[size=18][b]BNP leader cleared of race hate [/b][/size]
BNP leader Nick Griffin and party activist Mark Collett have been cleared of inciting racial hatred after a retrial at Leeds Crown Court.
Mr Griffin, 46, from Powys, Wales, had denied two charges of using words or behaviour intended to stir up racial hatred in a speech in Keighley.
Mr Collett, 26, of Leicestershire, was cleared of four similar charges.
The pair were charged in April 2005 after the BBC showed a secretly-filmed documentary The Secret Agent in 2004.
Mr Griffin smiled and nodded as the foreman of the jury read out the unanimous not guilty verdict.
His wife Jackie burst into tears in the public gallery and there were cheers from BNP supporters, which were then muted by the judge.
Outside court, Mr Griffin and Mr Collett were greeted with chants of "freedom" by about 200 supporters, some of whom waved the union flag.
A small number of anti-Nazi protesters shouted as Mr Griffin addressed the crowd.
He said: "What has just happened shows Tony Blair and the government and the BBC that they can take our taxes but they cannot take our hearts, they cannot take our tongues and they cannot take our freedom."
Mr Griffin said his co-defendant had worked "incredibly hard" for the BNP but had been living under the threat of a prison sentence since the age of 23.
BBC 'cockroaches'
Mr Collett, the party's head of the publicity, said: "This is the BNP - two, BBC - nil."
He branded the BBC "cockroaches" and added: "The BBC have abused their position.
"They are a politically correct, politically biased organisation which has wasted licence fee payers money to bring two people in a legal, democratic, peaceful party to court over speaking nothing more than the truth."
In a statement, the BBC said its job was to bring matters of public interest to general attention.
"In this case the matters raised in The Secret Agent were seen by a large section of the public and caused widespread concern," the statement read.
"The BBC has an important role in doing this.
"However, the question of whether criminal offences have been committed is of course a matter for the police, prosecuting authorities and the courts and not for the BBC."
Sufficient evidence
The Crown Prosecution Service said it was satisfied there had been sufficient evidence for a "realistic prospect of conviction" and it had been in the public interest to proceed.
During the trial, the jury heard extracts from a speech Mr Griffin made in the Reservoir Tavern in Keighley, on 19 January 2004, in which he described Islam as a "wicked, vicious faith" and said Muslims were turning Britain into a "multi-racial hell hole".
At the same event, Mr Collett addressed the audience by saying: "Let's show these ethnics the door in 2004."
In his closing argument, Nick Griffin's barrister said his client's words were part of a "campaign speech of an official and legitimate party".
[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/6135060.stm]BBC[/url]
yet he gets away free and a guy is imprisoned for carrying a banner that says behead the people who disgrace islam which he probably didnt write himself and mp reid says the law needs reviewing in needs re writein not reviewing
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane, by those who couldn't hear the music...
the muppet who walked around london with a banner calling for the murder of anyone who mocks islam fully deserves to be banged up...
no doubt he was a dimwitted, hothead, who wouldn't burst a grape in a fruit fight, but if u call for blood over a cartoon then u need locking up....
the bnp muppets need the same treatment...shame the nazis didnt go down as well....still, at least nobody votes for these cowardly liars...well, maybe a few in the north do, but we all know northerners are not the sharpest tools in the box....
They Vote To Send Us To War Instantly.....But None Of Their Kids Serve In The Infantry...
POWER TO THE PEOPLE....
that's a bit harsh...
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
dats wat in was gettin at da bnp are clever but da sme treatment shud be given to evry1 its like one rule for u another for me
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane, by those who couldn't hear the music...
maybe...but he deserved it...it should send a lesson to any muppet who is urging murder or racial hatred...u cant stroll around the streets with banners calling on the killing of anyone who hates u...
i say "it should", but i admit the lesson is not helped by the cowards of the british nazi party walking free from a court of law...
both are low lifes of the first order...
They Vote To Send Us To War Instantly.....But None Of Their Kids Serve In The Infantry...
POWER TO THE PEOPLE....
i thought that guy was funny...the one dressed as a suicide bomber...
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
[color=indigo][b]
Really? Why?[/b][/color]
he just made me laugh! you don't often see people dressed like that! i bet all the people were scared!
