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  Question Time protests - live |
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 | Reported by guardian.co.uk
on Thursday, 22 October 2009
(on October 22, 2009) |
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Tonight the BNP leader, Nick Griffin, takes his seat on the BBC's Question Time programme.
Follow the buildup to the show throughout the day6.15pm: Apparently Richard Bacon has made it to safety.
He has been escorted by security to an office with the head of digital and interactive at BBC 5 live.
Here's a picture of the guards 'bringing home the Bacon'.The same BBC 5 live boss has tweeted that there was a protest outside BBC Humberside, but it has ceased, possibly due to a heavy downpour.6.07pm: James Robinson is still outside television centre, and has just collared Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's middle east editor.Jeremy Bowen told me he supports the decision to invite Griffin onto Question Time:"I think its fine for people to demonstrate, but I also think its perfectly ok for him to be on Question Time, Bowen said."[The BNP] does have political resonance in some parts of the country and we need to understand why.
I didn't agree wtith the ban on Sinn Fein in the 80s and I wouldn't agree with banning Griffin now."Bowen said he and his BBC news colleagues saw the protesters storm the BBC reception.
The journalist said:"We saw them all running in and one of my colleagues said: "There hasnt been as much excitement here since Coldplay played a concert.""6.00pm: BBC saying protests are taking place at various BBC centres.
So the barricading of Richard Bacon is not personal.
Still about 500 people outside television centre on Wood Lane.
A colleague has told me BBC 5 live plan to stream Question Time live.
You can follow news of the protests and the recording here, with Andrew Sparrow liveblogging the show itself from 9.30pm.5.52pm: There may still be protesters in television centre.According to a source in the building, about 8 policemen just ran through, shouting to bystanders to keep out of the way.
It is believed the police were hunting demonstrators who may have found their way to the audience entrance of a studio.5.43pm: Demonstrators seem to have quietened down now.
Still large numbers, but less jostling.The BBC have said the disruption caused when protesters accessed the television centre was dealt with promptly."A small number of people managed to get into television centre," said a spokesman."However, they were identified and are being escorted from the building quickly."5.29pm: Had this update from Matt Wells, of Media Talk fame:Protesters are also gathering in Hull, where Richard Bacon is presenting the late evening phone in for Radio 5 Live.
Apparently they are angry that there'll be a post-Question Time phone-in. At the moment he's stuck in an Ask pizzeria, waiting to be escorted into the venue two security guards.
5.25pm: BBC just covered a brief "back door" interview with Griffin, or rather a couple of questions were fired at him.
The BNP leader was asked if he expected such an amount of demonstrators."Yes I was rather expecting that, Labour party financed groups from all over the country are bringing groups here today," he said.5.23pm: James Robinson said the police have just made an announcement to protestors.Someone on a loudspeaker announced to the protestors that Griffin is inside, which cowed the demonstrators a bit.
Now seems the crowd are feeling slightly deflated.5.19pm: BBC showing footage of Griffin arriving.
Looks like he was held in his car before being shepherded into the television centre by his security guards.
Apparently he arrived by the Frithville Gate entrance.Looking like Question Time are on track to record from 6pm - although studio audience (members of the public, not panellists) may struggle to get in.5.14pm: GRIFFIN IS IN THE TV CENTRE.5.10pm: Been passed an email from someone working at the BBC.
Apparently it is being circulated to everyone at the television centre. UPDATE 2 - 4.30pm, Thursday 22nd OctoberWe are aware that protestors have breached security at Television Centre. They are being evicted by police and security.
All studios are secure.
Staff at Television Centre should stay in their offices and wear their BBC ID prominently.
Security officers have instructions to challenge people without visible passes.
Please assist our security staff today in this way. If you have any concerns please contact your line manager.
Updates will be available on the usual 159 Emergency Channels5.08pm: Can distinctly hear "BBC, shame on you" being chanted by protesters.
BBC reporting they don't know whether any guests are at the television centre yet or not.Griffin told Sky earlier:"We will go in if it is safe.
We are certainly not going to fight our way through.
It is the job of the police to maintain law and order on the streets of Britain and nobody else."4.58pm: The BBC say it was actually around 25 protestors who broke into the building.
