British National Party leader detained [arrested] after calling Islam 'wicked faith'

AFP via Yahoo ^ | 12/14/2004 | Staff

[sarah_f]

LONDON (AFP) - The leader of the rightwing British National Party(BNP), Nick Griffin, was arrested Tuesday after he called Islam a "vicious, wicked faith" in a television documentary.

Griffin, 45, was arrested on suspicion of "incitement to commit racial hatred" and held for questioning by police in northern England before he was released on bail several hours later.

When asked if he considered Islam a "vicious, wicked faith", Griffin urged reporters to study the Koran for themselves before saying: "There are aspects of that religion which are wicked."

He then condemned the treatment of women under Islam.

The BNP, which won 800,000 votes but no seats in the European elections in June, charged the arrest was part of a "crude" bid by Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites)'s government to win back Muslim votes lost over his war in Iraq (news - web sites).

A BNP spokesman said four non-uniformed police officers raiding the family farmhouse in Wales "awoke the Griffin household from their sleep" early Tuesday.

Griffin was the 12th person arrested in connection with the investigation into the BBC documentary aired in July.

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

[tjwmason]

I'd like to send him an email, or would an email thanking him for speaking the truth, get me in trouble?

He'd be much happier if you wandered around the streets looking for a couple of blacks to attack. Perhaps you could send him a note stating that your 2005 membership fee for the K.K.K. was in his honour. Maybe you could daub the local synagogue with graffiti to laud his brave actions. He would be delighted with any of these actions.

[USF]

Thanks Jan.

Luckily, thay have not passed that law against curbing free speech and criticism of religion ("incitement of religious hatred") so this guy was released without charge... it could have been a whole different story if the liberal government decides to pass that law though.

Unfortunately, its motivation is to silence freedom of discussion about Islam and its bigotry against women and other faiths that some here seem so willing to defend.

[AngloSaxon]

"No free speech in Britain"

No free speech in the USA you mean!!


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1301785/posts?page=34#34

[rogermellie]

unfortunately we were held up my some other moron who likes the BNP, but don't worry, we're here now.

sadly, you have grasped not only the wrong, but the shitty end of the stick - while Griffin did say that islam is a wicked religion - as quoted above, he also makes comments about sending blacks back to africa - his goons (with him stood next to them) - were filmed saying "i want to get a great big line of paki's and mow them all down with a machine gun"

his goons regulary beat up pakistani shopkeepers - and steal the takings - in the name of our glorious white heritage.

the more observant - or indeed those who can read - will know that it is currently not against the law to incite religous hatred in the UK, but it is against the law to incite racial hatred - and that in the UK we do not coinsider Islam to be a 'race' any more than we do Christianity - therefore, those who remain sentient will work out for themselves that the lovely Mr Griffin was not arrested for saying anything about Islam, but for making a different comment deemed to be inciteful to RACIAL hatred.

once again my american friends, you have been spun a line and have swallowed it with aplomb - making you appear to the rest of the world like racist fools.

details of the public face of the BNP can be found at www.bnp.org, while its actual face and that of its supporters can be found at www.bnp.net

to aid you, john tyndall was the head of the BNP, nick griffen was the head of the National Front and they merged, nick griffen then kicked out tyndall and took over, internicene warfare has taken place ever since, but john tyndall remains a 'hero' to most in the BN, the stuff on his site is the kind of thing you'd see were you unfortunate to be caught in one of their rallies.

i would suggest that you do a little research, and then come back with your comments.

[Aquinasfan]

Griffin urged reporters to study the Koran for themselves

Like that could happen. They don't want to be confused with the facts.

[BobL]

"I don't know if 'duped' comes into it at all..."

No, I understand. I was just having a little fun with their culture. This is similar to when the ACLU was recording church services here just before the election, to see if campaigning was going on, and then threatening the churches. Once they heard something like "If you vote wrong next month, sin will reign up on the Earth", they'd immediately fire off a letter to the church telling them that they will be reported if they continue to campaign for President Bush, not realizing just how stupid they look.

In this case, churches cannot really protect themselves, unless they perform background checks on anyone new who shows up on a Sunday - so this has to be stopped. It's very easy to know where the line has been drawn in the past, what's wrong with keeping it there?

[Le Bouledogue Britannique]

Regarding free speech.

Obviously the right to free speech is good thing and it is also good that the American constitution protects it in law.

But with rights, come responsibilities.

Now, is it acceptable that this man and his ilk should be able to misuse his right to free speech to incite hatred against blacks, Jews or any other group?

