Members of the counter-demonstration outside Lunar House. Pic: Courtney Greatrex
The British National Party are today protesting outside the Croydon UKBA Home Office. The far-right party will be assembling at 12 noon outside Lunar House.
The Croydon Trades Union Council are holding a counter demonstration from 11am. Anti-fascist groups, including Unite Against Fascism, are expected to join the counter demo.
We will be updating this post as the day goes by with information from our on-site reporters.
You can follow live updates of the day’s events through the ELL Twitter feed.
15:50pm
Our coverage of the protest is now over but you can read the stories from the day below. Thank you to Courtney Greatrex, Emmet Simpson and Gaëlle Laforest for contributing to this live blog.
15:11pm
The protest is over and demonstrators are being dispersed.
BNP have all packed up, demonstrators heading in opposite directions. Police escorting BNP to East Croydon Station. pic.twitter.com/Ynrava2w5s
— EastLondonLines (@eastlondonlines) October 5, 2013
15:06pm
The BNP have just made an announcement thanking their members for coming to the protest. While they are preparing to leave, anti-fascist chants are getting louder. “Don’t come back!” one shouted.
A member of an anti-fascist group told ELL: “So long as the Nazis are here, we’re not leaving.”
15:05pm
Cliff LeMay, Chair of the Croydon and Sutton branch of the BNP, who organised today’s protest, told ELL:
“The reason we’re here today is to highlight the fact that 30,000 immigrants a month are coming into this country. This country is a rather small island. Our health services can’t cope, our schools are full, politicians keep telling us we need more houses. It’s not that there isn’t enough houses, there is just too many people.
“We want to raise awareness that this can’t go on. It’s unsustainable. The only people that will do something about it is the BNP.”
14:59pm
The police have started congregating in preparation for the protest drawing to an end.
Police congregating. Pic: Courtney Greatrex
14:08pm
Counter-demonstrators are still chanting “Smash the BNP” while a BNP member is making a speech.
Our reporters talked to the police who confirmed that the groups have permission to protest until 3pm and will then be asked to move on.
13:41pm
South London Anti-Fascists have just release a statement about their presence at the protest today. In it they explain they are not only protesting against “the pathetic racist politics of the British National Party” but also against the police, criticising the arrests made during the EDL march in Tower Hamlets on September 7 (see ELL’s coverage here.)
“The local BNP are not worth public call-outs, the 18 sh*t-bags who trundled out under their banner today were easily outnumbered by the people of Croydon who turned up to oppose them,” they said. “The greater racist threat are those in black uniforms, the politicians who direct them and the dominant class who profits from it. Our fight against racism will continue, despite the arrests, the laws and surveillance.”
13:36pm
Croydon High Street isn’t affected by the protest. Pic: Courtney Greatrex
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual on Croydon High Street. The protest doesn’t seem to be affecting the town centre.
13:30pm
Our reporters are on top of the Whitgift Centre car-park. Here you can see the BNP protesters on the right and the counter-demonstration on the left.
Photo of the demos, showing more clearly the difference in numbers between the groups. pic.twitter.com/7rmj1KGilY
— EastLondonLines (@eastlondonlines) October 5, 2013
13:22pm
Some tweets from groups supporting the counter-demo:
We are staying until the BNP leave. #UAF #UniteAgainstFascism
— BeckyT (@BeckMGeneral) October 5, 2013
#TUSC supporters in Croydon today @CroydonTUSC to join trade unionists protesting against #BNP
— TUSC (@TUSCoalition) October 5, 2013
13:18pm
BNP protesters are ignoring the ongoing anti-fascist chants and are now trying to attract the attention of passer-bys and cars driving past. They have started chanting “enough is enough.”
BNP protesters. Pic: Courtney Greatrex
13:05pm
The counter-demonstration includes members of Croydon TUC, UCU (University College Union), Unite, the Socialist party, PCS Croydon and South London Anti-Fascists. A passer-by told our reporters: “It’s safe to say who is winning,” referring to the growing counter-demo.
Meanwhile, the Croydon branch of the Met Police tweeted:
A policing operation is currently underway to facilitate peaceful protest groups outside Lunar House.
— Croydon MPS (@MPSCroydon) October 5, 2013
12:57pm
BNP protesters put up a banner that reads “Stop all immigration.” Pic: Courtney Greatrex
The BNP have started leafleting passer-bys. One flyer reads “The Labour Party is infested with paedophiles, even at the very top level.” It does not mention immigration at all.
12:43pm
A member of the Croydon and Sutton branch of the Socialist party talked to Courtney Greatrex. She said that Lunar House is usually open on Saturdays, but it is currently closed.
Some of the placards seen on the counter-demo’s side. Pic: Courtney Greatrex
12:26pm
A tweet from Tony Pearson, Councillor from New Addington in Croydon.
Strong presence from @MPSCroydon monitoring peaceful rally, and counter demo, in Croydon today.
— Tony Pearson (@N_AddCllrTony) October 5, 2013
12:24pm
BNP protesters on site. Pic: Emmet Simpson
The BNP protesters are vastly outnumbered by counter demonstrators, according to our reporters. They have started erecting flags and placards while counter-demonstrators are surrounding them.
12:14pm
BNP protesters arrive to Lunar House. Pic: Courtney Greatrex
BNP protesters have arrived. Our reporters estimate there are about 20 of them as of now. Anti-fascist chants of “Black and white, unite we fight” and “Whose streets? Our streets!” can be heard over BNP speeches.
12:06pm
There is a high police presence in the area. They have started offloading and forming lines next to counter-demonstrators.
11:50am
Our reporters Courtney Greatrex and Emmet Simpson are onsite.
Current view of Lunar House. Police standing by as various counter-demonstrators give speeches through megaphone. pic.twitter.com/aqLqK3idnR
— EastLondonLines (@eastlondonlines) October 5, 2013
BNP Not welcome in Croydon…..Going back into your holes&stay there!!!!!
Obviously, the anti BNP mob welcome immigrants, shortage of housing, overcrowded schools etc
It’s sad that people like the uaf want to destroy the British people and British culture. They shouldn’t be allowed in Britain if they don’t like the British people!