Fantastic - Nick Griffin has been pelted with eggs outside parliament

[LaurieFairyCake]

Yes, I know I should be bothered about freedom of speech but fuck it, the fucker deserved it.

[Paolosgirl]

Absolutely - but you can express your opinions without pelting anyone with eggs! Otherwise you just sink to the same bully tactics as them.

[HumpingAnteater]

I agree with Abetadad's take on it and Paoosgirl

Let him have a voice

and his words be his downfall.

[midnightexpress]

I just wish that a few more of the people who are now throwing up their hands in horror at his election had got off their arses and voted last week. Then perhaps no-one would need to pelt him with eggs as he'd be safely back underneath his stone.

Though agree that he is a fuck-face.

[kate1956]

Problem with that view HumpingAnteater is that was exactly the response to Hitler's brownshirts! - make no mistake nazis need a platform to thrive and as for 'freedom of speech' there is no absolute freedom of speech - the real question is why they've been allowed to stand at all when their policies pretty much break every aspect of the race relations act and they are now going to be given public money for spouting racist and nazi filth!

[kate1956]

Problem with that view HumpingAnteater is that was exactly the response to Hitler's brownshirts! - make no mistake nazis need a platform to thrive and as for 'freedom of speech' there is no absolute freedom of speech - the real question is why they've been allowed to stand at all when their policies pretty much break every aspect of the race relations act and they are now going to be given public money for spouting racist and nazi filth!

[spokette]

They should let him speak. We are a democracy and as a black person, I honestly believe that most white British people would be repelled by the vile, hateful invective spewed out by this spawn of the devil.

So let him speak and let his beliefs and words be his downfall.

[TheCrackFox]

Let him speak and then chuck eggs at him.

[Paolosgirl]

How many of you egg throwers would also chuck them at the murderous b*stards in Sinn Fein? Or are they still 'freedom fighters' who have earned a voice?

[ABetaDad]

Would an egg thrower be arrested and charged if they chucked on at Gordon Brown? I think it likely they would and photographed and DNA taken too.

Anyone get arrested for this incident?

[edam]

I'd chuck eggs at any so-called 'Real IRA' I happened to come across. Not Sinn Fein as they are part of the peace process.

[AngeChica]

Here is a very scary thread on Yahoo - see the comments. Thousands of people who voted BNP explaining why they did it. It makes me feel very anxious actually about the lack of political understanding in this country today. The BBC need to do a big expose of the BNP and what they really stand for - might have made a few people think twice about voting for them.

[Rhubarb]

Doubt it ABetaDad. And fwiw I would have done it, to him, Sinn Fein, Tony Blair, George Bush and all the other murdering bastards.

[edam]

(That guy who threw an egg at Prezza was arrested - which I thought was unfair, given Prezza thumped him or attempted to thump him or whatever.)

[Deemented]

Did anyone see what his minders did to a young lady that happened to be in thier way? Literally threw her out of the way into the gutter so they could get past. Said on news that 2 people were taken to hospital afterwards.

[ABetaDad]

News stories I have read confirm no arrests were made. The police I saw on the News seemd to just stand there. They would have been doing a lot more if a Govt Minister was assaulted.

[flamingobingo]

Agree with crackfox.

Does anyone who thinks the BNP deserve a voice actually know how Hitler came to power?

Seriously, we cannot afford to be complacent about misogynistic, racist, homophobic twats.

We need to let them speak (as we live in a democracy, and I don't believe in censorship) and them show them what we think of them. Then we explain to the rest of the country as loudly as we can what evil people they are.

[lou031205]

They don't deserve a voice.

They do have a right to a voice.

[Mercedes]

The BNP are like swine flue - we've got to learn from the past and be prepared.

Millions died around the world in flue epidemics - we know that so we take steps to make sure it won't happen again.
Nazis like the BNP don't believe in democracy - sure they'll spout the words, while blaming and attacking non-whites, non christians etc. So like swine flue you take steps. You stop it before it spreads.
Ignoring them or or attempting to reason with them is too dangerous a step - the risk is huge if we allow them to grow and feel cocky on the streets. At the same time Hitler was standing for elections his thugs were in the streets beating up jewish people, trade unionists, socialists. You learn from history - you don't give them the opportunity to pretend and hide behind a fake face.

[HolyGuacamole]

Oh the egg thing is funny.....not half as funny as when they were thrown at two jags, or two jabs though I rather wish NG had reacted like two jabs (so we could see the real NG), instead he was able to make a sensible sounding statement in yet another lame attempt to dignify the BNP.

I agree with those who say let him speak, his words will be his downfall. Knob.

[ilovesprouts]

i did vote not for BNP though

[VelvetCushions]

Why do the BNP have a right to a voice? Why are they now a legit party?
From what I've heard of them, they are hateful extreme racists. They incite racial hatred.
They should be banned, like any extremists surely?

[mayorquimby]

the thing that would worry me is that this will only deepen the feeling of perceieved injustices which the BNP thrive on. because now they'll come out with all manner of soundbites about being denied their democratically mandated right to address the people etc or "what do you think would happen if the bnp did this to a muslim/liberal/black politician"
also the way that the voters of bnp have been condescended to by many in the last few days will just strengthen their resolve.
far better to let them put forward their points concisely and civily and then debate them and tear them apart with logic.
throwing eggs at someone and forcing a group to shut up, when that group is already motivated by perceived injustices will just garner them more support.

[talbot]

All it's achieved is more publicity for the BNP. They should be treated like any other political party and be heard. Then their muppetry will make them a laughing stock.

[nancy75]

agree with talbot, i've not seen the papers today, but no doubt the bnp are featured heavily again. without people chucking eggs how much coverage would nick griffin have got of his press conference? he certainly wouldnt have been the leading news item on bbc last night without it.
the best thing to do with these people is let them speak, from what i have seen NG is a terrible public speaker, his arguments are ridiculous and the more rope he is given the better in my mind.

[Paolosgirl]

Sinn Fein is made up of people who were involved in the murdering atrocities in the past. Personally I believe Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness should be rotting in jail on life sentences - part of the peace process my backside. Anyway....

Egging the BNP as Mayor and others have said will only strengthen the feeling which exists amongst BNP voters that they are the only party listening to them and they are the only voice that they have. By singling the BNP out for this sort of treatment whilst other anti-British extremists are allowed to go about their daily business without being egged simply gives them more ammunition.

Let them have their say - their words will be their downfall. Attempts to stifle them will only create a backlash.