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
come on girl,
wake up...that clown went to london, on PUBLIC TRANSPORT, dressed as a suicide bomber...
6 million londoners, including 1 million muslims, would have been fully within their rights to kick his sorry arse...
he was from some small town outside of our capital....
no suprises...
the bombers on 7/7 chose areas of london where loads os MUSLIMS live...
they dont care about anyone but themselves...the bombers and the dimwith dressed as a suicide bomber are ignorants cretins
They Vote To Send Us To War Instantly.....But None Of Their Kids Serve In The Infantry...
POWER TO THE PEOPLE....
that's what makes me laugh! he's such a prat!
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
Well, he could have been shot...
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
not really, a suicide bomber doesn't dress like that for everyone to see. the whole point is to not draw attention to yourself. which is exactly the opposite of what that guy did.
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
it's not a laughing matter. it could have been real..........you wouldn't be laughing if it HAD been real.
live and let live!!!!!!!
probably not. but it was obviously a joke and NOT real, so...i still think it was funny.
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
When islam gets a bashing...............by idiots who play jokes.........then no way is it funny! And yep islam is the religion that gets tarnished.....then we moan that the goray don't like us!!!!!
live and let live!!!!!!!
speak for yourself, i couldn't care less if they didn't like us. what i do care about is when they start to boss us around.
everyone knew he went a bit too far, it's got nothing to do with islam tho. islam didn't set a dress code for suicide bombers, did it?
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
Salam
Nick was right to be freed.
This country is a free country, thank God.
People have the right to free speech.
Omrow
This charade reminds me of the way sheikh Faisal was treated. He was imprisoned for 10 yrs for insulting jews, and hindus. He said his words were taken out of context. Whether they were or not the point is he was treated so harshly ten years???? rapists get out in less than a year i don't see how the punishment reflects the crime appropriately.
He and his organisation are nothing but a politcal form of the kkk, albeit watered down. If he were in America i'm sure he'd join that filthy group. So why are they allowed to operate that's what i want to know. Al guraba, et al are banned yet this scum can still function under the guise of a political idealogy? Well fascism was a political concept too it was bought to it's heels. This dog needs to be put down in the same way.
"it" got off scott free for inciting racial hatred against muslims very very blatantly. It's not like he can say erm oops my words were taken out of context. So much for news laws to protect muslims against racism. Then again i no longer expect anything of the government their hatred is blinding.
what absolute rubbish you utter sometime...
this scum openly insulted Islam again and again, he is inciting religious hatred and racial hatred.... what he said is a crime.... it is islamophobic...just like 'shaikh' faisal got locked up for inciting religious hatred so should he....
what this scum has said wasnt 'freedom of speech' but a racial and religious incitement crime....
its sad some muslims today are in favour of the scum being freed....
no wonder no one takes omrow serious.
Nick Griffin's party believes in mass deportations and villifies minorities and consists in large part of violent rabble. Perhaps the BBC's evidence in this case was not strong enough but it probably makes sense to consider his words and actions amount to incitement. Saying Muslims are turning the UK into a hell-hole could very well fit into a context of incitement. This should not be confused with "insulting Islam", which is not a crime and nor should it be.
[size=10]I feel I'm gonna move on back down south
you know where the water tastes like cherry wine[/size]
disagreeing with islam is one thing- i have no problems with that
saying it is a vicious and wicked religion is another- that is religious incitement....
inciting people against Islam and Muslims is a crime im afraid...
saying because of Muslims Britain is a multi cultural hell hole is incitemnet to religious and racial hatred....
if griffin said judaism was a wicked and vicious religion, it would be anti-semitism.... but to say so of islam is 'OK'
Salam
I know that Nick had a go at Islam.
But we must not be tyrants.
We should be big enough to take a bit or criticism.
We cannot go around trying to shut people up just because they might not like our religion.
People have the right to express their love or digust at any idea or philosophy.
I dont like evolution. I think those who believe in it are monkeys.
Would I like it if they prevented me from blasting the stupid theory of evolution?
No.
Therefore, we cant have double standards.
Islam teaches fairness and equality for all.