Would it be okay for some pointy headed KKK member to refer in public to Condoleezza Rice as a ------ ? (you know, the N word)

I think you lot are only getting stroppy because this racist was insulting moslems on this particular occasion.

Please note, it's not just the moslems that he hates.

[ko_kyi]

"i would suggest that you do a little research, and then come back with your comments."

Hey, it's hard enough to read more than the headline.

;)

[TheBattman]

WHat part of the specific statement in question displays hatred. He was stating the FACT that Islam is a "Wicked Faith". I too happen to have that belief. I guess that makes me a racist KKK member as well?

Have you completely lost your mind?

[rogermellie]

if you took the time to read post 84 and its explanation of british law you would see that mr griffin has almost certainly not been arrested for making the comment quoted in the article.

but he makes lots of other ones.

and to your question, if the proposed law is passed regarding incitement to religous hatred, then yes, you too could be arrested for making such a claim (though you'd probably have to make it more graphic) - were you to come to britain to do so.

[Le Bouledogue Britannique]

"WHat part of the specific statement in question displays hatred. He was stating the FACT that Islam is a "Wicked Faith". I too happen to have that belief. I guess that makes me a racist KKK member as well?

Have you completely lost your mind?"

It's not the particular (very carefully worded) statement in this instance that is the problem. It's the mans and the organisations history and following that is the problem

In this instance, given what he actually said, it was probably legally incorrect to arrest him. But the act of arresting him and the publicity it generates sends a message that we in the UK don't accept this sort of thing.

As regards Islam being "wicked", I have to say that there is much in the Koran that can be interputed in that way. However, there is also much in the Bible that can (and has in the past) been interpreted in a similar way.

Fact is, we don't burn witches or have inquisitions anymore. We don't engage in slavery either. But these things and others have been done in the name of Christ at various times in history.

How many of the worlds 1.2 billion moslems commit terrorism? And should we condemn them all as "wicked" because a very small percentage of them have a twisted view of their religion?

And as regards your question,

"Have you completely lost your mind?"

Well, I have heard that opinion before!

Merry Christmas

[rcocean]

Has anyone started an ACLU watch website? Is any conservative group monitoring these pepople?

Everyday this organization is becoming more like the KGB or NKVD in its attack on religion, christianity, law and order, and common sense in its desire to turn this country into a new USSR.

Of course, in UK they dont need the ACLU, no one attends church and the government doesn't believe in free speech.

[rogermellie]

but we still say prayers and sing hymms and do nativity plays in public schools, our government still celebrates christmas - as do we - and we think rights have responsibilities.

perhaps you would care to elaborate on your own governments attitude to christmas - what with christmas trees being taken down left, right and centre.

happy sparkle season!

[Peter Libra]

Your post #77. T.S.Eliot. The Hollow Men. Loverly stuff. I, 'er, using a lower middle class "dignified" voice, have noted one thing. The quintessential socialistic liberal type, can scarcely engage in " a discourse of reason" without personal insults.

An erudite "Indo-Canadian" in Canada had a lovely take on personal insults in my adopted country. He said to whit: Calling people racists every time they disagree, has thus taken the real force of the word away". Same thing in Blighty. Seems that the game is to call people "racists", "fascists" and so on.

Also Nazi is used. Most of 'em should look up a dictionary and get the full meaning of this acronim. For it is something like the German Socialist Workers Party. Now outlawed. I love to be called a Nazi. Even though the beggers tried to kill my lot in WW2. I mean snot nosed brats in the old air raid shelter.

Sorry for the homily, but where else can one hit back? God bless America.

[rogermellie]

if you could give a better definition to the word racist than being caught on film saying that "pakis should be lined up against a wall and shot" i'd love to hear from you.

[Peter Libra]

Old country expression "lined up against a wall and shot" of course. "Eard it meself many times. Used to express frustration. Many things are said out of sheer frustration. Then there is the provocation by paid agents (BBC).

How many of us could be charged under some law, having mouthed off with a few suds under our belt?. Hardly likely that the man actually meant that.

Oh damn it, I feel my years now preaching lower middle class style- which I aint. Ah well, greetings (though guarded) from an old resident of Baghdad Lines, Bourlon Lines, Aisne Lines- you know this place.

[snopercod]

I see you're from Novia Scotia.

As luck would have it, I am now doing some work for a gentleman who lives in Antoginsh for six months plus one day, and the rest here in North Carolina.

He is building a beutiful cabin here, and is due back tomorrow. Interesting fellow. Born into Nazi (later Communist) East Germany. He has many stories.

See the view out of his picture window [here].

[ApesForEvolution]

I can't say that about either, nor can you.

[ArmyTeach]

Too cool and right on...