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Fascist Le Pen egged in Manchester.

fcuk fascism | 25.04.2004 16:48 | Anti-racism

The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside.
When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.

Protesters have gathered in Manchester and Birmingham to denounce the visit of Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Waving signs that said "refugees are welcome here," hundreds voiced their displeasure with the French far-right leader's visit.

Anti-racist and anti-fascist groups had questioned the decision to allow Mr Le Pen in the country.

But home secretary David Blunkett said Mr Le Pen was an EU citizen and had the right to travel.

But on Sunday Mr Blunkett told the BBC: "I'd rather Mr Le Pen wasn't here. I'd rather the British National Party didn't exist in our country."

'Not welcome'

The angry shouts of the groups outside the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham could be heard as Mr Le Pen and BNP leader Nick Griffin held a news conference inside.

Asked what he would say to those angry over his presence in the UK, Mr Le Pen said through a translator: "The message is quite simple. We should tell them to cool down. The purpose of the visit is not to incite trouble."

Mr Blunkett said Mr Le Pen was free to come and go as long as he "behaves himself."

"If he incites or causes public disorder the police will act immediately and I will give them any support they need."

When Mr Le Pen attempted to leave the hotel, his car was surrounded by angry protestors and pelted with eggs. Police formed a barricade around the vehicle until it was able to drive away.

On Sunday evening, Mr Le Pen is to address a black-tie dinner in Shropshire. The location of the event - billed as the "the patriotic dinner of the year" by the BNP - is being kept secret.

More on the BBC website.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3654941.stm

fcuk fascism
Homepage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3654941.stm

Comments

Hide the following 46 comments

job well done

25.04.2004 17:32

I thought it went well. The blacked out limo was delayed from leaving the car-park for ages, forced to go at a snails pace by hastily erected barricades, and sit down protests in front of the car. Every time the police threw the first line aside, more just joined the back of the crowd. The police were aggressive, but the BNP thugs were worse. The BBC footage shows one BNP bodyguard almost crushing me under a metal fence. Considering the venue was secret until the last minute the turnout was good. Apparently a party of Spanish guests at the hotel walked out in protest when they found out they were sharing a hotel with nazis. The BNP's attempts to normalise their party and gain mainstream 'respectability' will have been undermined by the show of opposition.

Nazi Scum

25.04.2004 18:17

... ..

mick

not only but also

25.04.2004 19:36

great day - as above but also:

as well as pelted by many many eggs, car with Le Pen and Griffin also covered with fucking stinking rotten vegetables. They had to use the windscreen wipers to try to see out, until someone managed to rip one off, and what with the number of people in front of the car, they missed the exit, and had to reverse back from a wall and try again. One of the (literally) fascist security guards escorting the car out was hit with a walking stick till blood flowed from his forehead. Le Pen had spit spatter his face, as did some of the 'security' thugs. Police were violent as per usual, being a bit crap and losing control and so pushing till people fell, got hurt, twisted arms etc, but did not use CS spray or batons or arrest anyone. Fire alarm set off in hotel too, and an alarmed looking Griffin in car spotted in car on road out of Altrincham. Hotel owner alleged that he didn't know beforehand, otherwise he wouldn't have let it go ahead, as booked under the Trafalgar Society (usual front), PO Box in Tameside. And hey, sunny again in Manchester - what a good day out!

fuck fascism (why beat about the bsuh)

just wondering

25.04.2004 19:52

When did Griffin get out? we seemed to have all the exits blocked at least until Le Pen left, I didn't notice Griffin leave?

Well done

25.04.2004 19:55

Couldn't make this demo myself, but Channel 4 news showed Le Pen's car - protected by coppers and besieged by protesters - piled high with rotting fruit and vegetables. The car looked more like a skip, which is fitting as Le Pen was inside.

Well done all who took part.

Socialist

some mainstream coverage

25.04.2004 20:46

cars stink

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/stories/Detail_LinkStory=98147.html

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-13070499,00.html

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1132382,00.html

http://newsobserver.com/24hour/world/story/1315553p-8471644c.html

oh, and Griffin left in the same car as Le Pen.

Chris

25.04.2004 23:15

In that video of yours, you can see BNP minders hit out at a woman a couple of times I think if you look closely, one seems to go to ground

I blame the police for the violence

26.04.2004 07:10

Why didn't tht police keep protesters well back behind crowd barriers instead of letting them get so close to Le Pen. The police were totally irresponsible and stupid in the way they handled the protest against Le Pen. Protesters should never have been allowed to get within a hundred yards of Len Pens car. It just show how crap at crowd control the police have become!

