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2:18pm Thursday 21st February 2008
EXTREME right wing political group the National Front has set up a youth group in Chippenham, despite huge opposition from schools and parents.
The group, whose conditions of membership include no homosexuals, must be of white parentage and partners must also be white', has already held two meetings in the town.
At the latest meeting on February 16, more than 25 youngsters from the age of 14 attended and awards were handed out to individuals for their work for the organisation.
When the Gazette broke the news of the National Front's arrival in Chippenham in September, schools were outraged that the party intended to hand out leaflets at the gates to attract young members.
Gerard MacMahon, head teacher at Sheldon School, said: "I am confident that our pupils would not have any involvement with an organisation which is involved in the stirring or spreading of hate.
"At the school we would have nothing to do with an organisation like that - Sheldon will have nothing to do with them.
"As an immigrant myself, I am not at all interested in what they have got to say."
News that the party has managed to establish a youth group in town has come as a shock to many. Mum-of-two teenagers Emma Fitzwarren, 44, of Eastern Avenue said: "I think it is totally disgusting they have infiltrated the town - why have people even given them the time of day?
"I have warned my children about getting involved with the racists and I know they would never be sucked into it.
"I am now just concerned about other children. They might feel pressured to join and that could lead to horrendous consequences. I plead with all parents to make sure their children are not involved."
A spokesman for Wiltshire College said: "We are an inclusive organisation and we would be very concerned about any association with groups who do not share our values, particularly those who would seek to discriminate against groups or individuals."
Steve Reynolds, executive member of the National Front, said: "Many issues arose, one on their safety and their fears of being attacked by others. Some expressed concern for their elderly relatives, claiming they had been failed by the system and others in the community. We also touched on the closure of Lacock Post Office."
who dat?, says...
8:51pm Thu 21 Feb 08
Godfrey, little horton says...
10:00pm Thu 21 Feb 08
Godfrey, little horton says...
10:06pm Thu 21 Feb 08
TC, Chippenham says...
10:15pm Thu 21 Feb 08
donteventhinkit, Corsham says...
12:24am Fri 22 Feb 08
chipper, chippenham says...
11:20am Fri 22 Feb 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
7:56pm Fri 22 Feb 08
grumpyoldcynic wrote:That makes a refreshing change from the stance usually taken by our opposition that usually goes something like:
The naivety and complacency of some parents never ceases to amaze me. These parents, whose children apparently would 'never be sucked into' any extremist views need to engage, with their children, with the National Front and argue out the issues. My vote goes to the UK Independence Party but I would listen carefully to the National Front and seek to demolish their extreme views as an open debate rather than a dismissive gesture. We need to spell out absolutely explicitly to our children precisely the abhorrence of unacceptable racist views, and yet explain and support a pride in our national culture, beliefs and way of life that may seem to young people in danger of being undermined by external influences over which we appear to have little control.
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
8:06pm Fri 22 Feb 08
donteventhinkit wrote:OK, but we are not the same party as the BNP as some people seem to be confused about.
These people making the press against this youth group are without realising doing exactly the same thing as the NF. Yes its not race based but they are condemning people on the basis of belief.Judge not less you yourself be judged that said VOTE BNP
When the Gazette broke the news of the National Front's arrival in Chippenham in September, schools were outraged that the party intended to hand out leaflets at the gates to attract young member
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
9:24pm Fri 22 Feb 08
NF, Not Far says...
4:12pm Sun 24 Feb 08
Stan, Beckenham says...
8:03pm Sun 24 Feb 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
3:56am Mon 25 Feb 08
Stan wrote:lol, what would you know about the size of the NF today? Have you ever been an executive member? Ever had access to the membership list have you Stan?
This would all be well and good (and terrifying) if the Gazette had actually been to the meeting. Instead this is a poor case of journalism. The NF have a tiny membership and most of the comments on here are from their tiny membership who have been instructed to leave messages. I'm afraid this is poor journalism, not the growth of a tiny, insignificant (thought nasty) organisation, but someone repeating verbatim a press relase designed to get the NF front page news. I should know, I was a member once and the NF only exists in the minds of small time newspapers and the few freaks still in the party.
Stan, Beckenham says...
10:11am Mon 25 Feb 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
4:06pm Mon 25 Feb 08
TC, Town Centre, Chippenham says...
6:43pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Stan, Beckenham says...
11:51pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Stan, Beckenham says...
12:03am Tue 26 Feb 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
4:42am Tue 26 Feb 08
Stan wrote:Definition of the word "Nutzi"! = a word used on the stormfront forum, invented by the BNP leadership to alienate anyone who does not agree with them. It is a word used by mainly the more moronic element of the BNP.
Sadly (but not surprisingly) the mental dwarf that is the NF has retarded itself into oblivious sectarianism. Not only do I not post on Stormfront, I am one of the anti-paedophilism/gr ooming crowd that asks for it to be closed down. Teenagers quoting it as some kind of (bi polorised) source is one of the more worrying reasons why we demand it should be closed. I would applaud any NUT member that could take in hand this frustrated oik and point out the error of his/her ways, because I do feel that even the most blatant ignoramus could see a pre-pubescent struggling with the weight of the argument before them. So; I am asking you to show this mental dwarf some considertation: The Jewsih/Communist magazine Searchlight has for a long time run this small group of spotty teenagers, encouraging them to spout useless nonsense on forums such as this to discredit the "movement". They had 19 people on their national parade to the cenotaph, and were also beaten to a pulp by Gay Pride marchers in Brighton in the midst of last year. That such an idiot should be their only poster on here is a fair explanation of why the NF feel that because they stand in a group of crowded shoppers with their pubic flags hidden under their school stachels, is apparently evidence of a mass movement. I challenge again, either the spotty dwarves of the NF or this very paper, to prove that such a meeting of such gravity even went ahead as reported. It is a sad, sorry tale of GCSE papers too, that young people with no grip on histroy or their place in it, should spend their time on here and not with a member of the opposite sex. I do wish this young Nutzi would get out of his/her bedroom and get a life, before some old aged pensioned dwarf on an Asbo gets release to run them again.
The Maxter, Chippenham says...
12:21pm Fri 29 Feb 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
3:14pm Fri 29 Feb 08
The Maxter wrote:Oh yes The Maxter (Or is that The Marxist?)
Ahh The NF and BNP are at it again. Both sets of supporters are one step from the playground. The demise of the NF is set against the 'rise' (if you can call it that) of the BNP. The juvenile urinating contest in which they engage, is the biggest reason not to vote for either of them.
The Maxter, Chippenham says...
11:24am Mon 3 Mar 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
12:09pm Mon 3 Mar 08
The Maxter wrote:just about every political party disagrees on issues that matter and have their own vision of how they will deal with these issues.
They disagree generally on the issues that matter, as opposed to a feud regarding each others existence. However if I were to be kind, then I would applaud your antidote to nodding dog politics - a shame then you taint it, with behavior that is one step from the playground.
The Maxter, Chippenham says...
12:40pm Mon 3 Mar 08
SwindonNF, Swindon says...
1:35pm Mon 3 Mar 08
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grumpyoldcynic, Chippenham says...
7:20pm Thu 21 Feb 08