at Denby Church of England School, in Church Street, that the party was looking at "two or three alternative locations" for the event.

Mr Allsebrook, who represents Heanor West on Amber Valley Borough Council, reiterated that the party may move its festival away from Derbyshire.

He said: "The BNP is looking at alternative sites. The decision would be made at a central level.

"We came here to listen to what everyone has had to say and we are going to take on board their views."

Around 20 villagers turned up at last night's meeting.

Almost all praised the police for the way they handled this year's event, which saw 18 people arrested – four supporters of the BNP and 14 protesters. One man, who did not wish to be named, said: "It was a fantastic job by the police. I felt very secure knowing they were there."

Another resident told the meeting: "I think the police response was absolutely excellent in the way they handled the different interest groups."

Villagers at the meeting, which was organised by the police to seek residents' views on the way the force handled the event, were shown video footage taken from a police helicopter.

It showed demonstrators, marshalled by officers and police on horseback, as they marched down Heanor Road to a designated protest point on Codnor-Denby Lane.

Police formed a cordon but were pushed back twice as the protesters shoved their way through.

Chief Superintendent Garry Sherwood, Commander for the Constabulary's A Division, which covers Amber Valley, told the meeting: "It reminded me of when I started policing more than 20 years ago – a thin blue line with arms linked."

See This is Derbyshire for comments

THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE BNP FESTIVAL PART 1

Last night I got back from this year’s Red, White & Blue family weekend festival feeling drained, both physically and mentally. What a weekend. I met up with old friends and made many, many new ones.

So much happened in those three days that when I got up this morning to write my blog I just didn’t know where to start. Because of this I am going to treat it as a diary and start at the beginning…

My journey began on Friday afternoon when Councillor Lewis Allsebrook arrived to take my friend Arran and I over to the RWB site. It was a beautiful, hot day, we were laden with camping equipment and the items needed to set up the Amber Valley stall. There was so much that we didn’t think we’d fit everything in, but we managed it.

The roads leading up to the Denby Lane turn-off were busy with it being a Friday, but once we hit Denby Lane it was easy going.

I noticed that where previously the Union Flags were displayed outside houses, there were none. Not one. They had been removed, obviously in preparation for the arrival of the so-called ‘anti’-fascists; the Government and Union funded great unwashed. I can’t say I blame them. After all, who wants their windows smashing simply because they are showing their pride in being British?

On reaching the RWB site we were greeted by security who do a fantastic job in keeping us safe from the opposing scum. Lewis drove us round to our pitch where we dropped off our camping gear before heading to the East Midlands Marquee. Here we unloaded all the items we had brought to sell to raise funds for the Amber Valley branch. I set to work organising the stall while Lewis drove off to fetch his tent.

The plan was that Lewis would return in a couple of hours, but Lewis loves his television programmes and decided to return early the following morning before the protesters had arrived. That didn’t happen, as the protesters arrived much earlier than they had arranged with the police. More of that later. I still have Friday to finish first.

I sold a few things over the course of the next few hours. On offer were cakes, books, PlayStation and PC games, jars containing bags of sweets, slices of melons and bottles of water, among other things. I still had my tent to erect so I decided to leave a note on the table asking people to place their money in the BNP box provided. I can honestly say that it is safe to do this as the BNP attracts honest people.

It was at this point that I noticed how many campers there were; there were hundreds of tents. Virtually every tent had at least one flag flying from it. Some were attached to guy ropes, but the most impressive were flying high above on poles. It was a wonderful sight to see so many patriotic people brought together in one spot and I just knew I was in for a great weekend. Like-minded people with the same ideas and ideals.

I need not have worried about setting up my tent as my friend had already erected it for me. By this time I was wondering where one of my friends, Lippy from chatroll, had got to. I had saved her a pitch so she could be next to me. She had been held up in traffic and arrived an hour or so later. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the size of her tent, but was astounded when I saw what else she had brought with her.

Lippy’s tent would have suited a family. It certainly wasn’t what I expected a single woman to have. It took four of us to erect and when we’d finished she said we still had to attach the awning. She opened the back of her van and it was packed solid with camping gear. She had one of those fold up foam beds; the type that folds into a chair when not in use, pillows, quilt, sheets. There was a huge gas bottle, full kitchen complete with all the utensils you expect in a normal kitchen including a wash bowl. The list was endless, but what made me laugh was the amount of clothes she brought. We were only spending three days and two nights and yet Lippy was prepared for any event. She even had choice of jackets, ranging from a smart knitted coat to a more sophisticated silk evening coat.