Angry

Free Speech

26.04.2004 07:44

Well done to eveyone who took part in this attack on free speech. It's good to know that if someone comes to the country with views and opinions we disagree with it is acceptable to treat them this way.

Concerned about democracy

BNP security

26.04.2004 08:29

yesterday, once the car had got on to the main road, the BNP security all legged it back over to the hotel looking pretty scared of the protestors and one of them definitely dropped something that looked like a phone. he did seem to notice but as all his mates had kept going he didn't run back for it...

then a woman went to pick it up and i'm not sure what happened after!

surely he wouldn't have left a phone to be picked up? not sure what else it could have been though...

i was there

Concerned, my arse: you're a BNP-er, admit it

26.04.2004 10:34

If you spent more time standing up for real democracy and less standing up for fascism, then British democracy might be in better nick, "concerned".

There is nothing more absurd/pathetic than the sight of NEO-NAZIS and their sympathisers (yes YOU, "concerned") bleating on about "democratic rights".

Hint: the BNP does not believe in democracy. It wants race war and violence. It thinks the Hitler regime "had the right idea". Remember how that little party turned out?

Its members/leadership are drawn from the worst elements of criminalism and hooliganism. Its all there. Check out the Redwatch website with its exhortations to harrass/intimidate democratic opponents. The Front Nationale are the same. Its all there. Look it up.

Zero tolerance for the intolerant

re: free speech

26.04.2004 10:38

To 'Concerned about democracy',
either you are a fash (which I'm afraid you sound like with the same old lines) in which case you know kinda where I'd like you to go, and I hope no-one bothers responding to you and getting sucked into your crap,
or if you're not a fash and believe this, please read up about "No Platform" policies for fascists, & how the Nazis in Germany took totalitarian power using 'democratic tools' - there's a lot of thought gone into this from a lot of people.

To 'Angry',
yes the cops were crap about crowd control, but they aren't always, and didn't use CS spray or batons, or arrest anyone, which felt like a policy decision that with all the world's press there, they didn't want to arrest any anti-fash (it doesn't usually work this way). After the second world war, many cops were helping anti-fa to physically confront fascists in the streets, because they knew a little about what had happened - don't forget, and don't let it happen again!
I don't want to be penned in anyway, I wanted to get Le Pen out!

George (a saint)

more pish from the mainstream torrent

26.04.2004 10:45

bleedin fash guards

egg head (oeuf)

arrogant fuckheads

Not mentioned in early posts, his car also got scratched.
If you've got the connection speed/power to be able to watch the 38MB video (hopefully someone'll get the time to make smaller/shorter), the woman who gets manhandled then scores brownie points introducing her walking stick to a fash security's bonce!

Most links below repeat same newswire words, some different, but from all over the globe! From last night, so maybe more already today?

Independent & Guardian links most interesting/entertaining articles.

Some of above links now to new stories, focussing more on just Blunkett, or adding dinner in Wales on Griffin's dad's farm info.

Some of above links are to 'submit your views sections' (with some fash, and some 'freedom of speech/democracy' & some 'but how about the evil Muslim terrorists' comments..., so get writing!)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-eur/2004/apr/25/042505342.html

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/world/8518281.htm

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=1&u=/ap/20040425/ap_on_re_eu/britain_le_pen

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-britain-le-pen,0,2103378.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=499178&section=news

http://www.channel4.com/news/2004/04/week_4/25_lepen.html

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apeurope_story.asp?category=1103&slug=Britain%20Le%20Pen

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-eur/2004/apr/25/042505734.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1094555.htm

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=515293

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2835804

http://www.itv.com/news/1597966.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004190606,00.html

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200national/tm_objectid=14180932%26method=full%26siteid=50081%26headline=hundreds%2dprotest%2dat%2dle%2dpen%2dvisit-name_page.html

http://www.femail.co.uk/pages/standard/article.html?in_article_id=212106&in_page_id=2

http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,11981,1203408,00.html

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_933528.html?menu=news.latestheadlines

anarcho

Well Said

26.04.2004 10:57

Well said, after all this man doesn't agree with us so let's not let anyone hear what he has to say. From now on if we disagree with other people let's use violence to stop them.

