BNP flops in attempt to intimidate union

Matthew Collins | Monday, 23 February 2004 Source: Searchlight

The BNP's attempt to harass people working to expose their criminality fell flat last month when despite a national mobilisation only 36 fascists braved the wrath of members of several trade unions and organisations to demonstrate outside the offices of the Commission for Racial Equality and later on the same day the National Union of Journalists.

Working with Searchlight Jeremy Dear, the general secretary of the NUJ, and his colleagues produced a leaflet at short notice to hand out to passers-by caught in the middle of the opposing sides. NUJ black members were instrumental in coordinating the union's response and several recalled the work of Searchlight's former editor Maurice Ludmer with trade unions and the wider community.

Central to the BNP's protest on 16 February was its claim that the NUJ had conspired to cover up the murder of Gavin Hopley, a white teenager, in Oldham two years ago. While Dear and his staff refuted that claim Searchlight was able to provide the NUJ with information and ammunition to prove that this is part of a concerted campaign by fascists to intimidate those members of the NUJ who work to bring the truth about the BNP to light. NUJ members appreciated Searchlight's knowledge and intelligence of the workings and criminality of the BNP and its most senior members, which formed the crux of the NUJ's leaflet.

All in all it was a miserable day for the BNP, who even bussed in taxi driver Mick Treacey from Oldham. He will no doubt make great play in the June elections on the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the teenager's death.

The BNP leadership had expected over 120 members to respond to its national call-out. The party's website the next day laughably claimed a turnout of 100 in an attempt to rewrite the history of yet another flop. However the fascists were able to give the recently appointed London co-ordinator Richard Barnbrook an airing alongside Bob Gertner, promoted from Croydon branch organiser to London activities organiser in charge of the BNP's instant response group, which on this occasion was neither instant nor much of a response.

One of the organisers of the fiasco was the Young BNP leader, Tony Wentworth, of whom some BNP members present were heard saying, "What's Tony Wentworth? Not very much."

However, having been outgunned at the CRE and then the NUJ, pride of place for the most miserable face must go to the convicted bomber Tony Lecomber. His convictions, together with a complete list of the other rapists, thugs and Holocaust deniers who also frequent BNP activities, were read aloud for all to hear. All in all it was not a great day for him. The fact that he had to stand within ten feet of "Pissy" Jim, one of the BNP's most unsanitary activists, did little to ease the misery etched on his face from the moment the BNP shuffled up until they finally shuffled off numbering by then fewer than 20.