When we had finally managed to get everything out and into her tent we decided we’d go for a walk and try to find our other friends from the unofficial British National Party chatroll. We headed for the adjoining field which housed the marquees.

To be continued…

COUNTER PROTEST UPDATE

Taken from facebook channel ANTI UAF PROTEST IN DERBY

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/March-Red-White-Blue-festival-involve-1-000/article-1176614-detail/article.html

we are going to protest against the UAF fascists and protect the BNP political rights to exist

People should consider the fact that these people who join the police force are mostly dedicated individuals and for those of the UAF that cant respect the police force and its members, should keep your unwanted opinions to yourself. They have to deal with anarchists such as the UAF thugs attacking them while they are protecting people going about their business and suffer political correctness tying their hands while they are trying to protect our property and lives from vicious thugs in the UAF, but still people dont rally behind and support them. I wonder how the UAF would all get on in a totalitarian state such as Iran or China, where they would be banged up for even commenting as they do and disposed of without any further fuss.

The police are not a necessary evil but a necessity agianst evil and these UAF need to remember that is why we oppose their anarchy in support of our laws and police forces who ensure the laws are adhered to

UPDATE* The police are aware of our counter demonstration against the anarchists and 'appreciative' of our cause in supporting law and order.
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Heads up BNP RWB Organisers

David Cameron's UAF want to stop this

The following has been published in the Ripley & Heanor News and I copy the article in full for the benefit of the Red, White and Blue Organisers of the British National Party. If you have already seen it fine. Better to receive information twice than not at all.

CHIEF Constable Mick Creedon is to hold a meeting specially for residents of Codnor and Denby to hear their views on the forthcoming British National Party Red, White and Blue Festival.
The national festival is being held on Codnor Denby Lane during the weekend of August 14, 15 and 16 and police are expecting a large number of people to either attend the event or protest against it.

Officers are also consulting with the festival organisers and groups who have indicated that they will be taking part in a protest against it.

The meeting, at John Flamsteed School, Denby, will only be open to residents of the villages who will be most affected by any disruption and not members of the general public.

The meeting will start at 6.30pm on Tuesday, August 4, and anybody wishing to attend should contact police on 0345 123 33 33 to register.

Now I think that it is only fair that a British National Party representative be allowed to attend, sit at the top table and answer any questions put to them by the residents of the villages that may be affected by the event.

I realise that were it not for the threats from David Camerons UAF Claw Hammer Gang, the residents would probably not be even aware of the event.

I also suggest that that BNP representative extend a publicly announced invitation to a delegation of the villagers to attend the event at any time and judge for themselves and report back on just what an innocent event it is.

Article by the Green Arrow

Red, White And Blue Caravaners Face Arrest

MEMBERS of the BNP bringing caravans to the controversial Red, White and Blue festival in Denby in August could face arrest.

Amber Valley Borough Council has written to organiser Alan Warner, who has hosted the event on his land for the past two years, warning him he risks police intervention by allowing too many caravanners to park on his land during the festival without a licence.

Landowners need a caravan site licence to use their sites as a temporary or permanent park for the vehicles and the council says the excessive number of caravans at last year's festival exceeded the number allowed without permission.

In a letter to Mr Warner sent earlier this month Amber Valley solicitor Paul Benski said: "Land may not be used as a caravan site, either permanently or temporarily, unless a site licence is held. To do otherwise would constitute a criminal offence.

"I must ask you to state in clear terms that anyone entering your land with a caravan is a trespasser who does so without your permission. Anyone who then does so is liable to arrest by the police for public order offences."

Mr Warner, whose home was targeted by vandals last week, said: "I have told our party to break off all communication with the council. I think it is absolutely ridiculous – talking about coming on site and arresting people in caravans for trespassing.

"This is clearly victimisation. Other events in the area like the steam rally have many caravans on site with no problems. It looks to me like they have been scouring the legal books looking for something to get us on and this is all they have found."

A spokesman for the council said: "Chief executive Peter Carney is responding to representations from the Chief Constable and complaints after last year's event from residents about the number of caravans on the site giving rise to traffic and noise issues.

"He is asking the council to make an order prohibiting a trespassory assembly on the land for the event, following a request from the Chief Constable. This is aimed at preventing large numbers of protesters attending the event, and follows the order that was made last year. He is also asking the council to apply for an injunction to prevent caravans entering the site."

The matter was discused by Amber Valley Borough Council on Wednesday, July 22, in private.

Article from the Ripley And Heanor News