The important thing is we judge what the people of Britain are allowed to hear, we know better than them and our opinions and views are the only ones that matter.

I say let's keep information away from the ordinary voter or that might make their own mind up

Concerned about democracy

Nonsense

26.04.2004 10:59

well done...

the post about protecting free speech and democracy by protecting facsist leaders
wins todays Tom Conte Institute Award for most irrational nonsense. You are a true comic genius whoever you are.

Tom Conte Institute

How to make a video CD -- for those that may not know

26.04.2004 11:12

If you have a DVD-Writer drive or a CD-Writer drive, the above video clip can be used to make a video CD (VCD) that can be played on a DVD player connected to a TV.

Try using Nero disk burning software.

http://www.nero.com/en/index.html

After installing Nero, download the Le Pen Mpeg clip. Launch Nero, select "CD", then "Photo and Video" and finally select "video CD". This will bring up the interface where you can select the Le Pen clip and burn it to a CD.

The following is also a very useful site for advice about burning DVDs and CDs:

http://www.videohelp.com/

Video man

re: more mainstream pish

26.04.2004 11:35

sorry for multiple postings - Indymedia software problems really (they're not my tools, so how can I blame them!).

Tried to post up 7 images, so here's the remaining three which somehow didn't get to the page..!

anarcho (French for anarco ya know)

guide to public order situations

26.04.2004 11:36

for similar situations, check out the guide to public order situations, at

http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/manchester/porder.htm
or download from

http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/manchester/porder.pdf

antifa

re: mainstream pish

26.04.2004 11:41

I'll try 3 images again - IMC comes back with error, but manages to post the comment, or half the images...?! WTF

anarcho (rapidly goin' Luddite)

I wonder ?

26.04.2004 13:00

I wonder what the postings here would have been if the visitor had been let's say Fidel Castro, another nutter like Le Pen commited to a one party non democratic reppresive system. How many of those out attacking Le Pen would have attacked Castro ?

Rick

Vote "none of the above"

26.04.2004 13:28

State-capitalist dictators like Castro deserve the same kind of welcome as Le Pen.

But I don't suppose Castro will be turning up here anytime soon: the UK has an open-door policy for right-wing thugs like Le Pen and Haider to visit, but not the left-wing sort.

I wonder why?

spanner

re: Castro

26.04.2004 13:37

Fair point . . . Castro's 'dodgy' on human rights etc but he's not a fascist. The nearest to Castro coming was the Chinese premier who drew protests and illegal repression by police (nice; introduce totalitarian policing in honour of a totalitarian guest!). Castro has achieved positive things as well in the face of constant US pressure and outright military aggression - that doesn't justify repression though obviously.

Fuck the Fascists.

Tom

Cuba

26.04.2004 13:57

Castro is not a repressive dictator. He is loved through all of Cuba where his policies of Latin Socialism have created a paradise for all. Do not be fooled by the corrupt Western media who portray problems in Cuba these pictures are all fakes.

Cuba has abundant food, with the glorious revolution producing a fair life for all.

When the workers revolution comes to Britain you too will be able to live in a Socialist Paradise.

John

'concerned about democracy'

26.04.2004 14:03

'Concerned about democracy' reminds me of the Onion satirical headline - "ACLU Defends Nazis' Right To Burn Down ACLU Headquarters"

Not that I've anything against the ACLU but you see the point. Most of the violence and aggression came from the BNP thugs anyway.

And yes I would demonstrate against Castro.

Well done everybody

26.04.2004 15:46

Well done to all who went down to protest against le pen yesterday, I was there and other than being manhandled by the police (or should i say defenders of the fash), i thought we did really well. This is the only way to deal with nazi scum like le pen/griffin/bnp etc

Funny story though....we were stopped at a traffic light in the mini bus we'd used. Who should pull up next to us by pure coincidence? A car covered in rubbish and eggs with the scumbags inside! Griffin had his window down and when he saw us the look on his face will never leave me...the fear in his eyes! he shouted to the driver (that nazi thug joey owens if i recall) to speed away, and they did, jumping the red light.
Classic.

Well done veryone

26.04.2004 15:48

Well done to so many people for foiling the BNP's laughable attempt at secrecy and giving Le Pen a roasting he won't forget in a hurry.

