Nick Griffin ambushed by Peter Tatchell
The far right BNP leader Nick Griffin was ambushed at his press conference and photo call at Millbank Studios in London this afternoon by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
See BBC footage of the ambush and a full transcript here.
Mr Tatchell sneaked between the photographers pack and strode right up to Mr Griffin as he was showing off his Buckingham Palace Garden Party invitation, which was withdrawn by the Queen earlier today.
“As soon as he saw me he had a look of horror on his face,” said Mr Tatchell.
“I asked Griffin: ‘Isn’t it about time you apologised to the British people for your party’s long history of anti-Semitism, homophobia and attacks on the Muslim community?’”
“Griffin looked sheepish. He seemed stumped for an answer. I asked him again. Then he just ran off. What a coward.
“Griffin’s minders shoved me down the stairs. It’s proof that the BNP doesn’t believe in free speech or in the public asking their leader awkward questions. It shows the kind of autocratic society the BNP would impose if they ever won power.
“For many years, the BNP has preached a totalitarian ideology of anti-Jewish, anti-black, anti-gay and anti-Muslim hatred. The party has a long and strident hatred of non-white immigrants and asylum seekers. It’s racist views are an affront to democratic values.
“Behind Nick Griffin’s silky words and smiles lurk his party’s neo-fascist roots. The BNP is a threat to human rights and social solidarity,” said Mr Tatchell.
Good for Peter Tatchell. Needless to say, the account which Griffin gave, following the confrontation, bears no resemblance to the newsreel footage of the event. Indeed, Griffin’s accusations about in your face aggression will remind Liveraf supporters of the behaviour of quite a few of the BNP’s own members; among them one Mr Andrew Tierney.
As if you would have actually let him answer. Or conducted a discussion civilly. You are all the same, you shout and rant so that the other person cannot get their point across. You are the bullies and the fascists.
Also you forget that darts were thrown by people from your political persuasion, you aren’t dealing with reality, you don’t just let another person invade your space like that especially after what happened on college green. That’s why you were manhandled away.
Get real, you are destroying lives and peoples welfare with your support and defence of people who come here and have more advantages than the indigenous people. Like to see you defend them and British homless and people on drugs for a change.
You are the coward, you have the establishment and the UAF mob and naive students, middle class backing you, just because you spout the usual buzz words of racism/fascism and tripe of homophobia/anti-semitic etc…..oh yeah, you MUST be the good guy. What a propagandist and liar.
Do I really have to point out that you’re talking about Peter Tatchell. That’s the guy who tried to citizen’s arrest Robert Mugabe, who criticised UAF for giving a platform to Islamic fundamentalists, and who consistently opposes oppression, racism, homophobia, and bigotry in whatever form it comes.
And he still thinks Nick Griffin is a fascist arse.
You don’t know who you’re addressing, can’t distinguish one group of opponents for another, and can’t even get it through your thick skull that Liverpool Antifascists have consistently rejected arguments that oppose fascism by attacking the working class.
And then the whole censorship argument falls through because … oh, we never deleted your comment and actually responded to it.
Muppet.
Typical of the BNP mob to throw the old ‘You’re all Stalinist students’ crap around.
Griffin was given abundant time to articulate a response – the problem was simply that he could not justify his actual politics; to quote the man himself ‘We shall hide behind a facade of democracy and sieze power with well-directed boots and fists’.
Tatchell is clearly given quite a shove by the Combat 18 twatholes – yeah somehow he is the ‘aggressive, violent one’.