The news channel is carrying some dramatic pictures of the protesters, who appear to have acquired flares.Number of protesters seems to be increasing.
Will be interesting to see if the number swells further as less-committed/more career-minded protestors finish work.4.54pm: Nick Griffin is apparently not yet at the television centre.
Sky News is carrying a snap from the BNP leader:We will go to the BBC if it is safe but we will not fight our way into the building.Not sure if that is a direct quote just yet.4.51pm: Unless the guests are already in the television centre, Question Time producers are in trouble.
Wood Lane is completely blocked by protestors at the moment, no traffic moving whatsoever.The Guardian's latest information suggests Question Time was due to be recorded at 6pm this evening.
Not getting any firm figures on numbers, but the BBC are saying its a "few hundred".4.47pm: Around a hundred protestors have now spilled into Wood Lane, the road running past the television centre, and are preventing traffic from passing.
BBC News showing footage of protestors literally being dragged out of television centre reception by police, while still chanting and shouting anti-BNP messages.
That's dedication for you.4.43pm: From James at the television centre:Lukas Kudic, a student studying english and drama at Kings College London, said the protestors assembled in the reception area where they chanted slogans."We were in reception next to Piers Morgan," he said.Kudic claims, "The police got violent with one person." The student said he himself had been forcibly removed from the centre: "They grabbed my arms and put them behind my back."4.37pm: James Robinson has just spoken to one of the Unite Against Fascism protestors who said at least ten protestors did gain access to the television centre building.4.32pm: BBC News also showing footage, that looks like its been filmed from the television centre, of protestors.
They're reporting that protestors are accumulating near the vehicle entrance, and that some have "breached security".Apparently between 15-20 protestors managed to get through the gate to the BBC car area, and were chased by police.
They did not enter the building.4.25pm: Sky News are reporting that protestors have broken into BBC grounds and are being removed by police.
The news channel is showing pictures of what looks like several hundred protestors outside the television centre.
More soon.4.06pm:On the BNP website there is a list of the party's policies on key areas:Immigration, crime and justice, economy, education, health, environment, housing and welfare, Northern Ireland, defence, foreign affairs and democracy.Each area of policy has a substantial essay explaining the BNP's ideas.I've just loaded the text from all these articles into Wordle, producing this word-graph, which unfortunately I'm unable to embed into the blog at the moment.
You can see it on that link, though.3.40pm: The UAF also told James that 9 BNP members have tickets for Question Time, and are currently sitting in Westfield shopping centre, near the television centre.James has also heard that the BBC originally planned to film the show at Hull University, but moved location after authorities objected.You can read James' reports so far here.3.36pm: James Robinson has been speaking with Martin Smith, a national officer for Unite Against Fascism.Smith says the police told UAF they would use section 14 of the Public Order Act to disperse the demonstrators an hour ago.
They've not done so yet, but a few minutes ago police told Smith they intend to move the protestors imminently.3.09pm: More on whether the protestors are being removed from television centre shortly.In the meantime, there's a great article from James Dray on Comment is Free, recommended by PolishSupporter.
Dray, who debated with Griffin at the University of Oxford Union in 2007, gives tips to Straw et al, and warns the BNP leader "will not, as is sometimes assumed, politically hang himself if merely given enough rope; the panelists and audience will have to do it for him."The most surprising thing about Griffin is how intelligently, and even normally, he comes across.
We, in common with most of the media commentators then and now, were expecting him to be a bitter, resentful, hate-filled Little-Englander who would stand up and rant about blacks, Asians and homosexuals.
His supporters certainly lived up to these expectations - one of his bodyguards actually told me I should leave the country and go back home (I was born in South Africa).
Griffin, though, is much cleverer than that.3.03pm: Bit of breaking news from James Robinson:An offical from UAF tells me police are about to forcibly remove the demonstrators from outside television centre, I don't know yet if that is true.2.38pm: James Robinson has been speaking to Andrew Slaughter, Labour MP for Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush, the constituency where the television centre is based.Slaughter wrote to Mark Thompson earlier this week asking him to withdraw Griffin's invitation.
