FadeTheButcher
07-16-2004, 08:39 AM
The UK sounds more like the Soviet Union by the day.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,11375,1262434,00.html
Matthew Taylor
Friday July 16, 2004
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)
A British National party regional organiser who was last night revealed as an anti-racist "mole" in a BBC documentary says he has received death threats from former colleagues in the organisation.
Andy Sykes helped set up the Secret Agent programme which uncovered racism, violence and anti-semitism within the BNP. Several senior party figures, including the chairman, Nick Griffin, could face prosecution.
Speaking exclusively to the Guardian, Mr Sykes, who had been the BNP's Bradford organiser for two years, said his decision to reveal himself as an anti-racist informant had led to several threats, even before the programme was broadcast.
"I know better than most that there are some serious people involved in the BNP, but I am not going to be forced out of my home town by them - I was born and brought up here, why should I leave?"
Mr Sykes said he had joined the BNP three years ago, after a party leaflet was delivered to his home. "I read it and later was cutting my lawn when one of the organisers walked past and we started talking. He said there were lots of young white girls who were being attacked by Asians in the town, and that there were up to 1,000 asylum seekers and Asians about to move in. He told me there was a media blackout because the authorities didn't want people to know what was happening. I was really shocked."
Mr Sykes joined the BNP a few months later. "The first meeting I went to was when Nick Griffin came to speak in Eccleshill. He turned up with 12 security people and it was all very cloak and dagger - even at this stage alarm bells were ringing because it looked like he was either very paranoid or some people were out to get him."
Mr Griffin spoke on the eve of the riots which engulfed Bradford in July 2001 and used the meeting to ratchet up tension. "He told the audience that we had to defend our communities from Asians coming into the area. He said we had to be prepared to fight to protect what was ours."
After the riots, some of the most serious in Britain for a generation, Mr Sykes said BNP members had been "over the moon".
"They thought it was the best thing that could have happened. All across the country party members were talking about it. But I was devastated by the harm it had done to Bradford, and it didn't seem right for them to be so pleased."
Mr Sykes began to research some of the BNP's claims and found "99% of them were rubbish". He then received a call from a BNP organiser from Leeds ordering him to launch an attack on a local fun day.
"It had been organised by Bradford TUC and the local community in an attempt to begin the healing process after the riots, and I got this call telling me to get as many lads together as I could and go and attack any TUC members or Labour people or lefties.
"I was horrified. I told him this was a fun day with women and children and he said that if women wanted to support the TUC they deserved what they got.
"I made up my mind there and then to do what I could to stop the BNP, not just in Bradford but across the country."
Mr Sykes talked to his wife Susan before deciding to contact the Bradford TUC. "She had never agreed with me being in the BNP, and she has been totally supportive since I made the decision to work against them."
He then warned the Bradford TUC about the planned attack, explaining he was keen to do what he could to stop the BNP. He was introduced to anti-fascist campaigners at Searchlight and began to work as a "mole".
"It has been incredibly stressful. I have a full-time job and a young family and I'm also working as a sort of double agent. But I was born round here and when I realised I had been fooled by the BNP and what it is they really stand for. I felt I should do what I could."
Mr Sykes said he would remain in his house in Eccleshill. "I hope with the help of my friends and the support of the community we can get on with our lives, but if anything does happen it will be dealt with legally, by the police."
Searchlight, Bradford TUC and West Yorkshire police say they have put in extra security in an effort to ensure the safety of Mr Sykes and his family.
Nick Lowles of Searchlight said the operation between Bradford TUC and Searchlight had been a huge success for intelligence-led localised campaigning. "Mr Sykes is a decent person who realised the true nature of what he had got involved with and had the courage to stand up for his community. "His work has not only helped local people counter the BNP's campaigns, it has prevented several serious attacks on opponents of the BNP and we are indebted to him."
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,11375,1262434,00.html
Matthew Taylor
Friday July 16, 2004
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)
A British National party regional organiser who was last night revealed as an anti-racist "mole" in a BBC documentary says he has received death threats from former colleagues in the organisation.
Andy Sykes helped set up the Secret Agent programme which uncovered racism, violence and anti-semitism within the BNP. Several senior party figures, including the chairman, Nick Griffin, could face prosecution.
Speaking exclusively to the Guardian, Mr Sykes, who had been the BNP's Bradford organiser for two years, said his decision to reveal himself as an anti-racist informant had led to several threats, even before the programme was broadcast.
"I know better than most that there are some serious people involved in the BNP, but I am not going to be forced out of my home town by them - I was born and brought up here, why should I leave?"
Mr Sykes said he had joined the BNP three years ago, after a party leaflet was delivered to his home. "I read it and later was cutting my lawn when one of the organisers walked past and we started talking. He said there were lots of young white girls who were being attacked by Asians in the town, and that there were up to 1,000 asylum seekers and Asians about to move in. He told me there was a media blackout because the authorities didn't want people to know what was happening. I was really shocked."
Mr Sykes joined the BNP a few months later. "The first meeting I went to was when Nick Griffin came to speak in Eccleshill. He turned up with 12 security people and it was all very cloak and dagger - even at this stage alarm bells were ringing because it looked like he was either very paranoid or some people were out to get him."
Mr Griffin spoke on the eve of the riots which engulfed Bradford in July 2001 and used the meeting to ratchet up tension. "He told the audience that we had to defend our communities from Asians coming into the area. He said we had to be prepared to fight to protect what was ours."
After the riots, some of the most serious in Britain for a generation, Mr Sykes said BNP members had been "over the moon".
"They thought it was the best thing that could have happened. All across the country party members were talking about it. But I was devastated by the harm it had done to Bradford, and it didn't seem right for them to be so pleased."
Mr Sykes began to research some of the BNP's claims and found "99% of them were rubbish". He then received a call from a BNP organiser from Leeds ordering him to launch an attack on a local fun day.
"It had been organised by Bradford TUC and the local community in an attempt to begin the healing process after the riots, and I got this call telling me to get as many lads together as I could and go and attack any TUC members or Labour people or lefties.
"I was horrified. I told him this was a fun day with women and children and he said that if women wanted to support the TUC they deserved what they got.
"I made up my mind there and then to do what I could to stop the BNP, not just in Bradford but across the country."
Mr Sykes talked to his wife Susan before deciding to contact the Bradford TUC. "She had never agreed with me being in the BNP, and she has been totally supportive since I made the decision to work against them."
He then warned the Bradford TUC about the planned attack, explaining he was keen to do what he could to stop the BNP. He was introduced to anti-fascist campaigners at Searchlight and began to work as a "mole".
"It has been incredibly stressful. I have a full-time job and a young family and I'm also working as a sort of double agent. But I was born round here and when I realised I had been fooled by the BNP and what it is they really stand for. I felt I should do what I could."
Mr Sykes said he would remain in his house in Eccleshill. "I hope with the help of my friends and the support of the community we can get on with our lives, but if anything does happen it will be dealt with legally, by the police."
Searchlight, Bradford TUC and West Yorkshire police say they have put in extra security in an effort to ensure the safety of Mr Sykes and his family.
Nick Lowles of Searchlight said the operation between Bradford TUC and Searchlight had been a huge success for intelligence-led localised campaigning. "Mr Sykes is a decent person who realised the true nature of what he had got involved with and had the courage to stand up for his community. "His work has not only helped local people counter the BNP's campaigns, it has prevented several serious attacks on opponents of the BNP and we are indebted to him."