BNP Boss Arrested On Race Charge

Sky News | Tuesday, 14 December 2004 | Click here for original article

The leader of the British National Party has been arrested following a TV documentary exposing the extent of racism in the organisation. Nick Griffin, 45, was arrested on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred as part of an investigation into the BBC programme Secret Agent.Father-of-four Griffin has been chairman of the BNP since 1999.

A BNP spokesman said: "At 0700 four non-uniformed police officers awoke the Griffin household from their sleep at their family farmhouse in mid Wales."

The documentary, screened in July, featured covertly-filmed footage showing BNP activists confessing to race-hate crimes and party leader Griffin condemning Islam as a "vicious, wicked faith".

His arrest is the 12th in connection with the investigation into the BBC documentary.

The BNP's founding chairman John Tyndall, 70, of Brighton, was arrested on suspicion of the same offence on Sunday following a speech he made in Burnley, Lancashire, in March.

Parts of the speech were covertly filmed and shown in the BBC documentary.

Tyndall, a former chairman of the National Front, has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.