He told James he received a reply from Mark Byford yesterday, saying the BBC were obliged to invite the BNP on Question Time.The MP told James he wasn't best pleased with the decision:"I told Mark Byford you should come out of your air conditioned office and speak to the people on the estates.
They are utterly affronted that the BBC is signalling that the BNP are welcome in the political mainstream."Slaughter added: "The smugness index at this place - which is always very high - has gone through the roof today."2.21pm: The first coach carrying protestors has arrived at the BBC, says James Robinson.Around 20 protestors from Unite Against Facism have arrived at the television centre.
Organisers from the group say 16 coaches are expected in total.
They're gathered outside the main reception area in front of 7 policemen, chanting slogans including:"Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put Nick Griffin on the top, put the Nazis in the middle, and burn the fucking lot." 2.08pm: dickp raises an interesting point in the comments section below.What is the BNP's position on subsides for promoting the Welsh and other Celtic languages, I wonder?They are pro-British (not English) and pro-tradition, after all.
And you can't get more indigenous than Welsh speakers.Anyone?In the 12.30pm post I linked to the Third Way interview with Nick Griffin, which is from 2004.
There he is asked "As an Englishman living in mid Wales, how would you respond to the militant Welsh nationalist who says, 'We don't want the English living here.
They're diluting our culture, undermining our language, taking affordable housing away from our young people…'?"I'd say, 'I absolutely understand you.' I believe that cultures and nations have a right to say, 'We have a right to exist and if we have to infringe the liberties of individuals in order to preserve that right, then we will do so, in the gentlest, kindest possible way.' Welsh Wales is a very fragile culture and therefore I believe it has a right to keep out immigrants of any kind - including the English - if they're going to be part of the problem and are not going to contribute in some way to the local community.I'm not part of the problem, I'm part of the solution, because I've got four Welsh-speaking kids.1.59pm: Here's the full article from James Robinson outside the BBC television centre.Ken Livingstone has criticised the BNP's QT appearance BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He doesn't think the BBC had to allow the BNP airtime, and believes different standards should be applied because Griffin's appearance could incite violence.If anyone is hurt tonight then the BBC bears moral responsibility for that.It seems to me almost that the BBC has lost the moral compass - over the last year we have had the bizarre decision that the BBC wouldn't broadcast the concert for climate change because they thought it was too partisan, it wouldn't have an appeal for funds for the victims in Gaza, but it is quite prepared to have Nick Griffin on prime-time TV.The Muslim Council of Britain have released a statement saying the Question Time appearance "will create deep divisions in our society, and is disrespectful to the memory of those people, including many Muslims, who sacrificed so much to end Fascism in Europe during the Second World War."Secretary General Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari fears the appearance could give the BNP more respectability.We regret the BBC's decision.
There is a general fear that allowing the BNP to air its toxic views will increase Islamophobia and give the BNP aura of respectability needed to spread their message of hate.1.32pm: The Guardian's James Robinson is down at the television centre."There's a very small police presence, I've only seen about 6 policemen patrolling the immediate area on Wood Lane.
There are two groups of protestors, one from Unite Against Fascism and the other from the Socialist Workers' Party each with a stand laden with pamphlets and petitions.
Including journalists and security staff there's about 40 people outside so far, although I overheard one policeman saying they were expecting 'coachloads' of demonstrators later on."Grifflaw has pointed out below that the BNP's website is back online, it's certainly working for me again.1.01pm: Writer Dave Turner has posted a novel idea on his blog for a drinking game whilst watching tonight's coverage.
'Nick Griffin' is trending on Twitter.
Here's a sample.@simongribbon: "can't deny his freedom of speech but dreading the impact of Nick Griffin's words tonight."@TheSiDog: "I have never watched Question Time before but will tune in tonight to see Nick Griffin of the BNP write his suicide note"@wesstreeting: "I think if people after a proper debate and grilling of the BNP put him in front of Paxman.
#bbcqt is not the forum to do it, I fear."The BBC are inviting people to suggest debate topics for tonight's Question Time.The beeb are also curious to know "What question would you ask Nick Griffin?"Thoughts?12.39pm: I've received a couple of emails, one for the BNP, one against.Blogger Rick Glanvill, who describes himself as a "London mongrel and proud of it," muses about Nick Griffin's background...Personally I am looking forward to the subject of Griffin's ancestry being raised on Question Time.
