UK Far-right Anti-Islam Ad Criticized
"This is a desperate attempt at publicity by a party with no profile and no platform," Nick Lowles, of anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate, told The Huffington Post UK, referring to the new ad produced by British National Party (BNP).
"Clearly the most provocative thing they have ever done."
Depicting a schoolgirl being hunted by a group of Muslims riding a car and swilling alcopops, the defamatory five-minute video is set to be BNP's official party election broadcast.
A 10-second leaked clip shows a carton of schoolgirl accompanied by BNP's bulldog mascot gazing at a billboard which reads "Muslim Grooming Gangs At Large".
In one scene, the schoolgirl walks past a woman wearing bruqa and a boy with a sign saying "sale" around his neck.
In another scene, the girl sees a black silhouette with blood red hands that refers to the killer Lee Rigby Michael Adebolajo. The background song says those who "kill with knives and axes".
BNP's provocative video is scheduled to be aired on prime-time BBC and ITV on Tuesday, ahead of European Parliament elections next May.
The BNP, a far-right and whites-only political party, is notorious for attacks against immigrants and British Muslims.
Same as English Defence League (EDL), far-right BNP plays the card of immigration to stoke sentiment against Muslims and immigrants.
The BNP won its first county council seats and European Parliament seats in 2009, winning one council seat in both Lancashire and Leicestershire, and one European Parliament seat each in Yorkshire and the Humber and North West England.
In March 2012, a study revealed that almost half of the BNP supporters thought "preparing for conflict between different groups is always or sometimes justifiable."
Content
Submitting the final version of its political campaign ad, BNP’s members are expecting to capture enormous audience at BBC and ITV peak time.
"It's going to get an enormous audience, at peak time. Usually they try and put it in the middle of the night," said Simon Darby, the BNP's press officer.
"We’re counting down the days till it’s here… and believe the hype – it’s well worth the wait!" BNP website told members.
Lowles of Hope Not Hate said that he doesn't believe that BBC would broadcast the video "in its current form".
"It is inconceivable this could be broadcast, especially since the BBC have rejected less extreme broadcasts in the past," he said.
Earlier defamatory videos by BNP were modified and even banned by Channel 5 and BBC for its racial content in 2004 an 2007.
However, BBC2 said that BNP broadcast would be aired at 17.55 on Tuesday, without disclosing its content.
"The content of party election broadcasts is a matter for the political parties," a spokeswoman said.
"However, it is then the broadcasters’ responsibility to make sure it is compliant with relevant broadcasting regulations and the law."
The corporation's guidelines state that parties must "ensure broadcasts abide by rules laid down by the BBC and Ofcom... [which] include an obligation to observe the law, for example on libel, copyright and incitement to racial hatred and violence."
Britain is home to an estimated Muslim minority of nearly two million.
A Financial Times opinion poll showed that Britain is the most suspicious nation about Muslims.
A poll of the Evening Standard found that a sizable section of London residents harbor negative opinions about Muslims.
Source: On Islam
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