BNP protester attacked in Blackpool

A MAN was left with a broken nose when he was attacked after leaving an anti-BNP demonstration in Blackpool.

His companion suffered cuts and bruises during the altercation.

It happened after the pair had walked away from a Unite Against Fascism protest held outside the Kimberley Hotel on South Promenade where the BNP was holding its annual conference.

The demonstration itself was heavily policed and went off without any trouble, but the victims had left the vicinity of the hotel when the incident occured.

The Socialist Party, of which they are members, believes the attacker was a far right supporter.

But the BNP today dismissed claims that it was someone attending their event.

Blackpool Police has confirmed the attack took place at around 2.30pm on Saturday, but said they could not link it directly with the BNP conference.

* Full story, see Tuesday's Gazette

Blackpool Gazette
Published: 17 November 2008
Source: http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/BNP-protester-attacked-in-Blackpool.4702294.jp

Hundreds protest at Blackpool BNP conference

Campaigners came out in their hundreds at the weekend to protest against the BNP.

People marched through Blackpool town centre before descending outside the Kimberley Hotel, South Promenade, where the controversial right wing party held its annual conference.

Dozens of police officers manned the area in the event of any trouble but the event, the third held in the town, passed off without incident.

Blackpool Citizen
Monday 17th November 2008

Demonstration against the BNP Conference in Blackpool

JOIN THE PROTEST AGAINST THE FASCIST BNP CONFERENCE IN BLACKPOOL
Saturday 15 November 2008
Assemble at 12.00noon

Assemble in the square at the top of Victoria Street, Blackpool

(near side entrance to Winter Gardens).

and then march to protest outside New Kimberley Hotel 585-589 New South Promenade, Blackpool, FY4 1NQ.


The British National Party (BNP) has announced it is to hold a national conference on 14th, 15th and 16th November in Blackpool at the New Kimberley Hotel. Last year over 200 people attended the protest called by North West UAF against the presence of these fascists in Blackpool. Local people including members of the council, hotels, trade unions, students , residents and anti-fascist condemned the BNP for holding it's conference in Blackpool .

In the run up to the European elections the BNP will try to spread its message of hatred and division and will target the NW Region in the hope of gaining a seat in these European Elections. We must unite to stop them.

We must show our opposition to the fascist BNP and it's politics of race hate and division. We must show that there is united opposition to the BNP and ensure that Blackpool is a fascist-free zone.

Unite Against Fascism calls on all those that oppose fascism to mobilise and attend this protest of unity.

If you are able to attend and also help with mass leafleting please email unite@ucu.org.uk or telephone 020 7833 4916.

Transport and coach details available from the National Unite office on 020 833 4916

Called by -North West Region UAF . Supported by: Unite Against Fascism.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=36541626651

Grimy BNP-link hotel 'a hazard to humans'

THE Blackpool hotel used by the far right British National Party for its annual conferences was branded a hazard to humans by health chiefs.

Officers investigated after guests complained about diarrhoea and vomiting while staying at The New Kimberley Hotel, Blackpool.

They were also told of guests being given uncooked food and meat which smelt bad.

Officials found the kitchen of the 50-bedroom hotel on South Promenade was filthy and discovered food which was out-of-date and in danger of cross-contamination from bacteria.

Peter Metcalf, 45, of Wyredale Road, St Annes, the hotel's former-leaseholder, admitted nine offences of breaching food hygiene safety rules and was found guilty of 11 similar offences after a trial.

He was fined £1,000 with £500 costs and ordered to pay the £15 victims' surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Victoria Cartmell, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, said there were complaints in 2006 about the hotel.

Health officers first visited the hotel in July 2006 and Metcalf was given numerous chances to clean the kitchen. Officers again visited on August 14 last year and found the kitchen was filthy.

Ceilings, walls, sockets, surfaces, pipes, floors, a cooker, fryer and freezer were greasy and dirty and food debris was scattered around.

Black mould was on chopping boards, freezer seals and an ice-making machine. A wash basin was dirty and there were no paper towels.

Ms Cartmell said: "Double cream in the fridge was past its use-by date. Containers of ice-cream were stored next to boxes of raw bacon which could have caused cross-contamination of bacteria."

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said at the time Metcalf's mother-in-law had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. He and his wife travelled to and from Scotland to visit her before she was transferred to a hospice and died.

Metcalf had now been declared bankrupt and he no longer held the hotel's lease.

The hotel hit the headlines in November 2006 and 2007 when it twice held the BNP's annual conference.

Tim Coglan, head of trading standards at Blackpool Council, said: "The conditions were disgusting and totally unacceptable. We know the majority of premises in the town are well run but we will continue to crackdown on those that aren't. Blackpool has the most robust enforcement regime in the country."

The hotel is now under new management.