His great-grandfather George Griffin was a traveller-tinker of the sort he detests and condemns as "anti social and criminal".
Thinking about it, it would make a very entertaining sequel to 'Back To The Future': Griffin going back to Devon in the 1850s, booting his own 'criminal' ancestor off this Sceptr'd Isle - and thereby snuffing out his own life.
Mrs.
Barbara S, who describes herself as a "company director, gated residence owner, voluntary worker [Not a jack-booted or a tattooed ignorant slob]" thinks the BNP's Question Time appearance is a good thing.Free speech has won, Could this be the wake up call the public need to out an end to Britain's nightmare.No matter where you go or who you speak to the electorate want change, an end to the PC directives and an end to the dictatorship that we have in government.Britain is being broken under Labour and there is no difference between them and the Conservatives.The policy's [sic] of the British National Party will return some pride and sanity to our Nation.Oh, it is not racist to be patriotic, if it is then I'm one.12.30pm: Anti-fascist protestors are gathered outside the BBC Television Centre in west London.
We'll have more from Guardian reporter James Robinson, who's outside the centre, shortly.The Independent website has an interesting piece, 10 things you should know about the BNP when you watch Question Time tonight.Christian magazine Third Way has an interview with Nick Griffin, conducted back in 2004.
Discussing the notion that cultures can co-exist, Griffin says "most of the examples tend to suggest that it's not a good idea."Back on the Guardian site, Leo Hickman discusses how Griffin might deal with the environment.It will be fascinating to see how Griffin deals with this topic, given that last April his party published its environmental manifesto with the somewhat bold claim that the BNP is "this nation's only true Green party which has policies that will actually save the environment".12.09pm: Gordon Brown has been talking to Real Radio Yorkshire about tonight's programme."If on Question Time, they are asked about their racist and bigoted views that are damaging to good community relations, it will be a good opportunity to expose what they are about.At every point, I believe we have got a duty to expose the BNP for what are racist and sectarian politics.
Anybody who listens to what they are really about will find that what they are saying is unacceptable.
In a recession, people are tempted to vote against their traditional voting patterns like voting Labour, which we regret.
But I want to persuade people that voting for the BNP is not the right thing to do." Brown also said the government would not interfere with the decision to invite Griffin onto the programme: "It was a decision of the BBC.
We are not trying to interfere with the decision of the BBC."Welsh secretary Peter Hain has been calling for the BBC to block the BNP's invitation.Meanwhile, the BNP's website has been replaced by a temporary version.
A message says the normal site has had to be taken offline due to an "enormous amount" of visitors.11.52am: Nick Griffin has sent an email to subscribers of the BNP website, reminding them of tonight's show.
He says the party has never before had the chance to present its "patriotic, common sense solutions to Britain's nightmare situation to the public at large".Griffin also warns the audience and panellists will be "hostile".
Here's the full text.Fellow British PatriotQuestion Time is scheduled for 10.35pm TONIGHT on BBC 1 and will be a milestone in the indomitable march of the British National Party towards saving our country.
Our violent opponents on the far Left have promised to lay siege and barricade the studio venue, because they know only too well that this could be THE key moment that propels the BNP into the big time.
Never before have we had the chance to present our patriotic, common sense solutions to Britain's nightmare situation to the public at large in such a prominent fashion.
However, members and supporters must be aware that this show will be a stage-managed farce organised in a specific way to leave several impressions:The audience will be hand-picked and overtly hostile - thus giving the impression that the British people at large must be hostile to BNP views.The panellists will be overtly hostile, even the non-political guests will be hostile.
Everyone will be hostile - this will leave the impression to non-informed viewers that BNP views have minority status.I will, no doubt, be interrupted, shouted down, slandered, put on the spot, and subject to a scrutiny that would be a thousand times more intense than anything directed at other panellists.
It will, in other words, be political blood sport.But I am relishing this opportunity, and I know that, despite the stage-managed hostile audience and panellists, YOU, the ordinary members, supporters and voters of the BNP, will be in the studio with me as I take on the corrupt, treacherous swine destroying our beautiful island nation.
