BNP cancels event after match row

BBC News | Sunday, 22 February 2009 | Click here for original article

The British National Party (BNP) has cancelled an event in Liverpool which police said forced them to postpone Everton's match against Stoke.

The Premier League fixture was due to take place at Goodison on Saturday, 14 March, but was switched to Sunday.

The Merseyside force feared it did not have enough officers to police the match and a city centre election leafleting event by the party.

But the BNP told the BBC its event was being cancelled for the sake of fans.

Fans 'inconvenienced'

Deputy leader Simon Darby said: "It's the right thing to do.

"It's an unholy political row and football is going to be the loser here, so I don't see why Everton and Stoke fans should be inconvenienced.

"And if the police can cancel these fixtures as they seem to do at the drop of a hat, then they can rearrange it now."

Merseyside Police and Everton Football Club are yet to comment on the latest development.

The match is still scheduled to take place at 1500 GMT on Sunday, 15 March, following a police request to the Premier League.

The force apologised to fans for the rearrangement, but said "public safety was paramount".