Blackpool Gazette
Published Date: 05 September 2008

Call for boycott of BNP hotel

TRADE union bosses are calling for the boycott of a Blackpool seafront hotel which opened its doors to the BNP.
The Kimberley Hotel on New South Promenade hosted the BNP conference in November following a veil of secrecy.
Today, the Lancashire Association of Trades Union Councils (LATUC) urged visitors to refuse to stay at the hotel in protest.
Peter Billington, secretary of the Lancashire TUC, said: "We are supporting Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre TUCs' call for trade union members and all decent people not to use this hotel.
"There are 2.7 million workers in the North West and 34 per cent of them are trade union members.
"We have written to the national TUC and asked it to circulate the hotel's details to all UK unions so that members can avoid this place."
Mr Billington said the hotel had knowingly supported for "a group of violent, racist, criminal thugs".
He added: "It shouldn't be forgotten that two Lancashire BNP members, one of them a BNP local council candidate in last May's elections, are currently in custody awaiting trial on bomb-making charges."
The BNP has vowed to return to Blackpool for its annual conference this year after hailing November's conference a huge success. Members of the far-right group staged the two-day conference at the New Kimberley Hotel on South Promenade in secret.
The Gazette quizzed Kimberley Hotel boss Peter Metcalf in the days before the conference but he denied the event would be held at the hotel
Anti-fascist demonstrators staged a protest outside the hotel but the conference passed off peacefully.
BNP bosses today promised this year's conference would be "even larger" despite being issued with "stay away" messages from council chiefs.
Roy Goodwin, from Blackpool's BNP, said: "The TUC is interfering with the democratic rights of a perfectly legal political party to hold its conference where it wishes.
"The amazing thing about what they are doing is that they are doing it under the banner of the UAF (United Against Fascism).
"I feel that a great deal of the British public may come to the conclusion there is a distinct odour of hypocrisy surrounding them."
The Gazette contacted the Kimberley Hotel but no-one was available for comment.

Blackpool Gazette
Published Date: 31 January 2007

Usdaw launches new national anti BNP leaflet in Blackpool

Retail union Usdaw who are holding their annual conference in Blackpool have launched a new national anti-BNP leaflet to be distributed in council elections across the UK where the far-right party are standing candidates.

The leaflet highlights the complete failure of BNP councillors to represent local electors after they win seats and that despite the respectable façade the BNP is still a fascist party dedicated to racist ideas.

The leaflet will be offered to Labour candidates who are taking on the bogus idea that the BNP is the party of law and order.

“The BNP like to present themselves as the party of law and order despite the fact that many of their leaders and members have criminal convictions for serious offences including assault, inciting racial hatred and even bomb-making,” says Usdaw General Secretary John Hannett. “Usdaw has been coming to Blackpool since the war and our members from a range of different backgrounds have always been given a warm welcome here as the resort is an open-minded place which is the exact opposite of what fascists like the BNP stand for.

“Our leaflet reminds voters that in the few places where the BNP have been elected, they have been shown to be totally incapable of effectively representing voters. They’re incapable of taking any intelligent part in the democratic process and voters quickly see through their thinly disguised messages of hate, turning back to strong Labour candidates who can effectively represent every voter regardless of their background.

“This new leaflet reminds Labour voters that the BNP are hopelessly out of their depth when they are elected and that the only place to really hurt them is in the ballot box by voting Labour.
“Labour councils are the best way to ensure decent local services but a vote for the BNP isn’t the answer to often legitimate local concerns as time after time they fail to offer to contribute to any coherent ideas once they actually have to make tough decisions.”

Download the USDAW leaflet here.

Source: http://antiracistnetwork.wordpress.com
April 25, 2007

Call for boycott of BNP hotel

TRADE union bosses are calling for the boycott of a Blackpool seafront hotel which opened its doors to the BNP.
The Kimberley Hotel on New South Promenade hosted the BNP conference in November following a veil of secrecy.
Today, the Lancashire Association of Trades Union Councils (LATUC) urged visitors to refuse to stay at the hotel in protest.
Peter Billington, secretary of the Lancashire TUC, said: "We are supporting Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre TUCs' call for trade union members and all decent people not to use this hotel.
"There are 2.7 million workers in the North West and 34 per cent of them are trade union members.
"We have written to the national TUC and asked it to circulate the hotel's details to all UK unions so that members can avoid this place."
Mr Billington said the hotel had knowingly supported for "a group of violent, racist, criminal thugs".
He added: "It shouldn't be forgotten that two Lancashire BNP members, one of them a BNP local council candidate in last May's elections, are currently in custody awaiting trial on bomb-making charges."
The BNP has vowed to return to Blackpool for its annual conference this year after hailing November's conference a huge success. Members of the far-right group staged the two-day conference at the New Kimberley Hotel on South Promenade in secret.
The Gazette quizzed Kimberley Hotel boss Peter Metcalf in the days before the conference but he denied the event would be held at the hotel
Anti-fascist demonstrators staged a protest outside the hotel but the conference passed off peacefully.
BNP bosses today promised this year's conference would be "even larger" despite being issued with "stay away" messages from council chiefs.
Roy Goodwin, from Blackpool's BNP, said: "The TUC is interfering with the democratic rights of a perfectly legal political party to hold its conference where it wishes.
"The amazing thing about what they are doing is that they are doing it under the banner of the UAF (United Against Fascism).
"I feel that a great deal of the British public may come to the conclusion there is a distinct odour of hypocrisy surrounding them."
The Gazette contacted the Kimberley Hotel but no-one was available for comment.

Source: Blackpool Gazette
31 January 2007