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Extremists' target vows to speak out



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Published Date: 19 July 2008
By Staff Copy
A SHEFFIELD councillor says she was left "sick and frightened" after far-right extremists threatened her children and grandchildren.
Labour councillor Jackie Drayton says she was bombarded with abusive emails after she criticised a British National Party meeting in Sheffield.

Her name appeared on the BNP's national website - and within hours her inbox was full of angry emails.

Today Coun Drayton said although she was scared, she refused to be bullied.

"Despite the threats I believe in democracy and free speech so I'm going to stand up and keep saying what I think. They are not going to quieten me with their bully boy tactics."

The BNP's national website claimed "Labour Party thugs" forced the meeting to be cancelled and Jackie was quoted as saying this was one battle which had been won.

Her email address was posted on the BNP's website along with a link to The Star's website.

Coun Drayton was travelling home from a London meeting when the emails started flooding her handheld computer.

Within a couple of hours she had 25 emails, some signed.

The former Lord Mayor said: "There was one which was particularly bad and I felt sick and frightened. I started getting more and more emails and when one mentioned my family I started to panic.

"Then I had a telephone message from a friend saying I was on the BNP website."

One message said: "How would you like yourself and your family to be intimidated in a similar fashion?

"Maybe you might like death threats like Salman Rushdie got? Take some advice, stay away from gangster style tactics as it may come and bite you back! It's not democratic and will lead to the rule of the gun. YOU WILL LOSE. You say you won this battle but you will lose the war, that's a promise and I never break promises.

"YOU will pay one day very soon. The writing is on the wall. May god have mercy on your soul, I will pray for your deliverance from evil."

Coun Drayton has passed the emails to the police and the council's legal department.

She spoke out against a BNP meeting planned for Wednesday night at Southey Social Club.

The club cancelled the meeting after consultation with councillors, MPs, police and members of the public. It went ahead at a secret location.

John Winston Beatson, of the BNP, said the party had a lot of support in the north of the city: "The Labour Party brought in their big guns to scupper our meeting with threats and intimidation.

"The Labour Party is stifling free speech and everyone's right to change our society by peaceful means."

Sheffield Council leader Coun Paul Scriven condemned the emails and said differences of opinion were vital in a democracy so people had choices:

"Elected representatives have a duty in a free and open democracy to raise their views without fear of intimidation or threats. Those who do threaten or intimidate people undermine the very democracy they say they support."




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The full article contains 544 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 19 July 2008 8:34 AM
  • Source: Sheffield Star
  • Location: Sheffield
 
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Truth, you can't handle the truth!,

woodseats 19/07/2008 11:38:28
"Despite the threats I believe in democracy and free speech so I'm going to stand up and keep saying what I think. They are not going to quieten me with their bully boy tactics." Well Drayton that comment certainly is hypocritical. It's alright for the likes of Hamza and his sidekicks to block of London streets and preach their hatred of all things non islam, but anyone who dare speak up and say how they feel shall be vilified. I myself are not a member of the BNP, but they are a legitimate political party and have a right to hold meetings, as quoted Drayton believes in "democracy and free speech".
2

freedom,

sheffield 19/07/2008 11:53:38
If he beleieves in democracy and free speech wouldn't she have been adamant that the BNP meeting went ahead as planned.
It's like me having cassual sex on a friday night and saying I beleive in sex after marriage.
3

crystal peaks man,

19/07/2008 14:31:50
I have to say she comes across as being a hypocrite,she helps to stop a legal party from holding a meeting and says comments like the battle is over and we won and then in the same breath professes to be a democrat,she must think people are stupid.
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Steve Michael,

London 19/07/2008 15:51:11
So, Cllr Jackie Drayton believes in free speech and democracy but on the other hand is very pleased she was able to shut down a legitimate party political meeting ? What utter hypocrisy and double standards.

As BNP support continues to rise in traditional Labour heartlands, it is safe to assume that there will be many more attacks to come on the democracy and freedoms we once used to take for granted.



5

Reaper,

Shitefield. (well, it is..) 19/07/2008 17:26:37
Think we'd be much better with the likes of Drayton out, & the BNP in..
6

Fred Jones,

19/07/2008 18:10:31
Sheffield Council leader Coun Paul Scriven said:

"Elected representatives have a duty in a free and open democracy to raise their views without fear of intimidation or threats. Those who do threaten or intimidate people undermine the very democracy they say they support."
Correct - but would Cll Scriven or the Star criticise the various anti BNP outfits who threaten violence outside BNP meetings or to violently disrupt the BNP RWB Festival?
7

,

19/07/2008 18:25:17
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason: Removed at editor's discretion
8

LordHawHaw ,

Wisewood 20/07/2008 00:24:29
Yet again the labour Party and other parties are running scared,your polices have let down the white and black working classes.One of the main reason why my folk voted for the B.N.P. in the last local elections,and that was nationaly,You want the powderkegs cities to blow off again,well the way its going,it will,and dont give me,"with have a racial intergration".This city Sheffeild is racial divided,with different races living in seperate areas and other cities.All this about FREESPEACH,and freedom to put are veiws across,like the imans do in London,preaching their hate against the British people,we carnt even lock up Bin Laden no 1 Europe,as It might breach his Human rights,what utter Balls,what kind of state are we living in!and the main parties wonder why folk are voting for the far right,wake up and smell the coffee Mr.Brown and his cronies,this fight will go,your war hasnt been won,the far right is much stronger what you think,and you are running scared,just a pity we carnt be more organised like the black shirts in the 30s,and some of us wont forget the murder by the state on the 3rd January 1946 of William Joyce,and no he wasnt British,are family is still waiting for the pardon,even though we got his body back,for a proper buriel,and another thing,never see you stop a far left meeting,what a joke all you mainline party representives are,what a screw up of the country you are making.Borders should of been shut a few years,internment the 2000 suspect terriost running free around this country,but all we hear,they got human rights,what to BLOW US UP LIKE THEY DID ON 7/7,OR PRESTWICK AIRPORT,THERE'S A EMENY WITHIN WAKEY WAKEY YOU FOOLS,GOD REST HAWHAW.
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the eyeball in the sky.,

20/07/2008 09:22:38
How the Labour party can talk about democracy I don't know-these are silly, evil people.
Many of the ordinary British people are beginning to see through their lies, I hope that it is not too late.
So you think that you won the battle do you Councillor Jackie Drayton? Well love I am sorry to disapoint you but the battle has hardly started yet.
The first casualty of war is the truth and all your lies will never change that.
10

Happier Resident,

Multicultural Sheffield 20/07/2008 14:40:17
hate breeds hate - the empire is over get over it! in the world we all need each other - no country can survive on it's own, so have a reality check!

Do we want race riots in this country? well some people might! But not me - There are many British people living in other counties - so do you want them treating how Racists treat people from other countries get over here?

What is the alternative to us all trying to get along, well I think that we known the answer - more hate more war - read the Bible and get some spirituality you lost people ( by the way Jesus was from the middle east - so Iif you call yourself a christian how can you be RACIST? enless you worship evil?)
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