BNP cancels march so Everton match can go ahead

Liverpool Daily Post by Luke Traynor | Monday, 23 February 2009 | Click here for original article

AN EVERTON FC game could be switched for a second time after the British National Party cancelled an event.

The club were forced to put back their Goodison Park contest with Stoke City on Saturday, March 14, by 24 hours.

Merseyside Police said it did not have resources to cover the game as the BNP were leafleting for the June European elections on the same day.

But this weekend, the far-right party announced it would cancel its campaigning so the Premier League game could be played on its original date.

Deputy BNP leader Simon Darby said: “We’ve postponed it as it was inconveniencing Everton and Stoke fans. The onus is back on police – if they can bring it forward at the drop of a hat, they can do it again.”

Everton officials said they would be talking to police and Stoke about reverting to the original date but are anxious to avoid inconveniencing fans who have already changed their plans.

Travel plans for hundreds of fans have been affected with 100 supporters from the Isle of Man among those hit.

The club said they had also deleted a series of messages apparently left by the BNP on their official site’s chatroom.