Omrow
Assalamu 'alaykum,
To a certain degree its also a matter of how the (legal) system was played. Sheikh Faisal had a number of talks upon which the prosecution probably relied upon in their case against him - something like from 1999-2004, whereas from what i am aware of, in Nick Griffin's case they relied heavily on the BBC documentary footage.. also on exactly what the prosecution were trying to get nick griffin for.. you need to be really specific - the prosecution made the case for inciticement to RACIAL hatred, not religious - this is probably what allowed him to get off scott-free??
How pathetic though, that on the same day that Nick Griffin is acquitted, the new law against incitement to religious hatred is unveiled :roll:
But this is not to say that i do not think there is some blantant islamophobia and abuse of civil-liberties being spewed against Muslims within the legal system, because there is. Maybe they are trying to frighten other Muslims into "behaving" - using people like the guy who dressed as a suicide bomber - Omar Khayam, or even sheikh Faisal as "examples"..
ps. i dont think its a matter of being tyrannical or extreme (or even about being unjust), but just about having basic courtesy and respect towards the feelings of people of other faiths. Basic respect and regard is sadly lacking in our society..
Anyway, there IS no real freedom of speech in the UK. There are a number of things that you cannot speak out on.. check out the European Convention on Human Rights..
May Allah shine sweet faith upon you this day and times beyond. May your heart be enriched with peace, and may your home be blessed always. Ameen.
If you read what I said you will notice we are agreeing there. My post was to clarify that by describing it as an insult to Islam rather than a villification of Muslims you collapsed two very different things only one of which is a crime.
That is putting words into my mouth and ignoring my precise comment. ftr imo there is nothing wrong with describing a religion critically, but it happens that he has used particularly harsh language and the rest of what he said was equally nasty. Many people say very hateful things about all religions and should not be censured for it. All the same Griffin and his party represent some horrid solutions to plainly racist issues. I don't think you understood my post at all and you responded by suggesting that I find villification of Muslims acceptable, which I do not.
[size=10]I feel I'm gonna move on back down south
you know where the water tastes like cherry wine[/size]
Omrow,
It is an interesting point. An atheist recently wrote to The Telegraph bemoaning that he doesn't have a symbolic piece of jewellery for the banning of which he could sue.
We don't especially agree on this BNP thing, I am all for keeping up pressure because they are promoting discord and heinous solutions, but it is quite possible that based on the evidence and the letter of the law this judgment was correct.
[size=10]I feel I'm gonna move on back down south
you know where the water tastes like cherry wine[/size]
went a bit too far??? at least you agree on that one!!
You may 'not care' about what the 'goray' think, but there are a whole lot of arguements going on out there!!! if only people cared about EACH OTHER!!! and could not be so on their high horse all the time.
islam didn't set this suiside bomber dress code,,,,,,,but I'm afraid that the guys who did the london bombings were so- called muslims!! and they even came on the telly to announce this.
we shouldn't really be having debates like this. there are really serious issues out there that need to be addressed. and the only way we can start is by caring about others. I'm even talking about the 'goray' caring for others that live here.
live and let live!!!!!!!
I don't have any issues with anyone who says Islam is a vicious and evil religion.
Obviously I disagree but hey, each to their own.
If he is and does incite hatred and violence (and let'snot kid ourselves here, he does to atleast some segment of his party), the law is the way to go.
This time there was not enough evidence, or not enough 'compelling' evidence. So just keep an eye out for the next time. There will be one.
And everybody just sleep easy.
It's not a big deal.
It's not.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Nor should it be?
Jews are protected by law because to insult their religion is to insult a race. To insult Judaism is to insult Jews, ditto with Sikhs and Sikhism.
Islam is a religion for all races. Islam transcends all physical and racial boundaries. The Messiah returned and brought the religion to the all the gentiles and including the Jews. The Messiah was not Isa AH but was Mohammed PBUH.
100 for all your fabricated intellect you still are stupid. You do no justice to Judaism. To say insulting another religion should not be against the law you go against all your teachings. In turn this shows you for what you are, a fool with no imagination eating up what the media feeds you.
This is why salman rushdie the cursed got away with it.
We should also campaign for Christianity to have the same protection we desire for Islam. Wish for your neighbour what you wish for yourself, unlike a certain 100.
He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition, burns a picture to obtain the ashes!
Mmmm,
That was very rude.
Why such hostility?
100 was agreeing that the BNP leader was inciting hatred, so I dunno what prompted that little outburst.
:?
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