Yours sincerely for BritanniaNick Griffin MEPChairman, BNP11.30am: The big story of the day is the appearance of the BNP leader, Nick Griffin, on the BBC's Question Time programme.
The BNP has been under an increasingly intense spotlight in the run up to the programme, with its membership list being leaked on Tuesday, and a number of former generals accusing the party of hijacking the reputation of the armed forces.Anti-fascist campaigners are expected to gather outside the BBC Television Centre, where Question Time is being filmed for the first time in four years.
The programme is usually filmed in public venues around the country.
It is also being recorded earlier than usual, with the Guardian's current understanding being that filming will start around 4pm.
The show is usually pre-recorded just before transmission.Follow the news on Griffin's appearance here throughout the day, you can contribute your thoughts or news below, or email adam.gabbatt@guardian.co.ukHere's a press round-up to kick us off as the papers are awash with comment on the impending show.The BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, today defends the corporation's decision to invite the BNP leader on to the programme, and challenges the government to change the law if it wants to censor the far-right group.Writing in the Guardian, Thompson says it would take a government-imposed broadcasting ban to prevent the BBC from allowing the BNP on air.
But he says he doesn't believe that is the best way to deal with "extreme views".Many would argue that proscription and censorship can be counter-productive, and that it is usually better to engage and challenge extreme views than to try to eliminate them through suppression.
My point is simply that the drastic steps of proscription and censorship can only be taken by government and parliament.
Though we argued against it, the BBC abided by the Northern Ireland broadcasting ban in the 1980s, and, if the BNP were proscribed, the BBC would abide by that decision too, and the BNP would not appear on Question Time.The Guardian's Hélène Mulholland says a similar appearance helped the cause of the French far right in the 1980s.
The Times takes a Machievellian approach to the furore.
First it welcomes the BBC's invitation because as "democrats, our comparative advantage over Mr Griffin definitely lies in debating with him rather than fighting his party on the streets".
The paper goes on to note the tension within the BNP between those, such as Griffin, who want to broaden its appeal and the hardcore who wish to stay ideologically pure.One of the best chances to destroy the party lies in increasing this tension and hoping that it ultimately splits the fascist movement, as it did in the 1980s.
The BNP leader will have a dilemma tonight.
He will see this as a golden opportunity to enter the mainstream, but will also be acutely aware that his activists and internal rivals will be watching.
The panel and Mr Dimbleby will need to exploit this predicament deftly.Steve Richards at the Independent, however, thinks the BBC blundered, saying Question Time is not the right format.The BBC had a duty to give the BNP airtime.
It was not the BBC that voted for the BNP at the last European election.
The voters have to answer for that one.
But it was the BBC which decided to give Griffin his ideal platform, a highly charged audience, lots of questions, and a big panel making forensic scrutiny impossible.Richards argues that Griffin cannot lose.
"If he is given a hard time he will be the programme's noble martyr.
If he has an easy ride he will enjoy the journey." Melanie Phillips at the Daily Mail says politicians from "distasteful but lawfully constituted political parties" should have their views "taken on and defeated in argument".
She says other politicial parties should acknowledge the BNP's appeal.And that is what the political class is getting so badly wrong.
For the strategy being adopted to contain and destroy Griffin is to attack him for being a racist.
Which he is.But that is not the reason for his appeal.
Those who support him do not in the main do so because they are racially prejudiced.
It is because he also opposes mass immigration, Islamisation and the loss of sovereignty to the EU.The Sun has a comment piece from Russell Brand [unavailable online], in which he ponders Griffin making an appearance on Gardeners' Question Time: "I'd like to hear BNP Akela Nick Griffin fuming at a dahlia on account of its hue or provenance - 'Bloody flowers, growing over here, stealing our bees'."Brand thinks the BBC ultimately made the right decision in inviting the BNP on to Question Time, however.I think the BBC are right to grant a forum to nitwits, Lord alone knows I've said some silly things on the Corporation's dime (Did they mention it?) and I have great confidence in the ability of British people to recognise prats peddling rhubarb and that's what the BNP are.
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