The ridiculous comparison made on this site between Le Pen and Castro is too contemptible to pass comment on. A far more relevant one would be, say, Ariel Sharon. Check the two men's biogs and you'll find one major thing in common: a hysterical hatred of Arabs, and a series of committing war crimes against them (Le Pen in Algeria, Sharon in Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and the Sinai). Probably to Sharon's embarrassment, Le Pen is a great admirer. So come on Arik you butcher, we're waiting with the eggs you fascist toad. Now that would be a party!

Dave Guevara

3 people (NOT PROTESTERS) arrested

26.04.2004 17:18

According to ITV news, 3 people were arrested yesterday (not protesters though), presumably they were BNP? Perhaps it's related to the details in the Telegraph about how police found a 'machete type instrument' in a car containing BNP literature?

Freedom of speach....

26.04.2004 20:27

Freedom of speech is only a right for those who speak of freedom. Anyone whose ideas in anyway restrict others peoples freedoms can't really go demanding it for themselves

Oi!

Excellent but..

26.04.2004 21:18

Anyway of finding out where it is directly next time? Instead of being asked to meet in Manchester for lifts and people with maps? More people would have come if they could have just gone there directly. It would help if information is shared not guarded. If that was what was happening.

Someone

more press drivel

26.04.2004 22:20

From Calcutta paper, headline reads "Manchester mauls anti-settler leader"...

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040426-090457-1408r.htm

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14181922&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=le-pen-pelted-name_page.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040426/WREPO26-6/TPInternational/Europe

http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=14182542&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=demo-over-le-pen-press-conference-in-cheshire-name_page.html

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9400582%255E2703,00.html

http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=72d5caba-76c9-4865-8c5d-5be10968a91e

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=6967

details of his 'minders':

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14168585&method=full&siteid=89488&headline=scottish-nazi-minders-for-poison-le-pen-name_page.html
and

http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/nationalnews/tm_objectid=14168753&method=full&siteid=50102&headline=bnp-man-to-guard-le-pen-in-uk-visit-name_page.html
and

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14175868&method=full&siteid=89488&headline=yob-the-builder-name_page.html

http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=1812483

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/world/2530998

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-world263773676apr26,0,1847773.story?coll=ny-worldnews-headlines

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/81840/1/.html

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/politics/8521969.htm

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-lepen26.html

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2836673

http://www.news24houston.com/content/headlines/?ArID=27797&SecID=2

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040425-092933-7710r.htm

http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/14776.html

http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=15339

http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200404/4b5a85f6-e57c-47ed-b064-39f2a9ca259d.htm

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14181481&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=le-pen-s-uk-visit-name_page.html

In French:

http://permanent.nouvelobs.com/europe/20040425.FAP7422e.html?1933

http://www.iht.com/articles/516850.html

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/5D5472DC-60F7-4A9C-B5B0-7FC9EFA7B2C0.htm

http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Apr/04262004/nation_w/160762.asp

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_26-4-2004_pg7_45

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3562735&thesection=news&thesubsection=world

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/26/1082831473152.html

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2888450a12,00.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/26/international/europe/26BRIT.html?ex=1083556800&en=4063f4ff35e4fbbd&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/04/26/lepen.britain.ap/

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=4932164

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/04/25/international1422EDT0486.DTL

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/lateststories/index.ssf?/base/international-6/1082918040195330.xml

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/8518281.htm?1c

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/26/nlepen26.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/04/26/ixhome.html

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0404/142185.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/World/story_56244.asp

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040426/asp/foreign/story_3173851.asp

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/89-04252004-289203.html

http://www.tribnet.com/24hour/world/story/1315553p-8471644c.html

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040425/API/404250673

our protests are as global as our press coverage....erm

re: excellent but

26.04.2004 22:33

I wasn't involved in organising, but went along...

The fash were meeting the press in a car park, and then redirecting them to wherever it was. No-one knew the hotel till they handed the press leaflets - the BNP were trying to stop our protests, so we couldn't know where it was. I just trusted whoever it was who got it all together, and hoped there'd be enough space in cars, and there was for all.
So it's not to do with sharing or guarding in this case. I could see in another instance that people did know but wouldn't share it either, otherwise the fash would just move to somewhere else as soon as they knew we knew, never mind the police would normally stop us & protect the fash - so sometimes it has to be done on a 'need to know' basis, and the rest of us just have to give some trust, and come along anyway in large numbers. It felt a lot more together/stronger anyway that we'd all met up in advance in Manchester, rather than made our own ways to Altrincham.

bobalob